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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Jay Fiedler missed the Miami Dolphins' first
three preseason games, leaving him with just one chance to prove
that he should replace Dan Marino at quarterback.
It wasn't a great outing, but it was good enough to start the
Dolphins on the way to a 22-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints
on Friday night. It might also have moved him past Damon Huard in
Miami's quarterback race.
|  | | Despite the Saints' pass rush, Jay Fiedler made a strong case for the Dolphins' starting QB spot Friday night. |
"With only one day of practice, I think he threw the ball
really well," Miami coach Dave Wannstedt said.
Fiedler led the Dolphins to a touchdown in his first exhibition
action of the year, something Huard failed to do in the previous
three games. Huard did not play against the Saints.
Fiedler, who had arthroscopic surgery Aug. 3 to repair torn
cartilage in his right hip, took the Dolphins 83 yards in the
second quarter, with J.J. Johnson scoring on a 1-yard run. Fiedler
passed for 41 yards on the drive.
"I thought I threw the ball well," Fiedler said. "Physically,
I felt sharp. I tried forcing a few things that I shouldn't have. I
was thinking too much about scoring a touchdown. You just have to
come out with points."
On Miami's first possession, Fiedler drove the Dolphins 46 yards
to the Saints' 5 only to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Olindo
Mare.
Mare's 31-yarder in the second quarter gave the Dolphins (3-1) a
13-10 halftime lead. Mare also made a 34-yarder in the third
quarter.
Fiedler, who worked just under two quarters, was 10-of-14 for
109 yards. He was sacked once and intercepted three times.
"I'm confident we have two quarterbacks that we can win with,"
Wannstedt said. "We'll watch film and zero in on who our starter
will be."
Mike Quinn finished the game for the Dolphins, going 8-for-16
for 82 yards and a touchdown. He hit Jed Weaver with a 5-yard
touchdown pass in the third quarter, and directed a 66-yard fourth-
quarter drive that was stopped on the 1.
Jeff Blake, New Orleans' starting quarterback, was in for just
nine plays, engineering a 56-yard drive that set up Doug Brien's
field goal. The Saints' first-team offense scored just one
touchdown in the preseason. Against Miami, New Orleans' defense
contributed the first-quarter touchdown as Darren Perry scored on a
58-yard interception return.
Brien also made a 34-yard field goal in the first quarter.
The question the Saints (1-3) hoped to answer in the final
preseason game was who their backup quarterbacks are.
Aaron Brooks, acquired in a trade with Green Bay on July 31,
completed 7 of 10 attempts for 107 yards.
Jake Delhomme, who started the final two games for the Saints
last season, stated his case with a 99-yard touchdown drive that
ended with an 8-yard scoring pass to Willie Jackson with 1:55 left
in the game.
"I wasn't trying to make my stock go up," Delhomme said. "I
was trying to play well for the team and get the ball in the end
zone. Whatever happens, happens.
Delhomme was 14-of-22 for 171 yards. He was intercepted once.
Ten-year veteran Billy Joe Tolliver did not play.
Both teams were sloppy, the Saints had 13 penalties for 85 yards
and six turnovers. Miami had seven penalties for 79 yards and four
turnovers.
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