Perfect72
It's Only Happened ONCE!
The Miami Dolphins defense is getting a talent infusion this week as defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said Wednesday he expects middle linebacker Kiko Alonso and perhaps cornerback Xavien Howard to play Saturday against the New York Jets....
The possible return of Howard is interesting. The second-round pick has played only four games this year and hasn’t gotten any game action since Sept. 29. He injured his knee during practice the week prior to bye week and had his second knee surgery in as six months to repair the damage.
So even if Howard, who has been practicing for three weeks -- has a good week of practice and proves he deserves to finally return to action, Dolphins coaches have to seriously weigh how they use him.
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I can tell you this:
It won’t be as a starter. The Dolphins are pleased with the work of Byron Maxwell and Tony Lippett right now. They remain the starters.
It won’t be as a slot cornerback. Howard has not worked at the slot and the Dolphins do not consider him a slot cornerback.
If Howard does play it will be perhaps a handful of plays in place of Lippett. And even that has to be massaged because the Dolphins don’t want to affect Lippett’s confidence or the chemistry the secondary has forged as constituted.
So the decision has to be made when to pick a spot for Howard to play -- again, assuming he has a good couple of days of practice Wednesday and Thursday.
This issue will be interesting to monitor the final weeks of the season.
Once Howard proves (or doesn’t) that he is completely back and worthy of more playing time, my sense is the Dolphins will weigh how Howard and Lippett practice and play week to week and decide who starts based on that.
More at LINK: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/armando-salguero/article120839928.html
The possible return of Howard is interesting. The second-round pick has played only four games this year and hasn’t gotten any game action since Sept. 29. He injured his knee during practice the week prior to bye week and had his second knee surgery in as six months to repair the damage.
So even if Howard, who has been practicing for three weeks -- has a good week of practice and proves he deserves to finally return to action, Dolphins coaches have to seriously weigh how they use him.
[FONT="][/FONT]
I can tell you this:
It won’t be as a starter. The Dolphins are pleased with the work of Byron Maxwell and Tony Lippett right now. They remain the starters.
It won’t be as a slot cornerback. Howard has not worked at the slot and the Dolphins do not consider him a slot cornerback.
If Howard does play it will be perhaps a handful of plays in place of Lippett. And even that has to be massaged because the Dolphins don’t want to affect Lippett’s confidence or the chemistry the secondary has forged as constituted.
So the decision has to be made when to pick a spot for Howard to play -- again, assuming he has a good couple of days of practice Wednesday and Thursday.
This issue will be interesting to monitor the final weeks of the season.
Once Howard proves (or doesn’t) that he is completely back and worthy of more playing time, my sense is the Dolphins will weigh how Howard and Lippett practice and play week to week and decide who starts based on that.
More at LINK: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/armando-salguero/article120839928.html
