| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- By the time the San Diego Chargers honored
great players from their past, Miami was already doing a number on
their current lineup.
|  | | Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsen caught a 61-yard pass in the first quarter Sunday against the winless Chargers. |
Lamar Smith scored on runs of 2 and 6 yards -- the first coming
on the game's third play -- and Jay Fiedler completed his first nine
passes as the Dolphins won 17-7 on Sunday to send the Chargers to
an 0-10 start.
The Chargers never really had a chance and are one loss shy of
matching the franchise record for consecutive defeats, set with an
0-11 start in 1975.
The AFC East-leading Dolphins (8-2) won their third straight
game.
Fiedler opened the game by burning San Diego's porous secondary
for a 61-yard pass to Oronde Gadsden. Two plays later, Smith ran in
from the 2 with 1:41 elapsed.
"It's always great to start a game off like that," Fiedler
said. "We did it last week with Lamar's run. This week we came out
and it almost looked like we had another touchdown on the first
play. It was pretty close, but a three-play drive isn't too bad to
start off a game with a touchdown."
|
TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
|
Question on the Dolphins: Is the Dolphins' offense, featuring Lamar Smith, a championship
offense?
Donahoe: The Dolphins' offense is a very efficient offense. Jay Fiedler has done an
outstanding job of running an offense directed by Chan Gailey. Lamar Smith has given the
Dolphins something they haven't had in years -- that is, a big running back
they can depend on for tough yards, especially when they get in the red
zone. Smith has certainly made a difference in Miami's attack.
Question on the Chargers: What should the Chargers make of Ryan Leaf's performance?
Donahoe: The Chargers tried all their quarterbacks today, including
Ryan Leaf. Moses Moreno was injured, Leaf
was injured, and Jim Harbaugh
was forced to come in and finish the game. If the Chargers can get Leaf
healthy, what they need to do for the remainder of the season is to get an
extended look at him. They will have a difficult decision to make at the end
of the season -- that is, they have to decide if Leaf is the answer at
quarterback, and if he isn't, what will be their course of action next year.
Do they look to the draft or for a veteran free agent? The Seahawks couldn't
tell a lot from today's game, but if Leaf can get healthy, they'll be in a
better position to make that decision.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
|
A week earlier, Smith scored on a 46-yard run on the first play
from scrimmage in a 23-8 victory at Detroit that led to Lions coach
Bobby Ross' resignation.
The Dolphins were held to less than 120 yards rushing for the
first time in six games, but it didn't matter.
"They took the book from Mike Martz with St. Louis, and they
came out with an empty backfield and they played the finesse
game," Chargers linebacker Junior Seau said. "They did a great
job of mixing it up. By the time we knew, they were 14 points up.
So they put the pressure on our offense."
Fiedler completed his first nine passes for 130 yards. He went
6-for-6 for 57 yards on a drive that Smith capped by running 6
yards untouched for a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
At halftime, the Chargers introduced their all-time team to
commemorate their 40th season in San Diego. Among those on the
field were Dan Fouts, Lance Alworth, Keith Lincoln and Don Coryell.
After reliving the past, fans quickly saw why the Chargers are
winless. Moses Moreno intercepted on consecutive drives in the
first half, was knocked out with a sprained left knee and Ryan Leaf
was booed as he came out for the next drive.
Leaf's fourth pass was picked off by Brian Walker, his second
interception of the game. That set up Olindo Mare's 35-yard field
goal for a 17-0 lead.
Seau said he didn't think it was right for fans to boo the
troubled Leaf.
But, he added: "To tell you the truth, I think they were Miami
fans, because our fans emptied out."
Added Leaf: "It's understandable when you're 0-9. We didn't do
what we needed to get in the end zone."
Leaf did come back to throw an 8-yard touchdown pass to fullback
Fred McCrary to pull the Chargers to 17-7 with 14:55 to play. But
he was hurt while sliding after being flushed from the pocket and
limped off the field.
Jim Harbaugh, reduced to being the emergency No. 3 quarterback
because of injuries, came on and was intercepted by Patrick Surtain
with three seconds left.
It was Leaf's first action since Sept. 24, when he sprained his
right wrist in a loss to Seattle. San Diego's poor start has
largely been because of ineffective play by Leaf, Moreno and
Harbaugh, and injuries to all three.
Leaf, Moreno and Harbaugh have combined for an NFL-high 20
interceptions, and have lost eight fumbles.
San Diego had just 55 yards of offense in the first half.
The Dolphins gained just 38 yards in the second half, but they
finished with four interceptions, picking off each of San Diego's
three quarterbacks. Smith finished with 69 yards on 27 carries and
Fiedler completed 13 of 20 passes for 160 yards.
Game notes
Dolphins third-down back Thurman Thomas sprained his right
knee in the second quarter and didn't return. DE Jason Taylor
hyperextended his left elbow. ... Taylor had a sack in his sixth
straight game, tying a team record set by Doug Betters in 1983.
Taylor has a career-high 10 sacks. ... Smith's 10 TDs rushing are a
career high. ... The Dolphins were just 1-for-13 on third-down
conversions. ... Chargers DE Adrian Dingle was ejected in the
fourth quarter after kicking Todd Wade.
| |
ALSO SEE
Miami Clubhouse
San Diego Clubhouse
Week 11 wrap-ups
|
