Week 6 Game Recap: Miami Dolphins 17, New York Jets 20

What you need to know

Miami Dolphins

For the first three quarters of the game, Miami could not mount much of an offensive attack. Only RB Ronnie Brown could account for significant gains, as he ran for over 100 yards in the first 45 minutes against the Jets. Despite 119 yards on 20 carries to that point, Brown had just four first downs and no points to show for his efforts. HC Nick Saban showed confidence in Brown by allowing him to try and pick up a first down from the Jets’ 29 yard line in the second quarter on a fourth down, but that fell short. Brown added just eight more yards in the final period on two carries, but one of them was for a Miami touchdown.

QB Joey Harrington once again played in place of QB Daunte Culpepper, and he did not perform very well until the Dolphins went to a no huddle offense in the fourth quarter. As Miami abandoned the run, Harrington completed 18 of 27 passes for 199 yards and a score in the final period. Harrington looked comfortable running that style of offense and he moved the Dolphins down the field for two touchdowns and then again into field goal range at the end of the game.

WR Wes Welker started in place of the injured WR Marty Booker, and he along with rookie WR Derek Hagan helped Harrington to move the offense in the fourth quarter. Welker (56 yards), Hagan (40), TE Randy McMichael (50) and WR Chris Chambers (48 and a touchdown) all contributed 194 of their combined 254 yards in the final 15 minutes. Both Welker and Hagan looked solid in the second half and would be good additions for wide receiver depth for many fantasy team owners.

PK Olindo Mare was forced to attempt a 51 yard field goal in an effort to force overtime but missed.

New York Jets

Running backs Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow shared duties in the backfield, rushing a combined 24 times for 103 yards. Hidden in those numbers, however, was their inability to pick up first downs when they had a lead. Neither Washington nor Barlow converted a carry into a first down after their first drive of the second half.

WR Laveranues Coles spearheaded the Jets in the second half, catching two touchdown passes. Coles finished with over 100 yards receiving and led all Jets with 11 targets. His first touchdown of 58 yards was the longest of his career. Fellow WR Jerricho Cotchery had just four targets, converting just one for a six yard gain.

QB Chad Pennington had a pedestrian first half, completing over 50% of his passes (ten of 18) but for just 56 yards. With the help of WR Coles, he was able to put up 90 more yards in the third quarter. After his second touchdown pass, Pennington only completed one additional throw. Pennington’s 175 yards and two touchdowns were more the result of Coles’ abilities than a demonstration of quarterback prowess.

Defensive back Andre Dyson snared a first quarter interception from a juggling TE Randy McMichael, and LB Victor Hobson caught another interception in the first half. Hobson also fell on a RB Sammy Morris fumble that set up the Jets’ second touchdown drive in the second half.

What you ought to know

QB Joey Harrington, Pass: 27 - 43 - 266 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0

Harrington’s numbers were atrocious for the first three quarters of Week 6. Stepping into the starter role, he was just 9-16-67-0-2, barely managing to keep the Miami offense afloat. The first interception was really not Harrington’s fault – WR Chris Chambers bobbled the ball long enough for the Jets’ CB Andre Dyson to grab it – but the second was a bad throw right at LB Victor Hobson.

Harrington was able to turn the corner on his stats and for the Miami offense in the final quarter. His numbers in the last 15 minutes – 18-27-199-1-0 – would have been enough for a complete game for many teams. Harrington looked relaxed and comfortable in the pocket as he hit four main receivers over and over again to move the ball down the field on the Jets’ prevent defense. WRs Chris Chambers (four), Derek Hagan (eight), Wes Welker (eight) and TE Randy McMichael (six) accounted for 26 of those 27 passes in the final period and all of the yardage and the touchdown.

RB Ronnie Brown, Rush: 22 - 127 - 1 (1 targets)

Brown had a quick start in Week 6, picking up 44 yards on five carries – more than his total yardage in Week 5. He had over 100 yards before the end of the third quarter, racking up 119 yards on 20 carries including a 26 yard run in the third. Despite that big total, Brown had a few letdowns along the way, with the biggest coming on a failed fourth down conversion at the Jets’ 29 yard line in the second quarter. In fact, Brown only picked up four first downs rushing and no touchdowns despite the impressive average.

As the game changed from a close game with ball control offense to a pass attack, Brown was virtually out of the game in the fourth quarter. He picked up a seven yard carry early in the period for a first down, but only had one more carry for the rest of the game. Fortunately for the Dolphins, Brown converted that single carry to a one yard touchdown.

Brown had but one target in the passing game despite his contributions as a receiver all year. His lone target came in the fourth quarter and fell incomplete.

RB Sammy Morris, Rush: 5 - 2 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets)

Morris has become the change of pace and third down rusher for the Dolphins, giving Ronnie Brown a few moments to take a break. Miami would like to see more production from their second running back, as Morris gained only two yards on the ground and just seven more on his only catch. A costly fumble in the third quarter gave the Jets more momentum after their first touchdown, which they converted to their second trip to the end zone on consecutive drives.

WR Chris Chambers, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0, Rec: 5 - 60 - 1 (7 targets)

Chambers was covered well and like most Dolphins in Week 6, he contributed little until the fourth quarter. On his first target of the game, he juggled the ball long enough for CB Andre Dyson to snatch it from him for an interception.

After adding a single six yard catch in each of the second and third periods and a one yard end around before halftime, Chambers opened up the fourth quarter with a 24 yard catch for a first down. Two targets later he was celebrating a two yard touchdown catch in the end zone to make the score 20-10 for the Jets. He also added a 22 yard catch that also moved the chains.

WR Wes Welker, Rec: 6 - 56 - 0 (10 targets)

Welker started in place of the injured WR Marty Booker, but he started the day very slowly. He was targeted just once in the first half and once more in the third quarter, failing to catch either one. Once the final quarter began, however, Welker stepped up to be a solid possession receiver. He caught six of eight targets for 56 yards, including his longest for 25 yards. He grabbed every ball that was catchable in the fourth quarter and picked up first downs on each of his final three catches. Welker helped the Dolphins considerably on both of their touchdown drives in the final period. He also continued his special teams role, returning nine kicks for a total of 100 yards.

WR Derek Hagan, Rec: 6 - 66 - 0 (12 targets)

Rookie Derek Hagan was promoted to the #3 WR for Miami in Week 6, as WR Wes Welker moved up for the injured WR Marty Booker. Hagan had a single catch in each of the first three quarters against the Jets, all for short yardage. He helped by picking up first downs on two of the three, but did also drop a sure first down catch in the second quarter. Entering the final quarter with three catches and 26 yards, Hagan asserted himself in the Miami passing game by catching four more passes for 40 yards. Granted he had nine targets, but he was closely guarded and even held on one play (which also netted a first down via penalty). His only bad target in the final 15 minutes was a dropped touchdown pass that would have been a 30 yard score, but he was also closely guarded and it would have been a great catch.

Hagan took advantage of his playing time against the Jets and showed many Dolphins’ fans why the Arizona State wide receiver was selected in the third round this past April. Fantasy owners in need of a wide receiver, especially in the midst of bye weeks, should take a long hard look at Derek Hagan.

WR Cliff Russell, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets)

Russell had one catch in the final quarter for five yards on his only target.

TE Randy McMichael, Rec: 8 - 72 - 0 (12 targets)

McMichael caught just three passes before halftime on six targets, with the longest going for 17 yards in the first quarter. After adding just five more yards in the second quarter, McMichael had no targets until the fourth quarter, where he had another half dozen. He caught five of the six, but that single drop occurred in the end zone. Fortunately for Miami they scored on a one yard run by RB Ronnie Brown.

McMichael racked up 50 yards on five catches, all ranging from 8-12 yards in the fourth quarter. The catches helped the Dolphins move the chains throughout the period as McMichael converted three catches into Miami first downs.

PK Olindo Mare 1 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points

Mare was working on a perfect day, converting three kicks of short yardage – two extra points and a 21 yard field goal in the third quarter. Unfortunately for Mare, the game came down to his 51 yard attempt to try and extend the game to overtime. It had plenty of leg, but sailed about a foot wide to the right.

MIA Rush Defense

New York ran the ball with RBs Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow 25 times combined, yet they only gained six first downs on the ground and no touchdowns. After the first drive of the second half, the Jets did not get another rushing first down. The inability of the Jets to put up a reliable run attack nearly cost them the game, as they gained no first downs in the final quarter and could not keep the ball away from the Miami offense.

MIA Pass Defense

The Dolphins kept QB Chad Pennington to minimal yardage in the first half, yielding only 56 yards before halftime. That all changed as Pennington hit WR Laveranues Coles for two touchdowns in the first 17 minutes of the second half to extend the Jets’ lead to 17-3. With that lead the Jets decided to pack away their passing game and try to run the ball. The Dolphins did not amount much pressure on Pennington (just two sacks) nor did they force any turnovers.

QB Chad Pennington, Pass: 17 - 29 - 175 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0

Pennington had a slow start to the game despite completing over half of his attempts. He was ten for 18 in passing before halftime, but the passes were only good for 56 total yards. That changed in the second half as WR Laveranues Coles caught a 58 yard touchdown in the third quarter and later added a second touchdown of 22 yards in the fourth period. Pennington’s highlights all came in the third quarter and the first moments of the fourth, as he closed the third quarter with 146 passing yards. After the second touchdown pass to Coles, Pennington only completed one seven yard pass to TE Chris Baker.

RB Kevan Barlow, Rush: 13 - 45 - 0, Rec: 3 - 3 - 0 (3 targets)

Barlow had the most carries of any New York Jet in Week 6, but that’s about the best thing you can say about his performance. Barlow had one run over six yards, but the 18 yard dash was called back due to a penalty and wound up being officially just a five yard gain. Barlow achieved just two first downs despite 13 carries, and this shortcoming nearly cost the Jets the victory. He also fumbled once in the second quarter but was able to fall back on it. New York struggled the entire second half to control the ball and the clock, and neither Barlow nor RB Leon Washington could convert a first down on the ground in the final period.

Barlow contributed minimally as a receiver, catching all three of his targets for short yardage. Once again, Barlow failed to pick up a first down on any of them.

RB Leon Washington, Rush: 11 - 58 - 0

Washington was the leading rusher on the ground, picking up 58 yards on 11 carries. Most of that yardage came on the opening drive of the second half. Washington carried six times on that drive for a total of 42 yards, including three first downs and two runs of over ten yards. He later added three more carries in the fourth quarter for 13 yards, but no first downs. The Jets had difficulty trying to hold on to the ball in the second half and chew up the clock, and this was one of the main culprits. Neither Washington nor RB Kevan Barlow could consistently get a first down.

RB B.J. Askew, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (1 targets)

Askew caught one pass out of the backfield in the second quarter, broke a tackle and gained 12 yards for a first down. It was his only target and touch of the ball in Week 6.

WR Laveranues Coles, Rec: 5 - 106 - 2 (11 targets)

Coles led all Jets’ receivers in every category in Week 6. His five catches on 11 targets for 106 yards and two touchdowns was tops across the board. Coles did start slow, catching just a short five yard pass in the first quarter followed by a 12 yarder for a first down in the second period. His fifth target fell incomplete, but Coles drew a 20 yard pass interference penalty.

After halftime, Coles hit the ground running with a 58 yard touchdown catch and run, his first catch for over 50 yards since he was a Washington Redskin and also his longest touchdown of his career. Coles caught another ball for nine yards, and then added a 22 yard touchdown on his first catch of the final quarter, which also proved to be his final catch of the game.

WR Tim Dwight, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0, Rec: 3 - 9 - 0 (4 targets)

Dwight was used on a few swing passes out of the backfield, with mixed results. His first two catches cancelled each other, going for a gain of eight then a loss of eight yards in the first quarter. His third target was batted away at the line of scrimmage, and Dwight converted his final chance for a nine yard gain in the third period. Dwight also carried the ball once but for zero yards.

WR Brad Smith, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0 (1 targets)

Smith had one carry for a one yard gain in the third quarter when he went in motion then stopped under center and took the snap. He ran a virtual quarterback sneak on the play, which is familiar to the rookie who played QB at Missouri. Smith was also the intended receiver of a pass that was batted at the line by DL Keith Traylor in the second quarter.

WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (4 targets)

Cotchery had just four targets all game, but only one was catchable. He reeled in that lone ball for a short six yard pickup in the third quarter.

WR Justin McCareins (2 targets)

McCareins was targeted twice in the game, once each in the first and last quarters. The first was defended by the Dolphins’ defense, and on the second pass McCareins stumbled and was unable to make the catch.

TE Chris Baker, Rec: 4 - 39 - 0 (4 targets)

Baker caught one pass in every quarter in Week 6. The catches ranged got shorter each quarter, starting with a 16 yard catch for a first down on the opening drive of the game. He dove and fell just short of a first down on his 12 yard catch in the second period, and then added two shorter catches in the second half. Baker caught all four of his targets against Miami.

TE Sean Ryan (1 targets)

Rarely used TE Sean Ryan had a single target in Week 6. Ryan dropped the short pass in the second quarter. It was his only target of the game.

PK Mike Nugent 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points

Nugent made good of all of his kicks, converting two 33 yard field goals in the first and third quarters and also two extra points.

NYJ Rush Defense

While the Jets can take pride in only giving up seven rushing first downs, they did let RB Ronnie Brown get over 100 yards in less than three quarters and also let him in for an easy one yard score in the fourth quarter. Granted they did force a fumble by RB Sammy Morris and stopped Brown on a fourth down and short, but Brown’s average of over five yards per carry was not a solid result.

NYJ Pass Defense

For three quarters, the Dolphins could not move the ball via the air on the New York defense. The Jets even grabbed two interceptions, one by LB Victor Hobson and one by CB Andre Dyson, in the first half. The fourth quarter was a different story, as they allowed Miami back into the game as the Dolphins gained 199 yards passing and a touchdown pass in the final quarter. QB Joey Harrington was 18 for 27 passing in the comeback effort in the last 15 minutes.