Shockwork Orange: Fins Take Jets in Thrilling Win
Henne is now 2-0 as a starter, trailing the orange jerseys by a win
By JANIE CAMPBELL
Updated 10:42 AM EDT, Tue, Oct 13, 2009
What in the world did we just watch, Miami?
We could have sworn the 1-3 Dolphins just beat the 3-1 Jets on a touchdown in the final six seconds of Monday Night Football. We'll also go on record on having seen both Anthony Fasano and Ted Ginn, Jr. score touchdowns in the most bubbly of pressure cookers, and Pat White go in with a slugfest on the line.
And we'll be darned if Chad Henne -- the one who was so unready and unchallenging in fall camp -- didn't just out himself as the Quarterback of Dolphins Future, possibly banishing the Ghost of Dolphins Past to ... wherever it is Dan Marino does whatever it is Dan Marino does these days (yeah, we know...Weston. But that's not a real place).
The only normal part was Ronnie Brown being an all-around badass for the billionth time, cutting and leaping his way to two TDs bookending 165 yards of total offense and one completed pass.
So is this bizarro 2008? Let's hope so, because that would mean the Dolphins' first three games were some weird aberration, and there's actually a chance following Miami's ascension to just one game behind the Jets and Pats, who are tied for first.
The funny thing about that, now that Dolphins have beaten those evil Jets 31-27, is that all three other AFC Easts denizens have lost a game, and the Dolphins are 2-0 against them. How 'bout them apples?
Hopefully this version is our Dolphins. The one that staged three come-from-behind scores in the fourth quarter.
The one that bounced back from the loss of Chad Pennington with a first-time starting quarterback that managed a passer rating of more than 50 points higher against the Jets than his nearest competitor.
The one that makes Jason Taylor and Ricky Williams look young again.
The team that figures out how to use guys who'd be left for dead elsewhere (some call that "necessity," but whatever), and is crafty enough to gain 110 yards in a specialty offense.
About that Wildcat thing -- some call it "just giving Ronnie Brown the ball" -- 16 plays reduced Rex Ryan to some pretty sad potshots after the game: “It was a complete embarrassment...I used to see all those gimmicks when I was coaching back in college,” he pouted. “I’ve been a part of some bad performances before on defense, just not this bad.”
"I'm just at a loss for words with our defensive performance. We made that quarterback look like Dan Marino."
Yeah, well, that "gimmick" just blew up your spot, buddy. And that quarterback -- his name is Chad Henne, FYI -- was pretty good, by anyone's standards. Henne completed 20 of 26 for 241 yards and two touchdowns, and was flawless in play action. His 53-yard bomb to Ted Ginn gave Miami a 24-20 lead with 10:10 left, and all of a sudden the clunky old Dolphins sported the ability to strike quickly.
It was enough to beat the Jets, and that's a start. Again.
First Published: Oct 12, 2009 11:58 PM EDT
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