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Mistake-prone Miami fizzles

©Associated Press
August 16, 2002

MIAMI -- Maybe the Saints won't miss Ricky Williams after all.

Deuce McAllister had 70 total yards as the Saints beat the Dolphins 24-7 Thursday night and held Williams to 17 yards rushing in his first game against his former team.

"We didn't get the short end of the stick," New Orleans receiver Joe Horn said. "Deuce is a better running back. Deuce can do more things. Ricky is a power running back."

McAllister ran 11 times for 42 yards and caught three passes for 28 yards, all in the first half. He helped New Orleans build a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter. The Saints also received assistance from the mistake-prone Dolphins.

Jay Fiedler threw three first-half interceptions, and Miami had a special-teams breakdown a second straight game. The Dolphins were flagged eight times for 54 yards in the first half.

Fiedler, who missed much of training camp after hip surgery, regressed in his second start in a four-day span. He was 4-of-6 passing for 36 yards in a loss to Tampa Bay on Monday night.

He was 8-for-19 for 83 yards against the Saints. Though he was under heavy pressure for much of the half, Fiedler was off target on many passes. He played six series on a night when he was supposed to go 20 plays, staying in to work through his mistakes.

Four Miami possessions that ended with four bad plays helped New Orleans take a 17-0 lead.

"There's no way you can expect to win turning the ball over four times, and one of them for a touchdown," coach Dave Wannstedt said. "It's obvious that Jay needs a lot of work. He's behind, and we're fortunate that we have three weeks before we play to get that done."

The fans were equally upset.

They booed Fiedler when he returned to the huddle to start another drive. They cheered when backup Ray Lucas warmed up on the sideline, became more boisterous when he entered the game and were their loudest when he threw a 24-yard touchdown to rookie tight end Randy McMichael on the final play of the first half.

It was Miami's lone highlight.

Williams, traded by New Orleans in March, was ineffective for the second game in a row. The former Heisman Trophy winner carried eight times for a 2.1-yard average. He ran five times for 9 yards against the Bucs.

JETS 34, RAVENS 16: Vinny Testaverde threw for 129 yards and a touchdown in three series, and LaMont Jordan ran for two third-quarter TDs for visiting New York.

Javin Hunter returned a kickoff 99 yards for the Ravens, who scored three against the Jets' first-team defense. Jamal Lewis, who missed last season with a knee injury, ran for 24 yards on four carries.

New York turned three Baltimore turnovers into 17 points. Testaverde was 9-for-12, leading the Jets to a touchdown and a field goal in his first two series and moving them into field-goal range in his final drive. In two preseason games, he is 15-for-20 for 190 yards and no interceptions.

Chris Redman was 15-for-22 for 102 yards for the Ravens, but his fumble late in the first half led to a New York field goal.

TITANS 24, RAIDERS 14: Steve McNair threw a 34-yard touchdown to Derrick Mason, and Tennessee added two more in the first quarter off Oakland turnovers.

The Titans beat the Raiders in their first preseason meeting since 1994 by scoring two touchdowns within 12 seconds and adding a third less than nine minutes into the first quarter.

Playing their second road game in six days, Oakland lost four turnovers, allowed three sacks and was penalized nine times.

Last week, McNair failed to complete his first nine passes and fumbled on his first play. Not against Oakland. He took six plays to move the Titans 72 yards and capped the drive with a perfect toss to an open Mason for a 7-0 lead.

"It was just like pitch and catch for me out there," McNair said.

Rich Gannon, who played one series in last week's loss to Dallas, played three against Tennessee. His first lasted three plays when Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck intercepted a pass off Jerry Rice's hands. Gannon had one TD drive and was 6-for-10 for 50 yards.

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