Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill "Optimistic" About Week 9 At Indianapolis

Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback underwent an MRI yesterday to further evaluate the knee and quadraceps injury that caused him to miss nearly the entire game against the New York Jets. Tannehill was injured early in the first quarter when he was sacked by Jets linebacker Calvin Pace. Second string quarterback Matt Moore replaced Tannehill throughout the remainder of the contest, leading the Dolphins to a 30-9 victory.

Tannehill's MRI yesterday show no structural damage, according to a report from the Miami Herald. Tannehill was diagnosed with a bruised quad and a bone bruise in his left knee. The rookie spent the majority of the game Sunday on the stationary bike trying to loosen up his knee, and wanted to go back into the game. He was considered available if something were to happen to Moore, but that was it.

"Not really, no," head coach Joe Philbin said during his Monday press conference when asked if he ever considered putting his starting quarterback back into the game.

Philbin was also asked if, when he saw Tannehill after the game, if the quarterback was limping. "He was sitting down nicely when I saw him [on the plane], so I don't know about the limp."

Tannehill, the eighth pick in last April's NFL Draft, remains optimistic that he will be ready to play next Sunday, as the Dolphins travel north to face first overall draft pick Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts. Offensive coordinator Mike Sherman was asked yesterday if he shared the optimism with Tannehill. "Well I didn't see him do anything today. I saw him walking around a bit and I know he's fairly optimistic, but we just have to wait and see."

The Dolphins' will wait and see until Wednesday to get an idea of how Tannehill is looking. While there is no structural damage to his knee, the swelling and pain will most likely be the deciding factor if the rookie resumes his starters role, or if Matt Moore will make his first start of the year.

According to the Miami Herald's report, two players saw Tannehill on Monday, and they both said he was walking a lot better than when they had last seen him on Sunday night. Hopefully that means the "considerable discomfort" he has been dealing with is subsiding, and he will be ready to go by Sunday.

But, if he can't, at least Moore has shown that he is capable of operating successfully in the offense.