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Fins hold their breath on Pennington

Miami quarterback Chad Pennington, a two-time NFL comeback player of the year due in part to the fact that he always seems to be coming back from an injury, might ultimately in position to become the third recipient of the honor.

In 2010.  In another city.

Per Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald, Pennington has undergone an MRI on a shoulder that “definitely” was dislocated and later popped back into place by the training staff on Sunday.  Now, the player and the team are awaiting word on the extent of the harm.

The fear focuses on whether Pennington tore something as the joint was coming out, or as it was going back in.

And, as Darlingont points out, if there’s an extended absence Pennington might not get back into the starting lineup.  If Chad Henne plays well, Pennington possibly gets Pipped.  And if, after a few more losses, the cause for 2009 is deemed to be lost, it will make sence to develop Henne for the full-time role next year.

Though it’s still early in the year, the margin for error shrunk dramatically when the Dolphins fell to 0-3 with Sunday’s defeat at San Diego.  In the top-heavy AFC, six losses are the most that a team can suffer while still having a chance at the playoffs.  (Last year, only five losses were enough to keep the Patriots home for January.)

So with upcoming games against the Jets (twice), Saints, Patriots (twice), Panthers, Steelers, Titans, and Texans, the likelihood of a 12-1, 11-2, or 10-3 finish seems to be very low.

And so the likelihood of a changing of the guard at quarterback seems to be very high.  

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23 Responses to “Fins hold their breath on Pennington”
  1. bearsrule says: Sep 28, 2009 12:00 PM

    Stick a fork in the Dolphins, they’re done.

  2. kuze says: Sep 28, 2009 12:02 PM

    “And if, after a few more losses, the cause for 2009 is deemed to be lost, it will make sence to develop Henne for the full-time role next year.”
    Which law school admitted a person that cannot spell “sense” ?

  3. kravon says: Sep 28, 2009 12:02 PM

    I really wish Miami was more competitive this year, but playing a more difficult schedule this season is exposing their flaws.

  4. scrapdawg12 says: Sep 28, 2009 12:04 PM

    Holding their breath….thought they wanted to get rid of the guy after this year anyways

  5. SliKRiK says: Sep 28, 2009 12:25 PM

    They’re done! stick a fork in em! hahaha!!!
    Last year was a fluke indeed. They had the benefit of a usually weak Bills team, a Jets team that had Interception throwing Farve and the Bradyless Patriots. This year is different and they have the toughest schedule in the league…

  6. Dolphan says: Sep 28, 2009 12:27 PM

    Most fans down here in South Florida have been calling on Henne all summer! I have had his jersey since he was drafted and can;t wait for someone with a bigger arm to start. We can be doodling around down the field anymore, we need to get down field faster and more efficiently. Henne can do that, Pennington (I am a fan of his too) gets us there, but WAYYYYYY to slowly. And Pat White is a beast but not quite ready or big enough to start for the Dolphins (I have his authentic jersey now too, and Penningtons!)

  7. overkil2 says: Sep 28, 2009 12:37 PM

    We needed to see what Henne could do and this is the perfect thing to happen. I don’t like to see anyone get hurt, but Penny will get over it.
    Hopefully with a week’s worth of reps with the first team, he’ll look better and we need to open up the passing game a bit. Throw something a nit farther down the field, please..
    It’s sad that we are averaging over 150 yards rushing per game and are 0-3.

  8. Xpensive Wino says: Sep 28, 2009 12:38 PM

    They need to see if Henne is the answer over the course of this season. If so, they can scratch QB off their list of needs. With plodding running backs and no talented receivers, they need a quarterback that can make things happen. Only time will tell if he’s Joe Flacco or JaMarcus Russell-Leaf.

  9. FinFan says: Sep 28, 2009 12:49 PM

    What does the idiot organization expect when you sign 3 injured prone players over the last 4 years and expect things to be different. This is when I go back to the ‘i wish’ stage of my life, why didn’t we just draft a standout player like Matt Ryan?! I love my fins but this just seems like dejavu to me!

  10. MNRunLeft says: Sep 28, 2009 12:59 PM

    No surprise to see the Dolphins take a step back this year, how quickly people forget how bad this team was 2 seasons ago winning only 1 game. Yes Parcells came and turned the front office and coaching staff upside down, but the talent level on the field really isn’t drastically better.

  11. KILLER FIN says: Sep 28, 2009 12:59 PM

    No better time than the present to see if Henne is the man!!! with Pennington showing him the ropes it could be a good transition all the way around!!! it wasn’t like Pennington would be here forever & he knew this going in this year!!! Pennington is STILL a class act all the way!!! GO FINS!!!

  12. peskys_pole says: Sep 28, 2009 1:18 PM

    Dolphan says:
    (I have his authentic jersey now too, and Penningtons!)
    Really? There is enough room in your mother’s basement for all these jerseys?
    Does she mind you don’t wear any pants while wearing your jerseys?

  13. CYGNUS X-1 says: Sep 28, 2009 1:28 PM

    this guy has the worst luck and I hope he makes a full recovery then retires so he doesn’t have to continue to listen to people who overlook what he brings to a team and focus only on his arm strength.I hope the dullfins don’t win a game this season while henne shows off his big arm and then maybe you will realise what you had in pennington.plus it would be great to talk about a winless season instead of hearing about the overrated undefeated one!

  14. KILLER FIN says: Sep 28, 2009 1:37 PM

    Just a timing thing with Henne, he’ll be better starting with a win against Buffalo!!! Pennington will be a great mentor to this kid!!! Fins can still get to 8-8 but got to get it together NOW!!! GO FINS!!!

  15. texasPHINSfan says: Sep 28, 2009 1:49 PM

    pennington wasn’t the problem in any of the 3 losses, so his not starting next week in favor of Henne means nothing. Until our defense actually starts stopping other offenses, we won’t win games.
    Unless pennington’s injury magically makes our defense play better, don’t be surprised to see 0-16. The problem is all defense (and some costly drops on offense), NOT pennington.
    the fact is pennington is worlds better than henne. now that one of our best players is down (and possibly done for the season), any hope we might have had left just went out the window. Henne has a strong arm, but he’s not confident at all and has ZERO rapport or comfortability with the Dolphins receivers.

  16. herdman14 says: Sep 28, 2009 1:49 PM

    The man with no arm ranked 6th last year in yards per completion with the second highest QB rating and runner-up in the MVP voting….but I guess Chad Henne should be the starter…..please.

  17. PimP JuicE MaN says: Sep 28, 2009 1:51 PM

    Dolphan , U BETTER SAVE YOUR MONEY BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE TO BUY SOME MORE JERSEYS-A;; THOSE GUYS SUCK-, CALL THE NFL, THEY WILL GIVE YOU A DISCOUNT.
    JETFAN

  18. BX says: Sep 28, 2009 2:11 PM

    Chad,
    Welcome to Cleveland in 2010. lol

  19. finsbooyah says: Sep 28, 2009 2:34 PM

    Henne better improve by leaps and bounds quick or we are in serious trouble and will be drafting a QB for the 4th straight year. I complained about the lack of big plays, but the reality is, that if wasn’t for our defense we would have beaten the Colts in a landslide and would have at least been in the game against San Diego if Pennington didn’t go down. Henne has the arm, but he looks LOST out there.
    CYGNUS X-1… Please explain to me how a team that has multiple hall of famers, went undefeated throughout the regular season and playoffs, and shut out their opponent’s offense in the Super Bowl (the only points allowed were on a botched field goal attempt) is overrated.

  20. caddis says: Sep 28, 2009 2:51 PM

    Just because they have palm trees in Miami he still the same old Chad who played for the Jets.

  21. Malblack says: Sep 28, 2009 3:19 PM

    It’s official: Pennington is out for the year.

  22. Dolphan says: Sep 28, 2009 6:14 PM

    @peskys_pole
    A) We don’t have basements in South Florida and B) She lets me keep them in the closet.
    @PimP JuicE MaN
    Called the NFL and they said they were “to busy investigating the tampering charges against the Jets” to help me out…they also mentioned that Mark Sanchez looked more like he had a “Dirty Sanchez” on Sunday when he was sporting his new mustache….

  23. MasterShake says: Sep 29, 2009 1:34 AM

    How exactly does a dolphin hold it’s breath?

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