Thursday NFL: Dolphins (4-5) at Panthers (4-5)

Tonight’s game in Carolina is more about who won’t be there as to who will be on the field. For sure out is Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown, who was put on IR Wednesday with a foot injury and is done for the year. Brown has eight rushing TDs in 2009 — tied with Chris Johnson and Thomas Jones for second-most in the AFC.

That injury hurts Miami big-time in terms of using the Wildcat formation because coaches felt much more comfortable with Brown back there than Ricky Williams, who now will get the bulk of carries and take some snaps in Wildcat. Williams rushed for 102 yards Sunday in a win over Tampa Bay.

Carolina for sure won’t have starting left tackle Jordan Gross, who suffered a broken ankle last week. He was easily the team’s best offensive lineman. Travelle Wharton moves to his spot and Mackenzy Bernadeau is inserted at left guard. And it’s not clear if No. 1 running back DeAngelo Williams will play as he is questionable with a knee injury – backup Jonathan Stewart also is questionable. For what it’s worth, both were questionable last week and played. The Panthers have averaged 212 yards rushing in their past three games, but Miami is solid against the run.

The reason the Panthers have turned their season around is because QB Jake Delhomme has gone turnover-free in that stretch after being intercepted 13 times in the club’s first six games. Carolina opened up the offense a bit Sunday in a win over Atlanta, using a no-huddle offense that produced two touchdown passes to Steve Smith. But Delhomme, who has three TD passes in the past three games after just four in the first six, has hinted the no-huddle might be gone now that his blind-side protector, Gross, is out.

The Panthers are 3-0 when scoring more than 20 points this season (1-5 when putting up 20 or fewer points). Miami and Houston are only teams Carolina has never beaten, while the Panthers are only team Dolphins have never lost to.

This is the first Thursday night game in Panther history.

WAGERWEB.COM ODDS

Panthers -3 (Carolina is -130 on the money line); over/under: 42.5

APPROXIMATE PUBLIC LEAN

60 percent on Carolina

INJURY REPORT

DOLPHINS: OUT: TE Anthony Fasano (hip), DE Paul Soliai (ankle), LB Erik Walden (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: S Tyrone Culver (ankle), G Justin Smiley (shoulder). PROBABLE: S Gibril Wilson (hamstring). PANTHERS: DOUBTFUL: S Charles Godfrey (ankle), RB Brad Hoover (ankle), DE Charles Johnson (pectoral). QUESTIONABLE: DT Damione Lewis (shoulder), RB Jonathan Stewart (Achilles), RB DeAngelo Williams (knee).

TEAM RANKINGS

DOLPHINS OFFENSE—OVERALL (23), RUSH (4), PASS (30)
DOLPHINS DEFENSE—OVERALL (19), RUSH (7), PASS (27)
PANTHERS OFFENSE—OVERALL (21), RUSH (3), PASS (25)
PANTHERS DEFENSE—OVERALL (12), RUSH (25), PASS (4)

TRENDS

* Dolphins are 3-0-2 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog of 0.5-3.0.

* Dolphins are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games as a road underdog.

* Dolphins are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games.

* Dolphins are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games in Week 11.

* Dolphins are 5-11-3 ATS in their last 19 games as an underdog of 0.5-3.0.

* Dolphins are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games in November.

* Panthers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games in November.

* Panthers are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite of 0.5-3.0.

* Panthers are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games as a home favorite of 0.5-3.0.

* Panthers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.

* Panthers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite.

* Panthers are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 games in Week 11.

* Panthers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 350 total yards in their previous game.

* Panthers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games.

* Panthers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

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