Miami Dolphins lose Jesse Davis to COVID-19 list. The fallout and notes at every position

Guard/tackle Jesse Davis— who has started 51 consecutive games for the Miami Dolphins over four seasons, including all 10 this season — is out after being placed on the NFL’s COVID-19 list Monday, a move that depletes an offensive line coming off its worst game of the season.

Davis is not expected to play Sunday at the New York Jets, according to a source.

The Dolphins, who had allowed just 14 sacks in the first nine games, permitted six on Sunday — a combination of delinquent offensive line play and Tua Tagovailoa holding the ball too long.

Davis’ temporary absence likely means that the Dolphins will need to use three rookies in the starting lineup against New York — Austin Jackson at left tackle, Solomon Kindley at right guard and Rob Hunt at right tackle.

Making matters worse, Kindley is dealing with a painful foot injury and is day-to-day. He was unable to play in the second half of Sunday’s loss at Denver.

“His foot bothered him in the week; we’re in evaluation mode,” coach Brian Flores said on Monday. “I’m sure he will get back as soon as he can. He’s a tough kid. If he can play, he’ll play.”

Adam Pankey, Michael Deiter and Julien Davenport are the other offensive linemen on the 53-man roster.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson relinquished nine quarterback pressures in 49 pass blocking opportunities — two sacks and seven hurries.

Per PFF, Kindley allowed two sacks in 19 pass blocking opportunities before leaving for good in the second half with that foot injury.

Hunt, who entered at right tackle when Kindley left for good, permitted two pressures in 30 pass blocking chances.

Davis, who split time between right guard and right tackle on Sunday, allowed one hit and one hurry in 49 pass blocking opportunities.

Left guard Ereck Flowers allowed a sack and two hurries, per PFF.

Pro Football Focus rated center Ted Karras the best player on Miami’s offense on Sunday, blaming him for no quarterback pressures, hurries or sacks or for problems in a run game that averaged 3.6 yards per carry.

PFF held Tagovailoa responsible for one of the six sacks.

Hunt ended up playing 34 of Miami’s 65 snaps and Kindley 31. Now both likely will need to start in the interim, unless the foot prevents Kindley from playing.

Asked if teams need to accept occasional hiccups from rookie offensive linemen (such as Jackson, Hunt and Kindley), Flores said: “We don’t accept bad play. We need to do a better job on the O-line, on the D-line, in the secondary, players, coaches, everyone. We need to make corrections and that’s the only thing we can do.”

NOTES ON OTHER POSITIONS

▪ Running back: Salvon Ahmed played 43 of Miami’s 65 offensive snaps, with Patrick Laird playing 17 and Matt Breida only seven. This was Breida’s first game back after missing two with a hamstring injury, and he had just two carries for 4 yards.

Ahmed had 12 carries for 43 yards (3.6 average). “We didn’t run it effectively enough,” Flores said.

▪ Wide receiver: DeVante Parker played 63 of Miami’s 65 offensive snaps, with Jakeem Grant logging 55 and rookie Malcolm Perry 51.

Antonio Callaway played eight offensive snaps in his Dolphins debut (he was active but didn’t play the previous week) and Mack Hollins logged 12 snaps on offense.

▪ Tight end: In an unusual move, Mike Gesicki played far more snaps (43) than Durham Smythe and Adam Shaheen (13 apiece).

▪ Defensive line: With Christian Wilkins missing a second game in a row while on the COVID-19 list, defensive tackle Zach Sieler played 54 of 65 snaps, with rookie Raekwon Davis playing 49.

Even though the Dolphins didn’t have a sack and allowed 189 rushing yards (5.7 per carry), PFF rated Davis and Sieler the best and third-best players on Miami’s defense on Sunday, instead blaming Miami’s linebackers primarily for the problems stopping Denver.

Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah played 49 snaps and rookie Jason Strowbridge 16.

▪ Linebacker: Jerome Baker’s snaps were surprisingly low for a second consecutive week; he was on the field for just 20 of Miami’s 65 defensive snaps.

Snap counts for the other most-used linebackers: Kyle Van Noy (59 snaps), Elandon Roberts (50), Andrew Van Ginkel (45) and linebacker/end Shaq Lawson (43).

PFF rated Roberts the worst and Van Noy the fourth-worst of 21 players who logged defensive snaps for the Dolphins on Sunday.

▪ Cornerback: Xavien Howard had his sixth interception — tied for the NFL lead — and PFF rated him Miami’s second-best defender Sunday.

Howard allowed only three of eight passes in his coverage area to be caught, but those three went for 83 yards.

Conversely, Byron Jones allowed three completions (in four targets) but for only 17 yards. He doesn’t have an interception this season.

Slot cornerback Nik Needham allowed four completions in seven targets for 55 yards.

Incidentally, the Dolphins released cornerback Tae Hayes from the practice squad.

▪ Safety: PFF rated Bobby McCain sixth and Eric Rowe 13th among the Dolphins’ 21 defensive players Sunday. Rowe allowed four of five passes to be caught for 26 yards.

On Monday, Flores summed up the loss simply: “We’ve got to do a better job across the board” and said he believes his team will respond favorably.