The Miami Dolphins were there to celebrate their glorious undefeated 1972 season, from Larry Csonka to Larry Little to the "No-Name Defense."
You want a no-name? How about Greg Camarillo, who beat the Ravens on a 64-yard pass from Cleo Lemon in overtime, giving the Dolphins their first win in a miserable season.
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| Derrick Pope led the charge on the field after Greg Camarillo's big score. (US Presswire) |
"Man, I need a Heineken," said former tight end Jim Mandich, who played on the '72 team.
When Camarillo sprinted into the end zone ("my longest run since high school," he said), a wild celebration erupted. The entire team raced down the field and formed a massive pile in the end zone; some players did their version of the Lambeau Leap and linebacker Derrick Pope ran around waving one of those giant Dolphin flags.
Cam Cameron, headset bobbing as he sped down the field, couldn't hide his joy.
"Did you hear the roar as everyone exhaled?" he said. "It was like taking the top off a pressure cooker."
They are allowed this moment of celebration. After the game, Huizenga found Cameron in the locker room and embraced him in front of dozens of reporters while Cameron's father took photographs.
Camarillo is the unlikeliest of heroes. He turned down Harvard to play at Stanford, where he graduated with honors in engineering. Undrafted, he signed with the Chargers in 2005, where he and Lemon, playing for then offensive coordinator Cameron, practiced often by themselves.
Camarillo's historic catch is called "scat left Ernie," named for Ernie Zampese, the great offensive coordinator for both the Chargers and the Cowboys.
"Cleo and I practiced it quite a bit in San Diego," said Camarillo. "It's a quick post and you're trying to sell the defensive back. I feel very confident of the play."
The Ravens have lost 10 games, so beating Baltimore wasn't all that earth shattering, but it did allow the Dolphins to play in New England without making history of their own.
"It's beautiful to know we won't go down in the record books as winless," said defensive tackle Keith Traylor. "After playing in three Super Bowls, I think this is my favorite game."
The Dolphins go to New England with a renewed spirit, but pretty much the same old team. They have lost four defensive backs to injury, perennial Pro Bowl linebacker Zach Thomas to migraines, and there's still no guarantee that Cameron will be the coach next year.
Coincidentally, Sunday was Miami's first victory since beating the Patriots 21-0 last year in mid-December.
But here's a quick summation of this season:
- Tom Brady has 45 touchdowns, Cleo Lemon has four.
- Randy Moss has 19 touchdown receptions, Marty Booker has one.
- Former Dolphin Wes Welker has eight touchdown receptions, former Dolphin Junior Seau has 63 tackles and former Dolphin (do you see a pattern here?) Larry Izzo has 14 tackles on special teams for New England.
- The Patriots are 14-0, the Dolphins, 1-13.
"They're astonishing," said former linebacker Nick Buonoconti, who once played for the Patriots before becoming a Hall of Famer with the Dolphins. "To beat them, the entire team might have to come down with dysentery."
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| Camarillo's TD made Keith Traylor 'think this is my favorite game.' (AP) |
Shula now says he would like to clarify*.
"The asterisk isn't really for me to decide, it's for the NFL to decide, but what the Patriots have done this year, well, you just have to stand back and applaud."
In 1985, the Bears started 12-0, only to lose to the Dolphins 38-24 on a Monday night. It isn't likely to happen this time.
But how would the '72 Dolphins fare against the 2007 Patriots?
"What rules are you going to play with?" Csonka barked. "I think that answers the question."
