Porter, Ginn spark Dolphins win
MIAMI (AP) -- A year ago, Joey Porter was washed up, Ted Ginn Jr. was a bust and the Miami Dolphins were woeful.
Today, Porter is a rejuvenated big-play linebacker, Ginn is an emerging quick-strike threat and the Dolphins are much improved.
In fact, a 3-4 record makes the Dolphins at least three times better than a year ago, when they won once all season. The latest victory came Sunday, when Miami rallied to beat the Buffalo Bills 25-16.
Ginn made seven catches for 175 yards, by far the biggest day of his two-year career. Porter forced one fumble, recovered another and had two sacks, with one producing a safety. And the Dolphins dropped Buffalo into a first-place tie in the AFC East with New England at 5-2.
"The biggest game of the year for us," Miami quarterback Chad Pennington said. "We're learning how to win."
Porter and his defensive teammates became ball-snatchers in the final period, when four takeaways helped them close it out. Porter was merely following orders from coach Tony Sparano.
"I grabbed Joey on the sideline at one point and said, 'I need the ball,"' Sparano said. "And Joey went out and got the ball. It was pretty good."
Miami's 20-16 lead was in jeopardy when the Bills' Trent Edwards lunged forward on a third-and-1 quarterback sneak and held out the ball as he strained for the first down. Porter snatched it away.
"It was right in my face," Porter said. "So automatically I was thinking, 'I'm going to take that."'
"I can't reach the ball out like that," Edwards said. "That won't happen again."
Porter separated Edwards from the ball again 4 minutes later, forcing a fumble with a sack from the quarterback's blind side in the end zone. The Bills recovered, giving Miami a safety for a 22-16 lead.
Porter increased his season sack total to 10 1/2, matching his career high less than halfway through the season. He's thriving in Sparano's defense after a disappointing season in 2007, when he groused about his role in coach Cam Cameron's scheme, totaled only 5 1/2 sacks and was labeled over the hill.
"Pen pushers," Porter said of his critics. "I've never been in a system like this where I'm featured in the defense to go out there and make some plays. I'm isolated in a lot of situations, and I take advantage of it."
Ginn has been transformed by the new Dolphins regime, too. With his first 100-yard game, Ginn made by far his biggest impact since Miami's much-mocked decision to take him with the ninth overall pick last year.
"I just let all that go past my head," Ginn said. "As long as the people on my team love me and want me to get better, the other stuff doesn't matter."
Ginn set up Miami's first two scores with receptions of 46 and 64 yards. Those completions were part of an efficient day for Chad Pennington, who went 22-of-30 for 314 yards with no interceptions.
"A lot of people are wondering, 'Where's Ted? Where's Ted?"' Pennington said. "With young receivers it takes awhile. He just keeps getting better and better. He's hungry, and he wants to be the guy."
Ginn set the tone on the game's first play, beating the Bills deep for a 46-yard gain. The catch came against cornerback Terrence McGee, playing with a sore knee.
"I'm not making any excuses," McGee said. "They had a great game. He had a great game."
The Bills' unraveling down the stretch included an interception thrown by Edwards, a fumble after a reception by Robert Royal and a muffed punt by Roscoe Parrish. As a result, Miami scored five times in 19 minutes.
"I don't know if we were ready to play the entire game," Edwards said.
Notes: Bills WR Josh Reed strained his Achilles' tendon. ... Porter's 10 1/2 sacks this season tie his career high. ... QB Pennington won a roar from the crowd for blocking Donte Whitner in the backfield on a cutback run by Ricky Williams, even though the play lost 4 yards. ... The Dolphins have topped 350 yards in five consecutive games for the first time since 1986. ... Langston Walker had the first blocked field goal by the Bills since Dec. 2, 2001.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
