Jets Leave Nothing to Chance This Time

The New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins kept the East Coast up late last month with the Jets’ Midnight Miracle comeback.

This time? They probably put people to sleep by late afternoon.

In a game that began with Dolphin quarterback Jay Fiedler leaving the game after one play when he pinched a nerve in his neck as he was sacked, the Jets and Dolphins combined for only 23 points--seven fewer than the Jets scored in the fourth quarter of their shootout last month.

About the only thing that didn’t change was the outcome: The Jets won, 20-3, Sunday after two fourth-quarter touchdowns by little-used Bernie Parmalee, a former Dolphin.

Last month, the Jets won their wild overtime game with the Dolphins, 40-37. Since then, they had lost three in a row.

“With Indy’s loss today, we’re back in the race,” Jet quarterback Vinny Testaverde said. “I don’t feel like we saved our season, but I feel like we saved a chance to win the division.”

The casualties were high, and could change the tightening AFC East race.

The Dolphins (8-3) played not only without Fiedler but also lost running back Lamar Smith, who has a strained hamstring, and receiver Leslie Shepherd, who has a hip pointer.

There was no immediate prognosis on Fiedler, whose performance is one reason the Dolphins are in first place.

“We’ll further diagnose it [today] and make a decision here in the next day or two on his status for next week,” said Miami Coach Dave Wannstedt, whose team was held to its lowest point total at home since 1988.

The Jets (7-4) suffered injuries too. They lost running back Curtis Martin to a possible sprained back. The team is awaiting further diagnosis, but Martin stood comfortably as he talked after the game. Receiver Laveranues Coles left the game because of a sprained left knee.

It was the injury to Fiedler that crushed the Dolphins.

Backup Damon Huard threw three interceptions and passed for only 128 yards.

“The turnovers obviously hurt him,” Wannstedt said. “He would be better with a full week of practice. The turnovers are something we cannot tolerate. Nobody is good enough to overcome that. He went out there and did the best he could.”

Huard’s last two interceptions were the most costly.

The Jet lead was only 6-3 in the fourth quarter when Huard’s third-down pass from his own seven-yard line was tipped and ended up in the arms of cornerback Tony Scott at the 27.

Parmalee took three handoffs and finished the short drive with an 18-yard touchdown run up the middle as the Jets went ahead, 13-3.

It was Parmalee’s first rushing touchdown since 1995.

On the next possession, Huard threw another pass that was picked off, this one by Shaun Ellis at the Miami 25.

Five plays later, Parmalee scored on a seven-yard run.

“I don’t have any animosity. I don’t play the game like that,” said Parmalee, who played for the Dolphins from 1992-98.

He had only one carry all season before he stepped in for Martin, but finished with 57 yards in 14 carries.

No extra motivation against the Dolphins? Testaverde begged to differ.

“There’s no question,” he said. “That’s just the type of guy he is, though. He has a lot of pride but he’s not going to boast about it or rub it in anybody’s face.”

Testaverde has struggled recently--he was held to 102 yards as he completed 13 of 28 passes with two interceptions--and coincidentally was knocked out of a game earlier this season with an injury similar to Fiedler’s.

“I can’t comment on his situation, because I don’t know much about it, but with mine you can’t throw the ball with much velocity, which makes you ineffective,” Testaverde said.

One of the interceptions Testaverde threw Sunday came on a spectacular play by Miami’s Terrance Shaw in the fourth quarter.

Testaverde threw for Dedric Ward in the end zone, but Shaw stripped the ball as Ward tried to control it, then kept it on his belly as he hit the ground and slid, finally controlling it on his hip without ever letting it touch the ground.

It was a huge play, but the Jets made it moot by scoring twice after that.

The Jets’ habit of waiting until the fourth quarter to try to win has hurt. This time they scored first. John Hall’s 39-yard field goal with 1:02 left in the first quarter marked only the second time all season the Jets have scored before the opposition.

“It was a great win with our backs against the wall,” Jet Coach Al Groh said.

WEEK 12 AT A GLANCE

Denver: 38

San Diego: 37

With AFC passing leader Brian Griese and running back Terrell Davis sidelined, Gus Frerotte threw five touchdown passes to lead the Broncos over the winless Chargers. D12

Jacksonville: 34

Pittsburgh: 24

Fred Taylor rushed for 234 yards--the second-highest total in the NFL this season and 12th highest all-time--and scored four touchdowns for the rejuvenated Jaguars at Pittsburgh. D12

Oakland: 31

New Orleans: 22

The Saints had their winning streak end at six games and also lost quarterback Jeff Blake, who suffered a fractured and dislocated right foot in the first quarter. D13

Philadelphia: 34

Arizona: 9

Quarterback Donovan McNabb passed for 217 yards, threw one touchdown pass and ran for another as the Eagles moved into first place in the NFC East. D13

OTHER SCORES

Detroit 31, N.Y. Giants 21

Buffalo 21, Kansas City 17

Chicago 13, Tampa Bay 10

Green Bay 26, Indianapolis 24

Tennessee 24, Cleveland 10

New England 16, Cincinnati 13

Minnesota 31, Carolina 17

N.Y. Jets 20, Miami 3

San Francisco 16, Atlanta 6

Baltimore 27, Dallas 0

* Spotlight D11

* Standings D11

* Summaries D14