Inside Slant

The Sports Xchange

November 29, 2018 at 2:10 am.

WR Carroo might be ready to contribute more

Leonte Carroo’s phone was blowing up this past Sunday.

He had just caught the longest pass of his three-year NFL career – a 74-yard grab against the Indianapolis Colts that he went up and snatched before taking it to the house.

“I had almost 300 text messages,” Carroo said of the play that became just his 12th NFL catch and his second touchdown. “It was a long wait for my family and friends to see me make a play.

“A lot of people showed me love. But I wasn’t excited as you may think because we lost (27-24). The touchdown would’ve felt a lot better if we had won the game.”

Indeed, the Dolphins (5-6), who play host to the Buffalo Bills (4-7) this Sunday, have been doing a lot of losing lately, dropping six of their past eight games.

Individual moments of glory like the one that Carroo experienced against the Colts last Sunday may be all that is left that is positive for this wrecked Miami season. The playoffs are a long-shot now, and it may be time to find out if players such as Carroo – a third-round pick out of Rutgers in 2016 – can actually contribute.

Of Miami’s five remaining games, three are against losing teams – the Bills twice and once against the 3-8 Jacksonville Jaguars, who have lost seven consecutive contests. But Miami also has to play 8-3 New England and 6-4-1 Minnesota.

CBS Sports posted an analytical look that relied on a professional numbers-cruncher, projecting the Dolphins with just a 4.3-percent chance to make the playoffs as the second wild-card team.

The Bills, who have won two straight games, are being given a 0.0-percent chance.

Dolphins head coach Adam Gase will play to win, but the Bills game is also an opportunity to find out what he has in players such as Carroo and also rookie running back Kalen Ballage.

To start, at least, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill – in his second game since returning from injury – will look to veteran players such as running backs Frank Gore and Kenyan Drake and wide receiver Kenny Stills.

A knee injury may keep wide receiver Danny Amendola out, giving Carroo a potential opportunity.

Defensively, the Dolphins have been starting three players who are essentially rookies: defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick and linebackers Jerome Baker and Raekwon McMillan.

They will face a Bills offense that is relying on rookie quarterback Josh Allen and 10-year running back LeSean McCoy, who is having the worst season of his career.

The Bills are certainly a team Miami should beat. However, the Bills swept both games from Miami last season, and they have gotten on a mini-roll entering this week with two consecutive victories.

“We have to continue believing in us,” Gore told the media this week. “We have to get ready for Buffalo.”

SERIES HISTORY: 105th regular-season meeting. Dolphins lead series, 59-44-1. However, Buffalo swept both games last season.