Final-second FG lifts Texans past winless Dolphins

08.10.2007 15:00 Sport and Travel - Source: USA Today

Brown kicked five field goals, including the winner on a career-long 57-yarder with a second remaining, to lead the Texans to a 22-19 victory over the Dolphins (0-5), losers of eight straight.

BOX SCORE: Texans 22, Dolphins 19

PHOTOS: Week 5 in pictures

Brown tied an NFL single-game record with three makes over 50 yards. He hit two 54-yarders earlier in the game. No one had kicked one longer than 53 yards in the NFL this season.

Brown hurt the heel of his left foot on Houston's first kickoff and got an injection for the pain at halftime.

"That's as impressive as I've ever seen," coach Gary Kubiak said. "And then to put that on top of it, I'm kind of at a loss for words. It's special. I don't know if we'll ever see that again."

Brown said he didn't realize how long the winning kick was when he lined up.

"I actually thought it was going to be another 54-yarder," Brown said. "I knew it was going to be a fairly long kick. I told myself to ... make it a good kick, and let's go home."

The Dolphins are off to their worst start since losing the first six to open the 2004 season. Things could get worse after quarterback Trent Green suffered a concussion trying to block. He went to a hospital for observation but returned to the stadium after the game.

GREEN CONCUSSION: Dolphins QB sidelined

He was injured when defensive tackle Travis Johnson hit him in the head with his knee. After the play, Johnson stood over Green and taunted him, drawing a 15-yard penalty.

Johnson said he apologized to coach Gary Kubiak for the penalty during the game, but contrition wasn't on his mind afterward. The 315-pound Johnson went on an expletive-laced rant in the locker room, apparently because he didn't like the low block Green threw.

"It was a malicious hit," Johnson said. "It was uncalled for. He's like the scarecrow. He wants to get courage while I wasn't looking and hit me in my knee instead of trying to hit me in my head. God don't like ugly, you know what I mean?"

Johnson was escorted back to the locker room about 20 minutes after the tirade to issue an apology, but still seemed more upset about the penalty itself than his reaction to the hit.

"We're not going to do that," Kubiak said. "That's not going to be accepted around here."

On the winning drive, the Texans (3-2) got the ball at their 3-yard line and Matt Schaub completed 4 of 5 passes to set up the kick.

With less than two minutes to go, the Dolphins lined up for what would have been a 56-yard field goal attempt, but instead called a timeout and punted.

Schaub fumbled and threw an interception, and the Texans couldn't finish drives all day, instead relying on Brown's leg. He also hit from 43 and 20 yards.

Brown helped the Texans break a two-game losing streak and avoid being beaten by a second straight winless opponent after last week's loss to Atlanta. The victory gives Houston its first winning record after five games in franchise history.

Schaub was 20-of-34 for 294 yards.

His 24-yard pass to Owen Daniels got Houston to the 4-yard line midway through the fourth quarter. But the Texans settled for another field goal that tied it at 19-all after a 2-yard gain by Ron Dayne and two incomplete passes.

Jay Feely's 48-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter had put Miami back on top at 19-16.

Ronnie Brown had 23 carries for 114 yards to become just the second player in Dolphins history with 100 yards rushing in three straight games. Ricky Williams did it three times.

"That's a great opportunity to be associated in a class like that with a guy like Ricky Williams who accomplished so much as a football player," Ronnie Brown said. "But I would trade all those yards in for a win."

Houston led 7-3 in the first quarter when Schaub's pass bounced off Jeb Putzier's fingers and was intercepted by Andre' Goodman.

Green's injury came on the next play when the quarterback was trying to block after a fumble by Ted Ginn Jr.

His teammates were outraged at Johnson's actions.

"You just don't do that to a guy who is laying down," receiver Chris Chambers said. "It's disrespectful and real undisciplined. I'm sure his teammates will not condone that as well. He got charged with a penalty and I'm sure he'll get fined for it."

Green lay still for several seconds as medical staff rushed to check on him. The Dolphins gathered near midfield and kneeled to pray a few feet away. Green was taken off the field in a stretcher.

Cleo Lemon took over for Green, and Ronnie Brown put the Dolphins ahead 10-7 with a 3-yard touchdown run. Lemon finished 15-of-27 for 151 yards.

Feely pushed Miami's lead to 13-7 with a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter.

A sack by Jason Taylor caused Schaub to fumble on Houston's next drive, and the Dolphins converted the turnover into a 33-yard field goal to take a 16-7 lead.

The Texans had to settle for a 54-yard field goal by Kris Brown just before halftime after a sack by Taylor followed by an incomplete pass by Schaub stalled their drive.

The Texans took an early lead when Dayne ran for a 1-yard touchdown on fourth down in the first quarter. That score was set up by a 49-yard reception by Andre' Davis. It marked the first time Houston had scored a touchdown on its opening drive this season.

Notes: Last year's top draft pick, Houston's Mario Williams, got his third sack of the season. ... Texans receiver Jerome Mathis was placed on the injured reserve, while receiver Harry Williams was signed from the practice squad.

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