The Nfl

Two Down, Two to Go

"Call it in the air," referee Mike Carey said, tossing the silver dollar into the muggy South Florida air on Sunday.

"Heads," Patriot co-captain Bruce Armstrong said.

"Tails," Carey announced after the coin fell to the turf. But he barely had the word out of his mouth before Dolphin quarterback and co-captain Dan Marino blurted, "We'll take the ball," as though he couldn't wait. Then Marino licked his right fingertips for the zillionth time in his 13-year pro career and went to work.

Marino completed 27 of 37 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns—as well as two interceptions—but Miami lost to New England 34-17, spoiling what should have been a glorious day for him. In the first quarter Marino connected with wideout Irving Fryar on an out pattern for a nine-yard gain, thereupon eclipsing Fran Tarkenton's record of 47,003 career passing yards. By day's end Marino's total was up to 47,299 yards, but more important, he now owned the second of four major NFL career-passing marks—all of which were set by Tarkenton.

Five weeks ago Marino became the all-time leader in pass completions, surpassing the Tarkenton record of 3,686. Now he needs only three touchdown passes to break the mark of 342, and 157 pass attempts—perhaps five games' worth—to pass the record of 6,467.

With every pass he throws, Marino bolsters his bid to become certified as the best quarterback in the 77-year history of the NFL. But that was far from his mind after the loss to the Pats. In the Dolphin locker room, he was putting his shoes on when team publicist Harvey Greene walked over to him and proffered a copy of the 10-page NFL game summary.

"What's this?" Marino asked.

"The stat sheet," Greene said. "I thought you might want it."

Marino brusquely handed it back to Greene, as if the last thing he wanted was a souvenir of this day.