Miami Dolphins 2009

By Solange Reyner
MIAMI (CBS4) ― Tony Sparano benched Ted Ginn Jr. after a dismal performance last Sunday.

The motivational ploy worked. 

Ginn Jr. returned two 100-plus yard kickoffs for scores in the third quarter, Jason Taylor returned a fumble for a touchdown and the Miami Dolphins (3-4) didn't need much offense to beat the New York Jets, 30-25, on Sunday.

Ginn dropped critical passes against the New Orleans Saints last week, and Sparano opened up the competition for wide out at practice this week because of his struggles.

"Teddy takes a heck of a lot, but he's a resilient guy. I think this kid understands. There's no question we shook things up this week, but Teddy did a great job. Sometimes people rise up, sometimes they don't and he did," Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said.

Rookie Brian Hartline started in Ginn Jr.'s place, but Miami's offense wasn't the tale for this win, its second against the Jets this season. 

Chad Henne was pressured all day and sacked four times while throwing for 112 yards on 12 of 21 passing.

Ronnie Brown didn't have success with the wildcat, also getting sacked twice, and rushing for only 27 yards.
 
Miami used special teams and a strong defensive effort for this one.
Ginn Jr. became the first player to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same quarter since Green Bay's Travis Williams in 1967. He had returns of 100 and 101 yards.

"I just tried to run as hard as I can. I just tried to go out there and make a play for my team. I had a rough one last week," Ginn Jr. said.
"It means a lot to win another game in our division."

Randy Starks led the Dolphins with seven tackles and a sack, shutting the Jets (4-4) down on their final drive of the game to preserve the victory. With more than a minute left on the clock and New York at the Dolphins' 8-yard line, Starks stuffed Sanchez on third down behind the line of scrimmage for a seven yard loss.

One play later, Sanchez had nowhere to pass, turning the ball over on downs.

"I knew it was going to be a physical game. Stop the run and protect the pass and that's what I was trying to do all game," Starks said.

"We had to go out there and make a play, and luckily I was the one that made it."

The first half was a complete defensive effort on both sides. Miami didn't get a first down until four minutes into the second quarter, and there weren't points on the board until Jay Feely connected from 23 yards out on a field goal with 12:20 left in the second.

Dan Carpenter's 48-yarder with 1:55 left tied the game at 3-all going into halftime.

That's when things opened up. After Feely hit a 55-yard field goal, Ginn Jr. returned his first kickoff for a score. Taylor recovered a Shonn Greene fumble three minutes later to put Miami ahead, 17-6, with Sanchez answering back on a 1-yard touchdown run that capped off a 29-yard, 5 play drive on the next series.

Ginn Jr. eluded three tacklers with 3:09 left in the third on his second return, this one for 101 yards, to put Miami up, 24-20.

Joey Haynos caught a touchdown in the fourth for Miami, which only mustered 104 yards of total offense, and Sanchez connected with tight end Dustin Keller to make it 30-25 with five-plus minutes left.

The matchup was billed as a faceoff between the top two rushing teams in the league. But it was New York's offense that racked up the yards.

Thomas Jones finished with 102 yards on 27 carries for his third straight 100-plus rushing game, and Sanchez had 265 yards on 20 of 25 passing.

How they scored:
Fourth quarter
Dolphins 30, Jets 25
Sanchez connects with tight end Dustin Keller for a 16-yard score.
The plays: Sanchez hooks up with Jones and Edwards for big pass-plays.
The drive: 6 plays, 74 yards, 2:56.

Dolphins 30, Jets 19
Joey Haynos reels in his first career touchdown.
The plays: Miami gets big yards from Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.
The drive: 13 plays, 62 yards, 7:47.

Third quarter
Dolphins 24, Jets 19
Braylon Edwards holds onto a 19-yard reception to get within four points.
The plays: Sanchez connects with Cotchery on a 53-yard pass play to get into Miami territory.
The drive: 3 plays, 74 yards, 1:34.

Dolphins 24, Jets 13
Ginn returns another kickoff for a touchdown, this one 101 yards.

Dolphins 17, Jets 13
Mark Sanchez runs it in untouched from one yard out.
The plays:
The drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 2:22.

Dolphins 17, Jets 6
Jason Taylor scores his 9th career touchdown after recovering a Shonn Greene fumble and returning it for a score.

Dolphins 10, Jets 6
Ted Ginn Jr. returns a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, a week after a dismal performance against the New Orleans Saints.

Jets 6, Dolphins 3
Feely drills a 55-yard field goal to put New York ahead.
The plays: Thomas Jones rushes on five straight plays to get into Miami territory.
The drive: 7 plays, 14 yards, 3:10.

Second quarter
Dolphins 3, Jets 3
Dan Carpenter kicks the longest field goal of his career, a 48-yarder, to tie it up.
The plays: The Dolphins get good field position, but get stuffed on back-to-back wildcat plays.
The drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 2:14.

Jets 3, Dolphins 0
Former Dolphin Jay Feely gets the Jets on the board in the second quarter with a 23-yard field goal.
The plays:  Sanchez and Edwards connect for a 25-yard gain to get into Miami territory.
The drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 4:18.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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