The locker room reaction following a win

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Six days ago, before they faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coach Tony Sparano told his team to strive for one mark by the time they took the coming weekend off: 5-5.

Sure Sparano was talking about multiple games and he usually preaches one at a time, but, "I looked a game ahead, I guess is what I'm saying. We knew we had two games in a short period of time and we knew it was going to be critical for us to take care of two football games to get ourselves back in position to make a charge."

Well, get the credit cards out because the Dolphins believe they are charging.

But first the bad news: Defensive tackle Jason Ferguson suffered a knee injury Thursday and did not return to the game. The Dolphins believe the injury is" serious," according to a source, and have scheduled an MRI for Friday.

The source declined to be specific about his definition for "serious." It is likely Ferguson will miss playing time but unclear if he is done for the remainder of the season.

The Dolphins find themselves in the playoff hunt today.

"We're back at eye-level now," said Nate Jones, who had an interception Friday. "We're back at ground zero. We're 5-5. We're have two huge division games coming up. We've put ourselves in a position to make a huge dent in this division and the league.

"We don't control our own destiny but we put ourselves in a position to make a run."

This game had many heroes.

Ricky Williams rushed for 119 yards on 22 carries. It was his second consecutive 100-yard game.

"I don't want to talk about myself," Williams said. "I want to talk about the team. We struggled a bit during the game, but the defense kept it close to give us an opportunity and give us time to get it together."

Yeremiah Bell made a tackle on DeAngelo Williams after a 50-yard gain. That came just before Jones got his interception.

"Without the tackle they score a touchdown," Bell said accurately. "It saved some points for the defense. I can run a little bit. I'm not going to downplay myself. I can run. And that's my job. It's to save touchdowns. I'm the last guy on the back end and I expect to make those plays."

Nate Garner was a hero. He played left guard, right tackle and center during the game as Jake Grove, Joe Berger and Vernon Carey went out with injuries. Carey and Berger returned. Grove did not return after his ankle injury.

"I'll play wherever they want me to play," Garner said.

Sparano said he never coached a game where so many players, particularly offensive linemen, went down.

"One time when I was an offensive line coach in Cleveland I was down to my last offensive lineman and he got poked in the eye and came out of the game, and I was coaching a defensive tackle right there in the middle and he finished the game," Sparano said. "But this thing today, they were going down left and right. I'm kind of happy we played on a Thursday and we got a couple of extra days.

"If another guy went down, I don't know where we would have gone. I don't know if they would have liked it but we would have been poking on one of those defensive line guys, maybe Merling."

As I wrote in my column, Chad Henne outplayed Jake Delhomme. After three quarters, Delhomme had completed only 9 of 21 passes. He was terrible. Henne was not spectacular -- completing 17 of 21 passes for 172 yards. But he avoided the big mistake and completed three big third-down passes.

"Ricky Williams stepped up today, and Lex Hilliard got in there," Henne said. "The wide receivers stepped up and the offensive line is playing great. Pass protection is great, I had a lot of time back there. All together we're forming a team and we're not putting it on anyone's shoulders."

Comments

[NJ PHLIM PHLAM]

Carlito----

Ola! Any news on Fergie??

In the old days, newspapers had journalists who would stake out the area hospitals & top drs & the Nova-Fins facility to see what was up w/ our beloved Fergie.......nowadays, we get 'bloggers' taking the day off just because the team is off.

[aquaandorange]

Fergy news???????

[carlito from golfito]

Hurricanes game is blacked out

[Casey963]

Hey Armando,

Through 7 starts Henne is 5 and 2 and is finding ways to win. It would be interesting to do a detailed analysis/comparison of
the first 7 games of Henne's career vs. Big Ben, Brady, and Manning's first 7. I have a feeling Henne is being used a lot like Big Ben. Do you think you could do this post for us?

Thanks,
Casey

[JUSTIN CREDIBLE]

I'm FIRST!!!!!!!!

[carlito from golfito]

Saints will lose in Tampa tomorrow. I know it sound crazy but this will happen

[dumdum]

Louaska Polite...is there a better fullback in the nfl....NOT. If this guy doesnt get the credit he deserves and makes the pro bowl the voting is a joke.That all this guy does is blow everyone up!!

[harricane]

carlito,

no espnU?

[harricane]

i am watching...ugly game....

[harricane]

dumb

did you see how many times he knocked his defender on their back side? he is a monster

[Dying Bread]

Carlitio , any news on Fergie.

[carlito from golfito]

ss reporting ferguson out for year

[jorgelara07]

Cdah henne was spectacular on thursday

[Dolphins4life]

Carlito from golf

It didnt sound crazy before Brees' mom had died,
I was predicting the same thing only she just passed and now I'm like here we go again ala Brett Farve gonna probably have his best game of year.
But I think the Bucs are gonna be good and their record doesnt say a such but they are gonna be trouble for any team, I love the rookie Qb Josh Freeman.

So did I call it or what Dolphins 24-17 over the Panthers and I said Ricky dont you lose that number I knew he would have a good game than and Panthers run D was not good. But Dolphins should have beaten the Bucs handidly, but got off the canvas from a huge overhand right and came back to win and again Ricky was big so was Henne and what looks to be his go to target Bess.

Four days later they beat the Panthers and go from 3-5 to 5-5 and now have a shot at the playoffs! Go Dolphins Go! Here we come making our run! And rememeber we are built to win games in November and December. Next up is BVuffalo and we play up in their house and again not a gimmie game but one in which the onus on the offense is spread around like butter over toast. No one man nor two but its a team effort like Henne said.

Well guys on to Buffalo next week and Dolphins need a long break to heal and get well.

GoDolphins for Life!

[Mauro]

What's the word on ferguson? Will he be out for the remainder of the season?

[Dolphins4life]

Armando hasnt updated in a while, guess you could add him to injury report, carpal tunnel. lol
Jay Ferg is pretty much done no report but his injuy looked bad and all the talk is he's probably out remainder of the year. Hope evryone is wrong but I doubt hes coming back this year.

[Dolphins4life]

All right Dolphins nation have a good weekend and catch up with all you guys and gals later everyone be safe out there.

Dolphins4life!

[Hennething]

I think I agree with you carlito on the tampa bay/saints game.

[Genothefox]

Dolphins4life, it's different- she died 3 months ago- autopsy results just made public- they didn't have a relationship- totally dif than the Brett deal

[Finatic]

I was hoping to see the jags/bills game to spy on the bills but it's friggin blacked out.

[Finatic]

But judging the bills today Ricky should have a good day too. It does feel good to watch everyone else battle tomorrow knowing we got our "W" already.

[Finatic]

That jets/pats game is a win/win for us Fins fans. Jets lose, their off our back! Jets some how win, one step closer for First!!!

[GoTheFins!]

I'd say we need the pats too lose, we already beat the jets twice and we need to win the division.

[Gertrudys]

Ol ol ol news,c'mon man

[Eddy007]

Is Mando on vacation, no updates on anything since the game, what's going on. We need dolphins news to live, lol

[Dolphins4life]

Genothefox

Got it but you still have to beleive he will play well even if he wasnt close to his mother you have to figure there is some emotions there good or bad.

Word is his mother died in early august? So now the autopsy revealed her exact cause of death...so that as you know, there were no games then but preseason, but now he can dedicate this game to his mama-close or not its still his mother that passed. Could be another big game we will see but I beleive he will have a big game. Lets just hope the saits get beat sooner rather than later.

Gertrudys thanks man.

[ALoco]

Dolphins4life is one cool fan .i do remember saying all these things he wrote about earlier .

armando deserve a time off guys .

[Dolphins4life]

Eddy007

Hes probably on injured or nursing a sore hammy and cheese sandwich. lol
Carpal tunnel. lol

[Dolphins4life]

The pats will lose two more games one to the Dolphins and one more DNTKWHO but they will, we just need to take care of our games and run the table. Win the last six games and we should win afc east, we have the one division loss we just need to keep it that way. First half of schedule was way strong and we could have pulled out the Colts and Saints game. So hold on to your hats cause its gonna get real interesting.
Is big Ted Washington retired? cause we may need him. lol

OK nation im out have a great weekend
Thanks Aloco

[xbox]

NJ's run home to hide under his blankie.....Fins have shown him up yet again!

I will never understand why Jet fans pose as dolphin fans, just to sow dissension and division on this site, like NJ does.

Try Rich Cimini, NJ, he's more suited to your outlook.

Posted by: C. Sammy Ruhn | November 20, 2009 at 01:44 PM

NJ defend yourself!!!!!!!!!

[xbox]

Dying Breed is also NJ FIN FAN(fake)

[mosses]

xbox,
please child go eat some yellow banana

[xbox]

how can i eat my yeloow banana when you momma is on it

[?]

.

[mosses]

xbox ,

do you love to eat ripe things?

[H8dpats]

Mando is AWOL, we need our news!

[H8dpats]

When Grove filled in fort Ferg and he got hurt I saw him on the sidelines yelling where is my helmet? I think one of the coaches might have hid it to keep him from going in, not sure but he was pissed.

[JUSTIN CREDIBLE]

I'm FIRST!!!!!

[H8dpats]

I never thought I would ever be rooting for the Wets to win but here I am go Wets!

[Dying Bread]

" When grove filled in for ferg " ?

[Zach]

can you guys at the herald post a new blog post every once in a while?

this is the same crap from thursday

[H8dpats]

Sorry dying meant Berger

[ogg]

jeke long and channing crowder is are on pipers pit tommorow

[Finsfan34]

Cmon I've been dying to find out about Jason ferguson Mando post something...anything

[kc]

nfl network reports tonight that ferguson is expected to be gone for the year but they said they have no official report from the team so who knows

[carlito from golfito]

we never going to get new blog again.

Is Armando is ok?

Maybe someone to check on him?

[FlogTheDolphin]

Maybe Armando's getting some. Give the guy a break.

[Dying Bread]

carlito needs to get some.

[Dying Bread]

carlito needs to get some.

[aquaandorange]

Mando??

[Dishpan]

Hopefully they're replacing the tool.

[KillerDolphin]

Just like the team Armando need's a rest from this crazy season.

[Nathaniel Dodsworth]

As a former Torontonian, I find this fascinating:

Judging by the comments section on this blog, there is utter contempt for the N.Y. Jets and their fans. There is also a great dislike for the N.E. Patriots. But I seldom, if ever, see any nasty comments about the Bills. Is that because the Bills have been a non-factor in the AFC East since I moved to the U.S. in 2005? (Mind you, Miami had been a non-factor until last year.)

It's all very strange because when I lived in Toronto, the Buffalo fans saw Miami (regardless of the two teams' records) as Darth Vader to Buffalo's Luke Skywalker. Buffalo fans were OBSESSED with the Dolphins - the team's natural, perennial, #1 rival. But for Miami fans, Buffalo seems a distant, third rival.

Has it always been thus? I didn't get news from Miami during the heated Marino-Kelly years. Was there a hatred for the Bills back then or was it still the Jets who were the number one evil?

Armando? Armando, where are you? DON'T ABANDON ME!

[H8dpats]

I hate this thing, I typed a whole bunch of info for you Nate but it didn't post it. Google Bryan Cox in Rich stadium to learn how he flipped off all of Buffalo before a game!

[carlito from golfito]

Nathaniel,

It has always been this way with the Bills and Dolphins.

[kc]

I can only speak for myself but back in the marino-kelly days i hated buffalo much more than i hate the jets and pats now wich is alot and if you think the jets fans are obnoxious a-holes try sittin in buffalos stadium with all those flannel shirt wearin loudmouth rednecks.

[Dolphan5361]

True Dolphins fans hate evey team that's not the Miami Dolphins... Miami Better than everyone else since 1972

[kc]

i know ferguson doesnt play for the patriots and he doesnt act like a jackass like ocho cinco so these networks like espn dont care about him but can we get some official word on ferg somewhere instead of just speculative reports. Its been over two days they gotta know something by now

[Finatic]

Kc, I remember clearly when the bills were the most hated. Man I use to hate them with a passion.

[Ace]

Nathaniel,

I used to hate the Bills alot more during the Bill's superbowl runs. Hated them all, Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Reed, Beebe, Bruce Smith....hated them. I guess know they are such a non factor that you overlook them. Jets have become so obnoxious you can't help it but hat them anytime. Pats disgust me, I get disgusted at the sight of Bill Belicheat's face.