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Title: Joey Porter shelved, Charlie Anderson ready to play Post by: DolFan619 on August 26, 2008, 08:29:45 pm http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-dolinj082608,0,6714855.story
Joey Porter shelved, Charlie Anderson ready to play By Omar Kelly Sun-Sentinel.com 4:27 PM EDT, August 26, 2008 DAVIE - Right as one of the projected starting linebackers returned to the practice field, another gets informed he'll be shelved until the week of the regular season opener. Joey Porter's sore back will keep him sidelined until at least Monday, when the Dolphins will begin preparing for the Sept. 7th home opener against the Jets. His counterpart, Charlie Anderson, has practiced without limitations the past two days, and expects to play in Thursday night's exhibition game against New Orleans even though he admits to not being fully recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered on Aug. 9th. Coach Tony Sparano plans to have Anderson, the projected starting weakside linebacker, on the field until "his tongue is dragging," because the coaches haven't been able to evaluate him for the past three weeks. "He needs to progress, no doubt about it," Sparano said. "We need to see Charlie. This doesn't have anything to do with Charlie's performance. It just has to do with Charlie not being able to be out there because of his injury." Porter was told by a specialist he saw on Monday that he needs rest for the soreness to subside. But he was told his injury isn't extremely serious, and was put on a treatment program. "It's no slipped disc, nothing like that. All my discs are where they are supposed to be," said Porter, who started against the Chiefs on Saturday, and said he had to beg Sparano to let him participate in the defense's second series of the game. "He didn't want to let me go in. I was like 'Coach, I only played eight plays. I put on all this stuff. Took all this medicine and all that. You've got to give me more than eight plays. I'm all [drugged] up now so you got to let me go," said Porter, who recorded a sack in his limited work. "He gave it to me." Porter said he's felt the back pain for a while, but the soreness has intensified since training camp opened. "I pride myself on pretty much playing through anything like a little pain like that. But it was getting to a point where it doesn't allow me to go. When it gets to that point we just have to take time off," Porter said. "We're doing some other things that is going to help it, so hopefully that can be put behind me now. Hopefully we just move forward and get ready for the Jets and the season." Despite all the injury setbacks, Sparano is confident Porter will be ready for the opener. "Obviously you're concerned just for Joe, and I think we have to be concerned a little bit. But I've seen this guy play through some pretty good pain, even since I've been here. That's been his history," Sparano said. "I know that when it comes time for the games Joey will be ready to play." Much like Porter, the Dolphins have been cautious about rushing Anderson back from the hamstring injury he suffered in the 17-6 loss to Tampa Bay. Matt Roth has been filling in as a starter, but Anderson, a four-year veteran, said he feels like he's losing ground in the competition to earn his first starting job. "Nobody knows when you're ready but yourself," Anderson said. "So you don't want to let anybody down and you feel like you're letting guys down by not being back, so you try to hurry back but you want to take your time. It's tough." |