Tannehill sharp, will start Sunday

QB not ‘100 percent,’ but confident he can make needed throws

DAVIE – Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw a football for the first time in a team practice in five weeks on Tuesday, and was named the starter for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Tannehill threw passes of approximately 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 yards to teammates after missing the last five games to nurse a capsule injury to his right shoulder.

While Tannehill’s shoulder pain has reduced from a “stabbing” pain to a more tolerable level, he hopes to give his Dolphins teammates everything he can to help them make a push for the playoffs in the final six games of the season.

“I’m playing for the guys around me,” Tannehill said on Tuesday. “I see how much work these guys put in. I believe in these guys. I believe we have a lot of football in front of us, and we can win a lot of football games. I’m going to give everything I have to these guys, and hopefully we come out with some wins.”

The Dolphins hope a relatively healthy Tannehill can help kick-start an offense that has failed to score a touchdown in two straight games. Brock Osweiler, who started in Tannehill’s place for the last five games as the Dolphins went 2-3, failed to throw a touchdown in his last three starts.

The Dolphins are currently ranked eighth in the AFC playoff picture, two spots shy of a wild-card berth. They are tied with five other teams, including the Colts, with a 5-5 record.

A win in Indianapolis, under Tannehill’s leadership, would be a nice start.

But which Tannehill the Dolphins will get in Sunday’s 4:25 p.m. kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium remains to be seen.

“We need him,” running back Frank Gore said of Tannehill. “He knows he’s going to be in pain, but he wants to play.”

The last time Tannehill threw during a Dolphins practice was Oct. 14, shortly after he injured the shoulder in Miami’s road loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5.

Tannehill threw during practice with the intention of playing the next game, against the Chicago Bears, but he was shut down to begin a lengthy rehabilitation process that began with him consulting with four or five doctors.

Tannehill tried to make his comeback sooner — roughly about three weeks ago, he said — but he simply did not have the arm strength needed to play.

“It’s been a long road to get back to where I am now,” Tannehill said. “It’s a tough five, six weeks of grinding, of frustration, of pain, of working through things. To finally be healthy enough to play again, I’m really excited about where I’m at.”

During the bye week, Tannehill’s throwing sessions ramped up to at least 100 throws at distances reaching at least 50 yards.

Tannehill says he is “not quite 100 percent,” but confident he can make the throws needed to propel the Dolphins offense.

Doctors are also confident he will not cause further injury to the shoulder.

“I’m totally confident in where it’s at, and hopefully it gets better,” Tannehill said.