Tannehill, Miami both limping now

MIAMI GARDENS — If the day was ominous at the start, it was even more so at the end. Of all the sights the Dolphins wanted to see Sunday, crutches in the locker of quarterback Ryan Tannehill ranked last.

On this day, consolation came in the scoreboard — Dolphins 26, Cardinals 23 — and in the standings — Miami is 8-5, still holding fifirm in the AFC playoffff race.

But this was a day signs pointed to Tannehill being lost for the season with a probable ACL tear to his left knee. “It doesn’t look good,” coach Adam Gase said. And so left tackle Branden Albert wasn’t in the mood for consolation prizes. He heard right tackle Ja’Wuan James addressing the hit delivered to Tannehill’s leg by Cardinals defensive tackle Calais Campbell near the end of the third quarter. He heard James said he couldn’t be sure if it was illegal. He heard enough — and jumped in. “Well, I was the one blocking the man,” Albert MIAMI GARDENS — Won and done.

Those two words don’t really belong together, but everything about the Miami Dolphins is confused now that starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill appears to be gone for the season with an ACL injury.

“I told him that I loved him,” said former backup Matt Moore, who gave Tannehill a hug in the locker room following Miami’s last-second 26-23 win over Arizona. “And I said, regardless of the situation, this team still needs Dave George

you.”

As a consultant, yes, and as a supporter, but no longer as a participant in this drive toward

ALLEN EYESTONE / THE PALM BEACH POST Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (center) limps to the sideline with assistance during the third quarter with what team offifficials worried could be a torn ACL in his left knee. “It doesn’t look good,” coach Adam Gase said of the prognosis.

BILL INGRAM / THE PALM BEACH POST Dolphins head coach Adam Gase gives instructions to backup QB Matt Moore before Moore goes in for the injured Ryan Tannehill.