2017 NFL Preseason Week 2 Dolphins at Ravens
When: Thursday, Aug. 17, 7 PM ET Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami TV: Local only (NFL Network replay) Radio: Sirius XM Radio Stream Option: NFL Game Pass Opening NFL Lines: Dolphins -2.5 (38.5) GAMETIME WEATHER Partly Cloudy 31°C/88°F Humidity 65% Precipitation % 2% Cloud Cover 38% Wind 8 mph ESE Stadium Type OpenCutler Makes Debut
Of course the Dolphins signed Cutler when starting QB Ryan Tannehill went down with a season-ending knee injury. The club didn’t want to rush Cutler into the first NFL preseason game, but he’ll go here. Cutler, who was semi-retired and had accepted a television job with FOX, played five games with the Bears last season and threw for 1,059 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions before suffering a shoulder injury. Coach Adam Gase didn’t say how long Cutler would play in this one. Cutler’s familiarity with Gase’s offense when Gase was Cutler’s offensive coordinator in Chicago should help him make a quick adjustment, which will be key for a Dolphins team with postseason expectations this year.Week 1 NFL Sleeper Picks
Another Major Fins Injury
No team has had a worse NFL preseason than Miami. In addition to Tannehill going down, middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan (knee) and guard Ted Larsen (biceps) are on injured reserve. Both were likely to start. Now cornerback Tony Lippett is done with a torn Achilles tendon. Lippett started 13 games for the Dolphins last season and recorded 67 tackles and a team-high four interceptions. Before the injury, Lippett was projected to be a backup this year behind starters Byron Maxwell and Xavien Howard. Gase said the team plans to play Mike Pouncey (hip) in the NFL preseason. Gase is “not sure if it’s this week or next,” but the center will get in some action. The decision is not a huge surprise considering Pouncey has been working in team drills the last couple practices. Running backs Jay Ajayi and Kenyan Drake are dealing concussions and you won’t see them Thursday, although Ajayi is out of the concussion protocol. Drake is competing with Damien Williams for the No. 2 job.Ravens Also Banged Up
Baltimore has yet to have QB Joe Flacco in camp due to a weightlifting incident and he won’t play Thursday but is expected to be ready for the regular season. Ravens offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg on Flacco: “I sure would love to have him here. There is no substitute for experience, especially in this situation. It looks like we’ll have just enough time there to get him ready as long as he keeps progressing. By all accounts, he’s progressing pretty well.” The Ravens added an experienced arm for training camp, signing journeyman Thad Lewis on Monday. Lewis is the latest quarterback to be signed by the Ravens since the team said it was considering signing controversial free agent Colin Kaepernick. Lewis hasn’t thrown a pass in a regular-season game since 2013, but he’s had more extensive work than Dustin Vaughan, who was released by Baltimore on Monday.