Archives for November 2009

‘But when it came to inciting a riot in his locker room, or simply keeping his own guys focused and frothing when the fourth quarter rolled around, Yale-educated Jauron just wasn’t your guy.’

‘”Oh man, I didn’t think I was going to score,” he said. “I thought one guy was going to catch me, but I was huffing and puffing out there for sure. I haven’t run that long – or that far – in a long time.”‘

‘”Well I think the biggest thing today is that we finally finished in the fourth quarter,” Fitzpatrick said. “We’ve played hard, we’ve hung on to the fourth quarter and let it slip away. Hopefully we can use today as a turning point for the way that we play finish games.”‘

‘”I made the decision really during the course of the week just watching us practice,” Fewell said. “Fred has been very productive for us and it was just a gut (instinct) to help our football team.”‘

‘I honestly believe the players LIKED playing for Jauron. But I think the players LOVE playing for Fewell.’

Late surge lifts Buffalo Bills past Miami Dolphins (Miami Herald)

Miami Dolphins’ season is full of failed finishes (Miami Herald)

Embarrassing collapse puts Miami Dolphins’ season on the brink (Miami Herald)

Miami Dolphins’ Vontae Davis not ready to laud Terrell Owens (Miami Herald)

Miami Dolphins keys to the game (Miami Herald)

Grading the Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (Miami Herald)

Photo gallery (Miami Herald)

Late collapse wrecks Dolphins’ day, playoff drive (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Miami Dolphins defense gets pushed around by Bills’ depleted offensive line (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Miami Dolphins kicked out of the playoff chase (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Miami Dolphins should have taken a pass on Williams throw (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

No excuses for this loss in Buffalo (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Fourth-quarter blues again for Miami Dolphins (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

‘Superior team loses to an impaired Bills squad’ (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Grading the Miami Dolphins (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Photo gallery (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Fourth-quarter breakdowns doom Miami Dolphins in 31-14 loss at Buffalo (Palm Beach Post)

Dolphins’ roller-coaster offense falls off the tracks (Palm Beach Post)

Miami Dolphins’ playoff hopes end after trying to get too cute in loss to Bills (Palm Beach Post)

Miami Dolphins’ Vontae Davis says officials gave Terrell Owens a break (Palm Beach Post)

Photo gallery (Palm Beach Post)

Dolphins Fall To Bills, 31-14 (MiamiDolphins.com)

Dolphins-Bills Postgame Notes (MiamiDolphins.com)

‘When Owens scored, he mimicked Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter’s sack celebration by pretending to kick dirt in the end zone.’

‘Chad Henne was intercepted on the Dolphins’ final three drives following the go-ahead boot by Lindell with 3:35 remaining. Henne ended with 175 yards and one touchdown on 17-of-31 efficiency for Miami (5-6), who were looking to extend its winning streak to three games.’

‘Perry Fewell held back from the conservative play-calling, after he sent out Ryan Lindell for a 56-yard field goal. With the wind at his back, Lindell nailed his career high field goal to put the Bills up 17-14.’

‘The bottom line is this: The Bills are in better hands than they were with Dick Jauron, and they just played consecutive watchable football games for the first time since, when? Weeks One and Two? Even then you had some indescribable brain seizures. It’s been two weeks under Fewell, and odds are you’re better off hoping for Mike Shanahan or some other big name to get pumped about the opportunity.’

‘Another thing I like about Fewell, and there’s a lot to like, is that he realizes Fred Jackson is a far better all around running back for an offense with a patched-up offensive line than Marshawn Lynch, and he doesn’t care that Lynch was a high first round draft pick. Fewell is playing to win, and that is the way players like to play. Jackson plays smart, and plays like a winner. Get more players like him.’

‘Perry Fewell showed an aggressive coaching style and it paid off. He went with his gut in letting Lindell kick the 56 yard field goal and was rewarded for it. Never went into a shell as they kept coming after getting the lead. Going with Jackson over Lynch was the right move as well. Alex Van Pelt opened up the playbook a bit for Fitzpatrick as they showed more aggression as they threw the ball well in the second half despite the lack of time to throw. Bobby April’s unit played their best game in weeks. Grade A: Congratulations to Coach Fewell for his first victory.’

‘The team had definitely taken a more aggressive style under Perry Fewell. The interesting thing is the offense has become more aggressive. Part of that is Fewell taking the training wheels off and part is the gun slinger attitude of Fitzpatrick. He audibled into the TD pass to Owens that put the game away but a pass play was called anyway as the Bills refused to go into a shell. Fewell called it gut instinct in allowing Lindell to try the long kick but his instincts are obviously better than his predecessor. With the game over, he failed to call off the dogs as they ran the ball down their throat to a statement touchdown by Jackson.’

‘Donte Whitner’s interception with 1:37 remaining led to Fred Jackson’s seven-yard, in-your-face TD run which capped the stunning 17-point scoring burst and sealed the deal. It was the Bills first victory for Fewell, who took over for Dick Jauron two weeks ago, and they improved to 4-7. The Dolphins probably saw their playoff hopes dashed as they fell to 5-6.’

‘Buffalo had been outscored 109-40 in the fourth quarter this season and 54-0 in their last three outings. But the Bills offense was efficient in moving the football for a second straight week as Ryan Fitzpatrick orchestrated three touchdown drives including one that he capped with a 31-yard touchdown run.’