PLAYER NOTES
–DT Kendrick Norton, a former University of Miami standout, was signed by the Dolphins off the Carolina Panthers practice squad. He was Carolina’s seventh-round pick in the 2018 Draft.
–RB Frank Gore (foot) was placed on injured reserve, ending his season and his streak of 122 consecutive starts. He leads the Dolphins with 722 rushing yards this season, averaging 4.6 yards per pop.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: RB Kalen Ballage, who had a 75-yard touchdown run on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, should get more work the rest of this season due to the injury that has knocked starter Frank Gore out of the lineup. Last week, Ballage finished the Vikings game with 12 carries for 123 yards. At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, he has power and speed. A fourth-round pick from Arizona State, Ballage has shown he can catch the ball out of the backfield, giving Miami an added weapon. He had a stellar career at Arizona – he scored eight touchdowns in one game in 2016 – but he has to learn how to hit the holes quicker and how to follow his blocks.
GAME PLAN: The Dolphins should be able to bait Cody Kessler into some bad decisions. Kessler, a third-round pick out of Southern Cal in 2016, is 1-2 in his three starts this season, taking over for Blake Bortles, who was benched. Kessler, who is expected to start his fourth game on Sunday, has repeatedly struggled this season. For example, last week against the Redskins, he completed just 9-of-17 passes for 57 yards and no touchdowns. He also turned the ball over twice – one interception and one fumble.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Dolphins WR Kenny Stills vs. Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey. Stills leads all Dolphins receivers in yards per catch (15.8), TDs (6) and yards (521). Ramsey made the Pro Bowl for a second straight year, becoming the first Jaguars player to accomplish that feat since Maurice Jones-Drew in 2011. Ramsey has been playing with a bone bruise on his knee but hasn’t missed a game and has three interceptions and 11 pass breakups this season.
–Dolphins CB Xavien Howard vs. Jaguars WR Dede Westbrook. Howard is tied for the NFL interceptions lead with seven and was named to the Pro Bowl this week. He missed the past two weeks due to a knee injury, but he returned to practice on Wednesday and should be able to go on Sunday. Westbrook, who returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown last week against the Washington Redskins, was Jacksonville’s fourth-round pick last season. He missed the first nine games last season but has improved ever since. He currently leads the Jaguars in receptions (56), yards (662) and touchdowns (5).
