PLAYER OF THE GAME
Channing Crowder. Actually, the Dolphins' inside linebacker accepts this award on behalf of the best ensemble performance in Sunday's game. Crowder had nine tackles -- including two for losses, and also an on-the-ground hit to the back of Leonard Weaver that knocked the Seahawks fullback out of the game with sore ribs in the second quarter. It was an effort indicative of how the Dolphins' defense played all day, making the big plays at the biggest junctures -- like strong safety Yeremiah Bell knocking away what would have been a game-tying two-point conversion pass from Seneca Wallace to tight end John Carlson, or defensive end Vonnie Holliday sacking Wallace on the first play of the Seahawks' final drive.
PLAYS OF THE GAME
Offense: Chad Pennington's 39-yard touchdown pass to Ted Ginn Jr. for the Dolphins' first score. It came off a flea-flicker, as Pennington handed off to running back Ronnie Brown, who then pitched the ball back to Pennington. It came against coverage as good as the Seahawks could have hoped for, with cornerback Marcus Trufant and free safety Brian Russell seemingly smothering Ginn in the back of the end zone. It was just another in-your-face play against a defense that has yielded 14 TD passes -- one fewer than its league-low total from last season.
