Dolphins’ Thomas Voices Support for Instant Replay

Instant replay has gained yet another champion.

Miami Dolphin linebacker Zach Thomas was on the field during the Buffalo Bills’ final two furious drives Saturday. He couldn’t see if the Bills’ Andre Reed scored on the controversial play that resulted in the receiver’s ejection.

But Thomas saw enough to know that he wouldn’t want his own team’s fate to rest solely in the hands of the officials on the field.

“I think we should get replay back,” Thomas said. “Without it, a lot of teams could get hurt. I don’t think they have to make a big deal out of it. There could just be someone up in the press box who could see to it that they make the right call.”

Add Thomas: He admitted that he was dreading what turned out to be the Bills’ final play when quarterback Doug Flutie faded back from the Miami five-yard line with 17 seconds to play.

“I was in pass coverage and I didn’t want to be the guy who got beat,” Thomas said. “They are going to remember the last play of the game and I didn’t want to be the one they remember.”

A week ago, Dolphin running back Karim Abdul-Jabbar, formerly of UCLA, was sitting on the sideline, forced there by a concussion.

But he was back on the field Saturday, performing well enough to come up with the best postseason rushing performance by a Dolphin in eight years.

Abdul-Jabbar’s 95 yards rushing were the most since Sammie Smith rushed for 99 on Jan. 12, 1991, also against the Bills.

“I was tired going into the game,” said Abdul-Jabbar, who was limping around afterward because of a sprained left toe. “I think I worked too hard this week trying to shake the rust off.”

Dolphin quarterback Dan Marino, who completed 23 of 34 passes for 235 yards, got 56 yards on one play, his second-longest postseason completion.

But he got a little extra help on the play.

On his own 35-yard line with only 15 seconds to play in the half, Marino lofted a desperation pass that Oronde Gadsden caught 52 yards downfield. But as he was falling to the grass, Gadsden had the presence of mind to lateral the ball to O.J. McDuffie, who picked up an additional four yards.

The play was spectacular, but ultimately meaningless.

Given a chance to kick a 26-yard field goal after the play, Olindo Mare missed, the ball caroming off the right goal post.