Doug Martin ran home.
And ran, and ran, and ran.
The Buccaneers rookie running back, a native of Stockton, Calif., rushed for 251 yards and four touchdowns to lead Tampa Bay to a 42-32 victory at Oakland on Sunday.
Playing before more than 60 family and friends (Stockton is just 70 miles away from Oakland), Martin joined Denver’s Mike Anderson as the only backs with at least 250 yards rushing and four TDs in a single game.
Florida’s other two NFL teams weren’t as fortunate.
Miami lost 23-20 at Indianapolis, where Colts quarterback Andrew Luck set a rookie passing record with 433 yards.
Jacksonville fell to a league-worst 1-7 when it lost at home to Detroit 31-14.
The Dolphins and Jags … heck, every other team in the NFL for that matter … would love to have a player producing like Martin has the past few weeks.
The No. 31 overall pick out of Boise State, Martin scored on runs of 70, 67, 45 and 1 yards. He became the first back since at least 1940 to score three touchdown runs of at least 45 yards, according to STATS LLC.
In last week’s victory at Minnesota, Martin had 214 yards total offense and two TDs. Not bad for a rookie. Not bad for anybody.
Here’s a more in-depth look at Week 9 for the Florida teams:
Colts 23, Dolphins 20: The Dolphins were in the game right to the very end despite allowing 516 total yards and seeing Indianapolis convert 13 of 19 third-down opportunities.
Luck completed 30 of 48 passes for 433 yards to break Cam Newton’s rookie passing yardage record (432) and also had two touchdowns. He also tied another mark, joining Peyton Manning as the only rookies to produce four 300-yard games in a season.
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill completed 22 of 38 passes for 290 yards and a TD after having suffered a hyperextended left knee the previous week against the New York Jets.
Despite the loss, Miami (4-4) boasts a three-game improvement from the halfway point in 2011.
Lions 31, Jaguars 14: The game was virtually decided in the first half, when Detroit built a 21-0 lead after running 46 plays (to 18 for the Jacksonville) and outgaining the Jags 285-57.
Jacksonville trailed 24-0 before Blaine Gabbert connected with Micheal Spurlock on a 5-yard touchdown with 8:36 remaining.
That made it four home games this season in which the Jags have been blown out.
Gabbert completed 27 of 38 for 220 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Rashad Jennings, starting his second game in place of injured Maurice Jones-Drew, rushed for 45 yards.
Jacksonville wide receiver Laurent Robinson returned after missing three games with a concussion. He caught six passes for 41 yards.
Bucaneers 42, Raiders 32: Martin’s 251 rushing yards were a franchise record. His effort helped Tampa Bay build a pair of 18-point second-half leads.
The Bucs then held on as Oakland fought back to pull within three points with less than four minutes left. Ahmad Black then intercepted Carson Palmer to help end the Raiders’ comeback bid.
The Bucs, under rookie coach Greg Schiano, matched last season's victory total.
Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman had another fine game, throwing for 247 yards and two touchdowns as the Bucs (4-4) scored at least 28 points for a franchise record fourth straight game.
Freeman completed 18 of 30 and did not throw an interception for the third straight game.
You have to ask? Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin.
The rookie became the first player in NFL history to have three scoring runs of at least 45 yards in the same game. He also had seven runs of 10 or more yards.
Martin already is the 20th-leading rusher in franchise history and could be just outside the top 10 by season's end if his second half resembles his first.
Dolphins defense.
Rookie Andrew Luck might be the real deal. He looked like a 10-year vet on Sunday. He threw for a rookie record 433 yards, and Indianapolis converted 13-of-19 third-down tries, including six third-and-longs.
Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake on his team: “You look at our games — two overtime losses and then you come out here and lose by three points with the opportunity to win the game — we have what it takes. Today, they finished and we didn’t.”
Miami coordinator Kevin Coyle on the Dolphins defense: “We’ve been building something here since Coach (Joe) Philbin has come here and our first meetings with the players in April. One game is not going to set us back and I mean that and I told the players that.”
Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin on Colts QB Andrew Luck: “It wasn’t like I was ‘Gosh, I hope No. 12 plays a bad game so we can win.’ I knew he was a good player. And to his credit, he played well.”
Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey on his team losing its first four home games by a points differential of minus-92: “I can’t explain it. I haven’t been a part of it. I don’t know anybody who has, or I’d call them.”
Jacksonville defensive tackle Terrance Knighton on his team’s plight: “We’re probably way out of the playoff picture, but we’ve got to attack this thing like we’re 8-0.”
Jags QB Blaine Gabbert on his team falling behind 21-after running 18 first-half plays compared to 46 for Detroit: “It’s pathetic for an offense to have (so few) plays in the first half. We knew we had a job to do and we needed the same mindset we had (the last two games). Trust me, we had it.”
Tampa Bay RB Doug Martin after his record-breaking performance: "The defensive tackle, I'm not sure who it was, he gave me a lot of props. He said he doesn't talk to many running backs, but said that I was something special, so I took that to heart."
Martin on playing near his hometown of Stockton, Calif.: “Just about everybody was here. My mom was here, of course, and a whole bunch of family members and friends. Even some of my teammates from high school were here.
I'm just glad I could put on a good show for them."
Bucs receiver Vincent Jackson on the offense’s recent production: "It's fun, man. We have a lot of different weapons. The coaches do a great job of just giving teams different looks, spreading the ball around. ... It's fun to play in an offense like this that can be very explosive."
Bucs head coach Greg Schiano on his team being 4-4: “We're not naive to the fact that if you win enough games you get into the tournament. That's everybody's goal. But we break it down into 16 smaller goals, and that's what we've done a good job of here so far."
• Miami DE Cameron Wake recorded a sack in his fifth consecutive game.
• The loss snapped the Dolphins’ three-game winning streak, which had been the longest in the AFC.
• Miami’s Olivier Vernon blocked a field goal for the second straight game.
• The Jaguars are tied for the worst start in franchise history.
• Jacksonville’s defense was on the field for 22 minutes, 5 seconds in the first half.
• Jags punter Bryan Anger had a season-best 73-yard punt in the first quarter. He finished with a 50.5-yard net average on four punts.
• Martin eclipsed James Wilder's single-game team records of 219 rushing yards and 239 total yards, both set against Minnesota on Nov. 6, 1983.
• The Buccaneers are averaging 477 yards and 36 points the past four games.
• Tampa Bay's 515 yards of total offense was the second-highest total in franchise history, behind a 573-yard output at Minnesota in 1980. Coupled with a 513-yard outburst against New Orleans on Oct. 21, two of the team’s top three offensive days have come in the past three games.
• Josh Freeman (10,945) passed Brad Johnson (10,940) for fourth place in career passing yards for the Bucs.
• Tampa Bay has had a team-record eight plays of 60 yards or more in a season.
• The Bucs, who forced 24 turnovers all of last season, have 17 takeaways already.
Indianapolis at Jacksonville — Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET (Colts favored by 3): The Jaguars will be trying to avoid a 1-8 start, which would be the worst in franchise history.
After being blown out four times at home, can the Jags surprise on national television?
Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew (sprained left foot) will miss his third consecutive game.
Mularkey said he doesn’t think Jones-Drew’s injury is season-ending, but added the running back was questionable for the Nov. 18 game at Houston.
Tennessee at Miami — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Dolphins favored by 7): The Dolphins return home to face the Titans, who are coming off a 51-20 loss to Chicago.
Titans QB Jake Locker, sidelined since Week 4 with a separated left shoulder, could return. If not, veteran Matt Hasselbeck will start.
For Miami, this is the type of game – at home vs. an underdog opponent – that could decide if the team will fight for a playoff spot this season or if it goes down as a transition year under a new coach.
San Diego at Tampa Bay — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Bucs favored by 3): Offense should be on display in this one.
Not only has Tampa Bay been an offensive juggernaut in recent weeks, the Bucs rank last in the league in passing defense (321 yards per game).
The Chargers rank only 22nd in passing, but you can be sure coach Norv Turner and QB Philip Rivers will take the air often.
