Ravens can't find the Wright note

Hearts fluttered and thumbs hit remote control power buttons angrily in Ravens' households on Sunday, November 16 as Miami Dolphins' kicker Olindo Mare's 43-yard field goal sailed true to beat the Ravens, 9-6, in overtime.

The loss put the Ravens at 5-5 after being 5-3 atop the AFC North at the season's midpoint. The Dolphins improved to 6-4 and increased their chances of catching the streaking New England Patriots.

Both Miami and Baltimore run similar games of football, with tenacious defense marked by keystone players Ray Lewis for the Ravens and Zach Thomas for the Dolphins, and run-oriented offenses led by Jamal Lewis and Zach Thomas. The stats put up by both teams were similar; both teams had barely upwards of 100 yards passing and 250+ yards total offense on the day. The only points put on the board at all were two fields goals from Ravens kicker Matt Stover and three fields goals from Mare, who also missed a 48 yard field goal towards the end of regulation. The critical differences in the game were Miami's two interceptions and a fumble recovery in overtime near the Raven's thirty-yard line, which set up Mare's game-winning field goal.

The Ravens' third-string quarterback, Anthony Wright, starting in place of injured phenom Kyle Boller, put up disappointing numbers: 14-for-25 for only 112 yards. Running back Jamal Lewis rushed for 88 yards, only the second time in eight games the league's leading rusher hasn't broken 100. Not that the Dolphins' offense fared much better. Back-up quarterback Brian Griese went 13 of 32 for 126 yards with an interception, while running back Ricky Williams ran for 105 yard on 35 carries.

The most exciting part of this plodding game came with less than six minutes left in the game, when Ravens standout safety Ed Reed intercepted Griese and returned it to the Miami 36-yard line, well within Stover's field goal range. Unfortunately, Wright chose this opportune time to throw his second interception of the game two plays later, ending the Ravens' hopes of winning it in regulation.

The Ravens will play at home nest week against the Seattle Seahawks (7-3), while the Dolphins take it to FedEx field to play against that other Washington area team, the Redskins (4-6).