Jake Grove out vs. Patriots, possibly longer

Center Jake Grove will miss Sunday's game between the Dolphins and Patriots, barring a sudden and unexpected recovery from a high ankle sprain and tibia injury, a club source said Thursday.

It is also possible Grove, who already missed a start against Buffalo last week after suffering the injury against Carolina the week before, will miss time beyond Sunday. Although the Dolphins have opted not to place Grove on the injured reserve list, the worst-case scenario is he could be out through the end of the season.

The club is hopeful it will not come to that. But a high ankle sprain typically takes four to six weeks to heal depending on its severity. Grove has already been out two weeks because the injury happened during a Thursday night game on Nov. 18.  

Some players are able to get back on the field quicker due, in part, to their tolerance for pain and the positions they play. A center is more likely to be able to play with the injury than a player who has to perform in space. So that is a plus.

The tibia injury, however, complicates matters in weighing recovery time.  

With Grove out, the Dolphins are expected to continue starting Joe Berger at center. Berger started in Grove's place against the Bills.

“I thought Joe Berger played very well yesterday, I really did," coach Tony Sparano said Monday when asked to assess Berger's performance. "Really pleased with what he did."

Grove did not practice at all last week and did not practice Wednesday when the Dolphins began preparations for the Patriots. Sparano was asked about the center's condition and responded, “Did not practice today, getting a little bit better."

Not having Grove hurts the Dolphins because he was signed as an unrestricted free agent, in part, because he played well last season for the Oakland Raiders against AFC East nose tackles. The Dolphins were said to be particularly impressed with his performance against Kris Jenkins of the New York Jets.

New England nose tackle Vince Wilfork is one of the most versatile players on the Patriots front line and is perhaps the team's best run-stopper.

Grove's injury is a setback and a disappointment because he came to the Dolphins to upgrade the running game. The Dolphins signed Grove to a five-year, $29.5 million contract that includes $14.5 million in guaranteed money.

But Grove also came to Miami with a reputation for being injured. He missed six games because of injuries in 2005. He missed nine games in 2007. He missed four games in 2008. The only season in which Grove did not miss any games came in 2006 when he started all 16 for Oakland.

Comments

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Meanace , i told you i'll work on it. You see , it's warm outside, I'm GOD ! GOD has spoken . Any other wishes ?

[Dolfanken]

Whoops, SB not SP

[carlito from golfito]

Dolfanken,

I never said anything or hear your name before ever. You don't know me or anything about me. I am Dolphins fan and thats all you need to know.

[Mark in Toronto]

Sorry Marc, I just don't think very much of you.

[cuban menace]

No NJ.....Thanks again...

[CUbano]

let'S say MARCK THE CROSS DRESSER ALLED NJ THE PLUMBER AND SEDUCED HIM SO THE PLUMBER WON'T OVER CHARGE HIM .WHO THINKS NJ WILL OVER CHARGE HIM ANY WAY ?

[CUbano]

called

[carlito from golfito]

Dolfanken,

Bite your tongue old man. I am bigger dolphins fan than you ever will meet. I am season ticket holder for years and been watching this team since before I can walk.

If you can' see that this team is being built out of the gutter to something special or not patient enough for it to happen that is not my fault.

I still believe, and that is more than can be said for you Mr. Bandwagon fairweather.

[Marc]

You guys are so much fun! I don't know what I'd do without this?

LOL@NJ...Bigger man than me? Only while you're juicing partna ;)

[cuban menace]

Marc, Your not the same Marc i was battling with last year are you??

[Marc]

Aww, MarK doesn't think much of me either :( If any of you actually had any significance in my life other than passing time away while I'm at my job this MIGHT affect me...Most likely not though.

[SoiledBottom]

Dear Mr. Salguero

As long as Rev. Jim Jones(Pope Tuna)Does'nt move the Dolphins to Jones Town I will keep drinking the Koolaid.

Soiled :)

[Marc]

Who else would I be menace?

[carlito from golfito]

Marc,

You are Sheila after 8:00 p.m. the Parramore street wandering lady of night with hairy legs and cheap dress. That was an easy question....

[cuban menace]

AHHHHH, My old friend, How you been doing Marc, I see your still making friends.....

[carlito from golfito]

Marc,

Peoples hate for you so strong you have united people who usually don't like each other to fight against you. That is something man....

[cuban menace]

Carlito, My girl friends name is sheila.....

[carlito from golfito]

Maybe we should introduce Marc in a group meeting between leaders of Israel and Palestine. Their united hatred for this infidel will bring to end centuries of war and usher in era of peace between long time enemies...

This could result in the apocalypse though...

[carlito from golfito]

Cuban,

Did you know Sheila is slang for a feminine man in Australia? You better check under the dress buddy, fair warning...

[cuban menace]

Yeah I know carlito,I just checked, she's female.... or a post-op transsexual (you never know nowadays with out a birth certifacate)

[carlito from golfito]

gross

[CUbano]

carlito the baby is a ticket holder for a rest room not dolphins.

[cuban menace]

This guy was insulting me after a gun shot wound i sustained last sept... a true person-non-Grata... Makes my dislike for my friend NJ almost palatable.....

[SoiledBottom]

Dear Mr. Menace

Take from experience....Adams apple = Bad

Soiled :)

[jaksin]

glad i logged on, this is crazy!!!!

[cuban menace]

And yes NJ people bring guns to malls... LOL :)

[carlito from golfito]

Come see me 410 row 6 seat 13 and 14 and I will show you to the restroom for a swirley little man.

[cuban menace]

Soiled, She does have a deep voice....

[Ace]

Is it fair to say marc is the new Devil??

[cuban menace]

5 Bucks says he rides a white horse with 2 of his friends....Does that answer your "Q" ace????

[Mark in Toronto]

Marc sucks!

[carlito from golfito]

Marc is not smart enough to be devil.

The saying goes... "The devil is a LADY in a red dress.."

Not the devil is a fairweather fan in a dress.

[carlito from golfito]

I think the devil has way more evil, important things to do than play madden and dress up all day.

[Mark in Toronto]

I always pictured marc as an overweight black dude with gold teeth in a floral print summer dress with his love handles overflowing on the sides and his back fat pertruding.

Great, guess I'm going to have to drink heavily to get that vision out of my head.

[Ace]

menace I guess you are right. Marc can have that title. I am a saint and NJ is GOD.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Mall cops aren't allowed to carry guns LIAR ! God has spoken. I could grant you the wish to carry a gun at the mall . God has spoken !

[cuban menace]

THANK YOU NJ.....

[Ace]

I always pictured marc as an overweight black dude with gold teeth in a floral print summer dress with his love handles overflowing on the sides and his back fat pertruding.

Great, guess I'm going to have to drink heavily to get that vision out of my head.

Posted by: Mark in Toronto | December 03, 2009 at 03:49 PM

Mark this almost describes Justin Credible... just kidding. Now she may look like that Jamie Foxx character on In Living Color,

[Marc]

I have a cop, a retard with multiple online personalites that argues with himself all day, and a Canuck as enemies, LMAO!

MarK. Just to save your liver, I'm not black, nor overweight, nor wearing a dress right now. You can send your b!tch down too

[carlito from golfito]

Nj's attitude sometimes remind me of portrayal of persian "god"/king Xerxes in Hollywood movie 300. All he asks is for people to bow to him.

Cuban is like the deformed spartan who betray his people by bow to xerxes.

P.S. Didn't actor who play Xerxes look like JT? Maybe this was what he was talking about when he said in '08 he wanted to explore his options... like playing Xerxes in movies.

[a concerned poster]

Why do all of you claim marc wears a dress? I dont get it?

[cuban menace]

Marc, Come up to Brooklyn, I'll pay for the ticket, if you think the dade county lock down is bad, you need to check out our "HOTEL", then again you might just like it....

[cuban menace]

nor wearing a dress right now. You can send your b!tch down too

Posted by: Marc | December 03, 2009 at 03:56 PM
Marc, again, how often do you wear a dress?????

[Ace]

Why does marc want everyone to send him some beetches?

[cuban menace]

Do you still want the fins to dress in pink like last year???

[Marc]

You're a cop too...Jeez...Explains it all! MarK's probably a cop too!

[cuban menace]

Mark is from Toronto, He'd be a Canadian Royal Mountie,apparently you've never been out of fla....Or is it a Royal Canadian Mountie?

[carlito from golfito]

Cuban,

If you pulled me over with small piece of ganja, would you arrest me or just a stern warning?

[cuban menace]

Any Hoo, Ehat do you guys think the out come of this battle between the hated pats and the beloved air breathing mammals will be????

[Lips in Toronto - I Believe]

The RCMP are the national police force. Some provinces have provincial police forces and a city like Toronto would have a municipal police force.

[cuban menace]

Carlito, Is it for Medicinal purposes(E.G a prescription??) if you have less then 25 grams it a misdemeanor, though you will be ticketed and held up for up to a hour( Car search you know) it dosnt look good on a job application, and trust me most employers have a criminal back ground search, even if its misdemeanor.

[cuban menace]

New blog up..

[carlito from golfito]

Cuban,

but you can't still become a police with a misdemeanor? ... ironic

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Carlito , They hire mall cops like menace with misdemeanor's.

[carlito from golfito]

Lmao...I'm not worried about criminal back ground search, I am my own boss...

[Nathaniel Dodsworth]

Things I didn't like about living in Toronto:

1) Constant traffic jams
2) Left wing city council
3) Anti-Americanism
4) Smog days
5) Buses (some) and street cars without air conditioning
6) Smug pretentiousness at being a "world class city."

Things I liked about living in Toronto:
1) The Buffalo television channels would show lots of Miami Dolphins games
2) Harvey's and Swiss Chalet restaurants
3) Lots of good looking chicks (In a city of 2.2 million people and a Greater Toronto area of over 4 million, you're bound to find alot.)
4) Compelling Toronto Maple Leafs history and passionate devotion for the team.

[carlito from golfito]

Nathaniel, My sister in law is enrolled in Guelph, outside of Toronto in London, Ontario.

From what I understand it is a fine school.

[alan]

In my view this team needs MORE help than can be addressed in the draft - they really need to address the free agent market next year and sign some play makers. I don't know how they stand on cap dollars but there are some cuts that need to be made or trades but I don't see them getting much for the guys who need to go so cut em! Get some play makers and spend some of that celebrity ownership money. You can't just own a part of a team as a conversation piece - throw some of the big bucks @ some big name play makers, please - then draft some future stars. I am tired of this team picking players who turn out to be a bust - save for last year. The best player aside from Long is an undrafted free agent. Parcells is supposed to be expert on draft picks - that's why they hired him. I agree with the guy above - this team is still in a rebuilding phase and last year was (not to down play some great players and games) a fluke. Tell CH to take some heat off those over the head passes - they're going right through the hands of the reliable receivers - and the not so reliable receivers. Don't get me started on Defense. Holy s***!