Top pick limps off field
Dolphins' Avery strains hamstring in scrimmage
Posted: Sunday July 26, 1998 06:53 PM
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Johnson has another backfield dilemma as John Avery went down with a hamstring injury in a scrimmage AP |
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) -- The Miami Dolphins'
backfield situation got even less crowded Sunday when first-round draft
pick John Avery went down with a strained right hamstring during an
intrasquad scrimmage.
Avery carried only six times, collapsing in pain one play after he was
stopped for a short gain.
Coach Jimmy Johnson, who has expressed worry about Avery's durability while
raving about his skill, said the 5-foot-9 scatback didn't tear the
hamstring and should return next week.
"I'm the smallest guy, so I always get a lot of bumps and bruises," said
Avery, who was held to minus-6 yards. "I pulled it earlier this week and I
was trying to make things happen."
The injury took place one day after the Dolphins cut controversial runner
Lawrence
Phillips, who exhibited fumble problems and skipped a team meeting
Friday night.
Police also are investigating allegations that Phillips hit a woman at a
nightclub in suburban Plantation on June 27. A decision on whether charges
will be filed could be made next week.
Nobody scored during Sunday's scrimmage, which consisted of eight 12-play
series matching the first three units.
The ground game, which finished next-to-last in the NFL last season,
managed just 90 yards on 51 carries. Incumbent Karim
Abdul-Jabbar, used sparingly, carried just four times for 18 yards.
Quarterback Dan
Marino played just the first series and connected on 1-of-6 passes for
10 yards.
Third-year linebacker Zach Thomas starred
on defense, compiling 10 tackles, two passes defensed and making one of two
interceptions.
"That's as fast a front seven as I've been around since my old University
of Miami teams," Johnson said. "I told the media that I'd be disappointed
if we had a lot of scoring and I wasn't disappointed."
The offense's lone highlight came on a 35-yard pass from third-string
quarterback Damon
Huard to Yatil Green, last year's first-round pick.
Green, who missed his entire rookie season after tearing the anterior
cruciate ligament of his right knee, went up over Jerry Wilson to
snare the ball at the 3-yard line.
But the young Miami defense rose up and kept the offense from scoring with
back-to-back stops by Calvin Jackson
and free-agent acquisition Robert Jones.
"The biggest thing is we've got to get the ball downfield throwing the
football," Johnson said. "We're short wide receivers and they're beat. They
have no quickness right now."
Jerris McPhail, moved back from wide receiver to running back, gained 27
yards on 12 carries.
Cornerback Tim
Jacobs finished the scrimmage on the sideline with his left ankle
wrapped in ice. An evaluation was pending.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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