Miami Dolphins Week 17 Game Ball

by Kevin Nogle on Jan 3, 2012 5:00 AM EST in 2011 Game Ball of the Week

The Miami Dolphins kept the New York Jets out of the playoffs this week by defeating the AFC East division rivals 19-17. Neither team's offense was spectacular on the day, and this week's game ball nominees clearly establish that. Without further ado, I give you the three nominees for the Miami Dolphins Week 17 game ball - the final game ball of the season.

Nominee 1 - Randy Starks. There's not a whole lot defensive end Randy Starks didn't do this week. He had two tackles, a quarterback sack, and two interceptions. Starks was everywhere Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez wanted to go, or wanted to put the ball. A Pro Bowler last season, Starks had the game of his life Sunday.

Nominee 2 - Dan Carpenter. Last season, it seemed like kicker Dan Carpenter was a permanent fixture in the game ball posts. This season, there has (usually) been enough positive performances to keep "DC$" off the nominee list. But, this week, he earned his way into consideration. Carpenter went 4-for-4 on field goals, including a 58-yarder to end the first half of Sunday's contest, with his right leg, and the 13-points it provided, being the difference between a Dolphins win and yet another loss on a bad season.

Nominee 3 - Jason Taylor. Come on. You didn't really think I wouldn't put linebacker Jason Taylor up for this week's game ball, did you? Taylor may have only had 1 tackle, and 1 quarterback hit on Sunday, but that QB hit was huge, sending Sanchez' pass directly to Starks for the interception. Taylor also had his seventh fumble recovery for a touchdown during the game, only to have replay deny him, and us as fans, a great moment in the future Hall of Famer's final game. But, really, this game ball nominee is for 13 years of Miami Dolphins greatness, plus those two years he spent in other uniforms. Taylor was a class act from the day he was drafted through his locker room and media availability after the game. Interim head coach Todd Bowles and the team gave the game ball to Taylor in the locker room - how can he not be nominated here?

So, who do you award this week's game ball? Vote below.

Poll

Who deserves the Miami Dolphins Week 17 game ball?

Randy Starks (1 sack, 2 INTs)

385 votes

Dan Carpenter (4/4 FGs, Long 58 yards)

90 votes

Jason Taylor

494 votes

969 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Head- Starks, Heart- Taylor

by LimeyPhin on Jan 3, 2012 6:35 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Gotta give it to JT...

He will always be a Dolphin and it was good to see him get a win and shatter the hopes of the team that made him put on those awful colors and then kicked him to the curb. If you were Randy Starks or Dan Carpenter would you give your game ball to JT? Don’t think that defense and really the whole team did not win that game for JT— they carried him off the field. Gotta give it to JT.

We had [Brady] down… but we didn’t kick him. We helped him up and gave him a PowerPuff Girls band-aid for his knee. What exactly did you expect would happen when we did that?

by Jason Scott_90 on Jan 3, 2012 7:31 AM EST reply actions

id have to agree with limeyphin here

But I think heart wins out here.

Admiral of the RGIII "Robert Griffin"
Reggie Bush for 2012 pro bowl
New Orleans OC Carmichael for HC.
Grand Cardinal of the first holy church of brandstater (the phinsider), and founder of the second holy church of brandstater (turf show times).

by AnishB15 on Jan 3, 2012 8:49 AM EST via mobile reply actions

JT all day

Starks had the game of his life Sunday, but JT was the tone setter not just Sunday, but throughout the season for our defense. JT’s relentless effort throughout his aqua and orange days will be memorialized by the statue that will be erected at the entrance of Sunlife Stadium.

Get the best man to clear every hurdle that stand in the Dolphins way, go RG3.
RG3, the new Transformer of the future.

by fin4three5yrs on Jan 3, 2012 9:10 AM EST reply actions

Gonna miss 99 on Sundays

Great player, class act the whole way. That overturned fumble return was the best play that didn’t count that I can remember. I haven’t felt the stadium buzz like that in years….

by FinsSince70 on Jan 3, 2012 9:24 AM EST reply actions

I think the team voted when they carried JT off the field.

BTW, Great job on the win!

The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
Some people can learn from the mistakes of others, while some people need to pee on the electric fence themselves.
Belichick is looking for a new name for his boat: VI Rings sounds pretty good.

by SlotMachinePlayer on Jan 3, 2012 11:30 AM EST reply actions