Inside Slant

The Sports Xchange

December 06, 2018 at 1:12 am.

Dolphins hopeful CB Howard can play Sunday

The Miami Dolphins’ monumental challenge of trying to knock off the visiting New England Patriots this Sunday just got significantly more difficult.

Miami cornerback Xavien Howard, a Pro Bowl candidate who leads the NFL with seven interceptions – including four in the past two weeks – is likely to miss the Patriots game due to a knee injury.

That’s a blow for the Dolphins (6-6), and good news for the Patriots (9-3), who can clinch their NFL-record 10th straight division title with a tie or a win on Sunday.

Howard hurt his knee during his second interception in last week’s Dolphins win over the Buffalo Bills. But Howard, perhaps due to adrenaline, missed just one play and finished the game.

On Wednesday, however, Howard did not practice, and his absence would likely be crucial on Sunday when the Dolphins face future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady.

“(Howard) is one of our best players if not our best player on defense,” Dolphins head coach Adam Gase said. “If he can’t go, we have to make some adjustments.”

Howard, the reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Week, is expected to return this season, Gase said. But if he is out on Sunday, that’s a huge loss for the Dolphins since Howard intercepted Brady twice in Miami’s 27-20 win over New England last December.

Bobby McCain is Miami’s other starting cornerback. To replace Howard – if needed — the Dolphins are likely to start either Cornell Armstrong, a rookie sixth-rounder, or Torry McTyer, a second-year pro who went undrafted in 2017.

Brady (knee) and tight end Rob Gronkowski (ankle, back) were limited in practice on Wednesday, but both Patriots stars are expected to play on Sunday.

Perhaps Miami’s only advantage in the game is their success at home. The Dolphins are 5-1 at Hard Rock Stadium this year, and they are 4-1 in their past five home matchups against the Patriots.

SERIES HISTORY: 104th regular-season meeting. Dolphins lead series, 53-50. The teams split their two matchups in 2017.

ALL  |  NFL  |  College Football  |  MLB  |  NBA