Outside of a few penalties, the first-team offensive line came alive against the Panthers on Friday night, creating some solid push up front for Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas to combine for 100 yards on the ground.
Henne was forced to escape the pass rush on a couple occasions, but for the most part, Marc Colombo and Lydon Murtha enabled him to distribute the football from a clean pocket.
The Dolphins’ starting offensive line did all of that without the best offensive lineman in football. Well, they won’t have to play without all-world left tackle Jake Long anymore, as Big Jake was activated off the PUP list today and returned to practice.
The Dolphins may have gotten away with playing without Long against a bottom-feeder team like the Panthers, but when some of the game’s elite defenses line up across from Brian Daboll’s offense, Chad Henne will need his blindside secured.
Jake Long has the ability to completely neutralize any of the league’s premier pass rushers, thus giving Chad Henne a better chance to succeed, thus making the Dolphins’ chances at contending for a playoff spot much more reasonable.
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