American Football: Williams rejuvenated as Dolphins recall glory days
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Your support makes all the difference.A change of scenery can work wonders for a player. The New Orleans Saints gave up all their draft choices to sign the running back Rickey Williams in 1999. But after three largely disappointing seasons, the Saints traded him to the Miami Dolphins who had lacked a power running game since their glory days of the early 1970s.
Many doubted the wisdom of Miami's move, but Williams has certainly made an impact. On Sunday, he pounded the hapless New York Jets for 151 yards on 24 carries, helping his team to a comfortable 30-3 triumph. The Dolphins have won all three games this season so far, and Williams has distinguished himself, becoming the first rusher in team history to gain more than 100 yards in three consecutive matches. The Dolphins' victory over their bitter rivals was particularly sweet as the New Yorkers had won the previous eight matches between the sides.
Miami dispensed with the services of Lamar Smith after acquiring Williams, but he too looks at home in fresh surroundings. Without him, the Carolina Panthers lost 15 games in a row last year: after three contests in 2002, the Panthers are one of the more surprising unbeaten teams, Smith leading the way with 154 yards and two touchdowns in his side's 21-14 win in Minnesota.
And what of the Saints? They seem to be thriving, recovering from a 20-point deficit to maintain their perfect start to the season in overcoming the Chicago Bears 29-23. Deuce McAllister, the man faced with the task of replacing Williams, performed adequately again, but the real star was the quarterback Aaron Brooks who tossed three touchdown passes and ran for a score himself.
Joining the Dolphins, Panthers and Saints among the ranks of the unbeaten contenders are the New England Patriots, although they nearly came a cropper following a late Kansas City fightback. The defending Super Bowl champions looked comfortable with a 31-17 advantage with less than five minutes remaining, but the Chiefs running back Priest Holmes scored twice to send the game to overtime.
The Patriots survived their scare, Adam Vinatieri's 35-yard field goal in overtime ensuring their 12th successive win. The receiver Troy Brown also set a club record with 16 receptions.
The Denver Broncos made it three out of three with a routine 28-16 stroll past the Buffalo Bills. The rookie running back Clinton Portis caught the eye with his first career 100-yard rushing game.
However, the losing goes on for the Detroit Lions and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Lions were opening their new stadium, Ford Field, with a game against the Green Bay Packers. The Bengals, meanwhile, fell again to the Atlanta Falcons.
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