FOXBORO -- The Dolphins out-coached, outplayed, out-thought, out-executed, you name it they did it to the Patriots today. But mostly they administered a beatdown on New England, 38-13 the stirring result.
New England coach Bill Belicheat agreed with me.
"I thought that Miami played a real good football game," he said. "They did everything a lot better than we did. They outplayed us. They out-coached us. They certainly dominated on offense and defense. I thought we were competitive in the kicking game but that was about it, not on the offensive or defensive sides of the ball."
Ronnie Brown went crazy on the Patriots defense. Using what the Dolphins refer to as the "Wildcat" formation in which Brown lines up in shotgun and either runs, hands off or passes, the running back scored four touchdowns, threw for another touchdown and gained a game-high113 yards on 17 carries.
Ricky Williams contributed 98 yards on 16 carries. Wow.
Brown had TD runs of 62 yards, 5 yards, 15 yards and 2 yards -- all of them out of the "Wildcat" formation. Miami's other points came on a 39-yard field goal by Dan Carpenter.
Although the Patriots scored their first TD of the day on a Matt Cassel pass, the Dolphins defense clearly outplayed New England offense also. New England's TD was made possible primarily because Ellis Hobbs returned a kickoff 81 yards.
That kickoff came after Ronnie Brown threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Fasano to give the Dolphins a 28-6 lead. That is not a misprint. Brown, who ran for three previous scores, lined up in the shotgun and took the direct snap. He rolled left, which is his dominant hand, and pass to Fasano.
The Dolphins have clearly found a chink in the New England defense's armor as Brown tied the team record for rushing TDs in a game with three.
Brown scored from 5 yards out iwth :54 seconds to play in the half. Three of the scores have come on a play in which Brown takes a direct snap from center as Chad Pennington lines up at WR. Brown simply keeps the ball and finds a running lane that one can fit a truck through. He's done this twice. The third time he passed.
New England early on was able to match Miami score for score. The difference was Miami was scoring touchdowns. New England has two field goals.
So the score here is 21-6 so far after Stephen Gostkowski connected on his second field goal of the day.
Ronnie Brown is on a tear! He went over from 15 yards out for his second touchdown of the day as the Dolphins stretched their lead over New England to 14-3 in the second quarter.
The Miami TD answered a 37-yard field goal by Gostkowski that New England used to close the gap with the Dolphins to 7-3 early in the second quarter.
The Dolphins took a 7-0 lead when Brown took a direct snap from center and ran in from 2 yards in the first quarter.
The Dolphins have shown a lot of fight so far. They got their first interception of the season -- that by Randy Starks -- to stop a first quarter New England drive. Then the Dolphins drove 74 yards for the go-ahead TD.
It was the first time this season the Patriots have allowed a first-quarter touchdown and the first time this year Miami takes a lead in a game. Anthony Fasano caught passes of 23 and 24 yards on the drive to help the Dolphins.
It's a beautiful day for a live blog and we will have that in the comment section today.
Meanwhile the news today is that Brown got his first start of the season ahead of Ricky Williams at running back.
As reported in this blog often this week, Renaldo Hill is starting for Chris Crocker at free safety.
I ran into future Dolphins owner and current partner Stephen Ross before the game. He is here. It is interesting, to me at least, that Wayne Huizenga is not here and I didn't see him on the road last week, either. I don't know what that means, but I just figured you'd like to know.
For the Patriots, meanwhile, starting running back Laurence Maroney is out. Backup Lamont Jordan is questionable. The starter will be former Dolphins running back Sammy Morris.
Gotta work on special teams coverage/blocking.
Posted by: Cam Cameron | September 21, 2008 at 03:19 PM
great block by ricky!!! wahooo
dolphins are MURDERING the patriots!! hahaha
Posted by: | September 21, 2008 at 03:19 PM
about time jp earns his money and doesn't make us fools for runing his mouth all week
Posted by: phil | September 21, 2008 at 03:20 PM
wow, Moss really has given up...
Posted by: Marc | September 21, 2008 at 03:20 PM
Where ya at, Fox?
Posted by: LAPhins | September 21, 2008 at 03:20 PM
moss who??
Posted by: | September 21, 2008 at 03:20 PM
Yeah, Joey!
Posted by: Cam Cameron | September 21, 2008 at 03:21 PM
i lov it
Posted by: | September 21, 2008 at 03:21 PM
FUMBLE!!!!! MIAMI'S BALL!!!!
Posted by: Cote = Blah Blah Blah | September 21, 2008 at 03:21 PM
Porter knocks ball loose. Miami recovers. Ballgame.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | September 21, 2008 at 03:21 PM
nothing beats seeing harrison and the rest of them old cheating NE dirt bags all Pi$$ed off on the sidelines... Porter playing on fire! Fins need to run it up!!!
Posted by: azfin | September 21, 2008 at 03:21 PM
Lil Mikey, she can grab you a SIX when she get done wit my NINE....GO FISH!!!
Posted by: D.Strock | September 21, 2008 at 03:21 PM
joey my hero today. about time we get in the plus on turnovers
Posted by: phil | September 21, 2008 at 03:21 PM
Big play
Posted by: Hayden Fox | September 21, 2008 at 03:21 PM
Omg Its Almost Worth Losing 20 Out Of 21 4 This
Posted by: very intoxicated mikey p | September 21, 2008 at 03:21 PM
WE CAN't STOPPED!!!!!!
Posted by: LAPhins | September 21, 2008 at 03:21 PM
Lots of people in the Boston area will be home on time for 60 Minutes, judging by the stampede to the exits
Posted by: Alex C | September 21, 2008 at 03:22 PM
joey my hero today. about time we get in the plus on turnovers
Posted by: phil | September 21, 2008 at 03:22 PM
leave everyone leave hahahahahahahaha
Posted by: dmac72 | September 21, 2008 at 03:22 PM
GO JOEYYYY TALK UR Sh#@t BOi..backin it up baby
Posted by: | September 21, 2008 at 03:22 PM
WE CAN'T BE STOPPED!!!!!!!!
Posted by: LAPhins | September 21, 2008 at 03:22 PM
Fans leaving now and there are almost 13 minutes to play.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | September 21, 2008 at 03:22 PM
Lets go for 50!
Posted by: Nic | September 21, 2008 at 03:23 PM
I see improvements in the Dolphins.But no improvements in your "column!"
Posted by: ye of much phin phaith | September 21, 2008 at 03:23 PM
Hey why not go deep here a few times with the game in hand? just like NE did to us last year...
Posted by: azfin | September 21, 2008 at 03:23 PM
HAHAHA look at the fans leaving lol wow and i though we were bad!!!!!!!
Posted by: | September 21, 2008 at 03:23 PM
Hey Patriots, how about we trade you our third best QB John Beck for your third best receiver Randy Moss.
Posted by: riosaddles | September 21, 2008 at 03:23 PM
I fricking LOVE Ronnie Brown...
Posted by: DC Dolphan | September 21, 2008 at 03:23 PM
go phins I am proud of you today
Posted by: mike | September 21, 2008 at 03:24 PM
must be a weird days cause pat fans are the ones leaving early
Posted by: phil | September 21, 2008 at 03:24 PM
i forgot what this felt like
Posted by: dmac72 | September 21, 2008 at 03:24 PM
Armanod, how many yards do you have today?
Posted by: LAPhins | September 21, 2008 at 03:24 PM
I have waited years for this crap. Must keep working hard though. See if they can learn to finish strong.
Posted by: Hayden Fox | September 21, 2008 at 03:24 PM
*Armando
Posted by: LAPhins | September 21, 2008 at 03:24 PM
Man, I forgot what it feels like to be winning BIG, to NE no less!
Posted by: Marc | September 21, 2008 at 03:24 PM
perfect time for chad henne. don"t you think?
Posted by: | September 21, 2008 at 03:25 PM
Thanx
Posted by: very intoxicated mikey p | September 21, 2008 at 03:25 PM
WHY do shirt-heads like FOX feel the need to come to MY blog and run their PIE HOLES?
It's a FREE country. Feel FREE to go elswhere!
Posted by: D.Strock | September 21, 2008 at 03:26 PM
How big is this upset?
Posted by: Armando Salguero | September 21, 2008 at 03:26 PM
Time for a little more Henne experience?
Posted by: thigg4 | September 21, 2008 at 03:26 PM
I like to see henne ,in there now rest Chad And let Henne throw some deep bombs
Posted by: mike | September 21, 2008 at 03:26 PM
yeah let chad H. get some garbage time without the prevent D on.
Posted by: dmac72 | September 21, 2008 at 03:26 PM
This feels like that Chicago game two years ago, when no one gave us a chance.
Posted by: LAPhins | September 21, 2008 at 03:27 PM
the AFC east is wide open, the raiders are leading the bills late in the game the jets aint that good and it looks like NE is not any better...
Posted by: azfin | September 21, 2008 at 03:27 PM
Given our record last year... similar but not nearly equal to this past superbowl
Posted by: | September 21, 2008 at 03:27 PM
i don't think a good time for ch cause cp and o-line are flowing. no need to mess it up go rub it in the big f-ing faceslike tose cheaters did to us last year
Posted by: phil | September 21, 2008 at 03:27 PM
Again... Win is huge... But even bigger are simple things like seeing Ronnie Brown healthy, young guys on the DL playing well, Fasano looks like a real find, Ginn getting involved more, OL playing well against a very good Pats DL..... Great signs...
Posted by: Alex C | September 21, 2008 at 03:27 PM
>Too many people celebrating on this website. I am sure this game ain't over.
Its over Hayden...
Posted by: Mr x | September 21, 2008 at 03:28 PM
INTERCEPTION!!!!!
Posted by: Cote = Blah Blah Blah | September 21, 2008 at 03:28 PM
DAMMIT
Posted by: Cote = Blah Blah Blah | September 21, 2008 at 03:28 PM
What a chicken s call by the officials... That was a GREAT hit
Posted by: Alex C | September 21, 2008 at 03:29 PM
That is a BS call.
Posted by: Cam Cameron | September 21, 2008 at 03:29 PM
Bullsh*t call.
Posted by: LAPhins | September 21, 2008 at 03:29 PM
cassel got laid out, nice that was almost worth the 15 yards...
Posted by: azfin | September 21, 2008 at 03:29 PM
This is a real confidence booster for the Fins', at the very least it will quiet the negative media know-it-alls, at best the team will begin to truly believe in the Sparano message. 6-7 victories this year and major improvements over this season.
Posted by: ye of much phin phaith | September 21, 2008 at 03:30 PM
What is Holliday supposed to do, alter his progression in mid-flight???
Posted by: Alex C | September 21, 2008 at 03:30 PM
Patriots can't do ANYTHING on offense.
Posted by: LAPhins | September 21, 2008 at 03:31 PM
i don't care take the flag only wish it was brady that got that hit
Posted by: phil | September 21, 2008 at 03:31 PM
cassel keeps running outside the pocket just asking to get hurt! Can't wait to see all the know it all talking heads eat crow tonight!
Posted by: azfin | September 21, 2008 at 03:31 PM
Hit up that Boston Globe Fin Fans!
Posted by: Joey Porter | September 21, 2008 at 03:31 PM