Knights legend accounted for five TDs in 2007
Most NFL fans may remember former UCF Knights quarterback Daunte Culpepper as the quarterback the Miami Dolphins chose over future Hall of Famer Drew Brees in the 2006 offseason. Long story short, the Dolphins still haven’t recovered from choosing Culpepper over Brees nearly 20 years later.
In 2006, Culpepper came to Miami the year after his devastating knee injury in his final season in Minnesota. But he started only four games before aggravating his right knee. Culpepper went 1-3 as a starter and threw for 929 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Culpepper’s tenure in Miami was a forgettable one, and his name will get groans from Dolphin fans.
Culpepper joined the Oakland Raiders in 2007, his only season as a Raider. He was the backup to Josh McCown, but it was early in the season that Culpepper would play.
In Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns, Culpepper made a relief performance after McCown got injured. He led the Raiders to a 23-20 overtime win. With McCown not ready to play in next week’s game, it meant Culpepper would get his first start as a Raider on Sept. 30, 2007. Poetically, it was against the Dolphins at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The Dolphins were 0-3 at the time with journeyman Trent Green at QB. Cam Cameron was the Dolphins’ head coach. Nick Saban, Culpepper’s Dolphins head coach in 2006, had taken the Alabama Crimson Tide’s head coaching job for the 2007 season.
Week 4 was going to be personal for Culpepper to prove the Dolphins wrong. Long story short, Culpepper had one of the best games in his career in a state where he had many outstanding games as a Knight, and got his revenge against the Dolphins.
While Culpepper did finish the game by completing 5 passes on 12 attempts, good for 75 passing yards, he delivered when it mattered most. Culpepper threw 2 touchdown passes and ran for 3 touchdowns. Culpepper contributed to all five of the Raiders’ touchdowns to lead them to a 35-17 victory over the Dolphins. The Raiders went into the game as a 3.5-point underdog, but weren’t bothered in the Florida heat.
The game was close in the fourth quarter with the Raiders leading 21-17. With under 8 minutes remaining in the quarter, Culpepper threw a touchdown pass to Jerry Porter. Both of Culpepper’s passing touchdowns in the game were completed to Porter. With the game decided in the final minute, the Raiders went for it on a 4th and goal on the Miami 4-yard line, and Culpepper ran for his third touchdown of the game.
Culpepper finished the game with a 102.4 passer rating, while Green threw 2 interceptions and finished with a 55.1 passer rating. That 2007 season, Green’s Dolphins finished with a putrid 1-15 record.
The Week 4 game against Miami marked the first time since Week 1 of the 2000 NFL season that Culpepper finished a game with 3 rushing touchdowns. Culpepper’s 5 combined touchdowns marked the first time since Week 6 of the 2004 season in which he had 5 touchdowns in a game (he threw for 5 touchdowns vs. the New Orleans Saints that week).
While Culpepper’s Raiders tenure finished rough, with the team finishing with a 4-12 record in 2007, his Week 4 revenge game against the Dolphins that season will forever be one of the greatest games in his NFL career. After 2007, Culpepper played two seasons with the Detroit Lions in 2008 and 2009 to finish his NFL career.
Category: General Sports
