I decided to start blogging some of the games that I get to produce for the radio station I've been moonlighting at. It's a sports station in Salt Lake called KFAN. It's actually the highest rated station in the state, and the flagship station for the Utah Jazz (this really is quite a big deal; I'm very lucky to start my career off at such a great launching pad). Anyway, here's the first entry: The Thursday night game in the NFL between the Dolphins and Panthers, which I produced on the air (1230 AM KFAN-2)
CHARLOTTE, NC- The Miami Dolphins swam into North Carolina Thursday night weathering the tidal wave that was caused by the news that star running back Ronnie Brown would require season ending surgery to repair an injured ankle. Not only that, but they also have been going at it with a rookie at quarterback and a kick returner as their main receiver. The Panthers, who have been bogged down by the less than stellar play of quarterback Jake Delhomme, were all but salivating in anticipation of what could have been a strong, rallying win for their team. However, the Dolphins' once-retired RB Ricky Williams had other plans in mind....
The starting kickoff resulted in great field position for the Panthers after the Dolphins' Dan Carpenter slipped as he connected with the ball. Carolina then drove far enough for a John Kasay field goal, and the score at the end of the first quarter was 3-0 Panthers.
But that was about all the good that occurred for Carolina in the entire first half of play (they did knock in a second field goal). Ricky Williams took a handoff and a pass from Chad Henne all the way for scores, and the Dolphin defense sacked Delhomme twice in the first and once more in the second quarter. The Dolphins went into the locker room leading 14-3.
In the second half Carolina seemed to wake up a bit, no doubt spurned by their home crowd fans' boos and criticisms in reaction to the poor effort the Panthers had displayed to that point. After holding Miami to a field goal on their first posession in the third, the Panthers took control of the momentum. DeAngelo Williams took a delayed handoff up the middle for 39 yards. Two plays later, Delhomme connected with Smith in the end zone for six. With the score now 17-12, head coach John Fox kept his offense on the field, opting to go for two rather than kick the extra point. It proved to be the right decision, as Williams dove across the goal line to convert the try. The crowd was alive, the players were walking with swagger, and Carolina seemed to have turned the corner on the way to a home victory. But, as mentioned before, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Texas knew just how to spoil the party.
The Panthers defense forced Miami into an almost must-convert third down with six minutes left in the game. Chad Henne dropped back in the pocket, avoided one tackler and threw a laser to the tight end Hartline for a gain of 13 and the first down conversion. As Miami ran to the line, Henne went to the sidelines, leaving Williams in the slot for the snap. Out of that Wildcat formation, Williams took the ball and scampered 46 yards for his third touchdown of the game, and completely deflated the hopes of a comeback win for Carolina.
Although the Panthers tried to make it a game late in the fourth, making another field goal and closing the gap to a score, they were unable to come up with the onside kick. Not that the game was over then by any stretch. Miami failed to convert a first down, and Carolina took the ball back with 54 seconds left. After Delhomme connected with Smith over the middle to the Miami 45, Carolina spiked the ball and set up for one last end zone heave. Delhomme's desperation throw had the distance it needed, but Miami's defense knocked it down, and time expired. The Dolphins escaped Carolina with a 24-17 win.
Following the game, Miami linebacker Joey Porter mused over the affects Ricky Williams' performance had on the outcome of the game. With a chuckle in his voice, Porter said, "Ricky ran the ball like he was 25 again."
-Austin Horton
1230 AM
KFAN 2
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