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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 11:38 a.m., Sunday, December 2, 2007

NFL: Takeaways help Jets keep Dolphins winless

By Steven Wine
Associated Press

MIAMI -- A shaky showing by rookie quarterback John Beck doomed the Miami Dolphins' latest bid for a win.

Beck threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles today, and the Dolphins fell to 0-12 by losing to the New York Jets 40-13.

Beck's turnovers led to a touchdown and three field goals. In three starts, he has yet to direct the offense to a touchdown.

Despite the Dolphins' woeful record, they were favored by 1½ points, and the game was touted as their best remaining chance to avoid the NFL's first 0-16 season. Instead, the margin of defeat was their widest yet.

Miami extended a franchise-record losing streak to 15 games, and Cam Cameron remained winless as an NFL coach.

The Jets wore navy and gold throwback Titans uniforms and looked like a different team, winning by a lopsided score for the first time this season. They improved to 3-9, with two of those wins over Miami.

The Dolphins took a brief 13-10 lead in the second quarter on Michael Lehan's 43-yard fumble return for a touchdown, but they didn't score again. In the third quarter, Beck fumbled three times in a stretch of five plays for Miami. The Jets recovered twice, leading to 10 points.

A third consecutive Dolphins series ended in a turnover when Beck was intercepted by Drew Coleman, setting up Mike Nugent's fourth field goal for a 33-13 lead.

Darrelle Revis and Kerry Rhodes also had interceptions for the Jets, who came into the game with only nine all season.

In the early going, Cameron's play-calling was so conservative the crowd let out a mock roar when Beck finally threw a pass downfield, even though it fell incomplete. Despite the cautious approach, Miami's offense self-destructed while totaling only 187 yards.

Beck finished 23-for-39 for 177 yards. The interceptions were his first this season.