Dolphins Celebrate At Ravens' Expense
Dolphins 22, Ravens 16

By Amy Shipley
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 17, 2007

MIAMI, Dec. 16 -- Some 45,000 fans erupted in a wild, raucous, emotional celebration that would have suited a last-second playoff victory. Usually stoic Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga, who had spent the past week entertaining offers to sell his previously winless team, stood red-faced and crying tears of joy in his private suite, and then, after wiping his eyes, he bent to offer giddy I'm-not-worthy bows to the field.

First-year Miami coach Cam Cameron sprinted with his headset bobbing and wires flying across Dolphin Stadium and leapt into the arms of laughing quarterback Cleo Lemon. Defensive end Jason Taylor pumped his fist so hard he spun himself around. One Miami player was so overjoyed, he bear-hugged -- perhaps mistakenly? -- Baltimore Ravens cornerback Ronnie Prude as he rushed to a celebratory pile in the end zone.

The Miami Dolphins had finally won after losing 13 games this season, stunning their fans, themselves and the Ravens with a 22-16 overtime victory on a 64-yard touchdown pass from Lemon to Greg Camarillo, a Stanford graduate who had precisely one catch for two yards before Sunday afternoon.

"It was like winning the Super Bowl," Dolphins defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday said. "We saw him take off and we were just happy and relieved. It makes me tear up when you talk about it, because it's been a tough road."

Making an excruciating defeat even worse for the Ravens: the play came nearly six minutes into overtime, after Ravens place kicker Matt Stover missed what would have been a game-winning 44-yard field goal 1:46 earlier. It also followed the decision by Ravens Coach Brian Billick to kick a tying 18-yard field goal with 12 seconds left in regulation rather than going, on fourth down and inches, for what would have been the winning touchdown.

"I can't speak for everyone else, but how I feel is, 'Darn it, we should have won that game,' " Stover said.

"Nobody will understand what we are going through," Ravens guard Jason Brown said. "Of course, you see how much it meant to them to get that win. After so many losses, it would mean that much to us."

While allowing the Dolphins to end their nearly historic winless streak, Baltimore simultaneously extended its franchise-record losing streak to eight games. Camarillo punctuated what had been a frustrating afternoon for the Ravens, sneaking behind defensive back Jamaine Winborne on a post route to catch a perfect strike from Lemon on the run and outsprint the entire Ravens' secondary to the end zone.

"The first thing I did was look for a flag, because that's the kind of season we've been having," Lemon said.

After the game, Huizenga made a point of summoning Cameron in the locker room for an embrace in front of dozens of reporters as Camarillo's father stood snapping photographs. The mood could not have been more somber down the hall, where Ravens players dressed in near silence.

"My mind just went blank," outside linebacker Antwan Barnes said about the winning play. "I just saw him run down there, and the crowd got into my mind. It was just like a curtain going down."

Making matters worse for the Ravens, linebacker Ray Lewis left in the second half with what team officials described as a dislocated finger. Quarterback Kyle Boller left in the fourth quarter with a mild concussion. Both are expected to be available next week.

Boller's departure after a hard hit by Holliday left the Ravens' hopes on rookie Troy Smith, who completed just 5 of 11 passes for 49 yards, but led Baltimore on a pair of drives that could have been game-winners.

Smith's near-heroics came after the Dolphins had taken their first lead on a 29-yard field goal by Jay Feely. That kick capped an 11-play, 43-yard drive that stalled on the Baltimore 11 and put Miami up 16-13 with 1 minute 56 seconds to play.

Smith brought the Ravens right back. He completed consecutive 13- and 15-yard passes to Mark Clayton, then hit Quinn Sypniewski for eight yards to the Miami 21. After two incompletions and an 11-yard burst by Willis McGahee, Smith spiked the ball to stop the clock with 23 seconds remaining. After another incompletion, Smith found receiver Devard Darling with a third-down pass, but though Darling's feet stretched across the goal line, he caught the ball just inches in front of it.

Referees spotted the ball inside the 1. With 12 seconds left, Billick sent in the field goal team.

"It's very tough to go for all or nothing, but in our circumstance, why not?" Billick said. "But we just ran the length of the field, and there were more positives for us to go into overtime. But, yes, it would have been fun to try and go for it."

Baltimore had plenty to regret. During three second-half scoring drives by Miami, the Ravens' defense let Lemon, who began the season backing up the injured Trent Green, look a bit like Tom Brady, converting third-down passes repeatedly. Samkon Gado scored Miami's only touchdown in regulation from seven yards, and Feely hit 22- and 29-yard field goals. Lemon finished with 23 completions in 39 attempts for 315 yards.

Baltimore, meantime, blew chances to take a comfortable lead early, settling for 27- and 39-yard first-half field goals after a trio of sacks stalled those drives.

"You lose eight in a row at this point," Ravens center Mike Flynn said, "and everything stinks."