The Miami Dolphins have their backs against a wall going into Sunday’s division game against the NY Jets. Consider the atmosphere may already be running high if the Yankees beat the Phillies in game three of the World Series. Or, maybe they will all be hung over and half asleep come kick-off. Either way the Phins need a win in a big way if they are going to keep their hopes alive of a repeat division title. Currently the team is 2.5 games back of the Patriots who they face next week.
If the atmosphere and the game isn’t going to be tense enough, the Dolphins will have to do it without “Mike” LB Channing Crowder. Crowder injured his shoulder last Sunday and was moved into the “out” column on this weeks injury report early Saturday. The move means that Akin Ayodele will move into the vacant spot and Reggie Torbor will be move into the Ayodele spot.
Earlier this week, after the injury to Will Allen put him on IR, the Dolphins brought back William Kershaw who could be activated for the game. The Dolphins also moved LB/DE Matt Roth off the PUP list and on to the 53 man roster. No word as to whether he will be activated for the game.
For the Jets the news is much better as WR’s David Clowney, Brad Smith, and number 2 man Jericho Cotchery are all expected to play. Lito Sheppard however will not.
The Jets and Dolphins faced off only 3 weeks ago in Miami and the Phins walked out of the stadium with their second win of the season. The Phins won in the final seconds of the game on a long TD drive led by Chad Henne.
For the Jets, it’s a matter of backing up their tough talk and the embarrassment they claimed after the first loss. For Miami it’s about putting together a full game that can be closed out in the end. The Phins have led the Indy Colts until the final minutes of their 2nd game of the season before losing and last week saw the team give up a 3 TD lead to the Saints in that loss. The Dolphins are still searching for an identity and are becoming more and more physical by the passing week, but they need to translate that into victories.
The Dolphins start a 4 out of 5 game road stretch with tomorrows game with the only home game being against the Tampa Bay Buc’s two weeks from Sunday. The Dolphins, if they want to have a shot at the division or any playoff chance, must come out of this stretch with no less than 3 wins and probably will be needing 4.