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The Miami Dolphins have taken a significant hit to their playoff hopes as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been downgraded to doubtful for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns due to a hip injury.
Tagovailoa, who initially sustained the injury in Week 15 against the Houston Texans, managed to play through the pain in subsequent games but has now reached a breaking point.
This marks the first time Tagovailoa might miss an NFL game due to a hip issue, reigniting memories of the compound hip fracture he suffered during his final season at Alabama in 2019.
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Despite his optimistic comments earlier this week-calling the injury "typical wear and tear" for this stage of the season-it appears the situation is more serious than initially believed.
T
yler Huntley will replace Tagovailoa
Tagovailoa was limited in practice throughout the week and was initially listed as questionable. Now, the Dolphins are preparing for life without their star QB in what has become a critical stretch.
Miami needs to win its final two games, outperform the Indianapolis Colts, and rely on the Denver Broncos losing both of their remaining matchups to clinch a third consecutive playoff berth.
If Tagovailoa can't take the field, Tyler Huntley is set to start at quarterback. Huntley, who joined the Dolphins midseason after being released by the Browns, has had a mixed performance in his three starts this season, going 1-2 with a 59% completion rate, 377 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Will Huntley be up to the challenge?
The game will also be a homecoming of sorts for Huntley, who spent a brief stint with Cleveland during the offseason before Miami signed him off the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad. Behind Huntley, rookie Skylar Thompson will serve as the backup quarterback.
With Miami's playoff hopes hanging by a thread and a tough Browns defense awaiting, all eyes are on the Dolphins to see if they can navigate this critical game without their franchise quarterback. Can Miami keep its postseason dreams alive, or will Tagovailoa's absence prove to be the final blow? Stay tuned.