Dolphins' Gase on Ajayi's early struggles: 'He had 10 bad days'

With Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi emerging as a breakout star over the past two games, memories of his Week 1 benching are fading.

Ajayi, who has tallied 418 rushing yards over his past two games, didn't even travel with the team to Seattle for Miami's first game after struggling late in the preseason - both on and off the field.

Head coach Adam Gase says it was really only a short stretch of time that cost Ajayi his opening day roster spot, but his fortunes have turned with Arian Foster on the shelf.

"He had 10 bad days there from the fourth preseason game to the first game, but he's been great every day besides having that little rough spot," Gase told ProFootballTalk on Monday. "He's done a great job grabbing this thing and taking advantage of it, and he's done everything we needed him to do."

Ajayi's turnaround started in Week 2, according to Gase, though he only received 18 carries during his first three games, compared to 66 in his next three.

"When we got back for that next week, he was great in the meetings, he practiced hard, he did everything we asked him to do," Gase said. "And that's why he's in this position."