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Posted at 7:45 a.m., Wednesday, December 12, 2007

NFL: Dolphins' Lemon gets another shot as starting QB

By STEVEN WINE
AP Sports Writer

DAVIE, Fla. — With the Miami Dolphins down to three chances for a win, Cleo Lemon will get another chance at quarterback.

Lemon, 0-4 as a starter this season before losing his job to rookie John Beck, will be back in the lineup Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. The team was told of the change Wednesday, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because coach Cam Cameron planned to wait until after practice to make his decision public. The Dolphins are 0-13 and trying to avoid becoming the first team to go 0-16.

Miami lost its past four games starting Beck. He's the highest-drafted quarterback by the Dolphins since Dan Marino, but he failed to lead the offense to a touchdown.

Beck was benched after eight snaps in Sunday's 38-17 loss at Buffalo. He was sacked three times, tripped and fell for a 4-yard loss on another play, and lost a fumble the Bills returned for a score and a 21-0 lead.

Lemon's first play was a 54-yard completion to set up Miami's first offensive touchdown since Nov. 11. But he also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, and he has a career record of 0-5 as a starter.

The latest change in starting quarterbacks is Miami's third this season. Trent Green started the first five games, but went on injured reserve Oct. 20 following his second severe concussion in 13 months.

When Beck was promoted to the No. 1 job, the plan was to start him in the final seven games. But he did nothing to show he's Miami's quarterback of the future, as the Dolphins hoped when they drafted him in the second round in April.

He has averaged only 4.9 yards per attempt, and his long completion in 86 passes was 22 yards.