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 winners 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 Sunday 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 Ravens’ 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 2007 Dolphins rallied from a 10-point, third-quarter deficit and snapped a 16-game losing streak. The franchise’s first win since Dec. 10, 2006, kept Miami from matching the worst start in NFL history.
Cam Cameron finally earned his first victory as an NFL head coach, 11 months after taking the Miami job.
“I’ve been looking forward to this day for quite some time,” Cameron said.
Miami owner Wayne Huizenga, who confirmed Saturday he’s discussing the sale of the franchise, grinned 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.”
Huizenga’s Dolphins finally found a team they could beat in the Ravens (4-10), who lost their eighth game in a row, extending a franchise record.
“Eight losses in a row — I think everything stinks at this point, whether it’s the Dolphins or whether we were playing Missouri,” Ravens center Mike Flynn said.
Miami took its first lead with 1:56 left in regulation on a 29-yard field goal by Jay Feely, making the score 16-13. His ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, allowing the Ravens to start at their 40-yard line.
Rookie Troy Smith, who entered the game midway through the fourth quarter after Kyle Boller was sidelined with a mild concussion, drove the Ravens 59 yards. Coach Brian Billick decided against trying for the winning touchdown on fourth down at the half-yard line, and Stover’s 18-yard field goal with eight seconds left forced overtime.
Former Miami coach Don Shula and six of his 1972 players, all members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, served as honorary captains and took part in the coin toss.
“I talked to Coach Shula, and I told him we would win,” Miami defensive end Jason Taylor said. “I’m glad we did. I can’t lie to Coach Shula.”
