No surprise: Ferguson done for year

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano just confirmed what everyone pretty much knew: Nose tackle Jason Ferguson is done for the remainder of the year.

The surprising thing is that the injury that ends Ferguson's season is not a knee issue, but rather a torn quadricep. Published reports had him out with a knee injury.

Sparano said the considerable void left by Ferguson's absence will be filled by Paul Soliai, Tony McDaniel and Randy Starks.

The question that will hover around Ferguson now is whether this season-ending injury writes the final chapter in the 13-year veteran's career. Ferguson is 35 years old on Saturday and in the final year of his contract. 

Comments

[Fake GM]

You cant be surprised. Old players get hurt more easily. 35 years old is very old for a nose tackle. His body was just worn down. I dont think we can be surprised by this injury at all. Nor was I surprised that Pennington or Will Allen got injured. They too were old and injury prone in years past.

[fsdabus]

Big void to fill

[ALoco]

HE CAN MENTOR SOME PLAYERS OR BE A COACH FOR CROWDER.

[bryan in ohio]

no way expect him to return next season for one more go around we need him.

[BuckeyeFinFan]

Is there any way that we can run a hybrid 3-4 or switch back to 4-4 for remainder of season or is that not possible?

[BuckeyeFinFan]

I meant 4-3-sorry

[MartinK]

Aloco, although I don't question Ferg's ability or intelligence, I hope we have someone more capable than him trying to teach Crowder how to play LB.

[Mark R]

Why not play the 3-4 with Langford, Starks as DT, and Cameron Wake as lineman. That's what i would do because we're running out of people.

[mike]

Solai looked like a beast during parts of the last jets game. Lets hope he keeps doing that. He kinda didn't the next game vs. Bucs.

[MartinK]

I think Ferg will retire, which means we can add another position to our needs (or just re-emphasize that we already needed another NT prospect). It might be easier to count the positions we don't need (T, FB, QB, P, PK, DE). Every other position could use a player or two.

[Zorba the Greek]

Dude can come back on the cheap as a spot player/mentor (he's not going to get healthier on avg at that weight and a year older. Whats his contract hit Mando?
No secret that building this D up the middle from NT through ILB through safety will be a priority. Either way though the fan base owe Ferg big thanks already for this and last season. He may not have been a pass rush guy, bu he played the run solid and anchored the 3- 4 on the cheap.

[That guy]

That is going to be a big pair of underwear to fill.

[Jamie Farr from M*A*S*H aka Corporal Max Klinger]

I can play nose.

[cuban menace]

Lots of injuries,lets see how backups play.......

[Dishpan]

Let's get Jamie Farr in there!

[NJ PHIMPIN]

Put in Moses.......Amos Moses

[Rockmeister]

At least we will know what we got at NT and how to address it next year if need be

[rage]

I'm very interested in seeing how Tony McD does. In the limited time I have seen him on the field, he seems to always be around the ball, and has great speed for a big man. On the field on a full time basis is yet to been seen though.

[Jimmy Jam]

Absolutely the worst (player) loss this season and truly sad for him because it probably means the end given his age and previous inclination to call it a day. But, the Fins certainly can play a 4-3 and it is probably a really good idea with the lack of a true NT and Soliai coming off an injury (not to mention that, while he is vastly improved, he is no Jason Ferguson). Although, I don’t think Crowder has the smarts or skills to be the MLB. Maybe Torbor? Wishful thinking that Zach could come back to run the D from the middle but they could make worse pick ups, no?

I must admit that I do not know how changing up from a 3-4 to a 4-3 affects how the secondary plays but I do know they did it a fair amount last year. (If someone knows the technical answer to my secondary question, I'd appreciate the edification).

[EmoFinFan]

Yes J Jam----this is the biggie, worse than Ronnie; w/o a top notch NT the 3-4 ain't sheet. Soliai reverted to form after one good outing.....this one has me truly worried.

[harricane]

guess i share a b'day with fergie....cool

will be greatly missed. he can hang at my place sipping some witches brew

mando, update on Soliai?

Starks & Tony Mac have played well

[harricane]

draft that monster NT Cody whats his name from Alabama, if he is still there. NT is a difficult position to feild.

Mando, anything on Grove?

[D]

This is baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

[Jncrdn]

You guys are talking bout drafting a nose tackle ? Please we not gonna sign brown back so who do you get ? I know 2guys how bout a real threat maybe dexter mccluster or mr do it all cj spiller ?

[bond,david bond]

Whatever happened to that third string nose takkle that we cut. I forget his name, but he was very strong. We can use him now! bring him back.

[PriceMaster]

Another guy is Jarrett Boykin the WR from VT.

[Yann]

Good post Fake GM.

I's very sad to see good players like CP, Allen, Brown or Ferguson go down, but it is hardly a suprise. They are all 30+ and/or injury prone.

That is why roster depth is so important. Henne, Smith, Davis, Hilliard, Starks and Soliai have proved to be at least as good as the players they replaced.

Injuries are part of the game, and should never serve as an excuse for bad results (the Pats won a Super Bowl with WR playing DB).

And after all, we're 5-2 without CP, 3-1 without Allen and 1-0 without Ronnie...

Trap game Sunday vs Bills. They have a pretty good defense.

[K-dawg]

Ferg was THE defense. It all revolved around his ability to take on two blockers on almost every single play. He will be missed greatly. We need to trade up on draft day for "Mt Cody". He's the best NT coming out of college in sometime.

[PriceMaster]

The Phins will try to fill what positions from free agency and then try and draft the rest.

Also Pat White deserves to start somewhere and he should be very valuable in trade.

Don't be surprised if a team like the Rams trades us for Pat White and also hires Rich Rodriquez away from Michigan.

Atlanta built an offense and identity around Mike Vick. Pat White is better than Vick.

[harricane]

would not hurt my felings one bit to trade Pat White.

k-dawg Cody is a monster isn't he? he won't last long & won't break the bank as 1st rounders go

[cuban menace]

harricane, Word out is that the mighty canes might play Dave(No clue)Wannstadt's pitt. team in the gator bowl, man would i love for the canes to play them, I think the phins down fall is Wannstadt related, I mean the guy was the worse coach this side of Rex(Buffet) Ryan

[Nathaniel Dodsworth]

If you reverse the letters in Jason Ferguson's name, it reads:

No saj, no sug, ref.

The pattern is exquisite.

The plaintiff cry for justice from the official is poignant.

The ramifications are perplexing.

[Jncrdn]

Wow nice jobs quys bit lets be honest nt take time to develop and you can just as easly pick one up in the later rounds , someone with qreat size and quickness and just develop him cause of riht now our maib priority is wether we siqn brown back cause of we dnt we need to get someone to replace him cause i doubt ricky can handle the whole load for a whole year

[cuban menace]

And when I say SIDE, I mean ....A BIG SIDE.............

[harricane]

not a fan of wannie either mr cuban,

but pitt has been tough since he got there....would be a great game. some coaches just can't cut the NFL but do ok at the college level, i.e., that guy at S.CAL forget his name or Spurrier?

no one is as bad as that bafoon rex ryan...what a disgrace to his dad.

how can one man eat as much as he must have to-to look like that. he disrespects his own players.

Can't wait to see charlie "the whale" weis get booted from Notre Dame, charlie the tuna could do a better job. fat guys can't coach-they eat all the damn time.... :-)

[cuban menace]

AHHHH my friend Nathaniel,Your thesis on Mr. Ferguson is Quite perplexing , could you elaborate sir??

[Dolphin Disciple]

R.I.P. J.F. for you will be missed

[Dolphins4life]

Ted Washington. lace em up. lol

[Rickm]

He really never played into our future. Although, his efforts are appreciated. Let's let our youth play so that we can build a superbowl team.

[Nathaniel Dodsworth]

Certainly, Cuban. It's always a pleasure to correspond with a fellow scholar.

Let's examine it, shall we?

We can look at his reverse name as:
"No saj, no sug, ref."

This bears the ring of "No justice, no peace, ref." Clearly, Mr. Ferguson feels victimized by his injury and will not go quietly into the night.

Or we can look at his reverse name as:
"Nos aj, nos ug, ref."

Here, Mr. Ferguson is telling the referee that nose tackles adjust (nos aj), and nose tackles grunt alot (nos ug). i.e. Ferguson is telling the ref that he's willing to endure alot of rehab to get back into the game.

[Genothefox]

Pricemaster, I really like the kid alot, but there nothing at this point that can tell you he is better than Vick, Vick took a team to the Nfc championship game, pat has got a lil bit to go before u can say he has those kind of capabilities

[Rickm]

Let's put thigpen ahead of white . He would be great in the wildcat. He has an arm and was the top rushing QB in the league last year.

[klndry]

Too bad about Ferguson... Good luck man. I hope they can get another guy off a practise squad somewhere.

[macca]

Lets be honest guys we are not winning the superbowl this year. All these injuries are a blow, but next year with all our young uns will be our first serious run at going deep in the playoffs. I hope Ferg can come back for a year and tutor our no 1 pick, which will surely be a nt. All the injuries are a shame, but lets hope it means we are more injury free next year.

[Dolphin Disciple]

No Time to Look Back…

For the game at Buffalo we need to run play action offense - pound the ball to set up the pass

Do not run the wildcat at buffalo - let Pat White keep practicing and unveil Wildcat 3.0 vs. NE

We have time to sign a NT or convert Starks/McDaniel - scrimmage vs. BUF then Real Deal w/ NE

Give Hillard the ball more often to keep Ricky’s legs fresh for the 4th quarter

There is light at the end of the tunnel... Keep Praying

[cuban menace]

Thank you sir, Again, great conversing with you.

[cuban menace]

Rex (crying)Ryan is the Eric Cartman of the NFL..

[ALoco]

nathaniel thinking he's a smart guy.since the farmers on this blog never been to high education he so can pretend he knows and cuban who never been to a school is very impressed .

[ALoco]

nathaniel last post is a fruad of the english language .

[cuban menace]

AHHH aloco, have you gotten your frozen turkey yet from K-Mart, or will you be dining at the salvation army as usual??

[cuban menace]

YOUR MY BOY Aloco....

[John "The Dolfan"]

Lucky Soliai has 10 days to heel up before we play the Bills. I think Soliai can handle the assignment. But NT is a postioin we will definately need to address in the draft or F/A next season.

My guess is Jeff Ireland, and Bill Parcells sign a NT type of someones Practice Squad or sign an Undrafted F/A just so we add depth at the heart of our 3-4 defense.

[ALoco]

CUBAN ,church is cleaner to have turkey there plus people are not fighting for the white meat .

[ALoco]

nathaniel,

do you get fresh turkey or frozen for .24 cents a pound ?

[miami1354]

I read earlier somewhere that they brought in some o-lineman for looksies...sounds like they will trust the d-lineman they got to finish the season ...but are worried bout the o-lineman after all the injuries in the last game

[cuban menace]

Especially if it's a church in Harlem...

[Mark in Toronto]

Ferg will be back next year to split reps. He was playing at a high level and the Dolphins were very hard to run on when he was in there.

This year can be a problem is Soliai doesn't man up. His career is on the line here because if the Dolphins can't stop the run the rest of the year, he (not ferg) will certainly be replaced in the draft. T. Cody would be an awesome 2nd round pick. Wouldn't pick him in the 1st. He lacks stamina and loves the cheeseburgers a little too much. If you watch Alabama you will see that he is not in there a whole lot.

[tim stim]

I think Ginn could play NT. Just think about all the speed he could use to get to the defender. He would be faster than ALoco in bed with his boyfriend.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Cuban menace , a fellow SCHOLAR ? bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahaha ! are you f'n kidding me ? Now that is funny and priceless.

[tim stim]

Sorry, ment ball carrier not defender. You knoe how ALoco carries his boytoy's balls where ever they go.