By Glenn Naughton<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When the New York Jets take on the Miami Dolphins this Monday night, it will only be meaningful\u00a0for one of the two teams as the Jets look to avoid another embarrassing loss following the 38-3 blowout they suffered at the hands of the Buffalo Bills last Monday. \u00a0For the Dolphins, who are are coming off of a heartbreaking 39-36 overtime loss to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, it’s a chance to keep pace with other AFC playoff hopefuls.<\/p>\n
When the two teams collided in October of 2000, it was an epic battle that would always be remembered\u00a0as the “Monday Night Miracle”. \u00a0It was a game in which the Jets trailed the Dolphins by a score of 30-7 early in the fourth quarter. \u00a0Broadcasters told viewers that the game was over, and many Jets fans headed for the exits early, disappointed in their team’s lackluster effort in a battle of two 5-1 teams fighting it out for first place. \u00a0What would transpire after Miami took that commanding 23 point lead is something no Jets fan, or football fan for that matter, will ever forget.<\/p>\n
The 40-37 final score would lead one to believe that there was little defense played that day, but in a clash for the ages, it was a defensive player who stepped up in overtime and set the Jets up for the game winning score. \u00a0Jets cornerback Marcus Coleman had three total interceptions, two of which came in overtime and help cap the unlikely finish.<\/p>\n
Glenn Naughton of JetNation.com had the opportunity to speak with Marcus Coleman about that unforgettable evening, and his time with the Green and White.<\/p>\n
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Glenn Naughton<\/strong>: Marcus, that Monday night game against the Dolphins is so memorable for so many Jets fans. \u00a0Where does it rate for you in all the time you played in the league?<\/p>\n Marcus Coleman<\/strong>: When you play the ten or eleven years that I played, you only go through a game like that once or twice in your career, or once really, I’d have to say yeah, it was the most memorable by far.<\/p>\n GN:<\/strong> With Miami leading 23-7 at the half, how are defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and Head Coach Al Groh reacting in the locker room? \u00a0What message are they trying to deliver?<\/p>\n MC:\u00a0<\/strong>Well, right after we went in we’re just trying to clean things up and trying to figure out what we’re doing and what adjustments we need to make. \u00a0A lot of the talk was that we’ve been here before and we talked a lot about the success we’d had against Miami. \u00a0We knew we were very capable and it was just a matter of us executing a lot better and reading the offense a little better. \u00a0We weren’t out of it yet but we did have a big deficit to make up but we just had to keep playing and pushing through. \u00a0You know you’re going to face some adversity and that was what we were up against and we just had to figure out what to do. \u00a0Having the veterans we had on that squad helped too. \u00a0You had Aaron (Glenn), Marvin Jones, Bryan Cox with Vinny (Testeverde) on the other side with Jumbo (Elliot), Wayne (Chrebet), so we understood what it was that needed to be done, so it was just a matter of going out and doing it.<\/p>\n GN:\u00a0<\/strong>So after the half, Miami scores the first touchdown when Lamar Smith runs it in to make it 30-7 and that’s the score starting the fourth quarter. \u00a0Once that TD is scored, a lot of fans head for the exits. \u00a0As you guys start to mount a comeback, do the players notice at all that the stands are filling up again or is that something that goes unnoticed on the sidelines since you’re so caught up in the game?<\/p>\n MC:\u00a0<\/strong>Honestly, I can’t speak for anyone else but I personally didn’t notice. \u00a0When we’re on the field I’m trying to communicate and the same thing on the bench. \u00a0Until I saw the highlights the next day, I had no idea so many fans were leaving or coming back. \u00a0You just figure when something good happens you hear the screams, but in a game like that you’re just trying to figure out a way to make a play and come back so if something goes wrong it can get really bad really fast. \u00a0Mainly, focus on playing the game and that’s what you’re worried about.<\/p>\n GN:\u00a0<\/strong>Do you remember a particular point when the feeling on the sideline turned and you guys realize you have a shot to complete this comeback and win the game?<\/p>\n MC:\u00a0<\/strong>Not really because you can’t get too caught up in that. \u00a0You just see the team score and you just think, okay let’s get another stop so we can try to score again. \u00a0Once it got closer and it got to 30-20 on the Wiggins touchdown. \u00a0At that point I guess is when we say “okay, we’re back in it” so you just keep pushing through and take it one play at a time. \u00a0We’d had so many bad plays in that game that one bad one can’t let you get down because you know you can overcome it.<\/p>\n GN;\u00a0<\/strong>Later in the fourth quarter Vinny hits Chrebet for a touchdown to tie it. \u00a0On the ensuing kickoff Brock Marion gets a big return and Fiedler throws a 46 yard touchdown which must be deflating after showing so much resilience. \u00a0But at the same time it helps that they scored so quickly because it gave you guys time to come down and score again with the pass to Jumbo Elliot. \u00a0That ties it and you guys had to overtime. \u00a0Obviously this is back when overtime was sudden-death.<\/p>\n MC:\u00a0<\/strong>Exactly, different rules back then so we had to hold them if they got the ball, which they did.<\/p>\n GN:\u00a0<\/strong>Right, and Brock Marion gets another good return and Miami is approaching mid-field so FG range isn’t that far away. \u00a0Then Fiedler tries to hit Leslie Shepherd and you step up and make that interception. \u00a0During the return though, Thurman Thomas chases you down and forces the fumble which Miami picks up at the 34 yard line.<\/p>\n MC:\u00a0<\/strong>Yeah, before the interception we were just trying to get a stop and we were playing cover-5 which puts a man underneath, and I could see the route and I knew what was coming so I moved up and slid inside just before the snap of the ball and I don’t think Fiedler even noticed. \u00a0He made that throw and I get the pick. \u00a0Then when I switch hands to secure the ball, I see Thurman coming and he gets a hand in there and knocks it loose. \u00a0It was deflating because you work so hard to make a play and I finally make the play and I give it right back to them. \u00a0It was tough but Marvin Jones came over and just said “Don’t worry about it, keep playing and get it back, that’s all you can do”, so from that moment, everybody just said “we’ll get it back, keep playing, keep playing”.<\/p>\n GN: <\/strong>So\u00a0Miami gets going again and then once they’re in Jets territory you step up and get another interception.<\/p>\n MC:\u00a0<\/strong>Yeah, and that was a huge relief because we would have had the opportunity to win the game the first time, so to get a chance again I was just relieved that I made the play and we got the second opportunity. \u00a0If I didn’t make that second play, that first one had a chance to set us up for the win so if we would have lost that would have been tough.<\/p>\n GN:\u00a0<\/strong>So your interception leads to John Hall kicking the forty yard game winner and of course players from both teams meet up to shake hands and make their\u00a0way to the locker room. \u00a0Do you remember the response from the Miami players? \u00a0They had to be in shock, right?<\/p>\n MC:\u00a0<\/strong>Yeah they were, and I knew a lot of those guys and spent time in Florida in the off-season. \u00a0I’d work out with Zach Thomas, OJ McDuffie, Jason (Taylor), Orande (Gadsden), I knew those guys pretty well and they were in shock. \u00a0You know, Zach was actually kind of mad and he barely shook my hand.<\/p>\n GN:\u00a0<\/strong>What about from the Jets’ perspective? \u00a0Was it surreal or business as usual?<\/p>\n MC:\u00a0<\/strong>We were happy to get the win, but there wasn’t a whole lot of emotion after the game because it was so long physically and mentally. It takes a lot out of you. \u00a0Guys were happy with the win\u00a0<\/b>but they were ready to get out of there. \u00a0It was a tiring and hard fought win. \u00a0Everybody left everything on the field that night and didn’t really have an ounce of energy left. \u00a0Everyone was happy and Coach Groh was happy, but we celebrated for a half a second and then got out of there. \u00a0When you look back at it now it’s great. \u00a0Knowing you were a part of one of the greatest comebacks in Monday night history, in NFL history, and in Jets history.<\/p>\n GN<\/strong>: Earlier\u00a0y<\/strong>ou mentioned Marvin Jones and Mo Lewis who were a huge part of that defense for so many years. \u00a0What was it like to play with those guys?<\/p>\n MC:\u00a0<\/strong>Marvin was a quiet\u00a0guy who would make a joke from time to time, but Mo was a loud guy who was always funny and making jokes, but the thing that they don’t get enough credit for was their football IQ. \u00a0They knew what was coming and what the other team was going to do. \u00a0They studied hard, they watched film and they understood what a coach was trying to implement. \u00a0Playing with them and Aaron really helped my growth and how to watch film. \u00a0They helped you understand how to prepare, how to anticipate, and how to practice. \u00a0They taught me the importance of knowing other guys’ responsibilities that would allow me to maybe change the way I was going to cover, when I can and can’t gamble. \u00a0They were the leaders of that team in their own ways and they were both tough, hard working guys with a ton of ability. \u00a0Mo was unbelievable, he was 270 pounds and he ran around like he weighed 240. \u00a0I think they don’t get enough credit for being smart players who were different types of leaders. \u00a0Marvin Jones was one of the first guys to take me under his wing and show me the ropes so I couldn’t have played with or had the opportunity to learn from two better guys than Mo and Marvin..<\/p>\n GN:\u00a0<\/strong>What are you up to now in San Antonio?<\/p>\n MC:\u00a0<\/strong>I’m actually setting up a project with the Wounded \u00a0Warriors Foundation. \u00a0We did one with a lot of NFL alumni and we’re trying to get something up and running for January, so once we have it in stone I’ll let \u00a0you know and any support from JetNation.com would be much appreciated.<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Glenn Naughton When the New York Jets take on the Miami Dolphins this Monday night, it will only be meaningful\u00a0for one of the two teams as the Jets look to avoid another embarrassing loss following the 38-3 blowout they suffered at the hands of the Buffalo Bills last Monday. \u00a0For the Dolphins, who 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