The Dolphins Look Strong; Jets Hurting On Both Sides Of The Ball
By Jeremiah Thermidor
Miami defensive tackle Tony McDaniel will sit out for the second straight week with a knee injury. The seventh-year veteran is the backup defensive tackle behind Randy Starks.
The Dolphins signed Ryan Baker on September 12th to fill in for McDaniel last Sunday, but he only lasted seven days as the team released him this week.
Carrying the load for McDaniel until he returns will be Andre Fluellen, who the Dolphins signed on Wednesday.
“He’s got some quickness and some athleticism,” said Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin regarding Fluellen. “I certainly recall him lining up across from some of the teams that I coached at before. He’s got a good motor, we thought. He’s a good character individual.”
Dolphins’ receiver Marlon Moore is listed as doubtful for the game with a hamstring injury. The 25-year-old was limited in practice on Wednesday but did not practice at all on Thursday or Friday. Moore will likely be a game-time decision, but his absence wouldn’t necessarily affect the receiving core too much, considering he hasn’t caught a pass all season.
However, the Dolphins saw a lot of potential out of Moore in training camp and it would be beneficial for the team down the line to play him often in order to speed up his development.
The Dolphins dealt with quite a scare on Thursday as starting linebacker Kevin Burnett missed practice with a foot injury. He was listed as probable on Friday’s injury report and will likely see a lot of action in the game.
Miami running back Daniel Thomas is back this weekend after sitting out last Sunday’s contest with a concussion. Rookie tailback Lamar Miller did a great job filling in, carrying the ball 10 times for 65 yards and a touchdown. Don’t be surprised to see both Thomas and Miller play on Sunday. Coach Philbin told the media this week that he’d be willing to deactivate a player at another position just to make sure both guys get touches.
The Jets will be without left offensive tackle Dennis Landolt on Sunday. Landolt, who worked his way up to an NFL roster from the practice squads of four different teams, is dealing with a knee injury.
The problem for the Jets in this contest is that the Dolphins have seen considerable improvements from their front seven under the 4-3 defense. Their priority on Sunday will be to put pressure on Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and to force some turnovers.
With New York’s offensive line weakened due to a lack of depth in that left offensive tackle spot, the Dolphins will certainly have their opportunities.
Jets linebacker Bryan Thomas and fullback John Conner are listed as questionable for the matchup with hamstring and knee injuries respectively. Both of those guys did not participate in practice this week.
The possibility that Thomas may not play or could be limited on Sunday is significant since he’s New York’s starting linebacker. If he is unable to play backup linebacker Garrett McIntyre would take over.
The Jets can’t afford to lose Conner either considering he’s their only fullback.
However, the team could always insert Tim Tebow who has played multiple positions for the Jets this season, including as a tight end, a quarterback in the wildcat formation and as a slot receiver.
The Dolphins (1-1) will play host to the Jets (1-1) on Sunday at 1 p.m. eastern.
You can watch full coverage of the game right here on CBS 4.
For more Local Football Bloggers and the latest Dolphins news, see CBS Sports Miami.
Jeremiah Thermidor is a freelance writer covering all things Miami Dolphins. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
