Sports

By Solange Reyner
MIAMI (CBS4) ― Ricky Williams proved to be a suitable Wildcat backup.

Williams, 32, scored three touchdowns, once out of the wildcat formation, as the Dolphins beat the Carolina Panthers, 24-17, on the road.

A day after learning that starter Ronnie Brown would be out for the season with a broken foot, Williams came in to give Miami a boost.

He finished with a season-high 119 yards on 22 carries, and caught a touchdown pass for the first time in his career.

He caught a touchdown pass from Chad Henne for Miami's first score, and then finished things up with a 46-yard scamper late in the fourth to give Miami a 10-point lead.

The latter score was more impressive. Carolina (4-6) had nine players in the box, and Williams broke free from three tackles to get into the end zone. He did get a little help from guard Justin Smiley, who opened things up on the line.

"It was good to watch," linebacker Joey Porter said.
"They pounded the ball. That number seven back there is as calm as it gets. Polite was blocking all day, and Ricky ran tonight like he was 25 years old. You put that all together and it's gumbo."

The Dolphins (5-5) won two straight, this one four days after barely squeaking by the woeful Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

"We knew it was going to be critical for us to take care of two football games," Miami coach Tony Sparano said.

"One of the things when you do make a turnaround like this - the injuries were tremendous. ... We had three centers working out there today, but it worked out. My hats off to them. They just kept grinding out there."

Henne had 172 yards on 17 of 29 passing, and Miami's defense limited Pro-Bowler Steve Smith, who was involved in a fender bender on his way to the stadium.

Smith caught seven passes for 87 yards and a touchdown, with rookie Vontae Davis hindering him most of the night.

Jake Delhomme was sacked four times, twice by the previously benched Porter, who also finished with eight tackles.

"Those guys fought hard and rallied," Carolina coach John Fox said.

"We've still got a lot of football left. I'm dissappointed for them.
We have to keep battling. I think there's still a lot of fight in that room. There's still no way we're out of it."

The Dolphins scored 14 unanswered before John Kasay hit a 33-yard field goal in the fourth. Carpenter answered with a 37-yarder, and Smith caught a 27-yard touchdown pass over Davis to make it close at 17-14.

The Panthers got close on their final drive after Gary Barnidge caught two huge passes to get Carolina on the Miami 26-yard line.

Tyrone Culver batted Delhomme's Hail Mary as time expired, though, to get the Dolphins to .500.

How they scored:
Fourth Quarter
Dolphins 24, Panthers 17
Kasay connects from 48 yards out.
The drive: 11 plays, 50 yards in 2:14.

Dolphins 24, Panthers 14
Williams scores his third TD of the night to put the Dolphins ahead by 10.
The plays: Henne hits Davone Bess for a huge first down, and Williams breaks a few tackles for a 47-yard scamper.
The drive: 4 plays, 59 yards in 1:23.

Dolphins 17, Panthers 14
Steve Smith hauls in a 27-yard touchdown pass with five-plus minutes left.
The plays: It's all Smith here. Carolina adds a 2-point conversion to get close.
The drive: 8 plays, 68 yards in 2:14.

Dolphins 17, Panthers 6
Dan Carpenter answers back with a 37-yard field goal.
The plays: Ricky Williams leads the Dolphins down field on a nearly 7-minute drive.
The drive: 11 plays, 61 yards in 6:42

Dolphins 14, Panthers 6
John Kasay hits a 33-yarder early in the fourth.
The plays: Delhomme is sacked again - this time by Randy Starks - that forces Carolina to settle for a field goal.
The drive: 8 plays, 46 yards in 3:25

Second Quarter
Dolphins 14, Panthers 3
It's Williams again - this time out of the wildcat.
The plays: Miami gets good field position and Henne drives the Dolphins down field for the score, the final play a wildcat touchdown for backup Williams.
The drive: 8 plays, 29 yards in 1:58.

Dolphins 7, Panthers 3
Chad Henne finds Ricky Williams in the end zone to put the Dolphins up.
The plays: It's a Henne to Hartline pass for 36 yards that puts Miami into Carolina territory.
The drive: 9 plays, 81 yards in 5:28.

First Quarter
Panthers 3, Dolphins 0
Kasay hits a 29-yarder.
The plays: The Panthers settle for a field goal after Jake Delhomme is sacked at the Miami 7-yard line on third-and-seven.
The drive: 12 plays, 51 yards in 5:29.

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

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