Defensive end Taco Charlton said Wednesday there's been a simple effect to be among the inactives against the New York Jets.
"It made me hungry," Charlton said. "It made me hungrier. No discouragement at all. It just made me hungrier. It made me hungry to the point of, I want to be a player that no matter what, the game plan is you can't sit me. That's my motivation that I take from it. Like I said, I've been through this before. It pushes me to go even harder."
Charlton started five of the first nine games he played for the Dolphins after being claimed off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys, and the former first-round pick leads the team in sacks with five.
Head Coach Brian Flores and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said the decision to not use Charlton against the Jets came down to the game plan.
"(The coaches) felt like it put them in the best position to win, so you've got to respect that," Charlton said. "I go about my business the same. I come in here and work every day and I'm going to work my tail off to be the best player I can be."
Runnin' Ryan
A good portion of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s weekly press conference Wednesday was devoted to his running after he set a single-game franchise record for quarterbacks with 65 yards against the Jets.
The very first question set the tone, with Fitzpatrick being asked his favorite running back growing up (former Cardinals fullback Larry Centers).
Fitzpatrick later said his running is more about substance than style.
"I know it looks awkward and it certainly feels awkward," Fitzpatrick said. "It's not necessarily always my first choice of what I want to do to get yards. I know sometimes it's necessary and sometimes that's the best thing for the team, for me to do is to take off. Some games I'll have zero carries. Some I'll have five, six, seven. It just all kind of depends on the team and how the game is going, but yeah, last week was a little bit more than normal."
Fitzpatrick, who had seven carries for those 65 yards against the Jets, again showed off his sense of humor when he was asked he had certain rules when he ran, such as whether to stay low or try to deliver a blow against oncoming defenders.
"No, I mean, one of my rules is try not to look awkward, but I just look awkward," he said, eliciting laughter again. "I go down awkward. I have moves that a 37-year-old white guy would have. I look the same way on the field as I do on the dance floor, and that's why I don't dance at weddings."
In keeping with the humorous line of questioning, somebody asked Fitzpatrick whether he and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson — who has four 100-yard rushing games this season and more than 1,000 rushing yards on the season — sometimes compare notes.
Fitzpatrick deadpanned: "I don't think he's watching any of my film."
Sanders sizes up his big day
Kicker Jason Sanders was bemoaning the one that got away against the Jets, even though he overall was happy with his 7-for-8 field goal performance.
Sanders' team record certainly deserved consideration for AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor, but it went to Pittsburgh Steelers punt returner Diontae Johnson, who had a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals.
"I don't think I was snubbed," Sanders said. "If I would have gone 8-for-8, maybe it would have been a different story, but I understand that the losing team usually doesn't get it. To me, I don't really care. I've got three games left and that's all I'm really worried about."
The seven field goals almost doubled Sanders' previous career high of four, which he did last season against the Green Bay Packers.
He never kicked more than three field goals in any game during his time at the University of New Mexico.
The 7-for-8 outing against the Jets made Sanders 18-for-23 on the season. While his success rate of 78.3 percent isn't as high as the 90 percent (18-for-20) he posted as a rookie in 2018, Sanders still has been satisfied with his season.
"I know that I've done a lot of good things," he said, "and that's what's going to carry me through the next three games, looking back at all of the good things that I've done."
Talking Talib
Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Aqib Talib will not play a game for the Dolphins this season after being acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams in late October, but Flores did not dismiss the possibility the team would consider re-signing him as a free agent.
"Aqib has been a great player in this league for a long time," Flores said. "He's played a lot of good football, so he's definitely a guy who would be in the conversation. But again, those are between myself, (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore), (General Manager) Chris (Grier), our coaching staff. Those will always stay internal."
Flores said he has had conversations with Talib since the trade, which saw the Dolphins acquire him and a 2020 fifth-round pick for a 2020 seventh-round choice, while he's been finishing the season on injured reserve.
Injury Report
Wide receivers DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson both remain in the concussion protocol, but they practiced on a limited basis Wednesday.
But the Dolphins were missing another one of their wide receivers at practice, with Allen Hurns sitting out because an ankle/knee injury.
Hurns was one of two players who did not practice Wednesday along with defensive tackle Gerald Willis, who sat out with a hip injury.
Along with Parker and Wilson, FB Chandler Cox (shoulder) and CB Nik Needham (groin) were limited.
LB Jerome Baker (chest/jaw), QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (right shoulder) and RB Patrick Laird (hip) were listed as full participants.
