(Sportsbooks) - How many of you had Denver in your suicide or elimination pools on Sunday? In a certain pool I know of, there were a ton of people disappointed with Miami's improbable victory over the Broncos yesterday at Dolphins Stadium.
After a dismal 4-12 season a year ago, and a 1-4 mark in the preseason, Miami surprised everyone as it gave new head coach Nick Sabin a win in his NFL head coaching debut, doing just about everything right in its 34-10 triumph over the Broncos.
"I'm really pleased for the players. These players have suffered a little bit over the last year or so in terms of things not going so well for them," Saban said. "I think that they all wanted to prove something."
Gus Frerotte, Miami's seventh different starting quarterback since Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season, was more than capable, as he completed 24- of-36 passes to lead an offense that racked up 426 total yards, including 151 on the ground. The Dolphins also had both a run and a pass play for 60 yards or more in the same game for the first time since 1967.
"Last year I'd go home after a game so mad I couldn't talk to my wife in the car," said tight end Randy McMichael, who had a touchdown in Sunday's season- opening victory.
"It hurt too bad to lose -- home openers, important games. But today it was different. It was about respect. We earned a little respect today. It's only one game, and we have to keep doing it every week."
After the game, the Dolphins players presented Saban with the game ball. But the coach was quick to institute the "24-hour" rule whereby the team could celebrate this victory for one day before they start thinking about their next opponent, the New York Jets.
RONNIE BROWN IMPRESSIVE IN DEBUT
Heading into his NFL debut on Sunday, Miami first-round pick Ronnie Brown was expecting to get 10-to-12 carries. Instead, Saban worked the 23-year-old running back, as the second overall selection gained 57 yards on 22 carries.
"He certainly didn't look like a rookie," Saban said of Brown. "He looked like he had some maturity, understanding and confidence in what he was doing."
The only negative was when Brown left the game in the second quarter after his left shoulder was slammed into the turf. Brown, though, shook off the injury and returned.
"I was just excited to be out there on the field, getting ready to play with some of the best players in the world," Brown said.
TAYLOR ICES IT
Jason Taylor capped off a perfect day for the Miami defense when he picked up a loose fumble on the game's final play and rumbled 85 yards for a touchdown.
"I was gassed around the 20-yard line," Taylor said. "I'm not going to say I didn't want to score, but I was ready to go down if someone hit me."
Oh, by the way, Taylor needed four IV bags following the game.
CSONKA RESCUED AT SEA
Former Dolphins Hall of Fame running back Larry Csonka was among six people rescued in the Bering Sea by a helicopter over the weekend.
According to the Anchorage Daily News, Csonka was part of a group returning from a hunting trip that was being filmed on an island 100 miles west of Unalaska when their boat came upon some inclement weather.
"We might very well have died if we stayed out there. It was tense," Csonka told the Miami Herald. "It was 10 or 12 hours of moment-to-moment with sea sickness and not being able to drink water because it was so rough, and hanging onto each other."
UP NEXT
Miami gets its AFC East slate underway next week when it heads to the Meadowlands to face what should be a fired-up New York Jets team. Last year, the Dolphins lost twice to New York.
