Crowd Gets Its Kicks

Fans booed when Ricky Williams failed to find running room, and they chanted a profanity at Coach Dave Wannstedt as time ran out in regulation. Then a clutch kick by Olindo Mare turned the jeers to cheers.

Mare made a 43-yard field goal with 8 minutes 48 seconds left in overtime, and the Miami Dolphins salvaged an ugly afternoon by beating the Baltimore Ravens, 9-6, Sunday.

“Ugly or not, we needed it,” defensive end Adewale Ogunleye said. “When the season’s over, nobody is going to say, ‘They barely beat the Ravens.’ ”

The Dolphins won despite another dismal offensive effort and another untimely miss by Mare, who has been shaky under pressure this season. His 48-yard attempt sailed wide right with the score tied and 2:29 left in regulation.

“Obviously you would like to win it in regulation,” he said. “But I tried to keep everybody on their toes and keep the concession stands open.”

NFL rushing leader Jamal Lewis lost a fumble to set up Mare’s clincher.

The Dolphins (6-4) won for the first time in three games and eased pressure on the much-criticized Wannstedt -- at least for a week. Fans mocked the coach with a chant when he chose to run out the clock with a first down at the Miami 20 and 51 seconds left in regulation.

His strategy proved smart. Lewis bobbled a handoff in overtime, and Zach Thomas wrestled the ball away from him at the Baltimore 33. Three plays later, Mare made his third field goal.

With their second consecutive defeat, the Ravens (5-5) fell into a tie with Cincinnati for the lead in the AFC North. They lost because they totaled only 220 yards, were penalized 88 yards and committed three turnovers, for 10 in the last two games.

“To win in the NFL is very simple,” linebacker Ray Lewis said. “If you don’t turn the ball over, you win.”

Miami limited Jamal Lewis to 88 yards in 26 carries. The Dolphins are the only team that has yet to allow a 100-yard rusher.

Williams surpassed the 100-yard mark for the first time in seven games, but he needed 36 carries to total 105 yards. He failed to gain a yard on seven consecutive carries, and the crowd booed at least two of the plays.