Good news! Center expected back for Oakland

After starter Joe Berger missed Thursday night's game and backup Cory Procter left the game with a knee injury, the Dolphins might on the surface seem to be dealing with something of a crisis at the center position today.

Relax. They are not.

Berger, who started Miami's first nine games of the season after beating out Jake Grove for the spot, is expected to return to the lineup against Oakland when the Dolphins visit the Black Hole Nov. 28. It's not so much that Berger is expected to recover in time from the knee injury the team listed for him in declaring him out last week, although that apparently should be the case.

It's that, according to a club source, the "personal issue" that Berger is attending to should be sufficiently resolved by the week of the Oakland game. 

The source declined to specify what issue Berger is dealing with but it seems clear that it as much as the knee is the reason the player missed Thursday's game. And again, the club expects the issue to be handled when Berger, who has been away from the team for a time, returns to work.

So the Dolphins don't necessarily need to go shopping for a starting center. They don't have to worry about continuing to play left guard Richie Incognito at the center position as he did much of Thursday night.

The team should be fine once Berger handles his business.

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Comments

[Joe Schmoe]

You make a good point. People seem to forget that before Parcells and co came along, we were 1-15. 1 AND 15 PEOPLE!!!

Posted by: SDR

Why should we give them a pass? Do you not realize had they not missed on so many guys, we would be A LOT better than we are? You know all the names, but in case you missed it, here's some:

Trading UP for Murphy, S. Smith, P. White, P. Turner, Merling, Gerbil, Wilford, Green, Crocker,etc...How about passing on guys like Mario Manningham or Dez Bryant?

Just look at the oline alone: Alleman, Hartline, Thomas, Murphy, Ndukwe, Satele, Grove, Smiley, Berger, Procter, Mcquistan, Incognito...ALL IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS? What they've done is almost unforgivable. It's grounds for firing, without question.

Why do our ST suck? Why'd we have to draft all those LB'ers last year? DB's & WR the year before? Why do we have no viable TE? Or Rb threat? We are too busy making up for misses because these guys simply CAN'T GET IT RIGHT.

I think Miami fans need to wake up and realize what is really holding this team back. BAD personnel & horrid coaching. Proof is in the pudding, you can't even debate this.

[wolfman1313]

greg z & odinseye - I'm in full agreement. I just think it's really unfortunate that the organization didn't come to the conclusion sooner that Henning's best days were behind him. It would be nice to have a little cohesion for once so things could settle and gel. I think one of the reasons for some of our defensive lapses this season are due to a combination of the defense learning a new system and young players. I think the defense will actually be pretty awesome come next season...hopefully the same will occur with the offense.

[LAPhinsPhan]

Thanks, ALoco

[superPHIN]

its really time for this team to take a long look at their roster and get those younger lower depth chart players in these games so they can see some action, Sparano can breach desperation all he wants to but this season is DONE again and its time to look to next year, Cutting ties with dead henning and al harris would be a good start to the reform movement!!!!

[ALoco]

WLOF/SUPER..................AS LONG WE DON'T HAVE A GREAT QB ALL THESE POSTS HAVE NO VALUE.

HOW COME WE SIGNED THIGGY LAST YEAR WHEN WE COULS SIGNED A BETTER QB ???

HOW COME WE SIGNED THE HONORABLE CHAD.P W/HIS ARM AND WASTE a qb spot ?

WE SHOULG THANKFUL FOR HENNE THE HERO.

[Marc]

Did anyone watch ' we are marshall'?

Would anyone be terribly disappointed if the team plane crashed on the way back from Oakland?

[Mark in Toronto]

I watched it - great movie - had me tearing a bit - I must say.

Marc, come on - that is an awful thing to say - I would never wish that.

[Just In]

Guys you are getting it wrong, we are loosing the prime time games so people think we suck, then.... SURPRISE!!! That is the plan.

[ALoco]

Marc, is your parents proud of you as a human ? i am sure they don't like you to visit even in christmas .

[odinseye]

Hey Hey.

What can I do?

I got a football team that just won't come through.

Hey Hey.

What can I say?

-Now go back to football?

Hows this: Talk about a guy just collecting a paycheck, Vernon Carey!

They make me want to stay drunk all day!

[superPHIN]

Aloco, i said this experiment sparano wanted to go with penny and sit henne would be our downfall of the year, and I never Believed the hype of thigpen, he is the most erratic QB we have on this team, and his pocket awareness is less than average. He is a Backup QB and that is what he will always be!!!

[LAPhinsPhan]

Folks, since 2000, we've had 4 losing seasons:
2004: 4-12 (Wannstache)
2006: 6-10 (Satan)
2007: 1-15 (idiot)
2009: 7-9

Wanny, Saban and Camaron were gone after one losing season. Yet Sparano is still alive. If we finish this season at .500 or under, would you give Sparano another season? Just asking.

[ALoco]

But when you sign a back QB you look for the not the cheapest .

thiggy at ..................420,000 while giving mr chad.p 2.50.million before he starts and henne at 600,000 .the most important spot on the team it coast the fins less than 1/2 of marshall salary per year .................

[ALoco]

you look for the best not the cheapest

[mntnman]

I still wonder what brilliant person scheduled the fins to play two teams in a row coming of bye weeks (Ravens played fins coming off bye week, then the next week the Titans coming off a bye week), and then we play a short week. I know we play the games the way they're scheduled...but come on...is that even a little fair??
Any other team with such a schedule??

[odinseye]

Sorry Aloco, I screwed that one up.

An ode to MY Miami Dolphins:

Hey Hey.

What can I do?

I got a football team that just won't come through.

Hey Hey.

What can I say?

They make me want to stay drunk all day!

[BoulderFinFan]

LAPhinsPhan, saban left on his own he wasn't fired. But I think sparano needs to go if are below 500. Not sure about Ireland yet but sparano needs to go.

[superPHIN]

LAPHIN,

I think if they continue to play with as much excitement as we played last night in front of their home crowd yet again, how can sparano not be canned at the end of the season, it just seems that this team has more control over him than he has over it, especially when you can coherantly understand his pressers before and after games!!!!

[ALoco]

mntnman, also you played them at home so i think it's fair .

[ALoco]

odin, that's oky i give another chance in on other day .

[Marc]

I never said I wished their plane would crash

However, I wouldn't be crying

[wolfman1313]

LAPhinsPhan - for one, Wanny had his time to get things righted..it was more than just the one losing season that sent him packing. Saban left because he figured out that he was looking at a ground up, total overahaul and that's not what he signed up for. Cam's fate was sealed and in my estimation, completely lost the locker room when he picked Gin.

I would give Sporano the last year of his contract. Why? Like I said, this is a total re-build. Not re-tooling or re-loading...this is a complete overhaul that is in process. Look at the Saints re-build with Sean Payton...very similar. I'm not saying it's going to turn out the same, but there is a process and that process has to play out. You can't have a revolving door at HC and expect any kind of positive results.

Saints:
2006 10-6 (1st yr)
2007 7-9 (2nd yr)
2008 8-8 (3rd yr)
2009 13-3 (4th yr & SB)
2010 TBD (5th yr)

Dolphins:
2008 11-5 (1st yr)
2009 7-9 (2nd yr)
2010 3rd yr TBD but I'm still saying 8-8...notice a trend there?

Like I said, I'm not saying the results are going to be the same, but you have to let a process play out unless, like Cam Camoron...it's totally obvious that it just isn't happenin'. I wouldn't say that's the case with Sporano.

[superPHIN]

Schedule conflicts are no excuse, AND the schedule comes out well in advance, coaches and teams prepare accordingly and make the adjustments they need to in order to have their team prepared and ready to play, Players should never complain about BS like that, This is their THEIR ONE AND ONLY JOB!!!!

[LAPhinsPhan]

Nice comment, wolfman.

[Duane]

The bottom line:

1) The media that covers the Dolphins, like Armando, don't even like the Fins and they write one small story the day after the game and then disappear. Sweet....I guess they were looking forward to a few extra days off. Way to rag on the team and then bail. Typical media, shout and point fingers and then act innocent.

2) All the talk about not running the ball, we couldn't because our O-line was getting hammered, holding penalties backed us up to 1st and 2nd and 20, and Marshall is getting 15-yard taunting penalties that kill drives.

3)Speaking of Marshall, how's this. Complain and throw the ball to the sidelines one week because you aren't getting enough balls. Then the next week when you do get passed to, you have 2 drops and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty. Way to be a player!! Just another TO or Ocho. These guys are what they are, ain't nothin gonna change there.

4) Keep it up with Henne next year. Let Thigpen finish this year and get demolished, at least he can run away. Save Henne for next year. The kid can and will get it, but you have to give it time instead of running away and finding ANOTHER rookie.

5) Need a new OC for sure.

6) I'm glad the heat might make the playoffs.

7) Hey Armando, if you don't really care about the Fins, take a hike and let a real reporter take over. Punk

[superPHIN]

With Dead Henning still here, you can call that a WET dream wolfman, CUZ theres no way in Holy he!! this offense will ever be able to pull off what sean payton did with NO, They actually knew what an Offense is.

[wolfman1313]

superPHIN - I don't think Henning will be here after this season. Most likely he will retire...though he does deserve to get canned. All I could think last night was, "damn....Henning is so old and senile that he thought he was game planning for Dan Marino"...I mean c'mon 6 total runs? I don't care how great the Bears D is against the run...don't care that we're banged up on the line...we're starting a freakin' 3rd string QB...gotta run the ball.

I never though playoffs this year...when the trifecta came in I predicted that the Phins would not be playoff contenders until season 4. I say contenders because in the AFC....you can have a pretty damn good record and not make the playoffs and the AFC East is one bad-ass division. Next season I'm looking for the defense to be pretty bad-ass....I'm looking at a new OC and new approach that will hopefully get them rolling as well.

All said, I didn't really have that high of expectations this year. Those expectations will be there for year 4.

[turd ferguson]

I'm starting to take offense (something Miami can't do) to all the "laying a turd" references.

[turd ferguson]

Oh, was that Tyler Thigpen in there last night? I though it was John Beck.

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

sean smith has hand down his pants working on his ball skills
That kid is a Hell of a nut scratcher, but he sucks if U throw the ball at his chest or ask him to tackle

[odinseye]

The fact that we couldn't run the ball against the 4th ranked rushing D is not the point.

Henning knew what we were facing going in. These are things you game plan for, hence our major weakness/problem. Henning being the OC is WORST than all of our injuries put TOGETHER.

While players will heel and continue to develop, Henning drifts further and further into his Prune Juice induced "Greatness".

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

NostrAHomeUs warned us of 11 13 Dolphins debacle

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

Conspiracy theory
The Dolphins coaches and players only wanted to hustle Mr. Magoo (Ross) out as much F!@#ing money as possible and then do nothing

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

They should be called the Miami Chickens becuz

...Man, can they lay an egg

[superPHIN]

Home warned us dolphins would win against bears as 0f 11 18, Shouldve known better than to beleive Mr. Spot ON Prognosticater....*lol*

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

More good news:

The Dolphins fall to 0-3 this season in prime time games as well - two of which being very ugly performances - all but assuring they won't get many, if any, prime time games next season.

Go Dolphins! LMAO!

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

I prefer to swallow 11 inches

But I need at least 13 inches for my ass

[cowkilla]

dude...get this gruden thing outta your head man! Gruden ruined Dungy's team in a span of a few years...Parcells and Co already did that to us. I would give Dungy amd huge amount of money And have him come in here and keep nolan and trash all other coachs...now that I could live with...not chuckie please!

[cowkilla]

GArY

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

ST tackling leaders = 2 tackles for John Dehney long snapper & 1 for punter Brandon Fields LMAO!

How Bout them Dolphins! LMAO!

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

Go Gruden

We need some animation & entertainment on this joker team

wonder if he can do magic tricks?

[finfan23]

Yea last year when we had Grove, Smiley and Satele the year before - just imagine if we still had them. We had one of the top rushing teams last year and this year no pulling guards at all. Seems like another huge mistake in personnel for this group.
We can be instantly 200 percent better by the next game if Henning is fired. Let Pennington call the plays and we just might stand a chance

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

cowkilla, eat more fish

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

I have a Gruden poster on my bedroom ceiling

I pretend to be blowing Chuckie late at night

I love to swallow cause I am stupid

[cowkilla]

Home...eat more man sausage...

[finfan23]

There was a time when the Dolphins would never embarrass themselves on national tv no matter their record or their opponents. We had the best MNF record for a long time. Now, when we are even the superior team we suck on national tv. I would think that would be enough to embarrass everyone to step it up. We have the players. We need to "get out of our own way" to quote Sparano. Yea, we know that, by firing Henning.

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

Man, my imposter is really nasty gay, eh?

Whats up Odin?

Go Jets & Jason Taylor!

[cowkilla]

All your so called predictions are bubkus! You are some sort of wanna be chris angel on crack...oh wait, chris angel is on crack. You should have his poster on your ceiling instead. No one believes your BS, you can think we do all you want homer

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

Wow
The language allowed here for impostering Home is reprehensible and really gay weird

Hey at least he has the Dolphins! LMAO!

Go Jets!
They really deserve it
Cuz they find ways to win

How bout that Rex, eh?

[odinseye]

You must have been gazing into your crystal ball during the game.

The D held them to 3 field goals and gave up 1 TD after having to be on the field for nearly the entire game.

Could they have played better? Sure, alot better. Did they suck? Not by a long shot!

11 13 my a s s.

Queef Queff!!!!

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

I am a real Jets fan

I want Jason Taylor's balls in my mouth

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

cowkilla is 11 13 affecting u also?

seems like it is making u negative

U must find inner peace and then these lil nuisances will not affect your behaviour

good luck & sorry bout 13 hours after 11 13
at least u were warned

[cocoajoe]

Mark Schlereth's comments about the incompetent play calls last night should have got someone's attention. I mean there it was, respected NFL analyst on national TV basically calling the Dolphins OC an idiot.

Wonder if it got back to Ross?

[Jon]

Miami needs 2 guards and a center, 1 if not 2 new running backs, and a speed guy at wr to stretch the field. Those are things they absolutely need, without exploring the real possibility that they may need a new QB and TE also. The only sure keepers are Marshall, Bess, Long and Hartline. And that's just the offense. Parcells philosiphy along the O-line and his rediculous 'size requirements' for certain positions def had an ill effect on this roster.

[The Seer]

Just got home .............in the event no one else has suggested the following solution, here goes:

FIRE IRELAND a/k/a The Ball Boy, and Coach Fist Pump ASAP!

We're back to square one.

Oh, and we get to see that "awful" center Satele next week, who for all his flaws is (a) still playing; (b) better than Jake Grove & (c) helping a damn fine rushing attack.

BTW--How's Jason Brown doing...........definitely not worth $1Mil more than Grove, Huh Ball Boy???

[turd ferguson]

Any one of us could have sat on draft day the past 12 years, watched Mel Kiper or Mike Mayock and had better drafts than Miami. And if they hire Chucky we'll have 5 qb's on the roster to choose from. He likes to collect them & show them how smart he is you know.

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

Odin sorry to here 11 13 has found your @ZZ
hope your luck changes

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

I love fat men

And young boys

Cause that's how I swing

[Denny]

Someone wake me up when the season is over, Henning is fired, Sparano is demoted back to o-line coach, and Gruden or Cowher take over. Until then I'm done with this joke of a team.

[Home 4 Gruden 2011]

I love 11 and 13 year old boys

They taste like chicken

Yummy