Thursday Night Thoughts: On the Road Again, Top 10 Moments, More
The Miami Dolphins will look to extend their winning streak in Thursday night games to three when they face the Cincinnati Bengals to kick off Week 4.
For the sixth time in their past seven Thursday night games, the Dolphins will be the road game, the only exception coming last year when they defeated the Baltimore Ravens at Hard Rock Stadium. Before that, the Dolphins' previous Thursday night games were at New England, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Houston and Jacksonville.
The Dolphins will take an 8-8 overall Thursday night record into the game against Cincinnati, including a 2-6 mark on the road. The two victories came in 2020 against the Jacksonville Jaguars (31-13) and in 2009 against the Carolina Panthers (24-17).
DOLPHINS THURSDAY NIGHT TRENDS
If anything stands out about the Dolphins' Thursday night history, it's the lack of really competitive games.
Of the 16 games, 11 featured a double-digit margin of victory or defeat, including each of the past seven. The last time the Dolphins played a Thursday night game decided by single digits was in 2013 against the Bengals, the 22-20 overtime victory on Halloween night.
That was one of two overtime games the Dolphins have played on a Thursday night, the other a 27-24 loss against the San Diego Chargers in 1980.
The Dolphins' biggest margin of victory in a Thursday night game came in 1980 against the Pittsburgh (30-10) and the biggest margin of defeat was in that forgettable game at Baltimore in 2017 (40-0).
DOLPHINS 10 MOST MEMORABLE THURSDAY NIGHT MOMENTS
1. The Wake-Off, 2013 vs. Cincinnati: That should be obvious. Cameron Wake delivered a 22-20 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013 with a sack of Andy Dalton in the end zone in overtime.
2. Ricky Run Wild, 2009 at Carolina: Ricky Williams rushes for 119 yards and scores three touchdowns, the last one on a 46-yard run to lead the Dolphins to a 24-17 victory.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick's postgame TV interview, 2020 at Jacksonville: The shirt, the chest hair ... it was awesome. But obviously it wouldn't have mattered had Fitzpatrick not led the Dolphins to a 31-13 victory against the Jaguars.
4. Tom Vigorito's punt return for a touchdown, 1981 vs. Pittsburgh: This play was featured in our countdown of the top 100 plays in Dolphins history and was part of a 30-10 victory at the Orange Bowl.
5. Mark Higgs' touchdown, 1990 vs. New England: The Dolphins gave Don Shula a 17-10 victory in his 400th game thanks in large part of Higgs scoring off a blocked punt.
6. Marcus Thigpen's kickoff return for a touchdown, 2012 at Buffalo: This came after Thigpen had return a punt for a score in the opener at Houston, but on this night it wasn't enough to overcome a Bills punt return for a score in a 19-14 loss.
7. Xavien Howard's fumble return for a touchdown, 2021 vs. Baltimore: While many remember the game for Tua Tagovailoa coming off the bench after the previous game with a hand injury and leading the offense to two scoring drives in the second half, the biggest play came when Howard stripped wide receiver Sammy Watkins of the ball after a completion and returning the fumble 49 yards for a touchdown to extend the Dolphins lead to 15-3 early in the fourth quarter.
8. Steelers tight end Heath Miller's 86-yard touchdown, 2006 at Pittsburgh: The Dolphins were selected to face the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers in the kickoff game and were holding a 17-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter before Miller got loose. The Dolphins didn't recover from the big play and lost 28-17.
9. Danny Amendola's TD pass to Kenyan Drake, 2018 at Houston: The Dolphins trailed 21-10 before Amendola connected with Drake on the option pass, but the Texans immediately answered with a 73-yard pass from Deshaun Watson to current Dolphins wide receiver Will Fuller V.
10. Kiko Alonso's hit on Joe Flacco, 2017 at Baltimore: There wasn't a whole lot noteworthy that happened for the Dolphins in their 40-0 loss to the Ravens on this night, but the hit that knocked Flacco out of the game sure drew a lot of attention.
DOLPHINS IN THURSDAY NIGHT GAMES
Overall record: 8-8 (Home: 6-2; Away: 2-6)
2021 BALTIMORE W 22-10
2020 at Jacksonville W 31-13
2018 at Houston L 23-42
2017 at Baltimore L 0-40
2016 at Cincinnati L 7-22
2015 at New England L 7-36
2014 BUFFALO W 22-9
2013 CINCINNATI W 22-20 (OT)
2012 at Buffalo L 14-19
2010 CHICAGO L 0-16
2009 at Carolina W 24-17
2006 at Pittsburgh L 17-28
1990 NEW ENGLAND W 17-10
1981 PITTSBURGH W 30-10
1980 SAN DIEGO L 24-27 (OT)
1979 NEW ENGLAND W 39-24
