Dolphins Attempt A 3-0 Start To Season Against Falcons
By Abraham Gutierrez
Trying to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2002, the Miami Dolphins host the Atlanta Falcons in Sunday's home opener.
Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. will be the site for this interconference battle, scheduled to kickoff at 4:05 p.m. EST.
In the NFL, injuries are part of the game, and unfortunately for the Dolphins, there's no shortage of them heading into this matchup. While the "Dirty Birds" will be without the services of running back Steven Jackson (thigh) among other players, the Fins injury report also details plenty of banged up bodies up and down the roster.
According to Thursday's findings, a total of 16 players are currently nursing some sort of injury for Joe Philbin's team. And while the majority has been able to partake in team practices, in some capacity, there are a few players destined to watch from the sidelines.
Dolphins Defense Injury Report
There are a total of 10 defensive players whose status for Sunday's game remains uncertain. Three of them did not practice Wednesday and/or Thursday, which means it's unlikely that they will see any action on Sunday.
Safety Chris Clemons (hamstring) and defensive tackle Paul Soliali (knee) sat out entirely, while cornerback Dimitri Patterson (groin) performed limited work on Wednesday, before sitting out Thursday's practices.
The good news is that the remaining seven players got some valuable reps in, which is always a positive indicator of their Gameday status.
Participating in limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday were: cornerbacks Will Davis (toe) and Jamar Taylor (groin), linebacker Koa Misi (knee) and safety Jimmy Wilson (groin). Participating in full team practices on both days were linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (ribs) and defensive ends Dion Jordan (shoulder) and Oliver Vernon (thumb).
Dolphins Offense Injury Report
On the offensive side of the football, the Fins reported six players this week. While the good news is that none of them missed practice entirely, the two who were "limited," happen to be the first and second quarterbacks in the team's depth chart.
According to Wednesday's report, Ryan Tannehill (right shoulder) and back up signal-caller, Pat Delvin (ankle) couldn't go through with normal preparations on Wednesday or Thursday.
While the Dolphins decision to limit them could've been precautionary, it's likely that they'll be listed as questionable for Sunday's game. Those who participated in full team practices (both days), likely to make them probable against the Falcons include: guard Nate Garner (shoulder) and center Mike Pouncey (ankle). The remaining two players on this list participated in either Wednesday or Thursday's full practices, but not both. Thus, it's likely that their status will be declared as questionable against the Falcons.
In the case of guard John Jerry, he gave it a go on Wednesday, but the team failed to report Thursday's practice status. For wide receiver Mike Wallace it's the opposite, as Wednesday's status wasn't reported, but was on the field the next day.
While the Dolphins are expected to release their final practice reports and their official Gameday status on Friday evening, here are the projections for Sunday's game against the Falcons, based on the information available:
Out:
- (S) Chris Clemons (hamstring)
- (DT) Paul Soliali (knee)
- (CB) Dimitri Patterson (groin)
Questionable:
- (QB) Ryan Tannehill (right shoulder)
- (QB) Pat Delvin (ankle)
- (WR) Mike Wallace (groin)
- (G) John Jerry (knee)
- (CB) Will Davis (toe)
- (CB) Jamar Taylor (groin)
- (LB) Koa Misi (knee)
- (S) Jimmy Wilson (groin)
Probable:
- (G) Nate Garner (shoulder)
- (C) Mike Pouncey (ankle)
- (LB) Dannell Ellerbe (ribs)
- (DE) Dion Jordan (shoulder)
- (DE) Oliver Vernon (thumb)
Practice Reference (key):
- DNP: Did not participate in practice
- LP: Limited Participation in Practice - Less than 100% of a player's normal repetitions
- FP: Full Participation - 100% of a player's normal repetitions
- Out: Player will not play
- Not Listed: No practice status available
Game Status Reference (key):
- Out: Player will not play
- Doubtful: 25% chance a player will play
- Questionable: 50% chance a player will play
- Probable: 75% chance a player will play
For more Dolphins news and updates, visit Dolphins Central.
Abe Gutierrez is a criminal justice admin whose love for sports led him to become a writer and editor. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com and its partners. His work can be found on Examiner.com. .
