On Way to East Title, Dolphins Unable to Get Past Colts, 10-6 : AFC: Miami twice reaches the two, but goes without a touchdown for the first time in 34 games.

Give this one to the Indianapolis defense.

The Colts defeated the Miami Dolphins, 10-6, on Sunday, as Dewell Brewer returned a punt 75 yards for a first-quarter touchdown and the Colts’ defense twice held Miami at the two-yard line, including a pair of game-saving stops in the closing minutes by Ashley Ambrose.

“I think that was probably the best defensive game that we played all year,” Ambrose said. “We executed almost 100%.”

The loss marked the first time in 34 games the Dolphins did not score a touchdown. It also kept Miami (9-6), which already has earned a playoff spot, from clinching the AFC East title for at least another week.

Indianapolis (7-8) was eliminated from a possible playoff berth with Kansas City’s victory over Houston.

After a 19-yard field goal by Indianapolis’ Dean Biasucci with 8:10 remaining, Dan Marino completed four passes, including a 29-yarder to Keith Jackson, taking the Dolphins to the Indianapolis four. Two runs by Bernie Parmalee gave Miami a first down at the two, but that’s where the comeback stopped.

Parmalee ran for no gain, then Marino threw three incomplete passes, the last two broken up in the end zone by Ambrose, and Indianapolis took over on downs with 2:47 to go.

“The guy (Mark Ingram) ran like a fade, stop route. He was acting like they were going to run it,” Ambrose said of the final Miami pass. “I was waiting for a break and he broke it. I just stuck my hand to where the ball was coming to.”

Marino said the victory was there.

“We just didn’t execute at the end,” he said. “We didn’t do what it took to get in from the 1 1/2-yard line. That’s what it was.”

Indianapolis picked up one first down to the 15 and, with Miami out of time outs, was able to run out the clock.

The Dolphins can still win the division title with a victory over Detroit on Christmas Day, the lone game on Sunday.

The Colts finish at home against Buffalo.

Said Marino: “It’s real disappointing. Every time we had a chance to do something, it seems like we can’t win the big game when we have to. It’s extremely disappointing. But we’re going to have to find a way to regroup and win next week.”

Brewer’s 75-yard punt return for a touchdown was a club-record seventh return for a score this season and gave Indianapolis a 7-3 lead.

“The outside guys, whenever they give you a shot, hold those inside guys up,” Brewer said. “I don’t care who you are, if you are a returner and you’ve got pretty good talent, you can make something out of it.

“What happened, the guys just did a great job and I just ran up the middle and ran to the outside and broke a couple of tackles and saw the end zone.”

Miami used more than eight minutes on its next possession, reaching the Indianapolis 35 before Marino was sacked for the second time by Tony McCoy, forcing another punt. McCoy finished with three sacks.

“It was a complete victory,” McCoy said. “The defense stopped them when we had to, the offense made the big play when we had to and special teams scored a touchdown. You can’t ask for any more.”

Marshall Faulk, who rushed for 64 yards and increased his season total to a team rookie-record 1,200 yards, ran 24 yards to midfield on the first Indianapolis possession of the second quarter.

Three plays later, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Miami’s Bryan Cox took Indianapolis to the 25. The Colts could get no farther, however, and Biasucci, whose first field-goal attempt was blocked by Tim Irwin in the first quarter, missed a 43-yard attempt with 2:26 left in the half.

Marino, who led Miami back from a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit to a 22-21 victory when the teams played at Miami six weeks ago, completed five passes on the next drive as the Dolphins reached the Indianapolis 11 with 13 seconds left.

But instead of trying a field goal by Pete Stoyanovich, who kicked a 33-yarder for a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, Marino completed another pass to Irving Fryar at the two, and time expired before the Dolphins could run another play, keeping the Colts’ lead at 7-3 at halftime.

“It was a defensive game all the way,” Colt Coach Ted Marchibroda said. “We had two goal-line stands right down there, and maybe three, because before the half they didn’t have time to kick it.

“We went out expecting to win. It’s wonderful when you’re able to call the shot beforehand against a good team.”