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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

It takes OT, but Dolphins end futility

Steven Wine Associated Press

MIAMI – 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 break to improve to 1-13. Baltimore’s Matt Stover missed a 44-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime. Baltimore (4-10) has lost eight in a row.

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 during the team’s 35-year anniversary, the woebegone 2007 Dolphins rallied from a 10-point third-quarter deficit and snapped a 16-game losing streak to avoid matching the worst start in NFL history.