Post by Lithfan on Oct 23, 2015 5:31:42 GMT -5
October 23, 2000
It was billed as a battle for supremacy in the AFC East. A Monday Night matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets. Both teams came into this contest with identical 5-1 records and what would follow would be a memorable contest that will live in the memory of Jet fans for years. At least for those fans who stayed awake late enough to see it unfold.
As the game started, there certainly did not seem to be anything memorable about it. At least not for Jet fans. The Dolphins were dominant in the early going, jumping out to a 17-0 first quarter lead after scoring on their first three possessions. The Phins took the opening kickoff and ground out a 14 play 63 yard drive that ended with a 28 yard Olindo Mare field goal. Their next two possessions would net 14 points on just 3 plays from scrimmage: After a Jet punt, Jay Fielder hit Oronde Gadsden for 27 yards and followed that up with a 42 yard scoring strike to Leslie Shepherd. After another Jet 3 and out, Lamar Smith carried 68 yards for another score and it appeared as if the rout was on.
Olindo Mare would add another field goal early in the 2nd quarter before the Jets could finally get on the scoreboard. With less than a minute to go in the half, Wayne Chrebet was on the receiving end of a 10 yard TD pass from Vinny Testaverde. Nothing seemed to go right for the Jets in the first half, as John Hall booted the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, setting the Dolphins up at the 40 yard line. Fielder moved Miami to field goal range on just 4 plays and Mare added his 3rd field goal of the half to take a 23-7 lead.
Another Lamar Smith TD run with just seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter gave the Dolphins a seemingly insurmountable 30-7 lead as the 4th quarter began.
Despite the late hour, the Jets finally woke up. Vinny Testaverde would go 4 for 4 on the next drive, finishing it with a 30 yard TD pass that went through the hands of DB Sam Madison before finding its way to rookie Laveranues Coles, his first NFL TD reception. The two point conversion attempt failed. 30-13.
After forcing a 3 and out, Testaverde led the Jets to paydirt once again, hitting Richie Anderson on a 13 yard pass to the 1 yard line, and following that up with a scoring pass to rookie TE Jermaine Wiggins. With ten minutes remaining the Jets had cut the lead to 10. 30-20.
Another Matt Turk punt gave Vinny and the Jets the ball back with 7:35 remaining. Vinny would move the Jets 64 yards on 9 plays before settling for a 34 John Hall field goal. 30-23.
On the following Dolphin possession, Bryan Cox sacked Fielder at the 6 yard line. A short punt set the Jets up at the visitors 39 yard line. 3 plays later Testaverde hooked up with Chrebet for 24 yards. His 2nd score of the day and the game was tied. 30-30.
It took the Dolphins just 20 seconds to regain the lead. After a 47 yard kick return by Brock Marion, Fiedler hooked up with Shepherd again. This time for 46 yards and the Dolphins had regained the lead. 37-30.
The Jets took over at their own 43 yard line with 3:22 remaining and a 7 point deficit. Testaverde would make use of his backs, hitting Richie Anderson and Curtis Martin twice each, including a key 4th down conversion to Anderson before reaching the Dolphins 3 yard line with just over a minute left. On a tackle eligible play, Testaverde hit LT Jumbo Elliott, who bobbled the ball as he fell in the end zone, but held on for a game tying TD. Elliott’s catch was reviewed by replay and upheld. 37-37 and we headed to OT.
And the craziness continued in the overtime. Miami received the ball first in OT. On the 3rd play from scrimmage, Jay Fielder’s pass was intercepted by Marcus Coleman. Coleman returned it 7 yards before fumbling the ball back to Miami. 5 plays later, Coleman intercepted Fielder again. This time he held on to the ball and the Jets were in business at their own 34. A 28 yard Testaverde - Chrebet pass put the Jets into field goal range. 3 plays later, John Hall would end the comeback with a 40 yard field goal and the Jets came away with a dramatic, unlikely 40-37 win.
“This team is just mentally tough and strong,” Testaverde would say after the game. “This is great. We are 6-1, leading the division. We have a big game on Monday Night and we are getting embarrassed out there. It’s one heart. One mind. If we combine mental toughness with physical play, We’ll win a lot of games.”
Source: The Toledo Blade
It was billed as a battle for supremacy in the AFC East. A Monday Night matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets. Both teams came into this contest with identical 5-1 records and what would follow would be a memorable contest that will live in the memory of Jet fans for years. At least for those fans who stayed awake late enough to see it unfold.
As the game started, there certainly did not seem to be anything memorable about it. At least not for Jet fans. The Dolphins were dominant in the early going, jumping out to a 17-0 first quarter lead after scoring on their first three possessions. The Phins took the opening kickoff and ground out a 14 play 63 yard drive that ended with a 28 yard Olindo Mare field goal. Their next two possessions would net 14 points on just 3 plays from scrimmage: After a Jet punt, Jay Fielder hit Oronde Gadsden for 27 yards and followed that up with a 42 yard scoring strike to Leslie Shepherd. After another Jet 3 and out, Lamar Smith carried 68 yards for another score and it appeared as if the rout was on.
Olindo Mare would add another field goal early in the 2nd quarter before the Jets could finally get on the scoreboard. With less than a minute to go in the half, Wayne Chrebet was on the receiving end of a 10 yard TD pass from Vinny Testaverde. Nothing seemed to go right for the Jets in the first half, as John Hall booted the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, setting the Dolphins up at the 40 yard line. Fielder moved Miami to field goal range on just 4 plays and Mare added his 3rd field goal of the half to take a 23-7 lead.
Another Lamar Smith TD run with just seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter gave the Dolphins a seemingly insurmountable 30-7 lead as the 4th quarter began.
Despite the late hour, the Jets finally woke up. Vinny Testaverde would go 4 for 4 on the next drive, finishing it with a 30 yard TD pass that went through the hands of DB Sam Madison before finding its way to rookie Laveranues Coles, his first NFL TD reception. The two point conversion attempt failed. 30-13.
After forcing a 3 and out, Testaverde led the Jets to paydirt once again, hitting Richie Anderson on a 13 yard pass to the 1 yard line, and following that up with a scoring pass to rookie TE Jermaine Wiggins. With ten minutes remaining the Jets had cut the lead to 10. 30-20.
Another Matt Turk punt gave Vinny and the Jets the ball back with 7:35 remaining. Vinny would move the Jets 64 yards on 9 plays before settling for a 34 John Hall field goal. 30-23.
On the following Dolphin possession, Bryan Cox sacked Fielder at the 6 yard line. A short punt set the Jets up at the visitors 39 yard line. 3 plays later Testaverde hooked up with Chrebet for 24 yards. His 2nd score of the day and the game was tied. 30-30.
It took the Dolphins just 20 seconds to regain the lead. After a 47 yard kick return by Brock Marion, Fiedler hooked up with Shepherd again. This time for 46 yards and the Dolphins had regained the lead. 37-30.
The Jets took over at their own 43 yard line with 3:22 remaining and a 7 point deficit. Testaverde would make use of his backs, hitting Richie Anderson and Curtis Martin twice each, including a key 4th down conversion to Anderson before reaching the Dolphins 3 yard line with just over a minute left. On a tackle eligible play, Testaverde hit LT Jumbo Elliott, who bobbled the ball as he fell in the end zone, but held on for a game tying TD. Elliott’s catch was reviewed by replay and upheld. 37-37 and we headed to OT.
And the craziness continued in the overtime. Miami received the ball first in OT. On the 3rd play from scrimmage, Jay Fielder’s pass was intercepted by Marcus Coleman. Coleman returned it 7 yards before fumbling the ball back to Miami. 5 plays later, Coleman intercepted Fielder again. This time he held on to the ball and the Jets were in business at their own 34. A 28 yard Testaverde - Chrebet pass put the Jets into field goal range. 3 plays later, John Hall would end the comeback with a 40 yard field goal and the Jets came away with a dramatic, unlikely 40-37 win.
“This team is just mentally tough and strong,” Testaverde would say after the game. “This is great. We are 6-1, leading the division. We have a big game on Monday Night and we are getting embarrassed out there. It’s one heart. One mind. If we combine mental toughness with physical play, We’ll win a lot of games.”
Source: The Toledo Blade
