Someone who remembers that melt down very well. Here’s what happened:
1. We kicked their ass for 57 minutes w Ricky going off for 185 as Superphin states. Also, his long in the game was about 14 so he was gashing them - not like he ripped a 70 yarder and jacked up his average.
2. NE was not interested in the game really as they couldn’t win the division. It was us or the Jets.
3. We gave up a late drive for a TD and the 2 pointer allowing NE to pull within 3. Here’s where ST would deliver a choke job of epic proportions.
4. Not knowing if NE would onsides or not, we put Welker (yes he played for us that year) at about the 20. Doing what, we still don’t know. With no one back at the goalline, NE pooched the KO perfectly inside our 5. Welker had to run back and fall on the live ball to retain possession - which he did - at our 1.
5. With Ricky running wild, Dumbstadt inexplicably didn’t hand the ball to him. Instead he had Ramen Noodle arm Fiedler fire 3 straight incompletions. Genius. Later he would defend the move saying, “they were expecting us to run it”. No **** Sherlock. So did everyone that year but it didn’t stop Williams from rushing for 1853 yards now did it?
6. Next up, Mark Royal(shank). Yes the punter who holds the dubious honor of most punts in NFL history would boom one of his patented 29 yarders to the Miami 30 setting NE up in FG range.
7. Our D forced a 3 and out and actually pushed NE back a yard or 2. No matter, their kicker split the uprights and tied the game sending it to OT.
8. We kickoff to start OT and somehow we kick it OOB. NE starts at the 40, marches a few yards and kicks the FG to win.
A game we dominated in the trenches we blew along w the season. All on Dumbstadt and his cowardice. Ricky should have gotten the ball on at least two of those plays. The ST coach should have been fired. How do you not have a return man back there?
Dumbstadt’s career played out the same everywhere. He inherited good teams, drafted poorly (Jamar Fletcher, Eddie Moore - doh!) and his teams declined over time. He sucked and as Superphin pointed out, he accomplished a real rarity in being +70 in points, having the NFL’s leading rusher, yet found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (his hallmark) to keep the best team he had during his tenure in Miami out of the playoffs. What a loser.
