DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -When Patrick Cobbs scores a touchdown, he has little time to savor the moment or even catch his breath.
Instead, he’s running downfield under the kickoff.
Cobbs is the Miami Dolphins’ third-string running back, and he’s in the NFL primarily because of his ability on special teams. He plays on kickoff and punt coverages, and kickoff and punt returns, which means he’s sprinting up and down the field a lot.
But last week he twice found himself in the end zone. Cobbs scored on 80- and 53-yard receptions in the Dolphins’ 29-28 loss at Houston.
“I feel whenever I get an opportunity to play and I’m able to showcase my talent, I’m very capable,” Cobbs said Wednesday.
With 152 yards on three receptions, Cobbs tripled his yards from scrimmage total in three NFL seasons. He has only 18 career carries and seven catches.
I guess not everybody else thought I could play.”
At North Texas, Cobbs led the nation in rushing with 1,680 yards in 2003. But he went undrafted three years later, and after brief stints with New England and Pittsburgh, he was happy to find a home at the bottom of Miami’s roster.
His stock has risen since. The 5-foot-8, 205-pound Cobbs may be small for an NFL running back, but first-year Dolphins coach Tony Sparano is finding ways to use him.
“From the time we walked in the door, this guy has done nothing but impress,” Sparano said. “He only plays one speed. He practices every single day the way he played in the game. You’re looking for consistency, and here’s a guy staring you in the face. So we found a role for him.”
The Dolphins installed their successful single-wing package in part to get Cobbs on the field with their other running backs, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. In the formation nicknamed Wildcat, Cobbs lines up in the slot opposite Williams, while Brown takes a direct snap.
In the first two games the Dolphins used the Wildcat, Cobbs blocked to help spring Brown and Williams on long runs. Against Houston, Cobbs ran deep and caught a pass on a flea-flicker from Chad Pennington for a 53-yard score.
blocking,” Sparano said. “He’s got great speed and excellent hands.”
In the base offense, Cobbs turned a screen pass into an 80-yard score. He became the first Dolphins running back in 33 years to catch two touchdown passes in a game, and his receiving yardage was the second-highest total ever for a Miami running back.
“He has always shown he was capable,” Brown said. “That was a just payoff for him to have a big game, and I was excited for him.”
Cobbs’ excitement was tempered when Houston scored the winning touchdown on the final play from scrimmage. But the Shawnee, Okla., native was pleased to play so well in front of 40 friends and relatives who attended the game, and he was glad to receive plenty of congratulatory text messages.
“A couple of people, I didn’t even know they still had my number,” he said. “It’s pretty neat.”
The Wildcat has netted six touchdowns and 252 yards in 25 plays, which means Miami is likely to keep using it. That means a continuing role in the offense for Cobbs.
However, he’ll keep running down under kicks, too.
“Yeah,” Sparano said. “As I said to him today, `You can’t be a superstar. You’ve got to remember those 20 special-teams plays.”’
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