Long has not been close to himself this year. He has a negative grade overall, run block, and pass block. In less than half the season, he has given up 5 sacks, 6 hits, and 10 pressures. Last season he gave up 6, 3 and 12 for the entire year. Does he need another surgery? More recovery time? If so, at this point, wouldn't it be better to shut him down for the rest of the Year? Anyone hear anything?
I would not be shocked if we find out that he has been playing with a seperated shoulder or something similar, as he's been struggling all year. Reminds me a bit of Satele playing through pain a few years ago. I concur that we should consider putting him on IR and saving him for next season.
Nothing wrong with Jake thats not wrong with half the lineman in the NFL. They are all playing somewhat hurt. Some are small problems some are larger. Jake enjoyed relatively pain free play his first two years. Thats not the case anymore. Once he had surgery it will be bothering him for the rest of his career to some extent. The young man just has to play with pain now the same way the majority of all NFL lineman do all week at practice and during the entire season. Tell ya what, Jake got flagged a few games ago for doing his patented big leg kick back of which, he was rarely called for in recent years. This year ? Yeah, the refs are taking particular aim at him for that. He got away with it a few times in the Giants game. The left leg goes back just prior to the ball being snapped many many times. Thats part of his problem too. He cannot get away with it as much as he used to. Love the kid but to be honest, he could rest it all season long and not much is going to change. This is the NOW Jake Long. Still fairly young but will nurse this thing the rest of his career. Look around the league, every Offensive lineman is dealing with it to some extent, Jake is now no different in that respect. Since Columbo is the main center of attention for being bad, Jake has not been noticed by many but his play has certainly dropped off a lot this year. As I said, get used to it folks, thats just the way it is these days. Enjoy them while they are young and bouncing around the field but sooner or later, all the offensive lineman get some sort of injury that no matter what they do, stays with them the rest of their career. The better ones just deal with it week in and week out. Crap, I am willing to bet Columbo needs a half dozen surgeries when he finishes football just to get to being somewhat normal. You have to enjoy them while you can. Same with Pouncey, the rookie. Sure you see him at the end of every play regardless if its even 15 yards down field. Enjoy that youth too because in a few years you will start to notice Pouncey is not running down 15 yards to pick up the ball carrier. Its all part of the business. Jake is playing hurt yes, but as I said, he is going to have to find a way to deal with it. He hasn't yet. You guys are funny, put him on IR. Thats completely insane. The team has invested a lot of money in the man and yes he is injured and the injury is not going to get any better if they put him on IR. What, another surgery ? Maybe but its still going to affect him from here on out. You have players with more injuries then him playing from week to week. Jake does not get a pass because he is Jake. Get used to it.
he isnt the only guy to have an injury last year that has had a hard time getting back right. the entire team is only now getting their legs back. other guys like Thomas and Davis can't get on the field and were never really ready for the season. jake will have a mediocre year, but he will be fine next year. im really not ready to contemplate otherwise
Goes back to last season where Sparano thought it'd be a great idea to play Jake in the last preseason games. Jake got injured, battled his knee injury all season last year and still is having issues with it to date. On top of that he's got a hurt shoulder.
I think he has a knee problem this year too. He was hit this week and almost didnt get up, so between the knee and the shoulder, I would set him down too, for the sake of his career. As far as all Ol being hurt and they just have to play through it........it depends on WHERE they are hurt and where they play. A knee to a a tackle is worse than to a guard because of the speed needed to play outside, IMO.
His play has been very mediocre this season. I'm fairly sure he's battling a couple of injuries that would have lesser players on IR already. No way of sugarcoating this but at times he's been a liability.
What ? a knee is a knee regardless if its a guard, center or tackle. As I said, I like the guy but really laugh at all the passes this kid gets. He is on a team and his job is to play football, not constantly being put down for fear of injury. What good is he then if we cannot play him if he gets injured ? Orlando Pace is was faaaaaar better then Jake is or most likely ever will be, played his last 4 years after having surgery in each shoulder. Then he tore his peck and the Rams finally cut him. He went to Chicago and did really nothing. Jake had surgery on his shoulder also to the poster who said he is playing with ahut shoulder. Big deal, half the team is playing with things hurt. Telling you now, yeah it may have been his rehab routine but just the same. This is the NOW Jake Long and his die hard fans are going to have to accept that. You do not pay players to be put on IR and still get paid because their name is Jake Long. Look, I like the kid too, great kid good player but fact still remains. Even when his stuff gets a chance to heal in the off season, Jake Long that people knew, may never be the Jake Long they see on TV. There isn't a LT in the league that will be put on IR as long as he can walk and play and that is Jakes case. We put him on IR where do we get a LT ? Garner ? No way, he will get Moore killed as bad as Columbo. Garner did decent yesterday but the Giants have the 31st ranked run defense in the league, that had a lot to do with it. LTs do not grow on trees and you just do not pick up a phone and order up a LT. Jake is not playing up to peoples PRO BOWL expectations of him but he is certainly playing the game and thats the way it is. I am sure if you ask the rest of the entire offense if they want Jake on IR because fans are worred about his future ? LOL, that would not be pretty. I also understand fans do not care what the rest of the offense thinks and I am pretty safe in saying the rest of the offense feels the same way about the fans. You know what would be created if the Dolphins sat Jake long on IR ? There are a lot of, well, fly by nights let say, these days. You would immediately have a mass of LTs demanding to be put on IR, still be paid because thats what Miami did with Jake Long and don't laugh, thats EXACTLY what would happen. Team is doing the right thing here, Jake plays until the season is over.
He had shoulder surgery in the off season and had his knee scoped, twice. Yes its bothering him but thats the name of the game when you select a career where you are basically in a controlled street fight for 3 hours a wekk. His knee and shoulder are always going to bother him for the rest of his life now, thats just the way it is. People have to get used to that fact.
Clearly, he's playing injured. They should do the right thing and put him on IR during this miserable piece of **** season in which nothing good can come of his heroism, and plenty of bad could occur.
Would be a good idea to at least see what some of the backup linemen can do. Feinga looked alright at LT, give him a shot. Besides it's a great way to suck for luck. Maybe Dansby should hit the shelf too.
Way too many armchair physicians up in here. Putting Long on IR for something he can play through and will cause no long term damage is only going to piss him off. He's likely got contract incentives, and at very least pride.
If there is a chance he needs more surgery then we should shut him down and take care of it now. No need to risk further injury and would give extra time to heal properly.
It is obvious that he isn't the same player he has been since being drafted. He is injured and since the Dolphins aren't going anywhere this season, they should just put him on injured reserve for the remainder of this season. Playing him when he is not able to play effectively makes no sense and it appear that Sparano really has no desire to do what is best for Long or the Dolphins in the long run.
Yup, and it was very evident on a particular play where Osi just drove him back onto the ground. That was embarrassing. And saying that he's playing for pride or whatever is stupid if it means he won't get the best opportunity to heal from whatever is clearly bothering him right now. There's nothing good about being the best LT in football for only 2 or 3 years..ask Tony Boselli...
Sometimes it could cause other injury problems when you are trying to play with and compensate for one injury. One time I was playing in a basketball tournament and sprained an ankle. We were short handed so we taped my ankle up real tight and I tried to play through the injury. I was trying to compensate for the weak ankle and ended up spraining the other ankle also. Needless to say my game and season were through and I have had problems with the ankles ever since. I am not trying to compare basketball to football but just present it as an example of what might happen if you don't handle an injury correctly. Jake Long is too valuable an asset to the Dolphins to risk any further injury or complications that could affect his future especially for a winless team this far into the season.
This is kinda like the pot calling the kettle black, isnt it. Complaining about armchair physicians, then saying he can play through the injuries......I doubt any of us know.........we are all just guessing........including doc. Disgust.....
He hasn't been healthy since last year and with the lockout he could not properly rehab in the offseason. That is the problem with Jake Long this year. He will be fine when next year comes along and has had a proper offseason.
Look, the guy is obviously not playing up to "Jake Long" standard. And to the poster who says the guy is playing on pride/incentives; playing injured is NEVER a good idea. There is a significant difference between playing injured and playing "hurt". Playing with an injury can (and will) exacerbate that injury, given his occupation. Proper healing time and therapy is typically the way things are handled. People are different, therefor; healing times, response to therapy, vary. And surgery, as with his case, does not always mean "fixed". Any number of recipients of surgery can attest to that. Some of you guys may be right: he might never be the Jake Long of his first couple of years of playing. He certainly looks beaten out there, and in more ways than one. It's really unfortunate for a guy who seems to be one of the harder working players on the team. But if he's playing injured, it really is a dumb move.
Jake displays limited lateral movement. Speed rushers are having their way with him. Either he never fully recovered and/or re-injured himself. Given the context I would say it is time to shut him down to not risk further injury and allow him to be as close to 100% ready to go next year.
He definitely looks different. But at least Matt Moore helps him out by stepping up in the pocket sometimes. I'm willing to bet a few of his sacks were in part because of Henne not stepping up.
He's going to play until he gets carted off or is not physically able to play any more. It's one of the things we all love about the guy. If there is the possibility of long term damage he will shut it down.
Couldnt hurt our SFL chances if you put the games best LT on IR (at least for the last 3 years he was). Shoulder issues are a huge concerns for a LT. Look at what happened to Tony Boselli. He was on the same path Jake was on..HOF career went down the pooper cause of shoulder woes. I want Jake healthy when Luck takes his snaps in 2012 and going forward
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/sfl-dolphins-notes-jake-long-1031,0,6122639.story Here's a bit on Long from Sparano in today's Sun.
Last year, Long played with an injured shoulder, and was still the best OT in the NFL. I don't know but, would think the knee injury, which kept him out of all preseason games, is more the issue with his diminished play this season. To show the difference, Jake has given up 5 sacks, 6 hits, and 10 pressures. Joe Thomas, who battled Jake for the #1 OT spot, has given 1 sack, 1 hit, and 8 pressures. Columbo has given 3 sacks, 8 hits, and 22 pressures. Although RT is different than LT, it's hard to believe that Long's stats are closer to Columbo than Thomas. Something is most definitely wrong. Boomer posted that Jake has at times been a liability to the team. Never thought I would ever read that anything like that, let alone post stats to support it. IMO, the team needs to protect Long from himself wanting to play, and put him on IR.
Jake Long basically missed the whole TC, didn't get any organized workout/conditioning done due to the lockout and is nursing two injuries. The guy's simply not in playing shape. I'm really not surprised that he stinks this season (and he does stink); you can't succesfully play left tackle in the NFL with this lack of preparation and two nagging injuries on top.
He's not playing up to his standards but I don't think you remember what bad LT play is like if you think what he's done "stinks".
Agreed. I was listening to Chris Carter the other day. He said that the lack of team workouts and the 2 a days is really affecting players legs. He explained that players had a "reserve" to call on from that conditioning, and it is no longer there to call on. He also mentioned the 4 mandatory days off during the bye hurting play, as it throws off players normal schedule. Finally, he brought up being able to practice in pads only once a week as a mistake, especially for the OL. Going through the motions in shorts and T's just not get it done. Add in penalties not called in the past if ya like. The players and play in this years NFL have changed, and not for the better.
