Miami Beats Browns With Field Goal in OT

Miami Dolphins rookie Pete Stoyanovich may have saved more than a game with his 35-yard field goal in overtime Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

He also may have saved his job.

Stoyanovich missed a 46-yard field goal in the third period and a 45-yarder with three seconds left in regulation time, but gave the Dolphins a 13-10 victory when he connected on Miami’s first possession in overtime.

“This is a big, big kick in his career,” Dolphin Coach Don Shula said.

Stoyanovich, an eighth-round draft choice who became Miami’s kicker when veteran Fuad Reveiz was injured in training camp, said he was confident about the final kick despite his earlier misses.

“It wasn’t that far out,” he said. “I had no doubt I was going to make it. I’m just really fortunate that the team gave me a second opportunity to win it for them.”

Cleveland took the kickoff to start overtime and drove 46 yards, but Matt Bahr was wide left on a 44-yard field-goal attempt.

“We all miss,” Stoyanovich said. “Nobody’s perfect.”

The winner, with 8:32 left, capped a 55-yard drive that included two third-and-10 passes from Dan Marino to Fred Banks. On the first pass, Stephen Braggs was called for a 26-yard pass interference penalty at the Cleveland 47. The second pass was a 20-yard completion to the Cleveland 27.

Miami’s previous home games this season, both losses, also were decided on the game’s final play.

“There have been two games we should have won at the end, but we didn’t,” Marino said. “This will be a big boost for us.”

The Dolphins (2-3) and Browns (3-2) both had a chance to win the game in a wild final minute in regulation.

Cleveland’s Felix Wright returned an interception to the Miami 37 with 1:08 left, but Louis Oliver intercepted Bernie Kosar’s pass two plays later. Marino completed two passes for 23 yards before Stoyanovich missed.

The Browns drove to Miami’s 45-yard line with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Two penalties set them back, and safety Jarvis Williams broke up a third-down pass at the Miami 30.

“We didn’t do it when we had to,” Browns Coach Bud Carson said. “We had our shots.”

Cleveland was hampered by eight penalties for 86 yards.

“Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy football,” Carson said. “Ten points don’t win many football games.”