MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) - Jets receiver Brandon Marshall kept complaining all afternoon - to the officials, to his quarterback, to Dolphins cornerback Byron Maxwell and to anyone who would listen after the game.
Maxwell let the scoreboard do the talking.
Miami beat New York 27-23 Sunday, in part because Maxwell held Marshall in check. The Jets star receiver totaled only 45 yards on six receptions , and said his matchup against Maxwell wasn’t fair.
“I think I did an amazing job of keeping my emotions in check,” a frustrated, dejected Marshall said. “He was exactly who I thought he was. He’s a holder, he’s a grabber. That’s not how you play football.”
Marshall said during the week that Maxwell held him on every play in a previous meeting. The feud was news to many, because while Marshall is a six-time Pro Bowl receiver, Maxwell is with his third NFL team and briefly lost his starting job earlier this year.
The two had faced each other only once previously, but went one-on-one on almost every Jets snap Sunday. There was a shoving match after the first play, and Marshall often waved in arms after the whistle in protest. Once, he stood hollering at Maxwell from a distance of 10 yards after a pass was thrown in the other direction.
What did Marshall say to Maxwell?
“Everything, everything. ’Stop holding, stop holding. You get paid way too much money to play like that.’ He has to believe in himself, and he needs to practice. That’s what I was saying,” Marshall said.
What did Maxwell say to Marshall?
“’What you say don’t matter. Let’s go. There’s nothing going to change. I’m going to be still here,’” Maxwell said. “He was really blowing hot air. Whatever.”
Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said the constant jawing didn’t throw Marshall off his game.
“There’s always gamesmanship involved,” Fitzpatrick said. “He knows what he’s doing out there.”
Marshall did draw two pass interference penalties on Maxwell, one for 26 yards in the fourth quarter. Miami was called for one other interference penalty, and one for defensive holding.
“A lot of those calls put us in a very good position and moved us down the field,” Marshall said. “Their guys around him rallied, because he could have really hurt his team.”
Marshall was also upset about the lack of productivity by the Jets, who squandered numerous chances and were hurt by two Fitzpatrick interceptions. After a third-down incompletion by Fitzpatrick in the second quarter, Marshall gave his quarterback an earful .
“That’s just part of football and part of our relationship,” Fitzpatrick said. “The great thing about him is he’s just a crazy competitor, and he wants the ball on every play.”
Marshall was targeted nine times in 54 plays and took a big share of the blame for the loss.
“I’m so disappointed in the offensive performance,” Marshall said. “It falls on Fitz and me. The whole season falls on Fitz and me. We’re the leaders on that side of the ball, and we’re not getting it done.”
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