MIAMI -- When Robert Edwards reached an NFL end zone for the first time in four seasons Sunday, he knelt and said a prayer of thanks.

Later, he scored again -- just to emphasize that his comeback from a calamitous knee injury is complete.

Playing in his first game since January 1999, Edwards scored the Miami Dolphins' final two touchdowns to punctuate a 49-21 victory over the Detroit Lions.

"I felt like I did when I scored my first touchdown as a rookie,'' he said. "I'm not really overwhelmed, because I always felt like I could do it.''

The injury followed Edwards' rookie season as a 1,000-yard rusher for the New England Patriots in 1998. When he hurt his left knee playing beach volleyball at the Pro Bowl, doctors feared amputation might be necessary.

Even when they saved the leg, the prognosis was gloomy.

"I was told my career was definitely over, and that I might not be able to walk without a cane,'' Edwards said. "Being here today is definitely a blessing. I don't take anything for granted.''

Remarkably, thanks to a series of operations and arduous rehabilitation, the former first-round draft pick has regained much of his speed and elusiveness. He won a spot on the Dolphins' roster as a backup to Ricky Williams and as their third-down back, and he saw plenty of action in Sunday's blowout.

Edwards carried four times for 20 yards and caught four passes for 38 -- dazzling numbers only to those aware of his ordeal.

"He's just a special story,'' tackle Mark Dixon said. "His heart and courage are something most of us can't comprehend.''

In the third quarter, Edwards caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Jay Fiedler to make the score 42-14. He scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth period.

Both times, teammates mobbed him to offer congratulations.

"When he scored those touchdowns, I was as happy as he was,'' Williams said. "We all know how hard he has worked.''

Edwards' recovery came in fits and starts as he endured nightmares that his leg had been amputated. He was walking and biking only a few months after the injury, but it was last year before he was ready for a training camp tryout _ with the Patriots.

Hampered by a groin injury, he practiced just twice and was cut. He signed with Miami after last season, and a groin injury was a problem again early in training camp. But he has been healthy in recent weeks and said he felt great after Sunday's game.

He's hoping the performance was only the start of his comeback, not the end.

"It's a huge step,'' Edwards said. "I think I'm capable of going out and doing that every week -- as long as I can stay healthy.''