NFL Preview (Miami-Baltimore)
Posted: Sun October 19, 1997 at 11:48 a.m EDT
Miami (4-2) at Baltimore (3-3) 4:00 pm EDT
The Miami Dolphins make their first visit to Memorial Stadium to
play the Ravens today on the heels of a key division win over
the New York Jets.
Last week's 31-20 win over the Jets kept the Dolphins one game
behind the AFC East-leading New England Patriots.
The Ravens won three of their first four games, but then dropped
back-to-back games to San Diego and Pittsburgh and hit the bye
week with a .500 record.
Before the Ravens transplanted from Cleveland, the Miami
Dolphins won the last five meetings against the Browns. Miami
also has won six straight in Baltimore, beating the old
Baltimore Colts in Memorial Stadium every year from 1978-83.
Miami quarterback Dan Marino had a 5-1 career record against the
Browns-turned-Ravens with 1,661 passing yards and 11 touchdowns.
Marino passed for a season-high 372 yards and two touchdowns in
Miami's win over the Jets. He completed 27-of-38 passes and
threw touchdowns of 36 yards to running back Karim Abdul-Jabbar
and 22 yards to Lamar Thomas.
Marino has thrown 126 passes without an interception to break
Bob Griese's previous club record of 122 set in 1967. The
Dolphins QB has two 300-yard passing games this season and an
NFL career-record 54. For the season, he has connected on 125 of
225 passes for 1,535 yards and six TDs.
The Dolphins had five sacks against the Jets, including a pair
by rookie linebacker Derrick Rodgers, and held New York running
back Adrian Murrell to 29 yards on 13 carries.
The Ravens squandered a 21-0 lead and lost to Pittsburgh, 42-34,
in a key AFC Central game before the bye week. Vinny Testaverde
passed for 290 yards and three touchdowns, but was intercepted
twice in the loss to the Steelers. Tight end Eric Green had his
best game as a Raven, catching eight passes for 92 yards.
After hosting Miami, the Ravens play three straight road games
against Washington, the Jets and Pittsburgh. Baltimore is in
third place in the AFC Central, trailing the Pittsburgh Steelers
by one game.
The Dolphins play three of their next four at home. They host
the Chicago Bears next week, and after visiting Buffalo on
November 2nd, return home to meet the Jets and the Bills.
Miami's offensive line has given Marino plenty of protection as
the Dolphins have allowed an NFL-low four sacks. With the
offense not turning the ball over in 207 scrimmage plays, the
Dolphins have committed an NFL-low three turnovers.
Testaverde has 46 TD passes since 1996, the second-most in the
NFL to Brett Favre's 54. He has thrown at least three TD passes
in 10 of his last 18 games. For the season, he has completed 140
of 238 passes for 1,656 yards, which ranks second in the AFC.
Ravens running back Earnest Byner has rushed for 8,204 yards and
needs two yards to move past Herschel Walker into 16th place on
the NFL's all-time list.
Baltimore's Eric Green leads all tight ends with 26 catches and
ranks third among active tight ends with 30 TD receptions in the
1990s.
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