The city of Miami ranks unfavorably high in several categories. Its motorists typically place first among America's most asinine. Many frequent fliers say its airport needs customer service like an airplane needs fuel.
Now it can add one of America's worst NFL teams to that mix, as the Miami Dolphins (0-4) remain winless following a 35-17 stomping by the visiting Oakland Raiders (2-2).
Despite the game being delayed nearly half an hour due to heavy thunder and lightning in Dade County, it was Daunte's Day under the sun. Former Dolphin turned Raider quarterback Daunte Culpepper only threw 5-for-12 in passing, racking up 75 yards and two touchdowns. Yet the other three Oakland TD's were all his, courtesy of gritty scrambling and rushing.
"The only thing I felt bad about is I didn't have a chance to show the fans here me healthy as a Dolphin," Culpepper says. "I had a chance to show them today, and I'm glad I was able to."
Something else he showed them was that his surgically fixed up right knee wasn't a hindrance. In the third quarter after scoring his second touchdown, he tapped his knee, signaled 'OK' to the Miami crowd, and appeared to be dancing to the Cars' 1982 hit Shake It Up, as he happily shook things up with disgusted Dolphin fans.
"Everywhere I would go, people would ask me about my knee," he adds. "I wanted to say, 'Hey I'm OK, I'm getting better every day.'"
'Better' also describes the Raiders running game as a whole Sunday. The team garnered (without former 49er Charlie) 299 yards on the ground. Running back Justin Fargas contributed 179 of it, on 22 carries, the longest one coming on a 48-yard sprint.
"To break their will with the running game is a great feeling," says Fargas.
The Raiders struck first. Culpepper connected with wide receiver Jerry Porter for a 7-yard touchdown pass less than 5 minutes into the contest. Later in the first quarter, Culpepper ran in his first score, a 2-yarder to put Oakland on top 14-0. Miami cut the lead in half in the second quarter when Ronnie Brown scored on a 9-yard run. Brown himself collected 134 yards rushing and caught 6 passes for 73 yards for the Dolphins. It was 14-7 Raiders at halftime.
In the second half, Culpepper continued to pour it on in what turned into a rout. A Miami field goal made it 14-10, but on Oakland's second possession of the third quarter, the aforementioned Fargas 48-yard run was soon followed by a Culpepper 5-yard touchdown run on 3rd-and-goal with just over 4 minutes to play in the period. It was 21-10 Oakland. Miami soon answered with a Trent Green 3-yard touchdown pass to TE Justin Peelle, but the fourth quarter belonged to Culpepper, Fargas, Porter and the rest of the Silver and Black Attack. The Raiders scored 14 unanswered points, and in effect snapped a 6-game regular season losing streak to the Dolphins.
"You have to tip your hat when you're getting your rear end kicked," admits Dolphin head coach Cam Cameron. "You can't feel sorry for yourself."
The win is the Raiders' first in Miami since 1990. The four meetings since: the 1992 Jay Schroeder collapse, '94's Art Shell/Jeff Hostetler squabble featuring a racial slur, 2001's Jay Fiedler drive and the 2002 battered Raider secondary all brought millions of Raider fans unwanted frustration, as all except the 92 affair were won by 6 points or less.
The victory ends other Oakland droughts too. It's their first win against the Dolphins in the regular season since '96 (the Raiders beat Miami in the 2000 playoffs, 27-0). It's their first triumph over an AFC East team other than Buffalo since 2002. It's the first Raider win on the road since November 20, 2005, when they defeated the Redskins at FedEx Field. It extends the Raiders lifetime record against Miami to 19-12-1, counting postseason.
Oakland heads into bye week in a 3-way tie with Denver and Kansas City (both 2-2) for first place in the AFC West. The Raiders will meet the Chargers in San Diego on October 14th. The Dolphins travel to Houston to play the Texans next Sunday, October 7th.
Miami will then try to add something positive to its normally negative array of 'honors.'
