NFL: Miami survives test of wills against Baltimore

The Dolphins middle linebacker clawed his way through the pile and recovered a fumble by Baltimore's Jamal Lewis five minutes into overtime Sunday at Pro Player Stadium, setting up a game-winning 43-yard field goal by Olindo Mare and giving the Dolphins a much-needed 9-6 victory.

"It was still loose down there," Thomas said after Lewis put the ball on the ground at the Baltimore 33. "I think Tim (Bowens) or (Adewale) Ogunleye had their hands on it, but I was just grabbing at it."

The recovery and three runs by Ricky Williams put Mare in position to atone for an earlier miss from 48 yards out that would have given the Dolphins (6-4) the lead late in regulation.

"I've been through a couple of weeks where it was tough," Mare said. "I just tried to stay positive. Once I kicked it I knew it was out of my hands."

It was one of the few times all day Miami's fate didn't rest in the hands of its defense. With the offense going nowhere slowly, the defense knew it had to make the plays that would make the difference.

Miami forced three Baltimore turnovers and held the Ravens (5-5) to 220 yards of total offense. Lewis, the NFL's leading rusher coming in, needed 26 carries to run 88 yards, and his fumble allowed the Dolphins to keep their playoff hopes alive.

"I'm not going to speak (on the fumble) until I watch the tape and see it," Lewis said.

If Lewis does watch, he might want to burn it.

Two erratic offenses were little match for two talented defenses.

The longest play from scrimmage was 26 yards on a meaningless run by Miami's Travis Minor to run out the clock at the end of the first half.

"We knew it was going to be a street fight," Ogunleye said. "We knew their thing was to give the ball to Jamal, not commit any turnovers and maybe win the game."

Something the Ravens almost did thanks to another heroic effort by linebacker Ray Lewis and company.

Miami quarterback Brian Griese completed 13 of 32 passes for only 126 yards and a costly interception thrown to Baltimore's Ed Reed that gave the Ravens the ball at the Miami 36 with 5:46 to go.

Rather than play conservatively with quarterback Anthony Wright, making his first start in over two years, the Ravens decided to test the Miami secondary when Wright looked for tight end Todd Heap.

Miami's Sammy Knight, however, stepped in front of the pass and returned it to the Miami 47.

Eight plays moved the Dolphins to the Baltimore 30, but Mare pushed his field-goal attempt wide right into the face of a stiffening breeze.

"I was just trying to make sure I got the distance and my accuracy was off," said Mare, who missed a similar game-winning field goal in a loss to New England on Oct. 19.

The Ravens couldn't get close enough to kick, and the teams went to overtime.

Miami moved to the Baltimore 45 on the opening possession of the extra period, but Griese threw incomplete to James McKnight on third down and the Dolphins punted to the Baltimore 9.

The Ravens, thanks to a roughing-the-passer penalty on Taylor, gained 27 yards to get out of danger until Lewis' fumble.

It was Baltimore's third and most costly turnover on a day when mistakes, even the most minor ones, would be magnified.

"We had penalties and turnovers and Miami's defense is pretty good," said Baltimore head coach Brian Billick. "That was the difference in a 9-6 game."

The Dolphins sacked Wright three times and committed just four penalties, to 10 for the Ravens. Baltimore, meanwhile, couldn't get to Griese. When they got close -- which wasn't as often as you'd expect out of one of the league's best defenses -- Griese threw the ball away.

It was one of the few offensive bright spots for the Dolphins, though Williams did become the first running back this season to rush for over 100 yards against the Ravens with 105 yards on 36 carries.

"I can't say enough about the offensive (line) and the way they blocked," Griese said. "Everybody's been on their backs telling them they need to do a better job, but I think they played great today."

Great or not, the Dolphins survived, perhaps taking the heat off Wannstedt, at least for a week.

"All that bickering and perceived in-fighting that's been talked about, that's not even it," Taylor said. "Everybody has got a job to do. If we score six points and win or if we score 40 points and win, it doesn't matter."

With neither offense able to get out of its own way, the only big plays of the first half were turned in by the defense and special teams.

Miami's Sam Madison returned a Wright interception 36 yards to set up a Mare field goal that gave the Dolphins the lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Baltimore's Lamar Brightful returned the ball 73 yards to the Miami 15, allowing the Ravens to tie the game on a 45-yard field goal by Matt Stover.

The teams traded wind-aided field goals in the third quarter on a 52-yarder by Mare and early in the fourth on a 45-yard field goal by Stover.

On a day when the offenses tried not to lose the game, Miami's defense made the one play it needed to win.

"When you're scoring nine points (and winning), it's a great defensive effort," Wannstedt said. "The guys just hung in there and never quit."