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Green Bay vs. Miami Dolphins
08/21/00 - Packers lose 17-14
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| RB Herbert Goodman had an excellent game against the Dolphins posting 13 runs for 91 yards, including a 57-yard run for a touchdown. |
The Packers reserves provided the sparks Monday night against the Miami
Dolphins, but after late-minute dramatics, Green Bay fell short in a 17-14
loss.
With the score 14-10 in the Packers' favor and the game seemingly in hand,
Miami kick returner Ben Kelly returned a Josh Bidwell punt 73 yards to the
Green Bay 2-yard line with just 30 seconds left to play. After a review by
the instant replay booth, the officials ruled that Kelly's foot did not go
out of bounds as he ran down the sideline, even though television replays
suggested differently.
Eugene McCaslin's touchdown-saving tackle temporarily kept Miami from the endzone, but on the next play from scrimmage, Dolphin reserve quarterback Mike Quinn connected with Deon Dyer for the game-winning touchdown.
"Anytime we lose a football game, it concerns me," Head Coach Mike Sherman said after the game. "I'm not worried, but I'm concerned we didn't win. I'm concerned we didn't move the football."
On the game's first drive, the Dolphins moved down the field on the strength
of a Damon Huard 21-yard pass to Tony Martin, which was tipped at the line
of scrimmage by Vonnie Holliday, and a Leslie Shepherd reverse run. However, the drive ended with a 33-yard missed field goal by Olindo Mare, who also missed from 50 yards on the Dolphins second possession, 48 yards on their third drive and 51 yards in the fourth quarter.
The Packers' first drive got off to a promising start when Matt Hasselbeck
connected with tight end Bubba Franks for 12 yards, but two plays later, the Dolphins' Jason Taylor and Trace Armstrong teamed up to sack Hasselbeck for a 14-yard loss, ending the drive.
For the remainder of the half, Miami dominated the time-of-possession,
holding the ball for a one-half total of 22:11 to the Packers' 7:49.
The Dolphins finally broke the scoreless tie on their last drive of the
half. Huard led the drive, keyed by a 16-yard pass to Martin after Huard
escaped the blitz of Packers linebacker Nate Wayne. Huard later converted a
fourth-and-one on a quarterback sneak at the Packers' 36-yard line, and
moments later, Mare put Miami on the board with a 34-yard field goal.
After halftime, the Packers' scoring hopes were dashed on their first drive,
when Dolphin cornerback Sam Madison intercepted a Hasselbeck pass intended
for Bill Schroeder in the endzone.
Hasselbeck, who threw 12 passes, completing 5 for 72 yards and 1 interception, played 1 more series before giving way to Danny Wuerffel, as Sherman began looking at reserve players midway through the third quarter.
"I think we had fourteen plays (in the first half) and one of them I kneeled on (at the end of the half)," Hasselbeck said. "We didn't do too well offensively in the first half. I'm real disappointed about that. I had a higher expectation, but when we see the film, I'll find out what happened."
On defense, the Packers recorded their first quarterback sacks of the preseason, both by defensive end David Bowens.
"What it does is build confidence," said Bowens. "I noticed it immediately after the sacks, the energy out there went up and up. But really those sacks were a product of the scheme. I was the one who got the credit for the sack, but really the whole 'D' worked hard to get those and I was just lucky enough to be there and get the sack."
On the Packers first series of the fourth quarter, running back Herbert "Whisper" Goodman started the scoring for the Green and Gold with an impressive, 56-yard touchdown run. The rookie from Graceland College collected the pitch from Wuerffel, then outraced the defense down the left sideline to put Green Bay up 7-3. Goodman finished the game with 91 yards on 13 carries (7.0 avg.) and 1 touchdown.
"I feel I made the best of my opportunity," Goodman said. "I'm just looking
forward to getting the opportunity to finally get a chance to play and try
to make some things happen."
The game was not only a break-through performance by Goodman, but it also was a special homecoming for the Homestead (Fla.) High School graduate, who was born and raised in Miami.
"It couldn't have come better," he said. "I came to Miami and I was very excited to play in front of my family and get the opportunity to try to showcase, make the team and just try and contribute."
After the ensuing kickoff, Miami marched down the field and scored on an 8-yard pass from Quinn to Oronde Gadsden, as the Dolphins recaptured the lead, 10-7.
But the Packers came right back on the next series, scoring on an 80-yard strike from Wuerffel to Donald Driver, who caught the pass on a slot pattern, then turned to the outside and went untouched into the endzone.
The Driver score appeared to be the game clincher for the Packers, as the Dolphins' next drive sputtered on a failed fourth-down effort at the Green Bay 22-yard line. After Green Bay's offense took over on downs with 75 seconds left in the contest, the Miami defense did not allow a first down, leading to the ill-fated Bidwell punt.
Perhaps the most positive aspect of the game for the Packers was the noticeable lack of injuries suffered during the game. Recently, Green Bay has been limited by several players being sidelined, such as Brett Favre, Dorsey Levens, Ahman Green, Earl Dotson and Bernardo Harris. Sherman and
the Packers hope Monday's game was a sign of the team getting healthier.
"This is the first time during the preseason that we have come out of the game without an injury," said Sherman. "I'm obviously disappointed that we didn't win the game. We still had a chance to win the game despite the lack of an offensive performance and the long punt return by Ben Kelly, which broke our back and cost us the game."
Game Broadcast
Packers-Dolphins archived complete game broadcast (Real Audio)
Post-Game Locker Room Audio Clips
Head Coach Mike Sherman (Real Audio)
DE David Bowens (Real Audio)
DT Santana Dotson (Real Audio)
WR Donald Driver (Real Audio)
S Antuan Edwards (Real Audio)
RB Herbert Goodman (Real Audio)
QB Matt Hasselbeck (Real Audio)
S Darren Sharper (Real Audio)
 Game Highlights in Real Audio
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
No Scoring
2nd Quarter
DOL: O.Mare 34-yard field goal (16-68, 8:34)
3rd Quarter
No Scoring
4th Quarter
GBP: H.Goodman run for 56-yard TD (R.Longwell Extra Point is good) (2-59, 0:45)
DOL: M.Quinn 8-yard pass to O.Gadsden for TD (O.Mare kick) (9-71, 5:12)
GBP: D.Wuerffel 80-yard TD pass to D.Driver (R.Longwell Extra Point is good) (2-83, 0:58)
DOL: M.Quinn 2-yard pass to D.Dyer for TD (O.Mare kick)
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