Colts at Dolphins
Pro Player Stadium
Miami, Fla.
Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000
AT A GLANCE: These AFC East rivals split the season
series, with each team winning on the road. The Colts are on a roll heading into this
game, having won three in a row. The Dolphins won their last game after losing the
previous two.
|
| OVERVIEW: The only time these teams met in the
playoffs was after the 1971 season, when the Dolphins beat the then-Baltimore Colts 21-0
in Miami. The teams haven’t met in the playoffs since. The Colts have won the last
two games in Miami, but prior to that, the Dolphins won the previous three. The Dolphins
avoided a disastrous end-of-the-year collapse by beating the Patriots 27-24 last week on
an Olindo Mare field goal after which they thwarted the Patriots’ last-ditch effort.
The Colts clawed their way into the playoffs after many had counted them out after Week
14. Indianapolis stood at 7-6 and had lost three straight, but the defense turned its play
around after the streak and rejuvenated a team that hasn’t played as consistently as
many predicted it would.
The Dolphins and Colts are both looking to make a better impression in the playoffs
after bowing out early last year. The Colts earned a first-round bye but were edged out
19-16 by the Titans in the divisional round.
The Dolphins entered the playoffs after losing five of six games but beat the Seahawks
in their wild-card game 20-17. The Dolphins then traveled to Jacksonville, where they were
embarrassed by the Jaguars 62-7 in the conference semifinals.
The Dolphins have dominated the series all-time with a record of 42-21.
WHEN THE COLTS HAVE THE BALL:
The Colts’ offense is finally clicking on every cylinder. Plus, when the offense
does make a mistake, the defense is finally capable of overcoming such miscues. That has
taken a lot of pressure off the offense.
QB Peyton Manning has been fabulous all year, but he has been overshadowed a bit by the
Colts’ shortcomings on defense and the lack of consistency by the rest of the
offense. Manning broke Johnny Unitas’ 41-year-old franchise record for TD passes in a
season last week, finishing with 33 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. |
|
|
| Pro Player Stadium |
| Miami, Fla. |
| Date: Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000 |
| 12:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time |
| Type Of Turf: Natural |
| Meeting Of The Year: Third |
| Season Record: |
| |
Indianapolis |
10-6-0 |
| |
Miami |
11-5-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Indianapolis |
9-7-0 |
| |
Miami |
10-5-1 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
Indianapolis (R) |
4-4-0 |
| |
Miami (H) |
5-3-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Indianapolis (R) |
4-4-0 |
| |
Miami (H) |
5-3-0 |
| Record On Natural Turf: |
| |
Indianapolis |
2-4-0 |
| |
Miami |
8-4-0 |
| Record On Natural Turf Vs. Spread: |
| |
Indianapolis |
2-4-0 |
| |
Miami |
7-4-1 |
|
|
| Manning has received great protection from his offensive line, being sacked only 20
times this season. C Jeff Saturday and OTs Tarik Glenn and Adam Meadows have done a good
job keeping defenders out of Manning’s face and out of the passing lanes. The line
also has done a great job blocking for RB Edgerrin James, who set franchise records for
rushing yards and total yards last week. James was the NFL’s top rusher this year
with 1,709 yards.
The Dolphins’ defense must hunker down and not let James run wild. James had games
of 118 and 112 yards against Miami this year.
The Dolphins’ pass defense has been excellent all year, while the run defense has
been very good at times but average down the stretch. CB Sam Madison has done a tremendous
job against No. 1 receivers in one-on-one situations this year.
WHEN THE DOLPHINS HAVE THE BALL:
Miami needs to build off of last week’s offensive performance, one in which QB Jay
Fiedler shook off the pain of a torn rotator cuff and passed for 264 yards and one
touchdown. Fiedler must continue his tough play and not make the mistakes that hurt the
Dolphins in their losses in Weeks 15 and 16. Fiedler threw five interceptions in those two
games.
RB Lamar Smith has been the key to the offense. As Smith goes, so go the Dolphins. Even
if Smith hasn’t rushed for a lot of yards in a game, he has scored. Smith has had
four games in which he’s scored two rushing touchdowns.
The Dolphins’ receivers have been the team’s weak link, offering no
consistent deep threat. WRs Tony Martin, O.J. McDuffie, Bert Emanuel (out for the year)
and Leslie Shepherd (out for year) have all spent significant time out with injuries.
These injuries have forced Oronde Gadsden to step into the No. 1 WR role. Gadsden has
responded to the challenge but is better-suited to be a possession receiver.
On the line, OTs Kevin Donnalley and Richmond Webb and C Tim Ruddy have brought along
third-year OG Mark Dixon and rookie OG Todd Wade very well. Wade has played beyond
expectations as a second-round (53rd overall) draft pick.
The Colts’ defense hasn’t changed scheme-wise, but it has clearly kicked up
its play several notches down the stretch. Rookie DT Josh Williams has been a force inside
and LB Mike Peterson has been the most consistent player on the Colts’ defense. The
key will be whether the defense can force turnovers, as it has done the last three weeks,
against a Miami offense that doesn’t give up very many in key situations.
All game previews and depth charts were compiled as of Dec. 25, 2000 |
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
86 PATHON, 84 Green |
| OLT |
78 GLENN, 73 Meadows |
| OLG |
76 McKINNEY, 74 Jackson |
| C |
63 SATURDAY, 54 Armour |
| ORG |
50 MOORE, 69 Gilbert* |
| ORT |
73 MEADOWS, 74 Jackson |
| TE |
85 DILGER, 81 Pollard, 83 Keur*, 48 Snow* |
| WR |
88 HARRISON, 80 Wilkins |
| QB |
18 MANNING, 13 Holcomb, 14 Hobert |
| RB |
32 JAMES, 30 Gordon |
| H-b |
36 FINN*, 39 Shields |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
99 SCIOLI, 79 Holsey, 90 M. Thomas |
| DLT |
96 J. WILLIAMS*, 64 Chester |
| DRT |
62 JOHNSON, 95 Whittington, 65 Miller* |
| DRE |
92 BRATZKE, 93 Barnes, 91 Nwokorie |
| LLB |
97 BENNETT, 53 Washington* |
| MLB |
56 HOLLIER, 51 Glover, 98 Sword |
| RLB |
52 PETERSON, 55 R. Thomas |
| LCB |
20 BURRIS, 28 Macklin*, 31 Crosby* |
| RCB |
31 MUHAMMAD, 38 Poole |
| SS |
37 COTA, 47 Austin |
| FS |
29 BELSER, 26 Blevins |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
17 SMITH |
| PK |
12 VANDERJAGT, 7 Kight |
| H |
17 SMITH |
| PR |
80 WILKINS, 86 Pathon |
| KR |
80 WILKINS, 86 Pathon |
| KC |
48 SNOW*, 85 Dilger |
* Rookie |
|
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
80 MARTIN, 81 McDuffie, 84 Shepherd |
| OLT |
78 WEBB, 74 B. Smith |
| OLG |
63 DIXON, 66 Irwin |
| C |
61 RUDDY, 62 Andersen |
| ORG |
65 DONNALLEY, 64 Cesario |
| ORT |
71 WADE*, 74 B. Smith |
| TE |
83 GOODWIN, 82 Weaver, 48 Heffner-Liddiard |
| WR |
86 GADSDEN, 88 Ogden, 15 Savage |
| QB |
9 FIEDLER, 11 Huard, 4 Quinn |
| RB |
26 L. SMITH, 32 J. Johnson, 21 Denson |
| FB |
44 KONRAD, 33 Dyer* |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
79 MIXON, 96 Owens, 93 Armstrong |
| DLT |
95 BOWENS, 94 Haley |
| DRT |
92 GARDENER, 97 Grant* |
| DRE |
99 TAYLOR, 91 Bromell |
| WLB |
59 RODGERS, 51 Hendricks |
| MLB |
54 Z. THOMAS, 53 Izzo |
| SLB |
52 R. JONES, 56 Russell |
| LCB |
23 SURTAIN, 24 Wilson |
| RCB |
29 MADISON, 22 Shaw |
| SS |
45 WALKER, 27 Freeman*, 42 Gamble* |
| FS |
31 MARION, 38 Williams |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
1 TURK |
| PK |
10 MARE |
| H |
11 HUARD, 1 Turk |
| PR |
88 OGDEN, 84 Shepherd |
| KR |
21 DENSON, 32 J. Johnson, 88 Ogden |
| KC |
48 HEFFNER-LIDDIARD, 83 Goodwin |
* Rookie |
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