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Culpepper accounts for five TDs as Raiders batter Dolphins

Sep 30, 2007 - 10:16 PM MIAMI (Ticker) -- Daunte Culpepper exacted revenge on the Miami Dolphins.

Culpepper accounted for all five touchdowns, throwing a pair of scoring passes and rushing for three more, to lead the Oakland Raiders to a 35-17 victory over the Dolphins on Sunday.

Making his first start since last season with Miami, Culpepper's stats were mediocre, but he made every big play when it counted after the opening kickoff was delayed 30 minutes by lightning and rain.

"Daunte was extremely motivated, but I don't think it's because he was playing in Miami," Raiders coach Lane Kiffin said. "Dante's a great competitor, and he was excited to get the start and give us the win."

Culpepper finished just 5-of-12 for 75 yards and a pair of touchdowns passes to Jerry Porter as the Raiders (2-2) dropped the Dolphins to 0-4. He added 28 yards on seven carries.

The Dolphins released Culpepper on June 17, 11 days after acquiring quarterback Trent Green from Kansas City.

In my eyes, it's nothing personal. You can't take it personal in this business or you won't last very long," Culpepper said. "I would have given the same attitude and effort regardless of the opponent.

"I wouldn't have let me go, but that was their decision. The only thing I feel bad about is that while I was (in Miami) I couldn't show the fans what I can really do. I think I did a little of that today."

Green completed 13-of-24 passes for 135 yards with a touchdown and two costly interceptions.

"I feel terrible. You go into a season with expectations and anticipation, and to start the way we have is draining," Green said. "It's frustrating. To go backwards is just very frustrating."

The Raiders relied on an overpowering ground game despite the loss of starting tailback LaMont Jordan to a back injury late in the first half.

Jordan's replacement, Justin Fargas, rambled for a career-high 179 yards on 22 carries and did the bulk of the work on Oakland's final two drives that put the game out of reach.

"I really settled into a groove out there and got a rhythm going," Fargas said. "I had no idea what I had (in yards). I was just taking it play by play and getting the most out of every play."

"He prepares like a starter day in and day out," Kiffin said. "That day finally came for him and he really stepped up."

Jordan had accounted for 74 yards on 15 carries prior to the injury, which occurred at the end of a seven-yard reception with 29 seconds left in the first half.

"Man, I don't ever want to see someone leave the game like LaMont did," Fargas said. "He and I are good friends, and I think that helped make my resolve even greater to go out there and pick it up for him."

Miami linebacker Joey Porter, who has guaranteed a win earlier in the win, was taken aback by the Raiders' success on the ground.

"It's something I'm not accustomed to. I'm not accustomed to ever giving up a 100-yard rusher," Porter said. "Stopping the run is supposed to be our goal and our mind-set as a defense and we haven't done that yet. It's pretty pathetic when the backup running back gets in the game and has his best day against you. I mean, I don't have an answer for it."

The Dolphins had closed within 21-17 on a 3-yard TD pass from Green to tight end Justin Peelle with eight seconds left in the third quarter.

But Culpepper drove the Raiders back down the field on the opening drive on the fourth quarter, capping an 11-play, 79-yard drive with a 27-yard scoring pass to Porter. Fargas had six carries for 34 yards on the march.

Culpepper then capped the scoring with a 3-yard run around right end in the final seconds.

"I felt great out there. It was my first start and I wanted to make an impression," Culpepper said. "I'm pretty happy with the way things turned out and obviously getting the win was the most important thing."

"The guy went out there and played like a man who was on a mission," Miami coach Cam Cameron said. "He did what he came out here to do today. He wanted to come out and prove a point and I guess he feels like he did that."

Running back Ronnie Brown was one of the few bright spots for the Dolphins, rushing for 134 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and grabbing five receptions for 50 yards.

Culpepper put the Raiders ahead to stay, throwing a 7-yard scoring pass to Porter to give Oakland a 7-0 advantage less than 3 1/2 minutes into the game.

It was the first TD pass by Culpepper since October 1, 2006, and came as a result of linebacker Thomas Howard's 29-yard interception return of Green on Miami's first possession.

Green seemed to regroup after the rough start, but then he threw a momentum-killing second interception with 6:51 left in the first half.

On the second play after Miami converted a 4th-and-2, Green floated a pass off his back foot, and safety Stanford Routt picked it off at the 2-yard line.

"Right now all the different phases are finding inopportune times to have mess-ups," Green said. "Instead of one side or the other covering for each other, its kinda snowballing and the three phases haven't been quite in sync."