Heading into their first playoff game since 2008 on Sunday, there has been speculation that Miami Dolphins starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill could play against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After Wednesday, that appears to be a long chance.
Tannehill did not practice on Wednesday as he is still recovering from an ACL and MCL sprain to his left leg he suffered on December 11 against the Arizona Cardinals. The fifth-year veteran was seen in practice walking around with a brace on his leg.
Dolphins head coach Adam Gase said Tannehill is day-to-day after practice, but the team will prepare as if Tannehill will not play on against the Steelers.
“Unless something changes drastically here in the next two days or three days,” Matt Moore will start against the Steelers on Sunday, Gase said to reporters on Wednesday. “We’ve got a little ways to go. I don’t want to rule him out yet because I want to see him try to get out there and do something; but if he’s not ready to go, we’re not just going to put him out there and put him in harm’s way.”
Tannehill’s left knee has kept him out of the Dolphins last three games. In the Dolphins 30-15 win over the Steelers in Week 6, Tannehill had a solid game as finished 24 of 32 for 252 yards. While Tannehill didn’t throw any touchdowns, he also didn’t have any interceptions in the victory.
Gase said he needs to see Tannehill look close to his old self in order for him to play on Sunday.
“I need to see him move around with traffic around him, how his escapability is,” Gase said. “A lot of his game has been (based on) movement throughout his career and then all of a sudden to throw him back there and say, ‘Don’t move, and if anybody gets close to you, go down.’ That’s not really an option for us. It’s not his style of football. We have to make sure that we feel comfortable with the way that he’s moving around.”
Before his injury, Tannehill was playing some of the best football of his career. In 13 games, Tannehill threw for 2,995 yards, 19 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. In his final six games before his injury, Tannehill threw for 1,267 yards, 12 touchdowns against five interceptions.
While Tannehill could practice on Thursday; it is currently unknown if he will. Gase said Tannehill has been frustrated that he hasn’t been able to practice and play in almost a month, but the team doesn’t want to threaten his future by rushing him back.
“He wants to do anything he can to be a part of this, Gase said. “But at the same time, I have to be smart with what we’re doing moving forward. I don’t want any setbacks. I don’t want to jeopardize – whether it be – his career, next season, put him in a position to where he can’t defend himself on the field against a defense that’s playing really well right now. We have to be smart as an organization.”
Dolphins backup quarterback Matt Moore has played well in Tannehill’s absence. In four games played (three starts), Moore has thrown for 721 yards, eight touchdowns against three interceptions (105.6 quarterback rating). With Tannehill injured, Moore has won two of his three starts as well as the Cardinals game where he took over in the second half.
Even though Moore has hasn’t performed poorly, he still says there’s still room for improvement.
“There’s some good and bad,” Moore said. “ I’ve turned the ball over in every single game, which that has to be eliminated. As far as other things – execution, moving the ball, relationships with guys – I think that’s all good right now. We just need to keep building on it and keep moving forward.”
Twitter: @antwanstaley
