Despite loss to Ravens, Miami believes in Chad Pennington
January 5 New York Daily News Columnist Tim Smith
"Chad Pennington's magical season - and one of the Jets' many nightmares - ended under a purple and black avalanche at Dolphins Stadium Sunday.
The Ravens used a diabolical defensive scheme that forced Pennington into throwing four interceptions - more than half of what he had in 16 previous games this year (seven) - and dumped the Dolphins, 27-9, in an AFC wild-card playoff.
It was uncharacteristic for a quarterback who had fashioned a fantastic turnaround in Miami this season based on not turning the ball over. It was just the second time in Pennington's career that he had thrown four or more interceptions in a game. For the Dolphins, this game proved that stuff happens and it happens at the most inopportune time.
Most of the record crowd of 74,240 Sunday had come to see Pennington continue to work his magic for Miami, which was in its first playoff game since 2001 and first home playoff game since 2000. Everyone was familiar with the fairy-tale story of the veteran quarterback who was unceremoniously dumped by the Jets, signed by the Dolphins to help turn around a team that finished 1-15 the year before, and then stuck it to his old team in the last game of the season to give the Dolphins the AFC East.
This fairy tale had a Brothers Grimm type ending as a monster named Ed Reed, a safety who lurks in the Ravens' defensive backfield, stole Pennington's magic and buried the Dolphins' season.
"It's been magical," Pennington said. "That's why it hurts even worse because I really wanted to keep this going and to really do some - not good things, but great things."
Reality crept in and ruined everything.
The Dolphins' coaches had come up with a new wrinkle this year - the Wildcat. It had been effective against nearly all of their opponents, except the Ravens. Baltimore had been the first team to shut down the Wildcat in the regular season, beating the Dolphins 27-13 in Miami on Oct. 19. Linebacker Terrell Suggs returned a Pennington interception 44 yards for a touchdown in that game.
Defensive tackle Trevor Pryce said the Ravens were prepared for the Wildcat, but weren't worried about it. Instead, they went to a four-man front to get extra pressure on Pennington and lined up in places they didn't think the Dolphins would expect them. When the Dolphins fell behind 20-3 midway through the third quarter, that allowed the Ravens defense to do what it wanted. That meant Reed roaming free in the secondary."
Link
Calendar
