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Jets boot Dolphins, close in on playoff spot

Dec 26, 2006 - 7:33 AM MIAMI (Ticker) -- The New York Jets' smallest player helped deliver their biggest win of the season.

Rookie running back Leon Washington's 64-yard reception set up Mike Nugent's 30-yard field goal with 10 seconds to play, lifting the Jets to a 13-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

The victory gives New York (9-6) a chance to lock up a playoff berth with a win over visiting Oakland (2-13) next week, which would mark a stunning turnaround under first-year coach Eric Mangini from last season's 4-12 campaign.

"This was a tough place to play and a tough team to play against," Mangini said. "We knew coming in that the Dolphins were going to play extremely hard. We expected this game to go back and forth. When adversity strikes, you have to compete, smile at it, and move forward.

"Things are finally in our control."

One of the biggest reasons was a dazzling play by the 5-8, 202-pound Washington, who turned a short screen pass from Chad Pennington into a 64-yard catch-and-run to give New York a first down at the 16 with 1:56 left.

The Jets ran the ball up the gut three straight times and brought in Nugent, who drilled a 30-yarder right down the middle.

"I run off instinct," said Washington, a fourth-round pick out of Florida State. "The offensive line did a great job. We haven't really completed a good screen play all year, but the guys up front did a good job of blocking and I just did the rest."

"He's going to outrun most guys when he's in open space," Pennington said. "I looked up after I threw it and didn't see him. When I can't see him, that's usually a good sign."

The game appeared headed for overtime when backup quarterback Cleo Lemon led the Dolphins to a tying score, a 25-yard field goal by Olindo Mare with 2:13 remaining.

With Miami (6-10) already eliminated from postseason contention, coach Nick Saban made a curious call, opting not to go for it on 4th-and-1 and settling for Mare's field goal.

"If you go for it ... you put the game in jeopardy with one play," Saban said. "I had confidence that our defense could stop them. That's why you take the points and tie the game. To me, it's not a difficult decision to make."

Indeed, the defenses dominated throughout on a rainy night, with a 22-yard field goal by Nugent accounting for the only scoring through three quarters. The teams combined for 18 punts before the offenses came alive in the final 15 minutes.

Lemon put the Dolphins in front, 7-3, with a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Randy McMichael with 13:26 left in the game. It was the first career TD pass for the third-year quarterback, who replaced an ineffective Joey Harrington to start the second half.

"It felt good to be out there competing, because that's what you want to do," Lemon said. "You want to play, but at the same time, the end result is that we lost. You can't feel good about that."

Pennington brought the Jets right back on the ensuing drive and capped it with a 32-yard scoring pass to Jericho Cotchery with 8:35 left. A big play in the sequence was a 20-yard pass to Washington on 3rd-and-10 from the Jets 45.

"He had some big plays tonight," Dolphins lineback Zach Thomas said of Washington. "Towards the end, we just fell apart on defense. I don't understand, but I guess you have to give them credit."

Pennington finished 14-of-29 for 237 yards and no interceptions. Washington caught four passes for 108 yards and rushed six times for 26 yards.

"It was a typical Jets-Dolphins game," Pennington said. "They always go down to the fourth quarter and the last drive, it seems. These are two really good teams that know each other.

"You have to give them credit for coming to the stadium and playing with pride and passion. You have to give our players credit for responding to their play and weathering the storm and playing under adverse conditions."

Lemon completed 11-of-16 passes for 104 yards and a TD, while Ronnie Brown, who had missed three games with a broken hand, returned and rushed for 110 yards on 18 carries.