The Miami Dolphins’ two first-round picks broke franchise rookie records in Sunday’s 20-9 win over the New York Giants.
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who is already on pace for the NFL’s rookie receptions record, broke the Dolphins’ mark, and outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips got Miami’s rookie sack record with a pair of quarterback takedowns.
Waddle finished with nine receptions for 90 yards to lead Dolphins on Sunday. That put him at 86 catches on the season, topping Jarvis Landry’s record of 84 set in 2014. A third-quarter Waddle reception from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa put him over the number needed.
“It’s big,” Waddle said. “I really didn’t even know until they put it on the screen. Everybody was cheering. I was like, ‘That’s pretty cool.’ I think it’s great to have. I wouldn’t be able to have the record without quarterback, O-line, coaches trusting me, putting me in position to get the ball.”
Phillips got his record with sacks of Giants quarterback Mike Glennon on back-to-back plays late in the third quarter. He is now at 8 1/2 sacks on the season, breaking Bill Stanfill’s mark of eight set in 1969. Lorenzo Bromell also tied Stanfill with eight in 1998.
“It’s incredible. It’s a surreal feeling,” said Phillips, who has five sacks in the past two games and has been in on a sack in his past five outings.
Phillips, who played at the same stadium for the Miami Hurricanes last season, had to get over early-season struggles to have the success he is now finding.
“It was a learning curve, and I got hurt right in the beginning,” Phillips said. “I was frustrated with myself, felt like I wasn’t performing the way I needed to for my teammates, but ultimately, had to go through those rough times to come out the other side. It was a blessing in disguising.”
Waddle also had a rookie moment on his final catch against the Giants, a 25-yarder over the middle. Going to the ground on the catch, he was not touched by a defender, meaning the play is still live in the NFL, as opposed to college rules. New York’s Logan Ryan nearly got him to fumble the ball away.
“I’m pretty sure we’re going to emphasize on that a little more,” said Waddle of upcoming conversations with coaches.
He went to the locker room after the play, but it turned out to merely be a cramping situation. Waddle said he was fine postgame.
Waddle is now 15 receptions away from Anquan Boldin’s NFL record of 101 set in 2003 with the Arizona Cardinals.
Jones misses game
While Phillips played Sunday, the other Dolphin that entered questionable did not.
Safety Brandon Jones was held out against the Giants, missing his second consecutive game.
Jones entered Sunday questionable with ankle and elbow injuries, according to the team’s injury report, but he said this past week it was the elbow ailment that was keeping him off the field. Phillips played through a hip injury.
With Jones out, veteran Eric Rowe started again as the safety alongside rookie starter Jevon Holland. Rowe led Miami with seven tackles.
The three Dolphins that entered Sunday doubtful — running back Phillip Lindsay (ankle), tight end Adam Shaheen (knee) and cornerback Trill Williams (hamstring) — all did not play. The other Dolphins inactives were defensive tackle John Jenkins and outside linebacker Darius Hodge.
Miami got two offensive starters it had on injured reserve — wide receiver DeVante Parker and center Michael Deiter — back after activating them on Saturday. Receiver Will Fuller is among those that remain on IR.
Deiter was the Dolphins’ starting center against New York in his first game action since Sept. 26 at the Las Vegas Raiders. Parker had five receptions for 62 yards, including a pair of impressive, acrobatic catches along the sidelines to beat man coverage.
“It was really good to have DeVante back,” Tagovailoa said. “DeVante adds another vertical stretch for us offensively, and he makes tough catches when you need him to.”
For the Giants, the two receivers that entered Sunday doubtful, Kadarius Toney and Sterling Shepard, did not play. The four players that were questionable — tackle Nate Solder, tight end Kyle Rudolph, receiver John Ross and fullback Cullen Gillaspia — played.
Other Giants inactives were quarterback Daniel Jones, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, guard Wes Martin and outside linebacker Oshane Ximines. Jones and Jackson were already deemed out as of Friday.
Laird injured
Dolphins running back Patrick Laird left Sunday’s game with a knee injury late in the first quarter.
Laird was able to walk to the sideline under his own power, but he was deemed out for the rest of the game shortly thereafter.
With Lindsay already out and Duke Johnson not elevated from the practice squad like he was against the Jets two weeks earlier, the Dolphins finished with just Myles Gaskin (15 carries for 44 yards) and Salvon Ahmed (eight for 23) at running back.
Long’s first catch
Waddle and Phillips set franchise records, but Dolphins rookie tight end Hunter Long made his first NFL catch with an 8-yard reception in the second half on Sunday.
Long started for the second time in his career as top pass-catching tight end Mike Gesicki saw limited snaps early in Miami’s offense. Seeing more action by the end of the first half, Gesicki finished with seven receptions for 46 yards.
