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INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 6, 1998) -- The future Hall of Famer gave a lesson to the student, with some help from the Miami defense. Dan Marino, armed with a more potent running game, helped spoil the NFL debut of top draft pick Peyton Manning as the Miami Dolphins defeated the Indianapolis Colts 24-15 Sunday. Marino's statistics weren't spectacular, although he added to his NFL records by completing 13 of 24 passes for 135 yards. His biggest play was a 44-yard TD toss to Oronde Gadsden. Manning had his running game stifled by Miami's defense as Marshall Faulk was limited to 56 yards on 24 carries. The Dolphins also sacked the former Tennessee star four times for 29 yards. He managed to complete 21 of 37 passes for 302 with three interceptions, including one Terrell Buckley returned 21 yards to give Miami a 24-9 lead. Manning's final completion came on a 6-yard TD toss to Marvin Harrison with no time left on the clock. A conversion pass as time ran out fell incomplete. Gadsen's score in the second quarter was the first of two TDs by Miami in 27 seconds. The 6-foot-2 wide receiver came back to the ball, outleaped 5-8 Tyrone Poole, broke his tackle near the 5-yard line and then stretched the ball into the end zone as Robert Blackmon attempted a tackle. Following the kickoff, Manning's pass went straight into the arms of Buckley at the Indianapolis 16, and he returned it 12 yards. Two plays later, Karim Abdul-Jabbar leaped over a tackler into the end zone on a 4-yard run. Abdul-Jabbar outrushed the entire Indianapolis team with 108 yards on 23 carries. Mixing the running of Abdul-Jabbar and John Avery with Marino's right arm, Miami moved from its 20 to score on a 22-yard field goal by Olindo Mare following the opening kickoff. Marino hit his first five passes for 31 yards on the drive. Abdul-Jabbar had 20 yards on four rushes, while Avery had 22 on two carries on a 16-play drive that consumed 9 minutes, 19 seconds. The Colts tied the score 3-3 as former Canadian Football League star Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 51-yard field goal in his first NFL attempt, extending the league record to 13 consecutive years that a Colts kicker has had at least field of 50 or more yards. The tie lasted about three minutes before Marino, limited to just 71 yards passing when the Colts embarrasssed the Dolphins 41-0 last year, connected with Gadsen. The Colts began an 11-play drive late in the third quarter at the Miami 21 and settled for a 27-yard field goal by Vanderjagt after Faulk was stopped for a 1-yard loss at the 10 on a third-and-1 play. Manning completed four passes for 59 yards on the drive, overcoming an offensive pass interference call that nullified another completion. Manning, hoping to become the first rookie quarterback to lead the Colts to victory in a season-opener since George Shaw in 1955, moved the team again after the Colts recovered a fumbled punt. But Indianapolis settled for a 20-yard field goal by Vanderjagt after Faulk was again stopped on a third-down play with short yardage.
GAME SUMMARY Miami 3 14 0 7--24 Indianapolis 0 3 0 12--15 First Quarter Mia--FG Mare 22, 5:41. Second Quarter Ind--FG 51 Vanderjagt, 10:53. Mia--Gadsen 44 pass from Marino (Mare kick), 7:59. Mia--Abdul-Jabbar 4 run (Mare kick), 7:32. Fourth Quarter Ind--FG Vanderjagt 27, 14:13. Ind--FG Vanderjagt 20, 3:53. Mia--Buckley 21 interception return (Mare kick), 1:19. Ind--Harrison 6 pass from Manning (pass failed), 0:00. A--60,587. ------ INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING--Miami, Abdul-Jabbar 23-108, Avery 5-28, Pritchett 1-1, Marino 1-0. Indianapolis, Faulk 24-56, Crockett 1-5, Pathon 1-3. PASSING--Miami, Marino 13-24-0-135. Indianapolis, Manning 21-37-3-302 RECEIVING--Miami, Thomas 2-29, McDuffie 2-14, Pritchett 2-10, Perry 2-9, Gadsden 1-44, Abdul-Jabbar 1-10, Drayton 1-9, Avery 1-5, Parmalee 1-5. Indianapolis, Harrison 5-102, Faulk 4-49, Pathon 4-44, Pollard 3-53, Dilger 3-22, Small 2-32. MISSED FIELD GOALS--Miami, Mare 51 (WL). OFFICIALS--Referee Bob McElwee, Ump Scott Dawson, HL Tom Stabile, LJ Ron Phares, BJ Billy Smith, SJ Larry Rose, FJ Bill Levitt. |