It didn’t look good for Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill when he limped to the locker room with 46 seconds remaining in the first half Sunday. But all’s well that ends well.
Tannehill returned in the second half; the Dolphins won on a miracle last play; and Tannehill is “encouraged” by how his ankle is healing.
“It’s been better, but I’m encouraged by how it feels,” Tannehill said told reporters Wednesday. “It’s gotten better every day, and moving around [Wednesday] at practice, some of the swelling was worked out of it.”
Offensive lineman Ja’Wuan James accidentally stepped on Tannehill’s foot as Patriots defensive tackle Adam Butler sacked the quarterback. Tannehill missed two plays.
“I was shocked that he came back in the game,” Dolphins coach Adam Gase said. “It looked bad from where I was standing and when I saw the replay, I thought it was a lot worse than it ended up being. I asked him if he needed a series to get him moving around. He said, ‘We’re good. Let’s go.’”
Tannehill was limited in practice Wednesday, listed with both shoulder and ankle injuries. The Dolphins expect him to start Sunday “unless something crazy happens,” Gase said.
Miami was without receiver Danny Amendola (knee) and cornerback Xavien Howard (knee) at practice Wednesday. Cornerback Cornell Armstrong (ankle), running back Kenyan Drake (shoulder), James (quadricep), safety T.J. McDonald (ankle), receiver DeVante Parker (shoulder) and tackle Larmy Tunsil (knee) were limited.