The 75 Best Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Nos. 1-5

The 2022 season was a memorable one for the Miami Dolphins not only because it produced the franchise's first playoff appearance in six years but did so with style.

The proof comes in our ranking of the top 75 Dolphins games of the 2000s, which featured more from 2022 than any other season.

We ended up with seven games from last season in our countdown, two more than 2002, 2013, 2014 and 2016.

Of course, this is all subjective and every Dolphins fan might have a different view of each game. For us, it was about the entertainment value of the game combined with the significance of it, with bonus points awarded for anything unusual that happened like, say, a ridiculous three-lateral finish or a team being called back from the locker room 30 minutes after everybody thought the game was over.

And, yes, the list includes some Dolphins losses purely on the entertainment value and quality of the game.

So here it is, our countdown of the top 75 Dolphins games of the 2000s, where we have arrived at our top five. Before we unveil the top five, here's the rundown of numbers 6-75:

Earlier in the countdown:

75. 2022 vs. New England — Dolphins 20, Patriots 7

74. 2014 vs. Oakland (London, England) — Dolphins 38, Raiders 14

73. 2018 vs. Oakland — Dolphins 28, Raiders 20

72. 2021 vs. N.Y. Jets — Dolphins 31, Jets 24

71. 2005 vs. Carolina — Dolphins 27, Panthers 24

70. 2022 playoffs at Buffalo — Bills 34, Dolphins 31

69. 2004 at San Francisco — Dolphins 24, 49ers 17

68. 2012 at Arizona — Cardinals 24, Dolphins 21 (OT)

67. 2014 at Denver — Broncos 39, Dolphins 36

66. 2022 at Buffalo — Bills 32, Dolphins 29

65. 2017 vs. New England — Dolphins 27, Patriots 20

64. 2014 vs. San Diego — Dolphins 37, Chargers 0

63. 2009 vs. Indianapolis — Colts 27, Dolphins 23

62. 2016 vs. Cleveland — Dolphins 30, Browns 24 (OT)

61. 2008 at Houston — Texans 29, Dolphins 28

60. 2021 at New England — Dolphins 17, Patriots 16

59. 2015 vs. Houston — Dolphins 44, Texans 26

58. 2016 vs. N.Y. Jets — Dolphins 27, Jets 23

57. 2022 at Detroit — Dolphins 31, Lions 27

56. 2011 at Kansas City — Dolphins 31, Chiefs 3

55. 2011 at Buffalo — Dolphins 30, Bills 23

54. 2022 at Chicago — Dolphins 35, Bears 32

53. 2015 vs. New England — Dolphins 20, Patriots 10

52. 2002 at Indianapolis — Dolphins 21, Colts 13

51. 2010 at Green Bay — Dolphins 23, Packers 20 (OT)

50. 2006 vs. New England — Dolphins 21, Patriots 0

49. 2005 vs. Denver — Dolphins 34, Broncos 10

48. 2002 vs. Detroit — Dolphins 49, Lions 21

47. 2001 at Indianapolis — Dolphins 27, Colts 24

46. 2005 at San Diego — Dolphins 23, Chargers 21

45. 2020 vs. L.A. Rams — Dolphins 28, Rams 17

44. 2016 vs. Pittsburgh — Dolphins 30, Steelers 15

43. 2013 at Indianapolis — Dolphins 24, Colts 20

42. 2018 vs. Tennessee — Dolphins 27, Titans 20

41. 2014 vs. Minnesota — Dolphins 37, Vikings 35

40. 2000 at Cincinnati — Dolphins 31, Bengals 16

39. 2013 at Pittsburgh — Dolphins 34, Steelers 28

38. 2019 vs. Philadelphia — Dolphins 37, Eagles 31

37. 2017 at Los Angeles — Dolphins 19, Chargers 17

36. 2003 at Dallas — Dolphins 40, Cowboys 21

35. 2013 vs. Atlanta — Dolphins 27, Falcons 23

34. 2007 vs. Baltimore — Dolphins 22, Ravens 16 (OT)

33. 2003 vs. Washington — Dolphins 24, Washington 23

32. 2009 at N.Y. Jets — Dolphins 30, Jets 25

31. 2019 vs. Cincinnati — Dolphins 38, Bengals 35 (OT)

30. 2015 at Tennessee — Dolphins 38, Titans 10

29. 2005 vs. Buffalo — Dolphins 24, Bills 23

28. 2013 vs. New England — Dolphins 24, Patriots 20

27. 2006 at Chicago — Dolphins 31, Bears 13

26. 2002 vs. Oakland — Dolphins 23, Raiders 17

25. 2014 vs. New England — Dolphins 33, Patriots 20

24. 2017 at Atlanta — Dolphins 20, Falcons 17

23. 2001 at Tennessee — Dolphins 31, Titans 23

22. 2000 at N.Y. Jets — Jets 40, Dolphins 37 (OT)

21. 2002 vs. N.Y. Jets — Dolphins 30, Jets 3

20. 2009 vs. N.Y. Jets — Dolphins 31, Jets 27

19. 2009 vs. New England — Dolphins 22, Patriots 21

18. 2018 vs. Chicago — Dolphins 31, Bears 28 (OT)

17. 2022 vs. Buffalo — Dolphins 21, Bills 19

16. 2016 at San Diego — Dolphins 31, Chargers 24

15. 2008 at N.Y. Jets — Dolphins 24, Jets 17

14. 2002 at Denver — Dolphins 24, Broncos 22

13. 2020 at Arizona — Dolphins 34, Cardinals 31

12. 2004 vs. New England — Dolphins 29, Patriots 28

11. 2019 at New England — Dolphins 27, Patriots 2

10. 2008 at Kansas City — Dolphins 38, Chiefs 31

9. 2000 at New England — Dolphins 27, Patriots 24

8. 2013 vs. Cincinnati — Dolphins 22, Bengals 20 (OT)

7. 2008 at New England — Dolphins 38, Patriots 13

6. 2016 at Buffalo — Dolphins 34, Bills 31 (OT)

5. 2001 at Miami — Dolphins 18, Raiders 15

The games around the NFL on Sept. 23, 2001 were going to be special regardless of what happened because of the emotionally charged atmosphere in the first games after the events of 9/11. Combine that setting with the ending of this game and you can see why this deserves a top 5 in our countdown. The Dolphins were out of timeouts when they began their final drive trailing 15-10 after a pick-six early in the fourth quarter. They got to a third-and-2 at the Raiders 2-yard line with 12 seconds left after spiking the ball when Jay Fiedler rolled to his right and decided to take off running after not finding anybody open. He dove into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown and his celebration with a fist over his head while on his stomach made the cover of Sports Illustrated.

4. 2022 at Baltimore — Dolphins 42, Ravens 38

The greatest comeback in Dolphins history. Tua Tagovailoa's coming-out party. Nobody could have seen it coming when Baltimore opened the game with Devin Duvernay's kickoff return for a touchdown and later made it a 35-14 score when Lamar Jackson took off 79 yards for a touchdown. But Tua and the Dolphins weren't going to be denied, coming up with four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, two long ones to Tyreek Hill and the game-winning 7-yarder to Jaylen Waddle after Baltimore had retaken the lead at 38-35.

3. 2020 at Las Vegas — Dolphins 26, Raiders 25

This game takes the third spot in our countdown because of the back-and-forth fourth quarter, the miraculous "facemask pass" that set the stage for one of the most improbable comebacks the Dolphins have ever had, and the fact the victory gave the Dolphins the chance to earn the playoff spot in the 2020 finale — though they came up woefully short. This was "FitzMagic" at its finest, as he came off the bench to start the second half and helped the Dolphins come back after a crazy fourth quarter that included Nelson Agholor's 85-yard touchdown for the Raiders, followed by Myles Gaskin's 59-yard score after a short reception, followed by a 49-yard penalty against Byron Jones for DPI and Daniel Carlson's apparent game-winning field goal, followed by the 34-yard completion to Mack Hollins on the facemask pass that set up Jason Sanders' game-winning kick — all of that happening in the final 4 minutes.

2. 2018 vs. New England — Dolphins 34, Patriots 33

With the "Miracle in Miami," the crazy final play alone would have earned a spot in our countdown, but then you have to factor in that this was a highly entertaining game even before that wild finish and it also was a game that put the Dolphins in position to make a playoff run — and even though it didn't pan out, it doesn't take away the significance of the win at the time. What makes this game stand out, though, is obviously the final play, the three-lateral, 69-yard touchdown from Ryan Tannehill to Kenny Stills to DeVante Parker and finally to Kenyan Drake. Five years later, the highlight keeps showing up, along with the great call from CBS play-by-play man Ian Eagle: "And this will end it after the shovel, or will it? ... Oh, look out!"

1. 2000 playoffs vs. Indianapolis — Dolphins 23, Colts 17 (OT)

Yes, we have to go with the obvious choice for our top game of the 2000s, the Dolphins' one playoff win of the millennium (disappointing as that fact might be). And it wasn't just that the Dolphins won the game in overtime, it's because it featured an all-time great individual performance by Lamar Smith, a great comeback by the Dolphins in the final minute and some close calls where the Colts had chances to win the game. This was a close game throughout, but the Dolphins found themselves needing a touchdown to tie the score when they got the ball at their 20 with 4:47 left in regulation. In perhaps his finest hour as Dolphins QB, Jay Fiedler engineered a 14-play touchdown drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jed Weaver on third-and-goal. Despite having all three timeouts left, the Colts surprisingly decided to take overtime after getting the ball on their 20 with 28 seconds left — with Peyton Manning at quarterback. The Dolphins had a close call in overtime when Mike Vanderjagt missed a 49-yard field goal attempt, this after the Colts declined an offside penalty that would have put them in a third-and-7 from the Miami 37-yard line. The Dolphins then got three first downs, two on third-down conversions to set the stage for Smith, who capped his 209-yard performance with a 17-yard touchdown run to the delight of the fans at what was then known as Pro Player Stadium.

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