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Alan Diaz/Associated Press

Ryan Tannehill on Relationship with OC Bill Lazor: "It's Good"

Last week, NFL.com's Jeff Darlington reported on some possible controversy within Miami's locker room, claiming that "[Bill] Lazor's relationship with the players is currently rocky."

While a win over the Bills should have some answers to that, you knew the media would keep poking and prodding, and with that came an answer from Ryan Tannehill about his relationship with Lazor, per Hal Habib of The Palm Beach Post:

It’s good. I think he does a good job of creating a game plan for us, putting us in positions to make plays during the game with his play-calling. I think our relationship has definitely grown as the season has gone on. I’ve gotten to know him more and his personality more and we’ve gotten more on the same page on not only football stuff, but just joking around with each other as well.

Habib also wrote that Tannehill claimed his feelings weren't hurt when Lazor criticized his performances, which in a lot of games and situations this season were warranted criticisms.

This answer from Tannehill didn't come off as a stock answer but rather as a genuine one. The coach-player dynamic is one that can be tough for an outsider to decipher. It doesn't make much sense to try, even if players are texting about it.

I never once thought there were problems here other than the standard growing pains and usual coach-player disputes. Those happen in every locker room, especially after a tough loss.

Tannehill showed us once again with his statements that we should not take said complaints too seriously. Yes, some coach-player relationships can become toxic, but that doesn't appear to be the case in Miami this year.

Charles Clay Misses Practice with Knee, Hamstring Issues

Miami will have to rely on Charles Clay to help kick-start the offense on Sunday.

That could be an issue though, as Chris Perkins of The Sun Sentinel reports that Clay missed practice on Thursday with a knee issue that has been bothering him all season, as well as a hamstring issue that has recently cropped up.

If Clay is unavailable, Dion Sims (primarily a blocker) and rookie Harold "Gator" Hoskins will step in for him. Ideally, the team would prefer Clay to play, as he's third on the team in receptions (39), receiving yards (346) and touchdowns (two).

Cortland Finnegan Wants Jamar Taylor to Surpass Him in the Starting Lineup

Miami will likely be without cornerback Cortland Finnegan on Sunday, which gives Jamar Taylor another chance to shine and possibly take Finnegan's spot in Miami's starting lineup going forward.

Taylor's biggest supporter appears to be Finnegan.

Per Andrew Abramson of The Palm Beach Post, Finnegan wants Taylor to earn his spot in the starting lineup, even though it would constitute a demotion for the veteran.

Finnegan's quotes couldn't have been more spot-on about this subject either, as he told Abramson: "I told him—and I’m not afraid to tell him—I said, 'Make them forget me and make your mark now.' I think that he understands that and has the confidence that if he plays well enough, he can go ahead and take that job."

You can't help but admire the leadership shown by Finnegan, who has been battling an ankle injury suffered in Week 10 against Detroit. It's not often you will see a player go out of his way to encourage another competitor.

Finnegan has worked a lot over the season as a mentor to the younger players in the secondary—not just Taylor but also Will Davis and rookie Walt Aikens. It was partially due to this type of leadership that the Dolphins brought him in during the offseason, and it's paying off so far.

Finnegan has one nonguaranteed year left on his deal; however, if Taylor were to supplant him permanently in the starting lineup, Finnegan could find himself gone next season.

That hasn't made his encouragement of Taylor waver one bit though, as Finnegan added: “I enjoy watching him [Taylor]. It’s like a proud faja (father) watching his newborn cub. He’s worked hard for it.”