Raheem Mostert is down but evidently not out.
That’s the tl;dr version of Mike McDaniel’s comments Tuesday on why Mostert got just eight offensive snaps and zero carries in the Miami Dolphins’ 23-15 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
Outlook for Miami Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert
It was the first time in Mostert’s three seasons with the Dolphins that he was on the gameday roster but didn’t have a single rushing attempt.
Mostert’s previous low in such a situation was five attempts, and that came way back in his Dolphins debut — Week 1 of the 2022 season.
It was a startling fall from grace for a 2023 Pro Bowler who last year both led the league and set the franchise record in rushing touchdowns (18) and total offensive touchdowns (21).
But it also came after a three-game stretch in which he fumbled twice in crushing fashion. It’s fair to say that if he didn’t cough the ball up against the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts, the Dolphins likely would have won those games.
Mostert’s demotion was evident from the first time the ball was teed up Monday. He was back for the opening kickoff — which is something he hadn’t done since 2022.
So what was McDaniel’s reasoning behind the benching?
“I think we have a very talented backfield and we’re manipulating game plans week-in and week-out for a multitude of reasons,” McDaniel said. “I feel very confident with entrusting Raheem with our possession, with the football.
“He’ll have plenty of plays that he’ll make the rest of the season. The particular usage this past game was unique to the game plan and that’s kind of the case when you have one football and multiple talented running backs that all contribute in various ways.
“He’s still the leader of that room and we’ll be counting on him all season for us to get where we wanna go.”
McDaniel had a point. The Dolphins went three-wide vs. the Rams far more than they have for most of the season, and they weren’t about to take De’Von Achane — the team’s most productive offensive player this year — off the field.
Achane logged 37 of 53 snaps. Rookie Jaylen Wright got just nine plays from scrimmage.
The Dolphins collectively had their worst rushing game in more than a month, averaging just three yards per carry. There were a number of factors behind it, but the biggest was health. Right tackle Austin Jackson, left guard Rob Jones, and fullback Alec Ingold were all unavailable for all or most of the game.