Dolphins keep their season alive with 22-21 win against Patriots

MIAMI GARDENS – Lose and the season is over. That’s the daunting assignment facing the 5-6 Dolphins when they face the AFC East-leading New England Patriots today. The Dolphins playoff chances are hanging on by a thread, but they may have gotten a break because quarterback Tom Brady is nursing an injured ring finger on his throwing hand. As expected, the Dolphins will be without center Jake Grove, who is out for the second straight game with an ankle injury. First quarter – That didn’t take long … so much for Brady’s injured finger. But following a 58-yard TD to Randy Moss, Brady injured his arm when Randy Starks and Joey Porter nailed him as he released the ball. Moss blew by rookie CB Vontae Davis, who allowed 147 yards and a TD to Moss the last time the team’s met. Free safety Gibril Wilson provided little help over the top as Moss scored easily. – The Dolphins had a solid opening series going, highlighted by completions from Chad Henne to Davone Bess on 3rd-and-8 (12 yards) and 3rd-and-6 (13). But Henne lost seven yards on a first-down sack from the New England 42. Then the Dolphins lost their way once again and put rookie QB Pat White in the game. Following a 15-yard loss on bad option toss to Ricky Williams, the Pat White Experiment officially has blown up in the coaches’ faces. Sure it was 2nd-and-17, but Henne was in a nice rhythm and has to come back in to face 3rd-and-32? Inexplicable. Second quarter – The Patriots made that second TD drive look way too easy. Nice balance, six runs, six passes, with five plays (of 12) for 8 yards or more. Patriots average 8.1 – Henne stood in well against the pass rush and delivered the ball during the Dolphins’ 88-yard drive, capped by a 13-yard pass to Davone Bess (his first of the season). Greg Camarillo’s 29-yard catch on 3rd-and-4 early in the drive bettered his production the past three games (3 catches, 21 yards). Henne missed a couple of throws, including a possible TD to Anthony Fasano, but was 5 of 8 for 71 yards on the series. Nice answer to Patriots’ drive to make it 14-7. Just think if Pat White hadn’t come in the game? Might be even closer. Dolphins leaning on Henne, 14 passes, 5 runs in two series. – Davone Bess has had a heck of a start (7 catches, 74 yards, TD), but he doesn’t have the speed to separate in the seam, leading to the Henne overthrow and INT to end the drive. Dolphins benefit from a 15-yard penalty when Vince Wilfork, who hit Henne, make that tapped, at the play’s end. – Dolphins defense doesn’t capitalize. The Wes Welker-Nate Jones matchup isn’t working. Jones just can’t match his speed. Welker blew by Jones and got behind Yeremiah Bell for a 58-yard gain on 3rd-and-6 to the Dolphins 15. But Pats failed on 3rd-and-1 AND 4th-and-1. Paul Soliai collapsed the middle of the line on 4th, forcing Sammy Morris to bounce outside into Joey Porter’s waiting arms. Pats were 4 of 5 on third down, including two 58-yarders. – Henne is playing as well as he has all season. He finishes the half 19 of 26 yards for 205 yards. If not for the pick, Henne would have played a flawless half. I have a feeling coaches won’t be replacing him with Pat White again this season. Bess has his season-high with 8 catches. Third quarter – Bad start for Henne and the Dolphins … a 3-and-out following a 1-yard loss by Ricky Williams on 3rd-and-1. Back-up end Myron Pryor blew up the play, slipped by Joe Berger. – Meanwhile, Brady and Co. need one play to grab control of this one, burning rookie CB Sean Smith this time. The difference is Smith was matched up on Sam Aiken, who beat Smith at what he does best … playing the ball in the air. Aiken outjumped Smith, kept his feet and ran 50 yards untouched. Smith has looked sluggish out there the past month. Jason Taylor tried to console him on

the sideline. – Dolphins squandered excellent chance for more than a FG on their second series. Ginn returns kickoff 51 yards, Brian Hartline draws 47-yard pass interference call and Dolphins get just 3 points. As well as Henne has played, he missed Greg Camarillo come wide open 3rd-and-goal from the 6. By the time Henne saw Camarillo, Pats CB Leigh Bodden had closed in and deflected the pass. – Pats suffer first three-and-out of the day. Starks flattened Brady as he flew a floater down the sideline to Randy Moss, who waylaid Gibril Wilson to keep him from catching it. Brady had two incompletions, though one was a drop by Kevin Faulk, after a 14-of-15 start. – The Dolphins converted two third downs and a fourth down on 12-play, 64-yard drive. Henne capped the drive with a perfect toss into the deep corner of the end zone to Brian Hartline, who got behind Bodden and spiked the ball emphatically. The other highlights: a 23-yard hookup with Henne and Bess, who had his first 100-yard game; a 19-yard completion to Fasano and a 2-yard gain on 4th and 1 by FB Lou Polite, who is now 10 for 10 on 3rd-and-1 or 4th-and-1. – Dolphins end third quarter by forcing a Patriots’ punt. On 4th-and-3, Pats go for it on Miami 39, but AIken is called for a pick on Sean Smith to spring Welker. Pats punter Chris Hanson pins Miami on 3. Fourth quarter – The Dolphins’ undoing has arrived … the fourth quarter … and they open it in shaky fashion, on 3rd-and-1 from 22, the Dolphins call a rollout? Where’s Lou Polite? On the bench, with Pat White – the only redeeming quality of that play call. Pats LB Pierre Woods roughed P Brandon Fields, but … Dolphins LB Erik Walden, inactive the past few games, called for offsetting penalty. Pats ball. – The Pats are squandering their share of chances, too, and keeping the Dolphins in the game. The 4th-and-1 and now a poor pass from Brady comes up short on his throw to Randy Moss, leading to an INT by Vontae Davis. Davis celebrates with an sun salutation in the back of the end zone for the crowd. – Dolphins have a three-and-out, with three straight incompletions by Chad Henne. Henne has cooled down. – Pats go three-and-out again? A draw play on 3rd-and-6 would make sense if New England had a top defense anymore. – Dolphins put together a solid drive, highlighted by a 14-yard completion to Fasano and 15-yarder to Ginn on third down. But poor playcalling rears its ugly head. It’s 3rd-and-5, you need a first down, game on the line and you hand the ball to … Lex Hilliard? The Dolphins were playing to pick up five in two plays. But on 4th-and-2, Henne fires the ball through the hands of Davone Bess. Tough catch. – Brady gives it right back with another 3-and-out. Dolphins remain alive. Pats offense has disappeared during the fourth quarter, breaking the pattern the season for Miami, which leads the NFL with 134 fourth-quarter points. – Chad Henne faced the chance for his third fourth-quarter comeback, along with the Jets and Bucs’ games. The Dolphins began on their 26-yard line and Henne opened with a 14-yard completion to Bess and 13-yarder to Fasano. But the big play was a 13-yard completion to Camarillo on 4th-and-6 to the NE 28. Camarillo had four catches for 61 yards a week after he didn’t have a catch for the first time since Week 14 of 2007. Henne had missed a wide-open Lou Polite on 3rd-and-6. From there, it was a matter of setting up a Dan Carpenter FG. He coolly drilled a 41-yard game-winner. – Patriots final chance ends when Brady throws a game-ending interception to Channing Crowder. As Cam Wake was dragging him to the ground on 2nd-and-10, Brady made a desperation heave and Crowder came up with his first career interception. Dolphins shake off terrible start, move to 6-6, one game behind 7-5 Patriots in the AFC East.

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Dolphins keep their season alive with 22-21 win against Patriots

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