Miami Dolphins running back Daniel Thomas (33) is carted off the field in the second half of a game against the Carolina Panthers at Sun Life Stadium. The Panthers won 20-16. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
Miami Dolphins No. 2 running back Daniel Thomas suffered a significant ankle injury during Sunday’s close loss to the Carolina Panthers, and he needed to be carted off of the field. Following the game, Thomas was spotted in crutches and a walking boot, which led to a bleak prognosis regarding his status. The absolute worst-case scenario was for Thomas to miss the remainder of the season, and that’s exactly what the end result looked like once the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported yesterday that Thomas would “likely” be out for the year after tearing a ligament.
Now, there is some hope that Thomas could avoid missing the rest of the year. The USA Today’s Tom Pelissero reports that Thomas might not be out for the rest of the season and that he hopes to be back in a “few weeks”. Per Pelissero, it looks like Thomas has a nasty high-ankle sprain, which would likely cause him to miss a month. If that’s the case, then the Dolphins would have to wait until the key Week 17 rivalry finale against the New York Jets in order for Thomas to be back on the field. Although it’s only one game, it would be nice to have their No. 2 back return against one of the league’s best run defense in what should be an important game.
The Dolphins biggest problem when it comes to the struggling running game is an offensive line that is depleted and was bad to begin with. I feel bad for the talented Lamar Miller, who has a difficult time showcasing his ability behind an offensive line that struggles to grate the road. Losing Thomas won’t help the Dolphins running game either, that’s for sure. He may not be as good as Miller, but he’s a stronger back than Miller; strength helps a whole lot more than speed when the blocking up front is porous. The Dolphins have their eyes set on the playoffs, so hopefully Thomas can avoid hitting the IR and help this team out sooner rather than later.