The 75 Best Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Nos. 11-15

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, continuing with numbers 11-15:

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

The 2008 season was among the most improbable and remarkable for the Dolphins, and the final game of the regular season was just perfect. It featured a rematch against the rival Jets for a chance to win the division and a chance for QB Chad Pennington to stick it to the team that had let him go the previous August. Pennington contributed a clutch 2-yard run on fourth-and-1 on the drive that all but clinched the victory for the Dolphins, but it was defensive end Phillip Merling who was the star with his pick-six.

14. 2002 at Denver — Dolphins 24, Broncos 22

This Sunday night battle between 4-1 teams was an absolute gem, and it featured an NFL first with each team making a field goal of at least 50 yards in the final minute. It was Olindo Mare who had the final and winning 53-yard kick for the Dolphins after Jay Fiedler had completions of 17 and 22 yards, with Patrick Surtain earlier giving Miami a 21-12 lead with a pick-six. The victory was costly, however, because Fiedler fractured a thumb and had to miss the next three games, which Miami all lost.

13. 2020 at Arizona — Dolphins 34, Cardinals 31

There's probably little debate that this was Tua Tagovailoa's best game in his first two years in the NFL as he passed for 248 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 35 yards. His best work came during a 93-yard touchdown drive after Arizona had taken a 31-24 lead. The defense also chipped in with Shaq Lawson's fumble return for a touchdown after an Emmanuel Ogbah sack-strip and a fourth-and-1 stuff on future Dolphins running back Chase Edmonds with the score tied 31-31 and 5:20 left. The Dolphins survived a late drive by Arizona when Zane Gonzalez was wide right on a 49-yard field goal attempt after the Cardinals strangely called for a pass on third-and-1.

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

We've said it before and we'll say it again, this was the biggest upset victory in Dolphins history. Heading into this Week 14 Monday night matchup, the Dolphins were a woeful 2-11, while the Patriots were 12-1 and on their way to a second consecutive Super Bowl title. But after New England took a 28-17 lead with 3:59 left in the fourth quarter, everything went right for the Dolphins: a 68-yard touchdown drive to make it 28-23, a Brendon Ayanbadejo interception of Tom Brady, a 21-yard touchdown pass from A.J. Feeley to Derrius Thompson on fourth-and-10, and another interception of Brady, this one by safety Arturo Freeman.

11. 2019 at New England — Dolphins 27, Patriots 24

This one wasn't quite as massive an upset as the one 15 years earlier, but not by much. Remember that the Patriots came in with a 12-3 record and needing a victory to secure a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs, while the Dolphins were closing out their season and coming in with a 4-11 mark. The Dolphins clearly came ready to play, though, as they jumped out to a 10-0 lead after Eric Rowe's 35-yard pick-six. And after Brady gave the Patriots a 24-20 lead with touchdown passes to future Dolphins linebacker Elandon Roberts and running back James White, Ryan Fitzpatrick engineered a game-winning 75-yard touchdown drive capped by his 5-yard pass to Mike Gesicki.

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

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