BY SEAN DONOVAN
It's often said that football is a game of inches.
It's
a saying that proved literal for the Miami Dolphins Sunday, as they
came away with a wild 34-28 victory after the host Pittsburgh Steelers
narrowly missed a miraculous game-winning touchdown on the final play.
Out
of last-second desperation, the Steelers ran the very rarely successful
lateral play that, after a multiple backwards passes, put the ball in
the hands of receiver Antonio Brown with an angle to the endzone. Brown
streaked down the sideline for an apparent touchdown, but the edge of
his foot touched out of bounds near the 12-yard line.
After the game, the Dolphins felt a combination of exhilaration and relief.
"I
think I need some blood pressure medicine or something," defensive end
Cameron Wake joked after the game, via the team's website.
Added
quarterback Ryan Tannehill, "It seemed surreal for a second. I did see
him step out. I was standing right there on the sideline. Thank goodness
for that one inch."
Despite a heavy first-half
snowfall and poor field conditions, Miami put up its highest scoring
total of the season and saw its offense put together one of its most
complete performances of the year. The Dolphins were able to win a
December shootout on the road and earned a critical victory as the team
pushes for a playoff spot, even if it required a little last-minute luck
to preserve.
"Sometimes it's good to be lucky," cornerback Brent Grimes added.
Tannehill
overcame a crushing third quarter interception that was returned for a
go-ahead Steelers touchdown to lead a game-winning drive in the fourth,
scoring the first offensive touchdown Miami's recorded in the final
stanza since Week 5.
His most reliable target on the
afternoon was tight end Charles Clay, who continued his breakout season
by catching two of the quarterback's three touchdown passes. Tailback
Daniel Thomas, who was a surprise active after suffering an ankle injury
two weeks ago, added 105 yards and a touchdown on the ground. A
career-high 55-yard run keyed a fourth quarter scoring drive.
In the end, the Dolphins were just happy to get the win.
"Last
week to this week, we have the mentality where we're just going to go
out there and have to win the day," Wake added. "Whatever happens out
there will happen. But what we can control is what we do when we go out
on that field."
Follow Sean @seanldonovan
Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily
