December 30, 2020
We've got a busy day on this Hump Day edition of The Blitz. Kicker Jason Sanders brings home more hardware, the Good Morning Football crew interviewed one of their favorite players in Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, General Manager Chris Grier draws praise and on this day in Dolphins history is a come-from-behind win in the postseason.
Injury Report
The first injury report for Dolphins-Bills will be available Wednesday afternoon.
They Said It
Jason Sanders was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance Saturday night in Las Vegas. Sanders was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points, including the game-winning 44-yard kick with one second to play in regulation.
After just his second and third misses of the season in back-to-back weeks, Sanders displayed his resilient mettle by stepping up when the Dolphins needed him most in the 26-25 victory.
Special Teams Coach Danny Crossman praised Sanders' confidence and consistent striking of the football.
"I don't think his confidence has ever wavered," Crossman said. "Even on his misses he's struck the ball very well. I think when you have that and you're striking the ball well and you've struck it well all season, when you do have a miss, you're not going to overanalyze that. I think as a group, as a team, there is great confidence as a team that when we run Jason out there, successful things are going to happen."
Around the Beat/National Notes
Andrew Van Ginkel's play in 2020 is drawing attention from the popular NFL Network program Good Morning Football. Miami's second-year linebacker appeared on the show Tuesday to discuss a variety of topics including the 2020 Dolphins, his stock headshot and a whole lot more!
Van Ginkel was a fifth-round pick by General Manager Chris Grier and the Dolphins scouting department in 2019. A short 20 months later, Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel pens his argument for Grier as Executive of the Year.
Grier should be viewed as a candidate for the NFL's Executive of the Year honors when the national media votes this offseason. It would certainly strengthen his case if the Dolphins qualify for the playoffs by beating the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Dolphins On Social
On this Day in Dolphins History
December 30, 2000 - The Dolphins erase a 14-0 third-quarter deficit by scoring 23 of the next 26 points en route to a 23-17 overtime win against the Colts in an AFC First-Round Playoff game at Pro Player Stadium. It marks the second-largest comeback win in Dolphins postseason annals. The winning points are scored on a 17-yard run by running back Lamar Smith with 3:34 to play in the first overtime. It caps a day in which Smith set an NFL playoff record with 40 rushing attempts. His 209 rushing yards is the second-highest figure in NFL playoff history and the most-ever by a Dolphin (regular season or postseason) at the time.
Stat of the Day
Sanders' 136 points scored this season are the second-most in franchise history. If he scores nine or more points Sunday in Buffalo, he will take his spot atop the franchise charts with the current record standing for 20 years (set by kicker Olindo Mare in 1999, 144 points).
Know the Bills
With his three-touchdown, 145-yard showing Monday night in Buffalo's 38-9 win over New England, wide receiver Stefon Diggs jumped to the top of the NFL leaderboard in receiving yards (1,459). He also leads the league with 120 receptions, the most by a veteran player in their first year with a new team.
Content on Tap
The Dolphins are back on the practice field in preparation for the regular season finale in Buffalo. Head Coach Brian Flores and Dolphins players will speak with the media – including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa – we'll cover the day's events on Top News.
Plus, Wednesday is preview day as we take in-depth look at the Dolphins Week 17 opponent on Drive Time with Travis Wingfield. The key matchups, intriguing storylines and everything you need to know about the Buffalo Bills can also be found in the written preview on MiamiDolphins.com.
