Williams fires for Fins

Williams: Three TDs

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Ricky Williams returned to a starting role with a bang as he scored three touchdowns to lift the Miami Dolphins to a 24-17 win against the Carolina Panthers.

Just a day after learning that lead rusher Ronnie Brown was out for the season with a foot injury, 32-year-old Williams showed he still has what it takes to cope with the workload, and did it with some style.

Williams included a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game for the first time in his career, while the 2002 NFL rushing champion ran for 119 yards and three scores overall.

The Dolphins record holder for 100-yard rushing games also extended that mark to 22 and his effort fired Miami back into the play-off picture as they levelled out their record for the season at 5-5.

Carolina had more offensive yards but could find the endzone just once through Jake Delhomme's 27-yard pass to Steve Smith, but the Fins kept the home side just at arm's length.

Receiving

Williams caught a 14-yard pass from Chad Henne in the second quarter, and three minutes later he took a direct snap from the Wildcat formation and powered in from a yard to put the visitors 14-3 up at the half.

Smith's touchdown pass got the Panthers back to within three points at 17-14 with just over five minutes left, but Williams saved the best until last as he broke off for a 46-yard TD run that sealed the game.

It was a remarkable game for Williams, who has enjoyed a superb season running in tandem with Brown, and it marks his continued resurgence after a brief retirement and a drugs ban interrupted his career.

"We did a good job tonight," Williams told reporters. "It was a team win and we did a lot of good things tonight.

"Coach always talks about finishing. Sometimes in this league, in a physical game, it's difficult to finish. I think in the past we've prided ourselves on finishing games and we did a good job tonight."

Close finish

John Kasay's third field goal got the Panthers in range near the end and they had one last drive after stopping the Fins on fourth down, but Delhomme's pass into the endzone was incomplete.

"We battled," said Delhomme, who was 19 of 42 for 227 yards with one TD and one interception. "It just wasn't good enough."

"Guys are fighting their tail off. We are just not getting it done. We are not winning the close ones."

Carolina missed the chance to get back into their own play-off race as they dropped to 4-6, but coach John Fox feels they still have a chance of a NFC wildcard.

"I think there's a lot of fight and they'll continue to work," Fox said. "There's still a lot of football left and we're still no way in any stretch out of it."