by Alex Marvez

For the first time since 1993, I attended an NFL game as a spectator rather than as a media member. My mission: To gauge whether NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's new "fan code of conduct" is actually working.

The early results from Saturday night's Kansas City-Miami contest are encouraging.

Behavior that is unruly, disruptive or illegal in nature? None that I spotted — although Chiefs players could be charged with falsely trying to impersonate an NFL team during a dreadful 24-0 loss.

Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures? Just the comments made by fans after being gouged at the concession stands.

Verbal or physical harassment of opposing team fans? Please. The Dolphins and Chiefs don't meet frequently enough to generate such animosity, especially during a meaningless matchup inside a partially full stadium.

"This is preseason for the fans, too," Dolphins supporter Joe Abraham said amid a sedate pregame tailgating scene.

But such serenity will end — and soon. Goodell's guidelines will be quickly put to the test when the New York Jets arrive for Miami's Sept. 7 regular-season opener.

More than a dozen Miami fans interviewed said their game experience turns ugly only once a year. That's when transplanted "New Yawkers" fill roughly half the Dolphin Stadium seats in support of their Jets.

The more time one spends talking to Dol-fans, the more horror stories emerge. The scene is so toxic that Rich Schisler, an 18-year season-ticket holder, won't take the two young sons he brought to the Chiefs game because of obscenity and potential violence.

Unruly fans? At an NFL game? You've got to be kidding ... (Sherry Bartz-Marvez / Special to FOXSports.com)

Kris Montee claims a Jets fan almost pushed her down the stairs while she was on crutches after in-game banter between the two turned ugly. Paula Dailey — who adorns herself with aqua-and-orange beads as "Dolphin Dolly" — should consider switching to body armor for Jets games.

"In my section, it's rough when you see people flying over you," she said.

Even a former Dolphins player-turned-fan admits to getting carried away when Gang Green comes looking to rumble. During last year's Miami-New York game, O.J. McDuffie said he was almost ejected after being given five different warnings about toning down trash-talk with Jets fans who recognized him.

"I've got to give it back," said McDuffie, a Dolphins wide receiver from 1993 to 2001 who now has a front-row seat in the east end zone. "I can't just let that happen. Jets fans are the worst."

Dolphins radio announcer Joe Rose said he was told by team management that "20 to 25" fights break out each time Miami hosts the Jets. Such verbal and physical clashes aren't limited to Dolphin Stadium. Some facilities average as many as 20 ejections per game depending on the intensity of the rivalry.

Miami fan Howard Bausch said he was pelted with objects by Jets faithful while wearing a Dolphins jacket inside Giants Stadium. The San Diego Chargers stop beer sales early when the Oakland Raiders visit. Philadelphia no longer has an in-stadium "Eagles Court" to help handle rowdies, but heaven help the fool who sports a rival's colors at Lincoln Financial Field.

And even though he was able to attend Saturday's game unmolested, former Kansas City resident Dominic Messina said fellow Chiefs supporters don't take kindly to outsiders.

"If you're in Arrowhead (Stadium) wearing the opposing team's jersey, you're going to make it out wearing someone else's beer," Messina said.

The increasing number of fans traveling to support their team at road games partially contributed to Goodell's involvement. For a first-hand taste, Goodell sat incognito in the Gillette Stadium stands with one of his nieces for last season's AFC Championship game between San Diego and New England.

"I hear a lot from people who have had bad experiences," Goodell said in May at the NFL's annual spring meeting. "All of us (in the NFL) are going to learn from one another about what's working in some stadiums. The situations are going to vary ... There's not a one-size-fits-all solution here."

Pregame boozing — which is rampant at Dolphin Stadium — compounds the problem. Excess alcohol consumption in the sweltering heat for a Dolphins-Jets contest with a 1 p.m. kickoff is a recipe for disaster.

Liquor sales at Dolphins games now stop at the end of halftime and blatantly intoxicated fans shouldn't be allowed inside. Dolphin Stadium executives also hope additional security and their own publicizing of the conduct code will curtail some trouble.

Perhaps the most effective mechanism is a service advertised on stadium banners and scoreboards. Fans can send an anonymous text message that will alert security to problems in their sections.

Something like "J-E-T-S ... S.O.S." will work on Sept. 7.

The serious intent of Goodell's conduct code will not have sunk in by then. Roughly half of those I interviewed Saturday didn't know of the new policy even though the Dolphins sent notices to season-ticket holders and have policemen handing out fliers in tailgating areas. Fans who were aware expressed skepticism that the system will make much difference.

"People aren't going to listen to it," Bausch said. "When people drink, they don't know what they're doing anyway."

Sending a text message — which some fans jokingly refer to as the "snitch system" — might not fly either.

"I don't think I'm going to be sober enough to press the buttons," a laughing Abraham said. "I might be texting that there's a rowdy fan in Section 121 — and it's me."

I'm not willing to find out.

I'll be back in the press box opening weekend — where I know it's safe.