Dolphins’ Odom Leads Assault on the Colts, 27-7 : AFC: Veteran linebacker recovers fumble for touchdown and hits Trudeau with jarring tackle that ends Colt quarterback’s season. Later, Indianapolis’ Jeff George also sidelined by injury.

Cliff Odom was cut loose by the Indianapolis Colts last spring and Sunday the veteran linebacker made his former team pay for it, even though he was not trying to do so.

Odom, a 10-year pro out of Texas Arlington, recovered a fumble for a touchdown and made a jarring sideline tackle that sidelined quarterback Jack Trudeau for the season during the Miami Dolphins’ 27-7 victory over the Colts.

It was the fourth consecutive victory for Miami (6-1), its longest winning streak in five years.

“My intent was just to go out there and play the same type of football that Cliff Odom always plays,” said Odom, a former defensive captain for the Colts who led the team in tackles during two of his eight seasons.

Odom’s touchdown, the first of his career, came on the second play against the Colts (2-5), who left him on the unprotected free agent list last spring. Trudeau fumbled the snap at the one-yard line and Odom fell on the ball in the end zone.

Odom stopped Trudeau with a clean shot three plays into the second quarter.

“Jack’s a good friend of mine,” Odom said. “I didn’t want him to be hurt. It’s unfortunate it happened. I hate for anybody to be hurt.”

Trudeau, who missed most of the 1988 season with torn ligaments in his left knee, sustained a torn ligament in his right knee.

“Odom was trying to do everything he could to make a play,” Colt Coach Ron Meyer said. “It wasn’t a malicious hit, it wasn’t a late hit. Unfortunately, that’s football.”

Rookie quarterback Jeff George went out with a bruised left knee on a sack by Karl Wilson late in the third quarter, leaving veteran Joe Ferguson as the only healthy quarterback for the Colts.

The Dolphins’ defense limited Indianapolis to 32 yards rushing and 117 yards passing from its trio of quarterbacks.

Eric Dickerson, playing in just his second game since rejoining the Colts, was limited to 27 yards in 10 carries, ending a streak of six consecutive 100-yard games against the Dolphins.

Liffort Hobley intercepted a pass by Ferguson on the final play of the third quarter to set up Miami’s final touchdown, a two-yard run by Tony Paige that completed a 14-play, 70-yard drive.

Earlier, Pete Stoyanovich kicked two field goals and Jim Jensen caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Dan Marino, who completed 21 of 29 pases for 161 yards.

Trudeau completed all three of his passes for 19 yards before he was injured. George completed eight of 15 passes for 77 yards and Ferguson completed two of eight passes for 21 yards.

“It wasn’t very pleasant out there,” Meyer said. “We were beaten soundly in virtually every aspect.”