MIAMI – Even with his team losing badly, Oakland Raiders linebacker Aaron Curry had to smile.
He broke up a fourth-quarter pass with a jarring hit on Reggie Bush, who responded by rolling over onto his stomach and doing five pushups. Curry laughed and shook his head at the resilience of Bush and the Miami Dolphins.
"They just flat-out beat us," Curry said.
Once-woeful Miami won for the fourth time in the past five games Sunday by beating Oakland 34-14. The Raiders were outgained on the ground 209 to 46, had the ball for less than 22 minutes and gave up two TDs in a 20-second span.
"We just got outplayed in every phase of the game," said Carson Palmer, who threw for the Raiders' scores after they fell behind 34-0. "We got physically beat. It's very discouraging, very disappointing."
Bush ran for 100 yards and a touchdown, Matt Moore had a hand in two TDs and Kevin Burnett returned an interception 34 yards for Miami's final points.
The Raiders (7-5) fell into a tie with Denver atop the AFC West. The drubbing ended their three-game winning streak.
"We couldn't run. We couldn't stop the run. We didn't pass very well," coach Hue Jackson said. "Just a bad day at the office."
The loss took a little luster off Oakland's next game against unbeaten Green Bay.
The Raiders fell to 6-25 in regular-season games in the Eastern Time Zone since December 2002, and by the third quarter their frustration was evident.
Defensive tackle Richard Seymour was ejected for throwing a punch as the Dolphins drove for the score that put them up 27-0.
"I apologize to the team, to our players and to Raider nation," Seymour said. "I wasn't there to finish the game with my teammates."
Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain played three days after he was arrested on misdemeanor assault, firearms and other charges in his Alabama hometown. He made eight tackles, but that wasn't nearly enough to slow Miami.
"We didn't play well. That's on me," Jackson said. "It's not about coming to the East, and it's not about anything that happened this week. It's my fault. I didn't get them ready."
The Dolphins (4-8) are surging after they lost their first seven games. In the past five weeks, they've outscored opponents 139-54, with the lone loss a one-point defeat at Dallas on Thanksgiving.
"We've been on a wild ride here," Moore said.
Miami — a team that totaled four touchdowns during one five-game stretch — secured the victory with a 21-point third quarter.
Miami scored twice before Oakland had a first down. The Raiders' best starting position all day was their 28-yard line, and they went 2 for 11 on third down.
Clyde Gates returned the second-half kickoff 77 yards, and two plays later Bush scored on a 1-yard run for a 20-0 lead.
Moore capped a 91-yard drive by scoring on a 6-yard keeper. Miami struck again when Burnett intercepted a tipped pass, weaved upfield and dived across the goal line. It was the third interception returned for a score against Oakland this year.
Palmer went only 20 for 41 despite throwing scoring passes of 40 yards to T.J. Houshmandzadeh and 3 yards to Darrius Heyward-Bey.
"They meant nothing," Palmer said.
Notes: Jackson said Raiders injured included tight end Kevin Boss (hip pointer), defensive tackle John Henderson (knee) and receiver Chaz Schilens (foot). Jackson and the Raiders provided no further information. ... The late Jim Mandich, a Dolphins tight end and broadcaster, joined the team's honor roll during a halftime ceremony. ... The margin of victory was Miami's largest against Oakland. ... Burnett has four career interceptions and has returned three for scores.
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