Chris Chambers Fins Flashback: Thanksgiving 2003 at Dallas

flashing it back to two thousand three. The Dolphins win big in Big d on Thanksgiving with a forty one victory over the Cowboys. We're gonna talk to the galloping gobbler of the game himself, the co m v P of the game, Chris Chambers, who breaks down all of his touchdowns and that two thousand three Miami Dolphins team. All of that and more on this Friday May, the first edition of the Drivetime Podcast Dophins. Let's go ahead and set the stage for this cast interview here real quick.

We'll get to Chris in just one second. But if you don't recall the game Thanksgiving Day, the Cowboys came in one win better than the Miami Dolphins heading into that week twelve game, and the story around the game was about how Dallas, with Quincy Carter a quarterback and a couple of wins in their back pocket heading into that game, were a team that could compete for a Super Bowl, while your Miami Dolphins, with a victory on that day, which of course they got, would tie the

Cowboys record, but they were an afterthought coming into the game, and soon the country would realize that was a mistake. This Miami Dolphins team was just as good and way better on that day than the Dallas Cowboys. So Miami gets the party started early with the Chris Chambers touchdown, and they keep going back to that. Well, he scores three times, Jason Taylor scoops and scores, and adda wally a gun ley, a strip, sack of Quincy Carter. Zack Thomas gets a pick at the end of the game.

Five sacks on the day, five turnovers for the Dolphins defense, and Jay Fieeddler three touchdowns all to Chris Chambers. And for me personally, this is and my Dolphins fandom started to begin a riff between me and my family members because the Dolphins were playing out here on the West Coast at one thirty and that's right around when all the family stuff is supposed to happen on Thanksgiving, and I'm saying, look, Rick and Chris and my boys are

playing on National TV Day. I gotta watch them, And so I did. I actually got out of going to my grandparents house. I was. I think I was sixteen years old and I didn't have to go over there. What a saint my mother was for allowing that to happen. But I stayed home watched the Dolphins, and I was so glad that I did, because they put the beat

down on Dallas that day. And let's go ahead now and get to my interview with Dolphins receiver two thousand five Pro bowler and score of three touchdowns on this day on Thanksgiving, Chris Chambers. Chris Chambers water route by Chris Chambers, It's just him. The Mario Edwards down the field, it's gonna go up, does a good job, staves inside, nice fake to the outside, and Maria Edwards knows he's in trouble. And Jay Fiedler, that is a perfect roll

by him. And joining me now on the Drive Time podcast. As former Dolphins receiver, he spent six and a half seasons of his tenure career in Miami a pro bowler in two thousand five, Chris Chambers, Chris, what's going on? Man? Going? Wow? Man? How you doing? I'm doing pretty good. I can't complain. Just trying to stay home as much as I can. And that reminds me about your work as a trainer and getting these kids ready for the next level and

working with wide receivers. I'm curious to ask how has how has COVID and the quarantine impacted the way you've gone about your work the last couple of months. Yeah, for our industry is tough because this is a tough time for a lot of athletes, you know how see um lots of doing combined training, and then you have all the other guys who did get actually the chance to go to the combine now have their opportunity to have their pro days and not able to have that.

So usually a guy had a pro day, he does well, his pro day did and scouts go back and look at his film during the season kind of puts it together. So the guys lost that. Then you had the XFAIL that kind of failed there, So you gotta hold you gotta tremendous pool of great football players is not going to get an opportunity to show what they have. Uh and acts football, but down from the high school ranks to to the college ranks. Uh, it's tough on the

athlete for sure. Everybody's trying to do things so like you know, staying shape and you know, I see a lot more online stuff out there. But you know, it's different when you have like that one on one type of relationship with a player and you're not able to actually see him or work with them. So the whole industry has shook, you know. I hope it comes back

in great fashion. But I can't see a lot of the bigger group training situations happening to be more more private training, more more small group training, more isolated stuff I can see coming, you know, and with that that comes with money, you know. So uh, there's gonna be a lot going on. But I do know the kids are all excited about the parts opening up and stuff like that. I told them, listen, I'm not going to the parks, so you guys, make sure y'all safe, y'all

having fun. You know. You know, they seem like this is nothing for them because they just want to kind of get back out there with their friends and play some football or play some other sports. So we'll see how I go, but I'm definitely gonna say I saved as possible. Well, forgive me for the very cheesy segue transition here, Chris, but talking about social distancing, you were doing some social distancing back in two thousand three on

Thanksgiving Day and coming into that game against the Dallas Cowboys. Now, you've made some big plays in your career, you'd won some big primetime games, but it was your first Thanksgiving Day experience. And throughout the entire broadcast, Phil Simms kept talking about how excited you specifically were for that game. How special was that big stage and that game in Dallas that day? Yeah, that was huge. I mean it was just like playing in the Super Bowl, as you know,

to have that opportunity to play with it. We had a really good team too, you know, Ricky, like you said, you know, Jason Taylor, I mean, we were stacked up. Um North Turner was our coordinator that time. And then going into that week, we had such a really great week of practice. It was one of those weeks that we were like we're gonna play loose. I think Dallas they were really good during that time, you know, had

a really good record. Uh, they're they're looking at their playoff hopes and stuff like that, and so for us to get an opportunity in the stage that we were in going there and look there. But it was great not only for the players, but then the coaches. They had a lot of you know, relationship with North Turner. They want said, um, you know, you had the guys on the other side of Dallas, you know, and everything.

So it was a good camaraderie. Man. It was a great game and I'm glad we was able to come out on top. And it was my coming out party for sure. It definitely was your coming out party. Three touchdowns and coming into that game, I was curious to get your opinion for why you were so pumped up and amped up, not just for the national stage, but for maybe an opportunity because in the game, on the touchdown passage you did catch, it looked like they were playing a lot of one on one coverage and that's

like a personal challenge to a receiver. So did you see that on tape? And no, this is a chance for me to really get out there and feast quote unquote, no doubt you know, the shackles was off North Turner. I like to say, uh, you know, want gave my opportunity to just let loose, and that's what we did. And we knew our game plan was gonna throw the ball over the top, take some chances. And actually early

in the game we took a chance. I think on the first drive we got a big penalty pass interference, and then after that we knew we had opportunities within the game and just to see how everything unfolded was just an unbelievable momentum. You know, I actually scored four times in that game. It was one one pass before my first touchdown in the back of the end zone. It was the same exact route. Um I called it.

I forget what happened was a penalty or something in north around he called the same play on the other side of the field and it was a similar ball, similar catch, And that was my first touchdown, man, And from there, you know, I've always been streaky, so to be able to get a touchdown early in the game and then come back with another one, then top it off with my third one, Man, was an unbelievable experience

in the NFL. Was my first time ever. Dunking the ball over the goal post of a celebration one of the things that just gotta happen. So I was happy about that turton out for sure, But then you started to go on to the finger roll after that, right, Yeah? Whould you move under that? Yeah? Because I'm a former basketball player, so you know, I like to do those things,

and I get the opportunity. But you know, sometimes depending on where you catch the ball, where you land at how it goes, you can pull that stuff out, you know. So I've been able to pull it out a couple of times, or some easy catches where it's just like a little past live up the court, a nice little finger roll to finish. I was laughing, Chris, because I just watched the game before you came on here, and

I know what you're talking about. You you did have a touchdown that didn't go because your quarterback actually missed you, is what happened. You were wide open and the ball was thrown behind you. I did want to ask you because going into the game you mentioned the Cowboys they had all this can they get to the super Bowl? Their playoff hopes and they're gonna continue to push on.

But no one really talked about the Dolphins, and of course Dion Sanders, the former Cowboy himself on the pregame show, I'll never forget it, Chris, the Dolphins might not even score today and Q Narrator they scored forty points. Did you guys hear some of that stuff coming into the week and didn't motivate you? You know, it was such a short week. Yeah. You know, when you come off a game on Sunday and then you're coming back with a game right there on Thursday. You know, if you're

if you're healthy, it's outstanding. But if you're an injured guy going to a game like that, it's like you don't even practice, you just go out there and play. So, you know, if we able to play two games in one week has always been fun for NFL player especially it depending on what type of game you had before. Either you had a great game, you come back with another one, or you didn't have such a good game,

you can come back with a great game. So that's what I think we're looking forward the most, you know, and then just playing on Thanksgiving. Uh. You know, with especially in any pro athletes career, to be able to do that, you know just meant a lot, you know, so we didn't hear a lot of the chatter. You know, we knew it was the rivalry just back in the

day with the Dolphins and the Cowboys playing. You know, you see some of the cut up from your years pass and some of the stuff that happened during that whole time, and then we had to go out there and actually play a Dallas cowboyd Stadium. Unbelievable. Just that alone was a great experience for us all. And you mentioned that first player of the game, the past interference call.

You got by him in a hurry. He tried to throw the inside hand on your outside shoulder and you just s wattered that thing down, went right past him. Then you get your first catch of the game, a ten yard game on the next series with that drive leaves to a punt, and then your next catch is the big one, the thirty nine yard touchdown strike for a quick answer to the Cowboys or like the Cowboys quick answer after that makes it a ten seven lead, and then you get back to a ten point lead.

You get this one on one play where it looks like the guys playing some outside leverage on you. You release inside and then just explode back across his face for a big touchdown. Did you know that you had a chance to score on that play when you broke the huddle the last play, Yeah, we're going out there. It was a big play action and we were kind

of we had a real balance attack that game. You know, so many times you got Ricky in the backfield, you know we're gonna have those safeties come up, you know.

And I think we had a post on one side and I had a deep what we call a deep over route, so you know, Jay actually threw me a little flat, you know, so I came back to the ball, but you know, momentum took me back to the ball and then I was like, I think I lost like two yards, but then I cut up under the next guy, so I was able to come out the back door of that. And after that, you know, it's just like green grass from there. Man. So I just kinda I

kinda dion standards myself. And then if you looked at that when I had a little I said, yeah you did. And the one before that was a diving catch into the kind of back corner of the end zone and you you popped up and you struck a little pose? Was that play? Yeah? You know, like I said, my stuff is never playing. You know, I I don't prep myself on touchdowns. It just depends on I've never been a dancer, all right. But you know, obviously the routs are a lot different. I probably have made from up

if I playing in these days. But uh, you know that one was just a great ball. I believe it was a double move. Uh you know, on the outside. J threw it up, beautiful ball. I had to do it, just kind of land on it, and you know, I kind of I kind of like once again I fell on the end zone and I just kind of popped up and had a little posed there for a second,

which was really cool. And you know, from me, I was just hot because then you you talk about the next one you come back with a touchdown where you did break the tackle, and I know it's on that play that gave you free access. When a guy when they give you free access like that, is that just

like your eyes light up in that situation. Yeah, I mean, depending on what the defense is playing, if you see the front and the backers kind of moving up and you see a you know, three or four guys in the second day depending on the route, but in single safety with a play like that, um, you know, you know it's green grass and the protection holds up, which

is then it was a good play. Action Faith got across the across the field, you know, wide opened, no one was there, and like I said, he was there to run like twenty and thirty yards after that, man, and just getting the end zone and pretty much cap off the game. How important is it to have a back like Ricky Williams back. I know the game is a little bit different now, but back then two thousand three, he was coming off that big season again, was coming

right back. I think he actually broke a thousand yards in that game. How big was his presence to the vertical passing game? It was great, man, I absolutely love it. You know, from my background, come from the University of Wisconsin, having Ryan Danes and Michael been in the backfield, you know, I knew the blocking was first and foremost. That was

the first thing to come when I got there. So I always carry that with me, you know, being able to playing a big team, a tough conference, and then when we had Ricky and being Ronnie, you know, just like I was back doing the same thing. So I had no problem going up there block for the guy because we're the ones is going to bring them for some of those de passages. Yet the line do their job, Ricky does his job. But at the end you see the receiver's running with their the backs giving him the

opportunity to kind of score. And then just playing with Ricky Williams, man, he's an unbelievable athlete. He's super intelligent, which a lot of people are just not finding out. Now. I would tell this guy's way ahead of it was way ahead of the game. Uh, you know, his practice habits was unbelievable. Um, you know, so just as a teammate, you know, he was phenomenal man and uh you know, the best best wishes to his post career. I'm glad

he's doing great things out there. So you that final touchdown that you scored, Chris put you guys up thirty seven to fourteen. You would add a field goal the Cowboys a score garbage time touchdown and make it forty one. That's where the score was. That's where the final ended. The defense had five sacks and five takeaways in that game as well. Was that the most complete team win you've ever been a part of. Yes, it was. There was a throughout the career where we we you know,

we had a stud team. Man, we had a hell of a squad. You know, whatever reason, we'll lose here and there. But at the same time, you were able to play with a great defense. You noticed, can get turnovers, can get sacks laid in the game, you know, So we put this together on offense, we're now the defense can let loose. Usually we played the game so tight, we're in the fourth quarter, you know, somebody had to

do something. But that was the game where we just all let loose and played well as a team and came away with a victory on the biggest show, you know, beside the Super Bowl. And you do end the day with five grabs, nineties six yards and three touchdowns. How does that turkey leg taste post game? Oh? Man, I don't know if I tasted it. I don't know if they had it out there. Um. But the funny thing

is that me and Ja won the award. So since me and j won the award, you know, they only had one award to give, so I actually gave it to him, you know, Uh, hindsight, I probably would have said, hey, make two or something like that. And I see him not too long ago one of his foundation events, and I was like, man, you still have that trophy and let me borrow it for a little while, you know so, But you know, it was just fun playing with ja. Man,

he's a Sulf quarterback. You know. Anybody who got a chance to watch him play, you know, we played hard for him. The dude was was you know, run through a brick wall. Uh. You know, he had that type of intangible that all the guys love playing would And you know, I wish your career would have lasted longer, but you know I thought we you know, I had some of my best years with him. I felt like if we had a chance to, you know, play a little bit more, we all probably have got better together.

All right, Chris, I'll let you go here in just one second, but I want to ask you one more question, because Zach kind of pick in that game towards the end, Jason scored a touchdown on the scoop and score. I'm curious if you have any interesting stories you can give us about either of those two guys from your time playing with them. Oh my gosh, Man, you threw. It's so hard because they were they were such great you know leaders, like on the field, and it was great

like off the field too, you know. And as a young guy coming in, you know, they don't want to do all the interviews. Uh you know, win, lose or draw. Um. They always talked about themselves. They never pointed the finger, you know. So I mainly like learn more from no guys than anything because I was so young, you know. But you know, once you get older in years, you start to understand like, Okay, why person to do this? For why person to do that? You know, because they

just kind of understand the system of how everything. So I really don't have nothing bad to say about those guys, and I love them so much or really nothing pretty funny right now, but I promise you I dig them up for you and we'll have some fun with it. Man. But those guys have been so great to me. Man and rats in their Hall of Fan careers that could get in there in a second. Uh yeah, this year

should have been the year I thought for him. He definitely belongs in the Hall of Fame there with Jason Chris. We appreciate your time today, man, Best of luck, in the future going forward with the training getting these guys coached up. Chris Chambers, we appreciate it, man, thank you appreciate it. And there he goes Chris Chambers, former Dolphins wide receiver. That was one of my favorite guys to watch as a kid because he was so freaky athletic.

The work he did around the sidelines the back end line of the end zone with the toe taps. Had one of those catches in this game, just a lot of fun to watch. Made the big plays down the football field for our team in an era where Dolphins football was more smash mouth and defense. You heard him

talk about it. Those games were typically pretty tight, but on the rare occasion that North Turner cranked things up and let things loose, they would make some big plays down the field, like they did in that game as he scored the three touchdowns. I also recall when he got traded to San Diego. That team went to the playoffs that year and Chris had a big day in Indianapolis against the Colts, and I was rooting like hell

for the Chargers that day. I have a couple of buddies who are Colts fans, and I just didn't like them because they were always winning all the time, and that's how it goes as a football fan, and Chambers put a dagger in their heart with a big touchdown. I recall celebrating that one just as much as all the Dolphins touchdowns he scored. That guy was a touchdown machine there for a few years in Miami. Of course, capped it off with that oh five Pro Bowl season.

I can still recall the stats off the top of my head with eight two catches eighteen yards and finding the end zone eleven times that year en route to the Pro Bowl. And of course that big day back in two thousand three, the Dolphins beat the Dallas Cowboys.

On this week's Fins Flashback, we will have the accompanying article up on Miami Dolphins dot com taking a look back at that Dallas Cowboys game, some key plays, some key stats, so check that out if you've been following me on Twitter, which please go ahead and do if you do not do so already at Wingfield NFL, you've seen me teasing out some quotes from coaches or coordinators position coaches who have been around the Miami Dolphins rookies

from this past week's draft, We're gonna have some extensive character profiles and off the football field stuff for all these young men. Just a lot of incredible stories joining your Miami Dolphins as rookies, So keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks. Plenty of content up on the site right now, all the draft work, all the All twenty two from Kim Jemmy, all the social and video and creative teams. Go check out all of

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