December 16, 2007

Yes

Dolph2.jpg

The drought is over:

MIAMI (AP) -The Miami Dolphins acted as though they'd never won a game before.

When Greg Camarillo turned a short completion into a 64-yard touchdown in overtime, the bench quickly cleared, with players sprinting en masse to the end zone to mob their teammate.

The stunning play made the Dolphins a winner for the first time in more than a year, ensuring they'll avoid the first 0-16 season in NFL history. They beat the Baltimore Ravens 22-16.

''I'm just glad no one is going to be talking about the winless season,'' Camarillo said after making just his fourth catch all season. ''We got a win to get the monkey off our back.''

Luckless all year, the Dolphins needed a big break to improve to 1-13. Baltimore's Matt Stover missed a 44-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime.

Three plays later, Camarillo broke over the middle on third down and had two steps on the secondary when he caught a pass from Cleo Lemon near midfield. Finding himself in the clear, Camarillo sprinted to the end zone for his first NFL touchdown.

''It was like watching one of those plays in slow motion, and it's the Super Bowl and the miraculous catch and all those things,'' teammate Vonnie Holliday said. ''It was up there like that for us. Maybe not for everybody else, but for us it was up there with all those great catches - Dwight Clark and all those guys.''

With the 1972 perfect-season Dolphins cheering them on, the woebegone 2007 Dolphins rallied from a 10-point third-quarter deficit and snapped a 16-game losing streak. The franchise's first victory since Dec. 10, 2006 allowed Miami to avoid matching the worst start in NFL history.

Cam Cameron finally earned his first victory as an NFL head coach, 11 months after taking the job.

''I've been looking forward to this day for quite some time,'' Cameron said.

Owner Wayne Huizenga, who confirmed Saturday he's discussing the sale of the franchise, wore a grin in the locker room after the victory.

''It was exciting for me,'' Huizenga said. ''In my suite it was like winning the Super Bowl. It was up and down all game, and with the 17-0 team here and being honored at halftime, to pull it off in this game for those guys, that was special. It was very emotional for me.''

Shut up. Just....shut up.

Posted by Robert at December 16, 2007 10:03 PM | TrackBack
Comments

The Dophins training/rehab center is on the campus of my grad school - every time I'm down there and drive by it I mean to stop and take a photo for you, but never manage.

And that's really apropos of nothing other than having to do with the 'Fins.

Posted by: beth at December 17, 2007 08:20 AM

Gee, I wonder how the Pats are doing . . .

Posted by: The Abbot at December 17, 2007 09:54 AM

"''It was exciting for me,'' Huizenga said. ''In my suite it was like winning the Super Bowl."

Um, no. Winning your first game in week 15 should in no way be like winning the Super Bowl.

Bad owner.

Posted by: rbj at December 17, 2007 10:05 AM

Great, Abbot, but don't get cocky.

If the 'Fins DO manage to beat the Pats this week, it'll be a bigger upset than the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team stopping the Soviet juggernaut. And I, for one, will have absolutely nothing to say about the rest of their season.

Posted by: Robbo the LB at December 17, 2007 11:52 AM

Been sharing bong hits with Ricky Williams, again, Robbo?

No, on second thought, it is the NFL, so whatever pleases the Vegas gods will happen as sure as Achilles getting the arrow in the heel. If the right alignment of injuries, mobster money-sharing arrangements, and dumb-ass luck occurs, anything is possible.

Posted by: The Abbot at December 17, 2007 04:12 PM