AFC Notes: James Cook, Raheem Mostert, Bills, Dolphins, Jets

Bills

Bills RB James Cook said he tries to make the most of his opportunities when he gets the ball and let it all hang out against the Cowboys.

“I mean it’s been there, you know? I just let it rip when I get my opportunity,” Cook said, via Bills Wire. “They’re a great defense, so once you get the ball, you can’t hesitate. You just got to go.” 

Bills HC Sean McDermott credited RB coach Kelly Skipper for helping to develop Cook while adding that they plan to continue to give him a healthy amount of touches to keep him in rhythm.

“Get James touches, right?” McDermott said. “Touches matter to a running back (so) they can get into a lather and get going and get into a rhythm — and same for an offensive line. James’s development No. 1, credit him, No. 2, (running backs coach Kelly) Skipper and then the running backs that are in the room around James, also, on a daily basis have helped with his development, his maturation cause there’s highs and lows.”

• McDermott says that DT Jordan Phillips underwent wrist surgery on Sunday night and is currently considered week-to-week. (Alaina Getzenberg)

Dolphins

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said RB Raheem Mostert earned a game-ball for his perseverance throughout his career and for breaking the team’s rushing touchdown record.

“There’s been a lot of people on the team that have been told they couldn’t, and there’s certain types of people that really thrive in those type of scenarios,” McDaniel said, via Dolphins Wire. “Raheem was told he shouldn’t have an NFL career from his first draft day. He’s one of the strongest-willed people who I have ever been around. He got a game ball for setting a franchise record for touchdowns, and he immediately came to me and said, ‘every single player on the offense should get one,’ because he understands that for him to exhibit some of his unique traits, each and every play people have to grind.”

• Adam Schefter reports that Dolphins LB Andrew Van Ginkel broke his nose in the first quarter against the Jets and continued to play with it for the rest of the game.
• McDaniel says that OL Austin Jackson could play this week despite an oblique injury, as could CB Xavien Howard who warmed up ahead of their win over the Jets. (Adam Beasley)

Jets

Last week’s resounding win against the Texans turned the temperature down on a lot of people around the Jets. There’s a reason people say the NFL stands for “Not For Long,” though, and this past weekend’s 30-0 drubbing at the fins of the Dolphins erased all the good vibes that had accumulated. Multiple Jets players said they thought the Dolphins played with more effort and out-coached them, and in a damning verdict Jets HC Robert Saleh didn’t disagree. 

“You put together the best plan possible — sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not,” Saleh said via the Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt. “But overall, just from coaching to execution, all of it on the offensive side just wasn’t good enough today.”

The sense out of New York has been that Saleh, GM Joe Douglas and other key decision-makers for the Jets would be safe this season, with the loss of QB Aaron Rodgers in Week 1 granting a bit of a mulligan unless the season went completely off the rails. If the 4-10 Commanders embarrass the Jets next week, that might qualify, and Saleh seems to understand that. 

“It’s disappointing,” Saleh said. “Starting from the first series of the year all the way to now, it’s just been a constant battle. I do appreciate the heck out of our guys. We still got three games left to finish strong. As bad as we feel now, we got to remember we felt pretty good last week, too. We got a good Washington team coming in that’s going to be licking their chops, so we got to go and take care of business and get ourselves ready to play that one.”

• Saleh says that QB Zach Wilson will remain the starter when he clears concussion protocol. (Zack Rosenblatt)