A few quick hits:

### Though Mike Pouncey practiced some today (he was limited) and has said he believes he could play in a game, he conceded this afternoon that a return Sept. 28 against Oakland, in London, is the most realistic timetable.

### There will be flux in the Dolphins' offensive line this week, however, with Dallas Thomas taking over at right guard, replacing Shelley Smith, who's out with a grade two knee sprain.

Thomas played half the game last week and graded out well.

“I’m excited --- it's another day to show I have improved since the last time,” Thomas said.

He’ll be working against a Chiefs defense that has lost two key players (linebacker Derrick Johnson and tackle Mike DeVito) to season-ending Achilles’ injuries in the opener but ranked sixth in the league in sacks last season. Among the players Thomas expects to match up with: Dontari Poe.

Thomas lost the right guard job after he was overwhelmed by Tampa All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy in the second game of preseason.

“I took that as a lesson to learn,” he said. “This is a second opportunity and I will take full advantage of it.”

Joe Philbin said Thomas’ performance was “good, solid,” when he replaced Smith midway through the Buffalo game.

His best skills? Dolphins rookie right tackle Ja’Wuan James, Thomas’ former roommate at Tennessee, points to his power and athleticism.

“Hopes are still high for Dallas,” offensive line coach John Benton stressed to me before Smith’s injury.

### Left tackle Brandon Albert has completely downplayed playing his former team this week, swearing it means absolutely nothing to him beyond any other regular-season game. OK then.

Daryn Colledge amused us today by noting that Albert's knowledge of the Chiefs would be of no help, since he has enough trouble remembering what happened yesterday.

### Second-year Dolphins cornerback Will Davis has played 70 defensive snaps, Jamar Taylor just 19 so far.

“I want to be on the field more,” Taylor said, not intending that as a complaint.

### Cam Wake said Dion Jordan, who will remain suspended through the Oakland game, has called him to check in. “He’s working hard, staying in shape as much as possible,” Wake said. “The real important thing is getting back in football shape.”

Jordan has been working out in Los Angeles, where he does martial arts training in the offseason.

### Besides Smith and Knowshon Moreno, Koa Misi and Terrence Fede also didn't practice today for the Dolphins.

### UM figures to look for a second quarterback in its 2015 class after Kevin Olsen's departure.

UM's one 2015 oral commitment at the position, Tampa-based three star prospect Dwayne Lawson, so far this season is 36 for 62 for 349 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also has run 27 times for 179 yards (6.6 average) and two TDs. His team is 1-1 after a 26-0 loss to Seffner last week.

Lawson and freshman Malik Rosier are considered dual-threat quarterbacks, though UM coaches have emphasized that Rosier is more than just a running quarterback. Brad Kaaya is UM's only natural pro style quarterback with eligibility remaining beyond this season.

UM is very, very high on Jack Allison, a 2016 oral commitment from upstate (Palmetto).

Allison is considered among the top 100 prospects overall in the 2016 class.

### Al Golden reiterated today that he expects Stacy Coley to return from a shoulder injury and play against Nebraska this weekend.

### As expected, the Marlins announced Giancarlo Stanton's season is over after he sustained facial injuries when he was hit in the face with a pitch last week.

His final numbers: .288, 37 homers, 105 RBI, 31 doubles and 94 walks. He had seven homers of 450 feet or more, by far the most in baseball.

Stanton's home run total still leads the National League. Baltimore's Nelson Cruz leads baseball with 39. His 105 RBI are currently third, two behind the Angels' Mike Trout and one behind the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez.

### CBS is sending Dolphins-Chiefs to only nine percent of the nation, with most of the country instead getting the Denver-Seattle Super Bowl rematch. CBS assigned Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon to the Dolphins game. A CBS spokesperson said today that all markets in Florida have been assigned the Dolphins game except Tampa and Panama City.... ESPN2 assigned Joe Tessitore and Brock Huard to UM-Nebraska on Saturday night....

Besides the much-anticipated sequel to ESPN's documentary on the UM football program (airing Dec. 13), ESPN's other films this winter include fixing of basketball games at Boston College in 1978-79; a look at the lives of former Marlins pitcher Livan Hernandez and his brother Orlando; the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, which disrupted the World Series; the Knicks championship teams from the early 1970s; and a documentary on former star receiver Randy Moss.

### The Heat hired former Warriors and ex-Kings coach Keith Smart as an assistant coach. Former Heat point guard Chris Quinn was named an assistant coach/player development. David Fizdale will become Erik Spoelstra's lead assistant, as expected, with the title of assistant head coach.

Juwan Howard is expected to join Smart and Fizdale on the bench with Spoelstra. Quinn and Dan Craig likely would sit behind the bench.