The Miami Dolphins had QB Dan Marino (pictured above) back behind center as they hosted the New England Patriots in a season-opening game on September 4, 1994. After ten years of highly-productive, and often record-setting, passing while remaining injury free, Marino had been lost to a ruptured Achilles tendon five games into the ’93 season.
Head Coach Don Shula’s team had initially weathered the
loss of Marino well and was at 9-2 before losing five straight games to close
out the season and miss the playoffs at 9-7. The receiving corps, led by WR
Irving Fryar, was capable while the running attack was mediocre, with RB Terry
Kirby more productive as a receiver out of the backfield. However, it was key
injuries on the defensive side that ultimately sank the Dolphins, and
improvement was anticipated.
New England was coming off of a 5-11 record in its first year
under Head Coach Bill Parcells, but after five straight losing seasons there
was reason for optimism. QB Drew Bledsoe had a year of action under his belt,
TE Ben Coates emerged as an outstanding receiver, and the defense, led by MLB
Vincent Brown, was much better.
There were 69,613 fans in attendance at Joe Robbie
Stadium and there was a heavy downpour an hour before kickoff that turned the
baseball infield portion of the field into a muddy mess. The game started off
quietly enough as the Patriots went three-and-out on their first possession and
Dan Marino misfired on his first two passes before Miami moved to the New
England 39. However, in attempting to convert a fourth-and-one play, Terry
Kirby fumbled and FS Myron Guyton recovered for the Patriots.
New England drove 59 yards in 11 plays. Drew Bledsoe
started off with a completion to RB Leroy Thompson for 20 yards and, after the
loss of a yard on a running play, connected with WR Michael Timpson for 12
yards. It was RB Marion Butts carrying most of the load from there as the
Patriots kept the ball on the ground and FB Kevin Turner gained the last yard
for a touchdown. Matt Bahr added the extra point and the home team was ahead by
7-0.
The Dolphins responded with a long series that stretched
into the second quarter. Marino completed six passes along the way, four of
them to Kirby, but after reaching the New England six his throw intended for FB
Keith Byars was intercepted by LB Dwayne Sabb.
The teams exchanged punts before the Patriots advanced
into Miami territory, fueled by a 28-yard Bledsoe-to-Timpson pass play. Bledsoe
had two more completions before being picked off in the end zone by CB Troy
Vincent. Three plays later, Marino fired a pass to WR Mark Ingram for a 64-yard
touchdown. Pete Stoyanovich booted the point after and the score was tied.
The Patriots responded with a scoring drive of eight
plays that covered 68 yards. Bledsoe had four pass completions, the two biggest
to TE Ben Coates for 26 yards and Turner for 19, to reach the Miami two and
from there he tossed a TD pass to Coates. Bahr again converted to put the
visitors up by seven with 2:15 left in the first half.
There was still time for Marino to pass the Dolphins into
scoring position and, on the final play of the half, Stoyanovich kicked a
42-yard field goal and the New England lead was 14-10 at halftime.
A short Miami series to start the third quarter ended
with a punt but, on their second play, the Patriots came through with a big one
as Bledsoe (pictured at left) threw to Coates for a 62-yard touchdown. Bahr’s conversion stretched
the New England lead to 21-10.
The teams again traded punts before the Dolphins,
striking quickly, got back on the board. Taking over from their 39, Marino went
long to WR Irving Fryar for 40 yards to the New England 21. A run for five
yards that was followed by a holding penalty and then an incomplete pass had
the home team facing third-and-15. Marino then connected with TE Keith Jackson
for a TD from 26 yards out. Kirby dove into the end zone for a two-point
conversion (the first in team history) and the New England lead was cut to
21-18.
FS Gene Atkins intercepted a Bledsoe pass on the next
series to give the ball back to the Dolphins, but a fumble by Marino on the
next play gave the ball back to the Patriots at the Miami 24. Five plays later,
Bledsoe connected with Timpson for a five-yard touchdown and, with Bahr’s extra
point, the visitors were ahead by ten at 28-18. Helped along by a pass
interference penalty, the Dolphins responded with another long Marino TD pass,
this time to Fryar for 54 yards. Stoyanovich’s kick made it a three-point game
at 28-25.
The Patriots had the ball for the remainder of the period
and punted to start the fourth quarter. Two plays later, Kirby took a handoff
and then tossed the ball back to Marino on a flea-flicker that resulted in
another scoring pass to a wide-open Fryar, this time covering 50 yards. Stoyanovich
converted and the Dolphins had their first lead of the day at 32-28.
New England was far from finished and advanced 67 yards
in seven plays. Bledsoe completed a pass to WR Vincent Brisby for six yards to
convert a third-and-six situation at midfield and WR Ray Crittenden put the
Patriots back in front with a leaping catch in the corner of the end zone of a
Bledsoe pass for a 23-yard touchdown. Bahr’s successful conversion made the
score 35-32 with 10:12 left to play.
Following an exchange of punts, the Dolphins took over on
their 20 with 8:50 remaining on the clock. Marino passed to Kirby for 21 yards
on a third-and-12 play and, shortly thereafter facing third-and-seven, he
connected with WR Scott Miller for 18 yards. Four plays later, and facing
fourth-and-five, Marino correctly surmised that the Patriots were in single
coverage and threw to Fryar for a 35-yard touchdown. Stoyanovich’s PAT put
Miami ahead by four points.
Bledsoe came out throwing following the ensuing kickoff
and hit Thompson for eight yards and Brisby for 19 to reach the New England 47.
The next two passes fell incomplete before Coates caught a pass for a 23-yard
gain, but the tight end fumbled when hit by Atkins at the end and SS Michael
Stewart recovered for the Dolphins at the Miami 26 to nail down the 39-35 win.
Both teams piled up yards, with the Dolphins compiling
the most (525 to 472), although New England led in first downs (25 to 21) and
time of possession (32:42 to 27:18). Each club turned the ball over three
times.
Dan Marino showed that he was back in good form as he
completed 23 of 42 passes for 473 yards and five touchdowns while giving up one
interception. Irving Fryar (pictured above) had a huge performance with 211 yards on his five
catches that included three touchdowns. Mark Ingram contributed 87 yards and a
TD on his three receptions and Terry Kirby, who rushed for 56 yards on 19
carries, also caught 7 passes for 61 yards.
For the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe was successful on 32 of 51
throws for 421 yards and four TDs while being intercepted twice. Ben Coates
topped the receivers by catching 8 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Marion
Butts led the miniscule running attack with 25 yards on 15 attempts, closely
followed by Leroy Thompson’s six carries for 22 yards.
“Dan is back,” said Miami’s Coach Shula. “All week I’ve
never seen him more intense than he’s been this week. This game probably meant
as much as any he has played in for a while.”
The Dolphins won four of their first five games on the
way to a 10-6 record and first place in the AFC East. They defeated Kansas City
in the Wild Card playoff round before losing a close contest to the Chargers at
the Divisional level. New England also went 10-6, losing both of its games to
Miami to thus finish second in the division, and qualified for the postseason
as a Wild Card entry. The Patriots lost to Cleveland in the Wild Card round.
As the opening game foreshadowed, both quarterbacks had
productive passing seasons. Dan Marino finished second in the NFL in pass
attempts (615), completions (385), and yards (4453) and third in touchdown passes
(30) and passer rating (89.2, best in the AFC). It was the emergent Drew
Bledsoe placing first in attempts (691), completions (400), and yards (4555),
although also interceptions (27), which were two more than his touchdown
passing total (25). Both were chosen to the Pro Bowl (the eighth such honor for
Marino, the first for Bledsoe).
Likewise, the game’s top receivers remained productive
all year. Irving Fryar, whose 211 yards against the Patriots were his career
high, caught 73 passes for 1270 yards, both totals exceeding any of the
previous ten years of his career, and seven TDs. Ben Coates topped the AFC with
86 pass receptions, for 1174 yards and seven scores. Like Marino and Bledsoe,
both were Pro Bowl selections.
