Cameron’s “questionable” decision pays huge dividends

By Hugo Guzman  |   Monday, December 17, 2007  |  Comments( 9 )

Miami Dolphins
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I was one of the loudest critics of head coach Cam Cameron's decision to bench Miami Dolphins rookie signal-caller John Beck in favor of journeyman Cleo Lemon for this past Sunday's game against Baltimore. However, when I saw Lemon smiling and pointing at Cameron as the two zeroed in on each other in jubilation, it was suddenly understandable why the coach made his choice.

In the end, it was Cameron's decision to start Lemon paid off in a monumental way.

The wildly inconsistent, inaccurate Lemon is certainly not a candidate to be the Dolphins' quarterback of the future, but his 315 passing yards -- which were capped in overtime off by a 64-yard touchdown connection to unheralded Wes Welker wannabe Greg Camarillo -- sealed a 22-16 victory that prevented Miami from joining the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the only team to go winless in an NFL season.

Lemon avoided the costly turnover, throwing the ball away on multiple occasions and keeping a safe grip on the ball in scrambling situations. He also caught fire in the fourth quarter and in the extra period, completing 12 of 15 attempts for 167 yards and the winning score. His bread-and-butter targets were the tandem of Booker and Booker (Lorenzo and Marty). Lorenzo embarrassed defenders with his shiftiness, converting key first downs and accumulating six catches for 60 yards. Marty proved to be Lemon's security blanket, catching eight passes for 88 yards and going over the 500-reception plateau for his career.

But it was the unheralded Camarillo, yet another Chargers' castaway who has become a Dolphins reclamation project, who did the most damage. All three of Camarillo's catches gained huge chunks of yardage at critical junctures, and if he continues to develop, the prototypical slot receiver could make Welker an afterthought in Miami.

Camarillo was not the only youngster showcasing his potential on Sunday, though. Lorenzo Booker, mentioned earlier, was equally impressive, showcasing a mix of talent that begs for an increase in playing time.

Defensively, three youngsters stood out. Tackle Rodrique Wright is developing into a solid starting option; Jason Allen continues his steady play at free safety; and Michael Lehan came up with a majestic interception, further cementing his status as a legitimate starting cornerback.

The defensive veterans also pitched in with a solid effort, led by gritty end Jason Taylor, who came up with two sacks and a blocked field goal. Joey Porter, Vonnie Holliday and Will Allen also made their presence felt.

Ultimately, though, it was luck and circumstance that paved the way for Miami's first victory. Brian Billick's decision to kick a game-tying field goal on fourth and goal from the Dolphins' 1 coupled with a botched snap that helped precipitate a missed 44-yard attempt by Matt Stover in overtime were the only things that kept the Dolphins in the game.

All season long, the Dolphins have been on the wrong end of bad luck. On Sunday, though, fortune finally shined its light on the beleaguered franchise.

Bask in the ironic joy of a 1-13 season with the Miami Dolphins at RealFootball365.com
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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CommentsComments: 9  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Logic		05:23 AM
12/17/2007
Other than Beck being drafted in the 2nd round what would make Beck a better choice? He completed 9 passes in his first game....
No.2
Enjoyit		08:45 AM
12/17/2007
Hey Logic, this is a feel good article about the Phins finally ending their losing streak. Take your negativity out of here....
No.3
abacus		09:47 AM
12/17/2007
I'll entertain your proposterous post Logic. The reason it was an odd choice is because rookie quarterbacks rarely get benched...
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