However, the game was sealed only when Doug Swift picked off Cleveland quarterback Mike Phipps at the Dolphin 20. It was Swift's second pick of the game and Miami's fifth overall. Without the pilfering of Phipps passes, Miam's perfect season doesn't happen. Quarterback Earl Morrall responded by leading the Dolphins on a six-play, 80 yard drive that end with Jim Kiick scoring on an eight-yard trap. On Christmas Eve, Miami actually trailed the Cleveland Browns 14-13 with 8:11 to go in the fourth quarter. It's often forgotten that before Miami's victory against Pittsburgh in the 1972 AFC Championship Game there was another close call in the previous playoff round.
It also ended Miami's season and marks perhaps one of the worst defensive efforts in Dolphin history. It's an image that has stayed with many fans every since. Coming on the play after Buffalo kicker Scott Norward recovered Marc Logan's fumble of his kickoff, a wide open Reed hauled in the pass from Kelly and cruised away in the snow. No play illustrated this more than a 26-yard scoring strike from Jim Kelly to Andre Reed. The problem is that for all of the Dolphins success on offense, Buffalo had more than enough of an answer. The two teams combined for 78 points, 48 first downs and 923 yards. In the 1990 Divisional Playoff, that's exactly the feeling that Miami fans endured during their team's 44-34 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
There is rarely a worse moment for a fan then when you know that no matter what your team does it's just not enough. That quarterback was Bob Griese and the future Hall of Famer never looked back. However, the resulting injury puts a young quarterback from Purdue into the lineup. The touchdown itself carries little or no significance. Shortly after scoring a touchdown, less than five minutes into the game, Stofa went down by the goal line and is carried off the field on stretcher with a broken ankle. The Jets fired coach Pete Carroll after the season and compiled a 4-32 record after "The Clock" loss until hiring Bill Parcells three seasons later.
The 28-24 victory sent the teams into two different directions. The Dolphins finished the season 10-6 to win the AFC East by virtue of a tie-breaker over New England. Ingram's fourth touchdown catch of the game matches Paul Warfield's single-game TD record which he accomplished against Detroit in 1973. The bit of chicanery instantly became one of the most memorable plays in the team's history. The best quarterback in Dolphin's history did just that as he yelled Clock! Clock! Clock! As the ball was snapped, Marino simulated a spike and then fired the ball to Mark Ingram in the right front corner of the endzone. Kosar relayed into Dan Marino's headset to hurry the team to the line of scrimmage as if wanting to stop the clock. However, head coach Don Shula and back-up quarterback Bernie Kosar had other ideas. Miami would stop the clock for perhaps one more shot into the endzone or more likely a field goal attempt to send the game into overtime.