Injury Report: Dolphins Thin At Linebacker Position Versus Jets In Week 12
By Abraham Gutierrez
Coming in winless against divisional opponents this 2015 NFL season, the Miami Dolphins are going to need all hands on deck in order to change that when they face the New York Jets on the road in Week 12. However, if the Fins injury report is any indication, Dan Campbell and the Fins will have their work cut out for them, as there are a dozen players listed in this week's injury report.
The good news is that out of the 12 names penciled in, only one player has been officially ruled out of Sunday's game. Nevertheless, more than half of them could potentially end up being DNPs on gameday.
The first player's status to report should come as no surprise to Dolphins fans, as tackle Ja'Wuan James will miss his fourth straight game due to an injured toe. The Tennessee product, which has not played since Miami's (7-36) loss to New England, was once again unable to participate in team practices, and thus, will be forced to watch from the sidelines.
Another player that's likely to be in street clothes is linebacker Chris McCain, who's listed as having a hip injury. Much like in James' case, the second-year pro out of Cal did not participate in practice, and while he hasn't been officially ruled out, his status is doubtful against the Jets.
Then there are those players whose injuries caused them to be placed in the category of "questionable" to take the field in Week 12. In this instance, Campbell and his staff listed five players, all which were only able to practice on a limited basis, but whose presence could be the difference between a win or a loss.
Given Miami's struggles on the defensive side of the football this season, it should be most concerning that four of the five questionable players happen to be linebackers. According to Friday's final injury report, Kelvin Sheppard (hamstring), Jelani Jenkins (ankle), Koa Misi (abdomen) and Spencer Paysinger (neck) will all be game-time decisions at MetLife Stadium.
Without those players in uniform, the Dolphins could be in deep trouble versus a Jets team that not only lives to pound the rock, but that's also desperate to snap a two-game skid. Considering the type of production Sheppard (61 tackles), Misi (58 tackles) and Jenkins (53 tackles) bring to the table on a weekly basis, not having them on the field could make for a very long afternoon for Coach Campbell.
Here's how the Fins complete Week 12 injury report looks like, along with each player's status for Sunday's showdown in East Rutherford:
Miami Dolphins NFL Week 12 Injury Report & Game Statuses
Probable:
(S) Walt Aikens (Ankle) - Limited Participation in Practice
(CB) Brice McCain (Knee) - Limited Participation in Practice
(T) Branden Albert (Not Injury Related) - Full Participation in Practice
(RB) Jay Ajayi (Elbow) - Full Participation in Practice
(S) Reshad Jones (Pectoral) - Full Participation in Practice
Questionable:
(LB) Kelvin Sheppard (Hamstring) - Limited Participation in Practice
(LB) Jelani Jenkins (Ankle) - Limited Participation in Practice
(WR) Jarvis Landry (Knee) - Limited Participation in Practice
(LB) Koa Misi (Abdomen) - Limited Participation in Practice
(LB) Spencer Paysinger (Neck) - Limited Participation in Practice
Doubtful:
(LB) Chris McCain (Hip) - Did Not Participate In Practice
Out:
(T) Ja'Wuan James (Toe) - Did Not Participate In Practice
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, Examiner.com and other online publications.
