http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/peter_king/news/2002/10/14/mmqb/
Like him or hate him Peter King is on the money as usual:
"Ten reasons why Miami’s 24-22 Sunday night win over Denver was an instant classic, and why it should go down as one of the best games ever played:
1. Because of valor. Playing with a broken thumb he suffered 20 minutes earlier, Jay Fiedler was huge in driving Miami 39 yards in 29 seconds to set up the game-winning field goal with six seconds left. The Miami quarterback will now be Ray Lucas, for how long I have no idea. But boo Fiedler no more, Dolfans. He earned his NFL merit badge Sunday night.
2. Because of great players playing great in the clutch. Can Jason Taylor play any better? Or Ricky Williams? Or Rod Smith? And can two quarterbacks rebound from adversity to lead as well as Fiedler and Brian Griese did late in a game? Can two defensive lines perform better? God, were they hard to handle. Can Sam Madison be around the ball more than he was?
3. Because even the field goals made you yelp. Sorry if you were in Room 151 of the Nashville Airport Marriott last night when Jason Elam snaked his 55-yarder eight inches inside the right upright with 45 seconds left. The loud idiot in 153? That was me. Thirty-nine seconds later, it happened again, Olindo Mare’s 53-yarder hitting high up on the net. You know it’s a great game when even the field goals are exciting.
4. Because of the collisions. Kenoy Kennedy, you’re going down for that hit on Chris Chambers. Maybe you missed the rules meeting this year. Can’t launch yourself at a ballcarrier and drive your helmet with unmitigated force into the jaw of a receiver. That was an Andre Waters hit. I’d be shocked if Kennedy wasn’t suspended for the game at Kansas City this week.
5. Because of the Al Wilson de-cleater on Ricky Williams in the fourth quarter. Williams ran right, trying to get outside, and Wilson, running at him, separated Williams’ feet from the earth as if he’d been swept away by a tidal wave. Amazing.
6. Because Williams got up from the hit like nothing had happened. If you watched the game and didn’t come away with a ton of respect for Williams’ toughness on a night when he rushed for only 49 yards, you weren’t watching the same game I was.
7. Because the Broncos got what the football gods thought they deserved. Broncos tackle Blake Brockermeyer was flagged for holding on the final play of the first half, wiping out a 49-yard Elam field goal. Had it stood, that would have given them enough point to win the game. Fullback Mike Anderson lost a fumble on the Miami 1-yard line. Those points would have won the game. And in the cruelest twist of all, Fiedler’s crucial throw, made with the broken thumb and with the clock ticking down into the teens, was into coverage that he had no right to be throwing into. Four Broncos were within a few yards of Dedric Ward. But Fiedler let fly a jet, and it went through the hands of linebacker John Mobley, who almost imperceptibly changed the ball’s course. Just not enough. Ward changed the position of his hands and cradled the ball. Another game-changing play, just missed. Either team would be dying this morning had it lost. Denver has more reasons to be blue.
8. Because of ESPN's slow-motion replay of Mobley’s missed pick. Mobley played so well he doesn’t deserve to see that replay 100 times this week. But that’s life in the NFL. Sometimes you make the play. Sometimes the play makes you.
9. Because the game was spellbinding. The baseball fan in me wanted to watch some of the Cards-Giants last night, but there was no way anyone who likes both games could watch baseball over football. I saw three lousy at-bats of what I bet was a terrific baseball game, and I didn’t even know how it ended until the crawl told me Benito Santiago jacked one in the eighth to win it for the Giants.
10. Because of the non-stop action during the last 10 minutes. Denver led 12-7 with 10 minutes to play. Then Miami led 14-12. Then Miami led 21-12. Then Miami led 21-19. Then Denver, on the Elam snaker, led 22-21. Then Miami, on the Mare kick that looked like Tiger Woods hit it with a 3-wood, led 24-22. Great defenses, but 27 points in 10 minutes. Amazing.
Before last night, I thought New England’s 41-38 overtime win over the Chiefs Sept. 22 would be the best game I saw this year. As good as that one was, it was really a succession of one great offensive play after another against suspect defenses. This was a couple of stingy defenses making a few plays, then yielding, then making some more plays, then yielding. I have no idea what this league can do for an encore."
Wish I could have seen it but none of the UK channels cover the Sunday night games.
Like him or hate him Peter King is on the money as usual:
"Ten reasons why Miami’s 24-22 Sunday night win over Denver was an instant classic, and why it should go down as one of the best games ever played:
1. Because of valor. Playing with a broken thumb he suffered 20 minutes earlier, Jay Fiedler was huge in driving Miami 39 yards in 29 seconds to set up the game-winning field goal with six seconds left. The Miami quarterback will now be Ray Lucas, for how long I have no idea. But boo Fiedler no more, Dolfans. He earned his NFL merit badge Sunday night.
2. Because of great players playing great in the clutch. Can Jason Taylor play any better? Or Ricky Williams? Or Rod Smith? And can two quarterbacks rebound from adversity to lead as well as Fiedler and Brian Griese did late in a game? Can two defensive lines perform better? God, were they hard to handle. Can Sam Madison be around the ball more than he was?
3. Because even the field goals made you yelp. Sorry if you were in Room 151 of the Nashville Airport Marriott last night when Jason Elam snaked his 55-yarder eight inches inside the right upright with 45 seconds left. The loud idiot in 153? That was me. Thirty-nine seconds later, it happened again, Olindo Mare’s 53-yarder hitting high up on the net. You know it’s a great game when even the field goals are exciting.
4. Because of the collisions. Kenoy Kennedy, you’re going down for that hit on Chris Chambers. Maybe you missed the rules meeting this year. Can’t launch yourself at a ballcarrier and drive your helmet with unmitigated force into the jaw of a receiver. That was an Andre Waters hit. I’d be shocked if Kennedy wasn’t suspended for the game at Kansas City this week.
5. Because of the Al Wilson de-cleater on Ricky Williams in the fourth quarter. Williams ran right, trying to get outside, and Wilson, running at him, separated Williams’ feet from the earth as if he’d been swept away by a tidal wave. Amazing.
6. Because Williams got up from the hit like nothing had happened. If you watched the game and didn’t come away with a ton of respect for Williams’ toughness on a night when he rushed for only 49 yards, you weren’t watching the same game I was.
7. Because the Broncos got what the football gods thought they deserved. Broncos tackle Blake Brockermeyer was flagged for holding on the final play of the first half, wiping out a 49-yard Elam field goal. Had it stood, that would have given them enough point to win the game. Fullback Mike Anderson lost a fumble on the Miami 1-yard line. Those points would have won the game. And in the cruelest twist of all, Fiedler’s crucial throw, made with the broken thumb and with the clock ticking down into the teens, was into coverage that he had no right to be throwing into. Four Broncos were within a few yards of Dedric Ward. But Fiedler let fly a jet, and it went through the hands of linebacker John Mobley, who almost imperceptibly changed the ball’s course. Just not enough. Ward changed the position of his hands and cradled the ball. Another game-changing play, just missed. Either team would be dying this morning had it lost. Denver has more reasons to be blue.
8. Because of ESPN's slow-motion replay of Mobley’s missed pick. Mobley played so well he doesn’t deserve to see that replay 100 times this week. But that’s life in the NFL. Sometimes you make the play. Sometimes the play makes you.
9. Because the game was spellbinding. The baseball fan in me wanted to watch some of the Cards-Giants last night, but there was no way anyone who likes both games could watch baseball over football. I saw three lousy at-bats of what I bet was a terrific baseball game, and I didn’t even know how it ended until the crawl told me Benito Santiago jacked one in the eighth to win it for the Giants.
10. Because of the non-stop action during the last 10 minutes. Denver led 12-7 with 10 minutes to play. Then Miami led 14-12. Then Miami led 21-12. Then Miami led 21-19. Then Denver, on the Elam snaker, led 22-21. Then Miami, on the Mare kick that looked like Tiger Woods hit it with a 3-wood, led 24-22. Great defenses, but 27 points in 10 minutes. Amazing.
Before last night, I thought New England’s 41-38 overtime win over the Chiefs Sept. 22 would be the best game I saw this year. As good as that one was, it was really a succession of one great offensive play after another against suspect defenses. This was a couple of stingy defenses making a few plays, then yielding, then making some more plays, then yielding. I have no idea what this league can do for an encore."
Wish I could have seen it but none of the UK channels cover the Sunday night games.
