NFL Recap (NY Jets-Miami)
Posted: Mon December 14, 1998 at 1:31 a.m EST
NY JETS 21, MIAMI 16
MIAMI (Ticker) -- The New York Jets clinched their
first playoff berth in seven years and took a giant step toward their first
division title since the merger with a 21-16 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
The Jets, a 1-15 team two years ago, can win the AFC East with a
victory in Buffalo next week. They have not been a division champion since
1969, the year before the NFL and AFL merged. Among teams that have been in
existence for more than four years, New York is the only club with that
dubious distinction.
"I've been through some tough seasons since I've been here and we just
missed last year," New York receiver Wayne Chrebet said. "So to
know that we are in feels great. But we're not happy with just this. We
want to get a good seed."
Vinny Testaverde
completed 17-of-29 passes for 232 yards with one touchdown and one
interception for the Jets (10-4), who have won four straight games. The
last two have come this month, giving New York just eight wins in 33
December games since 1990. The Jets also have 10 wins for the first time
since 1986.
New York harassed Dan
Marino all night, sacking him five times, intercepting him once and
forcing a fumble that linebacker Chad Cascadden returned
for a clinching touchdown. Marino threw for 321 yards, completing 30-of-57
passes. The 57 attempts were the third-highest total of Marino's career.
"The Jets have an excellent football team and they made more plays
than we made," Miami coach Jimmy Johnson said. "Our offensive line is a
little banged up and we had problems with protection and they made plays on
the ball. They did a nice job with their coverages."
Miami (9-5) slipped into a second-place tie with Buffalo and will need
help to win its first AFC East title since 1994. The Dolphins fell to 6-1
at home.
Chrebet caught five passes for 105 yards and a TD for New York, while
Curtis Martin carried
19 times for 70 yards and a score.
"This was another really tough game with the Dolphins and I thought we
played really well," New York coach Bill Parcells said. "I felt we had
them a couple of times but let them back in. This win gets us back into
the tournament. We have to give our players credit, going on the road,
beating these guys in this atmosphere, it was a tough task."
After the Jets spotted the Dolphins a 3-0 lead, Testaverde and Chrebet
combined to give New York the lead. First, the two hooked up on a 52-yard
gain on 3rd-and-10, moving the ball to the 12. On the next play,
Testaverde found Chrebet in the end zone, giving the Jets a 7-3 lead with
1:25 left in the first quarter.
Miami was forced to punt on its next possession, but dodged a bullet
when a field goal attempt by John Hall was short after
it was deflected by Shane
Burton. Former Dolphin Bryan Cox sacked Marino to short-circuit
another Miami possession as the Jets continued to frustrate the Dolphins.
The Dolphins had to punt on their remaining first-half possessions and
managed just 141 yards in the first 30 minutes.
"Offensively we played horribly," Marino said. "With the defense
playing as well as they did, we should have been able to win the game.
Obviously, I'm extremely upset and frustrated with the fact that we're
playing at home and we should have won. There's no doubt we should have
won."
New York extended its lead to 14-3 early in the third quarter. Taking
over at his own 44 after a short punt, Testaverde threw 35 yards to tight
end Kyle Brady, bring
the ball to the Dolphins 21. Three plays later, Martin ran in from 12
yards out just over 5 1/2 minutes into the period.
The fourth quarter opened with Miami driving, but Marino was picked
off at the 4 by Victor
Green, who returned it 87 yards to the Dolphins 9. But two plays
later, Terrell Buckley
came up with a huge play for the Dolphins, intercepting Testaverde in the
end zone and returning it all the way to the Jets 41.
Miami capitalized on that blunder, pulling within 14-10 on Marino's
three-yard pass to O.J.
McDuffie with 6:25 left. The Dolphins then recovered an onside kick,
but Marino's fourth-down pass to McDuffie was incomplete with 4:44 to go.
The Dolphins were presented with one final chance when Trace Armstrong recovered
a fumble by Martin on the Dolphins 33. But on the second play, Cascadden
knocked the ball from Marino's hand and rumbled 23 yards for the clinching
score with 1:51 left. Miami's Stanley Pritchett added a
meaningless one-yard TD run with six seconds to go.
New York improved to 5-1 in the division and swept the Dolphins for
the first time since 1993. Parcells improved to 49-0 lifetime when his
teams lead by 10 or more points after three quarters.
McDuffie caught 11 passes for 105 yards for the Dolphins, but running
back Karim Abdul-Jabbar
suffered a concussion and his availability for next week is unknown.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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