Week 4 Game Recap: Miami Dolphins 15, Houston Texans 17

What you need to know

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins’ offense continued to struggle, as they were able to score only 15 points against arguably the worst defense in the NFL. They could only come through with two field goal scoring drives in the first half, as the Texans’ defense held them to only two third down conversions. QB Daunte Culpepper did not have the outing many thought he could have against the porous Houston defense, throwing for 249 yards and only one touchdown. Culpepper’s touchdown pass went to WR Chris Chambers, but the Miami receivers failed to find any success downfield.

Chris Chambers and Marty Booker, the starting Miami receivers, were held to six catches for 71 yards between them, and a two point conversion attempt by the Dolphins late in the fourth quarter also failed on a play that was intended for one of the two. Miami ran a reverse halfback option, and RB Ronnie Brown attempted a pass in the direction of both of the receivers, who were in the same area, that fell incomplete.

RB Ronnie Brown led the Dolphins in receiving, catching eight passes for 62 yards, but did not get much going on the ground, rushing 12 times for 49 yards.

Defensively for the Dolphins, it was more of the same, as LB Zach Thomas led the way with 12 combined tackles and DL Jason Taylor had two sacks, a forced fumble and recovery, and six combined tackles. Defensive back Will Allen also had a solid game that included both a sack and an interception.

The Miami score came late in the fourth quarter, and after a two point conversion attempt failed, they could not come through on an onside kick that they definitely should have recovered. It was a beautiful kick by PK Olindo Mare, and a Miami special teamer failed to gain possession after Texans’ WR Kevin Walter lost the ball, and essentially ended the game.

Houston Texans

QB David Carr was locked onto WR Andre Johnson, connecting with his talented wideout nine times for over a hundred yards and a score. He was very efficient, hitting 22 of his 29 attempts, and helped seal the deal in the fourth quarter, where his touchdown to Johnson and a rushing score by Carr put the Texans ahead for good.

Andre Johnson led the way for the Houston receivers, catching nine passes for 101 yards and a three yard touchdown. Fellow wideout, veteran Eric Moulds, chipped in nicely with 76 yards on four catches.

Ron Dayne did not look good. The sluggish back stumbled to 58 yards on 22 attempts, for only a 2.6 ypc average. Recently acquired back Samkon Gado received a little work, but was able to muster up only nine yards on six attempts.

Houston’s defense played better than they have for the early part of the season, holding the Dolphins to one offensive touchdown and forcing them to kick three field goals. They also came through late in the game, stopping a Miami two point conversion attempt that could have tied the game. Rookie LB DeMeco Ryans continued his solid play with eight tackles and a half sack.

What you ought to know

QB Daunte Culpepper, Pass: 23 - 39 - 249 - 1 TD / 0 INT

Culpepper had a solid, but unspectacular outing against a Texans’ defense that had been awful to start the season. He finished 23 of 39 for 249 yards and a 16 yard touchdown pass to WR Chris Chambers. He targeted his starting receivers, Chambers and Marty Booker a combined 20 times for the game, but connected on only six passes combined between the two of them. Culpepper seemed to rush some of his decisions, and tended to lock into his first option and not go through his progressions. Some of that, undoubtedly, comes from a combination of his injury concerns and the struggles of his offensive line in the protection schemes. He just seems to lack the confidence he had in running an offense the way he did earlier in his career. Whether that’s a result of his not being fully healed or adjusting to a new team, Miami better figure out how to open up offensively if they plan on making a run late in the year.

RB Ronnie Brown, Rush: 12 - 49 - 0, Rec: 8 - 62 - 0 (8 targets)

Brown failed to get much going on the ground, running for 49 yards on 12 carries, for a 4.1 ypc average. Brown ran hard, and showed good burst, but the struggles of the Miami offensive line seem to be holding him back a little. He was a big factor in the passing game, catching eight passes for 62 yards on eight targets. The Dolphins also used Brown in the passing game, running a reverse sweep option play on a two point conversion attempt that could have tied up the game late in the fourth quarter. Brown attempted to connect with either Chris Chambers or Marty Booker in the back of the end zone, but the attempt failed.

RB Lee Suggs, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0

Suggs got on the field for a couple possessions, but had only one rushing attempt for seven yards for the game.

WR Chris Chambers, Rush: 1 - 14 - 0, Rec: 3 - 28 - 1 (11 targets)

Chambers was targeted 11 times for the game, but caught only three passes for 28 yards. He did have Miami’s only offensive touchdown, a 16 yard reception from Daunte Culpepper. Chambers also had 14 yards rushing on one attempt.

WR Wes Welker, Rec: 4 - 55 - 0 (7 targets)

Welker was targeted seven times for the game, catching four passes for 55 yards, including a 29 yard reception on fourth down that helped set up the Culpepper to Chambers touchdown.

WR Marty Booker, Rec: 3 - 43 - 0 (9 targets)

Booker saw nine passes thrown his way, but hauled in only three catches for 43 yards for the game.

TE Randy McMichael, Rec: 4 - 54 - 0 (4 targets)

McMichael caught all four balls thrown his way for 58 yards. Three of the four passes resulted in first downs.

TE Justin Peelle, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets)

Peelle caught the only pass thrown his way for seven yards.

PK Olindo Mare 3 - 3 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 9 points

Mare connected on field goals from 52, 29 and 22 yards for nine points.

MIA Rush Defense

The Dolphins didn’t have to do much to stop the Houston running game. Ron Dayne just stumbled into the line, and couldn’t get through any holes the Texans’ line was able to open up. For the game, they held Houston to a 2.0 ypc average on the ground, with the only mishap coming on a one yard touchdown run by Texan QB David Carr on a nice bootleg play.

MIA Pass Defense

Although Texans' WR Andre Johnson had a big day, the Miami defensive backfield had a solid outing. They were able to contain Houston enough in passing situations to help their line get five sacks and forcing an interception on a great play by DB Will Allen. They were tested often, mostly because Houston got nothing out of their rushing attack.

QB David Carr, Pass: 22 - 29 - 230 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - -8 - 1

Carr had a solid outing, connecting on 22 of 29 passing for 230 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His interception came on a play where he seemed to hit Andre Johnson on a pass play, but Miami DB Will Allen stole the ball away from Johnson, something Carr had little at fault with. Carr also lost a fumble on a sack by Miami DL Jason Taylor, getting the ball swatted out of his hands. Aside from those two things, Carr did just enough to lead his team to victory. He had a one yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter that put the Texans ahead, and led the club on another fourth quarter scoring drive. There is no doubt he favors WR Andre Johnson, and for good reason. The two connected on nine passes, including a three yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that proved to be the game winner.

RB Ron Dayne, Rush: 22 - 58 - 0, Rec: 3 - 11 - 0 (3 targets)

Dayne had 22 rushes for 58 yards, and struggled to get through the trenches as he always has for his career. He was used somewhat in the passing game, catching three passes on three targets for 11 yards, one of which resulted in a first down. Dayne also had a fumble in the game, but Houston was fortunate enough to recover.

RB Samkon Gado, Rush: 6 - 9 - 0, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets)

Gado continues to be worked into the Houston Texans’ offense, but got little accomplished, rushing six times for only nine yards for the game. He was targeted one time in the passing game, hauling in a four yard reception. Coach Gary Kubiak had said earlier this week he hoped to evenly split the carries between Gado and Dayne but obviously this wasn’t the case Sunday.

WR Andre Johnson, Rec: 9 - 101 - 1 (13 targets)

Johnson continues to be David Carr’s favorite target, being thrown to 13 times for the game and finishing with nine receptions for 101 yards, including a three yard touchdown reception. He made a few great adjustments on stop / fade routes and just seems to be a mismatch problem for almost any defensive back in man coverage. Five of his nine receptions resulted in Houston first downs.

WR Eric Moulds, Rec: 4 - 76 - 0 (6 targets)

Moulds had a serviceable game, catching four passes for 76 yards on six targets. Three of his receptions netted first downs and the Texans seem to have finally found a receiver to compliment Andre Johnson.

WR Kevin Walter, Rec: 3 - 25 - 0 (3 targets)

Walter made a nice contribution, catching three passes for 25 yards on three targets. All three of his receptions went for first downs.

WR Edell Shepherd, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets)

Shepherd caught the only pass thrown to him for seven yards, and had one rush attempt on a reverse for six yards. He showed some make-you-miss ability on the reverse, using a nice spin move to avoid Miami DL Jason Taylor to make something out of nothing.

TE Owen Daniels

Daniels had a few solid games to start the year, but he was shut out against the Dolphins and did not have a pass thrown to him.

PK Kris Brown 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points

Brown hit his only field goal attempt from 32 yards, and made good on both of his extra point attempts, finishing with five points for the game.

HOU Rush Defense

The Texans were able to limit the Miami running game to only 14 attempts, seven coming in each half. Houston stuffed the Dolphins in the first half, particularly RB Ronnie Brown, holding him to 14 yards on five attempts, and a 2.8 ypc average. As a result, Miami went to an intermediate passing attack with Brown, getting him the ball in the flat, and trying to find open space in the Texan defense.

HOU Pass Defense

The big news for Houston’s defense came at the start of the fourth quarter, when number one overall pick, DE Mario Williams, got the first sack of his career, pouncing on Miami QB Daunte Culpepper. Williams was also credited with a half sack on the same possession, getting to Culpepper on the very next play from scrimmage.

The only score Miami could manage came in the passing game, but the Texans were able to hold the Dolphin wideouts in check, limiting the big plays downfield for both Chris Chambers and Marty Booker. They played well enough in coverage to help force five sacks for the game, and held to Dolphins to three of 12 on third downs.