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Dolphins might need to shut down left tackle Long for rest of season

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Colorado Dolfan, Nov 20, 2010.

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  1. Colorado Dolfan

    Colorado Dolfan ...dirty drownin' man?

    http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...-offensive-line-1120-20101120,0,5444986.story

    Thoughts?

    I'm all for it, personally... Let's get him healthy for next season... This one's a wash. No use making his shoulder worse.
     
  2. Rhody Phins Fan

    Rhody Phins Fan Well-Known Member

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    That Titans game absolutely screwed our season.
     
  3. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Good teams overcome injuries, Sparano and Gugs are supposed to be Oline guru types they should earn their pay by plugging someone else in who can do a decent job for 6 games.
     
  4. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    Might as well.
     
  5. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

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    Yea at this point you got to shut him down.
     
  6. DolfanJake

    DolfanJake Banned

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    yep shut him down, do the surgery and get his butt ready for next season. Does he get selected to the Pro Bowl despite the injury ? He deserves that honor, even though he doesn't play in it.
     
  7. GARDENHEAD

    GARDENHEAD Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Saints won a Super Bowl last year despite the fact that they lost their Pro Bowl LT in the preseason. Plugged in another dude and the rest is history.
     
  8. Merauder

    Merauder Perseverance

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    This season is getting away very quickly.
     
  9. Muck

    Muck Throwback Uniform Crusader Retired Administrator

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    Apparently you can't injure the labrum any worse (meaning the damage is done, no further risk). But if he's that banged up, there's no point. That said, he dislocated the shoulder too I believe.

    OT: IIRC, Jay Fiedler played thru labrum tears in both shoulders during the 2000 season. And Ricky played thru a separated shoulder the last 12 or so games of the 2002 season.

    Those guys are pretty damn tough.
     
  10. Marco

    Marco Well-Known Member

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    His chances for the Pro Bowl will decrease the longer he tries to play with one arm. I think he's got the honor locked up already.
     
  11. The G Man

    The G Man Git 'r doooonnne!!!

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    If he can't make it any worse, and he can tolerate the pain, then we need him on the field. Mathematically, we're still alive (although, I am beginning to seriously doubt that's there's any chance this team can handle much less earn a playoff spot).

    However, if he can make it worse (and it would obviously delay his recovery be waiting), then the prudent thing to do is to shut him down now and get the surgery out of the way.

    Tough call.
     
  12. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Problem is, it is not just the pain, Big Jake had his worst game of the season v the Bears, 2 sacks, 3 pressures, his effectiveness is pretty much diminished, love his toughness however we cannot win with the LT being that leaky.
     
  13. CitizenSnips

    CitizenSnips hmm.

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    to be fair, one of those sacks and im sure at least 2 of those pressures were on thigpen. Peppers got a sack after chasing Thigpen across the entire field and thigpen still didn't throw it away.
     
    GMJohnson likes this.
  14. pumpdogs

    pumpdogs Well-Known Member

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    The season is over shut him down!!!!I want him healthy for next year.I want to make the ****ing playoffs for once.
     
  15. firedan

    firedan Well-Known Member

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    Hate to see them throw in the towel but you have to look to next season anyway.Sit him and let's see if they can do anything with whats left of the roster.
     
  16. R&R_Express

    R&R_Express New Member

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    but not to franchise and key players and injuries to this magnitude where we have to start guys that werent even initially on our team
     
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  17. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

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    It's not just about him doing anymore damage, its about the 4 months to me. If he waits till off season to get surgery, he's missing out on those 4 months of lifting and working out. So you shut him down now, then he sits for 4 months. Then he has plenty of time to work out prior to training camp
     
    GMJohnson likes this.
  18. mroz

    mroz Fix the OL Club Member

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    Generally agree with that but as with everything there is a tipping point. When you are playing with an entire OL of backups (and one rookie) and your third string QB you are going to be in trouble. It is not like the Fins have had one or two injuries. They have lost a crap load of players. Personally, I can't remember a team that has suffered so many injuries.
     
  19. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Well, if Berger comes back for the Raiders game, as has been reported, then we would have 4 of 5 starting Olinemen on the field, but I'm not so sure if that is a good thing, or a bad thing, maybe if we go 3 wide it is a good thing as the regular oline can pass block at least.
     
  20. mroz

    mroz Fix the OL Club Member

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    IMO if it is going to take him 4 months to recover you sit him down and get him ready for next year. We are going no where this year. On the flip side, sitting him down would just tell the players that we have quit on the season. No sure what kind of performance we are going to get from them if that happens.
     
  21. mroz

    mroz Fix the OL Club Member

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    Even if he comes back how healthy is he? Same thing for Carey (who BTW is looking more and more like he is getting towards the ned of his road).
     
  22. Georgia Fin

    Georgia Fin Fin For Life

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    He's played all season with a torn MCL due to a stupid decision in the preseason by our coaching staff and we are questioning if we should play our franchise LT with a torn labrum? All signs point in one direction, a coaching staff desparate to save their own asses, shut him down before he's a could have been with a bum knee and shoulder to match.
     
  23. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Vern is playing with turf toe and a knee issues not as dramatic as Big Jake's issues, but when mobility was an issue those nicks add up.

    Another sunny point that is being overlooked is with Cory Proctor out, there goes our jumbo package on the goaline, Proctor was playing T/Te on running plays down at the goal line.

    As for LT, if they like Murtha enough to calculate they can deactivate Jake, they should do so, apparently there are some financial issues involved surrounding Jake's escalator clauses for making consecutive pro bowls that could be a part of the issue.
     
  24. Pandarilla

    Pandarilla Purist Emeritus

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    Shut him down. We stand more to gain long term if we sit him now.

    In fact, we stand more to gain if we shut down the head coach and OC, as well.
     
  25. PHINANALYST

    PHINANALYST Well-Known Member

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    Long needs his shoulders to perform .... different from Fiedler and Ricky from a functional stand point .... with the torn labrum, i doubt he has the same punch strength to keep DEs away or to push them off.

    i would let him give it a go for the next 2 games, provided he can perform - so that 1- we send the right message and 2- gives us more time to potentially find a replacement off someone's practice squad.

    we accepted some risk at T this year with Long and Carey .... and one marginal replacement in Murtha, since we let Gardner go and Garner went on IR.
     
  26. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    Carey moves left & Murtha right @ tackle. biggest problem still remains the interior. need to find Grove & bring him back to the starting lineup
     
  27. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    There are 32 teams who think signing Grove isn't such a good idea. I'm going to trust their judgment on this one.

    I'd have shut Long down after the Tennessee game, definitely now. I'd shut down Henne as well, no sense fooling around with knee issues. My guess is, Sparano is concerned about sending the wrong signals to the rest of the team, getting embarrassed down the stretch and possibly losing his job. But as a fan, I'd rather go 5-11 and miss the playoffs than risk my two best players, go 9-7 and miss them anyway.
     
  28. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Not that easy Bro, a LT is tough to find, really tough we are almost better using Murtha and giving him help as new body will not now the line calls or the offense or what have you.



    Garner going on IR was a crucial blow, I've kept an eye on Gardner and he has bounced around quite a bit, Vikings, Ravens, I think he is on his 4th team this year.

    Sparano chose Murtha as the backup LT along with working McQuistan over there, with all of this prep time he should have either one read to step in.

    But I'd bring in Tony Ugoh and some other bodies..never know.
     
  29. cobrajet

    cobrajet Mr. Ross - sell the team!

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    Bench your talent, play the second string, get high draft picks and start over. We can start by drafting TE, QB. S, FS, CB, WR and an every down running backs that is under 24 years old. This team is too old and slow at Key positions. Fire some caches, get high draft picks and start over next year. This season is done!
     
  30. Darrelle Revis

    Darrelle Revis I BELIEVE!

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    Titans are probably one, if not, the dirtiest team in the league. I'm not shocked all these injuries came against the Titans.
     
  31. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    Friend GMJohnson:
    1) your reasoning is weak on the status of Jake Grove. there are 32 teams with starting centers who know the offense. what would be the motivation in an expensive signing that wouldn't be ready to play. would take him the rest of the year to learn the offense?
    2) forget about the hen, it's all over & Sparano is on his way out too.
    3) there is no more "rest of the season" in a competitive, meaningful way. unless there is Divine Intervention we will quietly play out the rest of the season, using our remaining games as a barometer & building platform for next year.
     
  32. muscle979

    muscle979 Season Ticket Holder

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    If he can't lift weights or do any strength training for four months then they need to get that rolling right now so that he can be back to full strength well before next year's camp. Sparano and co. should have better Oline depth than what they do. They've been turning over too many personnel in that unit.
     
  33. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    Sparano should have known better, taking out the entire starting interior line that was ranked amongst the better units in the game was beyond stupid & unforgivable. it guaranteed Miami a pass from possible contender to pretender in 2010. he is responsible
     
  34. Jaj

    Jaj Registered

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    If they were healthy I agree, however Grove and Smiley were a worrisome duo based on their declining health.
     
  35. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    really? well who is healthy right now? great offensive lines need depth because someone is always getting banged up in the trenches. what is our current situation? who is responsible?
    if we had had an offensive line that could open running lanes in the first half the season, we'd probably be a contender. think about it.
    Sparano is responsible for this fiasco. he's an ex-offensive line coach & should have known better. the guy is an incompetent head coach, a parcellian experiment that went bad.
     
  36. Jaj

    Jaj Registered

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    That's an irrelevant point whether the current line is healthy or not, no one could have told you that they wouldn't. The depth problem was inexcusable. That doesn't mean anything about Smiley and Grove.

    Yes if we had the healthy 09 line from opening day the team would be quite a bit better no question. In the off-season, they'll probably move Carey around perhaps to LG and retrofit the unit with a new RT the 1st round pick (I doubt a RB, doubt a TE or WR and they've drafted heavy on defense repeatedly). They're going to blame the OL for this season, there's no doubt of that in my mind. Ireland won't draft a QB early as his job is penned on Henne doing well. I'm looking at perhaps Logan Mankins being signed and Carey let go as well. One of those possibilities.
     
  37. Steven-O

    Steven-O F*** the JETS!!

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    agree with everyone else, sit him. need him healthy for next season and it'll only get worse
     
  38. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    I'm sorry friend 23rd. I was only trying to explain that if the entire NFL has shied away from Grove, there must be a reason. But if you want to continue insinuating that you're smarter than the Fins and entire NFL's front office teams, go ahead. I'll be here laughing.
     
  39. Lt Dan

    Lt Dan Season Ticket Holder

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    sorry, but not losing their top two QB's and left tackle
     
  40. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Well, do not agree with that GM, they are just guys doing the best job they can they are not such geniuses that they all collectively do not make mistakes, maybe not with Grove, there are however plenty of players who slipped through the cracks and surfaced elsewhere and did fine jobs on other teams.

    In fact, the Ugoh's and Polite's and Bess's are the only way we can really compete with the Patriots mtn of draft picks, or the Jets check book.
     

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