LANDOVER, Maryland — The Miami Dolphins’ outside linebacker combination of Andrew Van Ginkel and Emmanuel Ogbah wanted to honor injured teammate Jaelan Phillips with their play against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

They sure did that in the 45-15 win at FedEx Field.

Late in the first quarter, Van Ginkel intercepted a screen pass from Commanders quarterback Sam Howell and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown.

Later in the first half, Ogbah picked up a sack on Howell. Ogbah then flashed a 1 and 5 with his hands that Fox cameras picked up on the broadcast. It was an ode to Phillips, whose jersey number is 15.

Phillips tore the Achilles in his right leg in the Dolphins’ last game, a 34-13 win against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 24. He is out for the rest of the season.

“I think they did enough to make Jaelan smile,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said of Van Ginkel and Ogbah’s effort.

Phillips was watching the game and posting supportive messages on social media throughout. Both players said he reached out to them via text before the game Sunday.

“I told him that I was going to honor this game to him,” said Van Ginkel, who added five tackles, two quarterback hits and a pair of pass deflections to go with his pick-six.

Van Ginkel had already played well when he started for Phillips in three games earlier this season as Phillips dealt with back and oblique ailments. Van Ginkel thought back to how professional his teammate was with him when he took his spot back.

“It was hard for him to watch, and when he came back, he told me sorry, like, he was a true professional about it,” Van Ginkel recalled. “And I was like, ‘Don’t be sorry. It’s your turn to shine. You’re going to go ball out.’

“We just have this tight relationship, and we’re always playing for one another.”

Ogbah told Phillips before the game he was going to flash his jersey number to the crowd and for the cameras when he made a big play Sunday.

“I just had to pay respect and let him know I’m thinking about him,” Ogbah said. “That’s my brother. I love that guy.”

Ogbah, who hasn’t played many snaps defensively, now quietly has five sacks on the season.

“I know I’m not going to get that many opportunities,” Ogbah said. “So, once I’m out there, I’m going to try to make a play.”

Van Ginkel also was the first to get to Howell earlier in the first quarter on a sack that ended up split by Bradley Chubb, the right outside linebacker, and defensive tackle Zach Sieler. Sieler added a full sack of his own later.

Baker injures knee

Dolphins inside linebacker Jerome Baker suffered a knee against the Commanders and was ruled out in short order.

Baker was in coverage against wide receiver Curtis Samuel and chasing him after a catch before Samuel reached the end zone down the sideline. While in pursuit, safety Brandon Jones shot over to tackle Samuel out of bounds before reaching the pylon and, in the process, took out Baker, who immediately clutched at his left knee.

Baker was down on the field for a few minutes before trainers assisted him out through the nearby tunnel behind the corner of the end zone. About 15 minutes later, Baker was announced as out for the remainder of Sunday’s game by the club.

“The vibe that I have is that it’s not season-ending,” McDaniel said.

Without Baker, backup linebacker Duke Riley saw more snaps defensively alongside David Long Jr. Van Ginkel is also capable of playing off the ball at inside linebacker, but he is already replacing Phillips on the edge.

Baker finished with four tackles against Washington. He later posted on X after the game, “Dolphins win! Don’t worry about me. I’ll be back sooner than you think.”

Meanwhile, Miami left tackle Terron Armstead injured his ankle Sunday.

He already entered questionable after hurting a hamstring in the Dolphins’ Nov. 24 win over the Jets and has been playing through the knee ailment he initially suffered Oct. 1 at Buffalo.

Armstead was deemed questionable to return by the team at halftime with the ankle injury. Kion Smith was in for him at left tackle for the second half. While Armstead did not return, McDaniel said he was available. The game was out of reach for Washington in the second half.

Right guard Robert Hunt exited Sunday’s game in the second half with an aggravation of his hamstring injury. McDaniel said it wasn’t to the same extent as the original injury.

Holland out

The Dolphins were without safety Jevon Holland for Sunday’s game.

Holland was among inactive players announced 90 minutes prior to kickoff at FedEx Field.

Holland is recovering from injuries to both knees after an awkward tackle in the fourth quarter of the Dolphins’ last game against the Jets, on Nov. 24.

“It was one of those unfortunate things that, him playing at a very high level and playing fast, that happened,” McDaniel said Friday before Holland was deemed questionable leading into Sunday. “He’s been aggressively going after his rehab.”

Earlier in that win over the Jets, Holland had his remarkable 99-yard interception return for a touchdown on a New York Hail Mary attempt right before halftime.

Without Holland, Jones started at safety opposite DeShon Elliott.

Offensive lineman Robert Jones (knee) remained out at Washington. Healthy inactives for the Dolphins were tight end Tyler Kroft, wide receiver Robbie Chosen, cornerback Eli Apple and quarterback Skylar Thompson.

Shuffling O-line

With Armstead active at left tackle and Hunt back in the starting lineup at right guard, Liam Eichenberg started at left guard over Lester Cotton. It made for the Dolphins’ eighth different starting offensive line combination.

Cotton then entered for Hunt when he went out, keeping Eichenberg on the left side.

Cotton (illness) and tackle Kendall Lamm (back) were active after both entered questionable. It seems Lamm only would’ve played in an emergency since Smith finished out the game for Armstead.