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Here is the latest from the Miami Herald:
"Saban is still mum on QB issueDespite Daunte Culpepper taking most of the snaps in practice Friday, Nick Saban didn't say who will start at quarterback Sunday.
BY JEFF DARLINGTON
[email protected]
It appears Dolphins coach Nick Saban might be pulling a page from the book of his former mentor, the same mentor who will be standing on the opposing sideline Sunday.
Saban said Friday he had not yet decided whether a nagging right shoulder injury would be enough to keep quarterback Daunte Culpepper from starting Sunday's game at New England.
However, every other indication, including a practice Friday in which Culpepper took nearly 75 percent of the snaps, suggests he will be ready to go.
''That decision has not been made yet,'' Saban said. ``We're going to make a decision based on if he can go out there and do what he has to do.''
Saban's mentor, Patriots coach Bill Belichick, has established a reputation for listing quarterback Tom Brady on most injury reports as probable with -- you guessed it -- a right shoulder injury.
Brady has started 93 consecutive games, the third-longest streak of any active player.
NOTHING ODD
Culpepper -- also listed as probable -- worked exclusively with the first-team unit Friday, and one offensive teammate said it didn't appear Culpepper did anything less than usual.
The quarterback's shoulder did not require any treatment afterward, and he also did not require any ice or bandaging as he left the team's facility shortly after practice. Furthermore, he has not undergone any new tests on the shoulder this week. Culpepper still was listed as probable on the team's injury report.
''He wants to play in the game,'' Saban said. ``I think we have to make a decision if he's physically capable of doing that. He practiced OK [Friday]. We want to watch the tape.''
Saban's comments Friday are believable because Culpepper didn't practice Thursday to rest his ailing shoulder.
Culpepper has been bothered by what Saban called a ''bruised'' shoulder, which led the team to keep him out of team drills.
After the first session of passing drills, Culpepper didn't take a snap Thursday, when his status initially came into question.
However, his practice Friday was described by one team source as ``very impressive.''
Culpepper declined comment Friday. Backup quarterback Joey Harrington, in the meantime, openly discussed his preparations as he awaits word of whether he will start.
''As a backup, you have to be ready to play at any moment during the game,'' Harrington said. ``That's the nature of this game, and that's how I've always prepared. But it does help to get a few snaps during the week just to be able to work things out physically before you get down there on Sunday.''
Harrington also pointed out, however, that most NFL players rarely miss action because of minor injuries. That's the nature of the game, and Harrington said that Culpepper is no exception.
''That's just the type of competitor guys are in the NFL,'' Harrington said. ``I wouldn't expect anything different [from Culpepper].''
Keep in mind, Culpepper also played in the Dolphins' first preseason game despite undergoing major surgery to repair three torn ligaments in his knee -- a return that came far earlier than anyone expected. He has seemingly pushed the limits with his knee, suggesting he isn't going to let a far less serious injury keep him from starting a regular-season game.
FOR HIS PROTECTION
Nonetheless, Saban said it's his job to protect his player.
'There could be a boxer somewhere that had five concussions and maybe it's time to say, `Let's wait a while until you box again,' '' Saban said. ``I'm just saying that those are the kind of things that we want to make sure he's OK with.''
On Friday, Belichick said he would not prepare any extra for Harrington as a result of Culpepper's status. The coach noted, however, his team would prepare for everyone.
''We have to be ready for all of the players that are on the active roster, all 53 of them,'' Belichick said. ``Whichever ones they activate, we have to be ready to play every week.''"
Why is this taking a page from BB's book? He never says he doesn't know who's starting at QB even though Brady is on there. It sounds like Culpepper is playing, but doesn't Harrington taking all the snaps on Thursday sound like an audition more than an injury issue? Maybe Saban is trying to sit Culpepper in a politically correct manner.
"Saban is still mum on QB issueDespite Daunte Culpepper taking most of the snaps in practice Friday, Nick Saban didn't say who will start at quarterback Sunday.
BY JEFF DARLINGTON
[email protected]
It appears Dolphins coach Nick Saban might be pulling a page from the book of his former mentor, the same mentor who will be standing on the opposing sideline Sunday.
Saban said Friday he had not yet decided whether a nagging right shoulder injury would be enough to keep quarterback Daunte Culpepper from starting Sunday's game at New England.
However, every other indication, including a practice Friday in which Culpepper took nearly 75 percent of the snaps, suggests he will be ready to go.
''That decision has not been made yet,'' Saban said. ``We're going to make a decision based on if he can go out there and do what he has to do.''
Saban's mentor, Patriots coach Bill Belichick, has established a reputation for listing quarterback Tom Brady on most injury reports as probable with -- you guessed it -- a right shoulder injury.
Brady has started 93 consecutive games, the third-longest streak of any active player.
NOTHING ODD
Culpepper -- also listed as probable -- worked exclusively with the first-team unit Friday, and one offensive teammate said it didn't appear Culpepper did anything less than usual.
The quarterback's shoulder did not require any treatment afterward, and he also did not require any ice or bandaging as he left the team's facility shortly after practice. Furthermore, he has not undergone any new tests on the shoulder this week. Culpepper still was listed as probable on the team's injury report.
''He wants to play in the game,'' Saban said. ``I think we have to make a decision if he's physically capable of doing that. He practiced OK [Friday]. We want to watch the tape.''
Saban's comments Friday are believable because Culpepper didn't practice Thursday to rest his ailing shoulder.
Culpepper has been bothered by what Saban called a ''bruised'' shoulder, which led the team to keep him out of team drills.
After the first session of passing drills, Culpepper didn't take a snap Thursday, when his status initially came into question.
However, his practice Friday was described by one team source as ``very impressive.''
Culpepper declined comment Friday. Backup quarterback Joey Harrington, in the meantime, openly discussed his preparations as he awaits word of whether he will start.
''As a backup, you have to be ready to play at any moment during the game,'' Harrington said. ``That's the nature of this game, and that's how I've always prepared. But it does help to get a few snaps during the week just to be able to work things out physically before you get down there on Sunday.''
Harrington also pointed out, however, that most NFL players rarely miss action because of minor injuries. That's the nature of the game, and Harrington said that Culpepper is no exception.
''That's just the type of competitor guys are in the NFL,'' Harrington said. ``I wouldn't expect anything different [from Culpepper].''
Keep in mind, Culpepper also played in the Dolphins' first preseason game despite undergoing major surgery to repair three torn ligaments in his knee -- a return that came far earlier than anyone expected. He has seemingly pushed the limits with his knee, suggesting he isn't going to let a far less serious injury keep him from starting a regular-season game.
FOR HIS PROTECTION
Nonetheless, Saban said it's his job to protect his player.
'There could be a boxer somewhere that had five concussions and maybe it's time to say, `Let's wait a while until you box again,' '' Saban said. ``I'm just saying that those are the kind of things that we want to make sure he's OK with.''
On Friday, Belichick said he would not prepare any extra for Harrington as a result of Culpepper's status. The coach noted, however, his team would prepare for everyone.
''We have to be ready for all of the players that are on the active roster, all 53 of them,'' Belichick said. ``Whichever ones they activate, we have to be ready to play every week.''"
Why is this taking a page from BB's book? He never says he doesn't know who's starting at QB even though Brady is on there. It sounds like Culpepper is playing, but doesn't Harrington taking all the snaps on Thursday sound like an audition more than an injury issue? Maybe Saban is trying to sit Culpepper in a politically correct manner.
