Miami Dolphins Get First Win of Season, Overtime Victory Over Ravens Ends Futility

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL

I’ve never seen an NFL team so happy to get their first win. The Miami Dolphins avoided becoming the first team in National Football League history to have an 0-16 season by beating the Baltimore Ravens 22-16 in overtime today. (They wouldn’t have set that record today, but they were getting pretty darn close.) Wide receiver Greg Camarillo (who?) turned a short completion into a 64-yard TD and his Dolphin teammates chased him down and commenced the happy victory mob scene in the endzone.

In a 37-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills last week, this was a Miami team that looked to me like they just wanted the year to be over. I didn’t think they would win a game this season. But I give them credit for continuing to work at it. I give them a lot of credit. And something good finally happened for them. They’ve lost six games by three points and this was very nearly their seventh such defeat until Matt Stover missed a 44-yarder in OT. Greg Camarillo scored three plays later.

The jubilation certainly won’t last long as they travel to New England to play the undefeated Patriots next weekend. As for the Ravens, they have to feel about as low as a team can feel. Now losers of eight straight games, I really thought they should have gone for the win in regulation when they had the ball at the Dolphins’ goal line. The opted to take the conservative route and play the percentages as Matt Stover kicked the chip shot field goal to send the game into overtime. I know it’s very easy for me to second guess the call from here at my computer, but when you’ve lost seven straight games, why not give it a shot?