The 75 Best Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Nos. 16-20

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 16-20:

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

Our countdown earlier featured a 2009 early-season Monday night game (number 63) and this one took place three weeks later, was even more exciting and featured a better outcome. After a maybe ho-hum first three quarters, the fourth quarter was borderline spectacular as it featured five lead changes that included a 53-yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne to Ted Ginn Jr. to put Miami up 24-20. After the Jets went up 27-24, the Dolphins responded with a 70-yard drive that ended with Ronnie Brown taking the snap in the Wildcat and scoring on a 2-yard run with 1-0 seconds left.

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

Like the 2013 game in Miami that was sealed by an interception, the Dolphins clinched this come-from-behind win against New England when linebacker Channing Crowder picked off Tom Brady on a second-and-10 from the Patriots 33 with under a minute left. This looked like a New England blowout at the start, as the Patriots drove 80 yards for a touchdown on their first two drives to take a 14-0 lead. Things still didn't look very good after Brady had an 81-yard touchdown pass to Sam Aiken to make it 21-10 early in the fourth quarter, but the Dolphins came back on the strength of two Dan Carpenter field goals and a TD pass from Chad Henne to Brian Hartline.

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

With Ryan Tannehill sidelined with a shoulder injury, Brock Osweiler got the start at QB for the Dolphins and certainly made the most of it — with a lot of help from Albert Wilson. Osweiler passed for 380 yards, including 155 to Wilson and the two connected for two touchdowns, including a 75-yarder off a short crosser that tied the score 28-28 late in the fourth quarter. Overtime also was filled with twists and turns, with Kenyan Drake fumbling with the Dolphins in field goal position and the Bears' Cody Parkey later missing a 53-yard field goal attempt.

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

We've had a few "statement games" in our countdown, and this most definitely is one of them. The Dolphins ended a seven-game losing streak against the new AFC East power in dramatic fashion thanks to a late defensive stand. Buffalo dominated the game statistically, outgaining Miami 497-212, but the Dolphins got the needed big plays with Melvin Ingram's fumble recovery in the first quarter, Tua Tagovailoa's 45-yard completion to Jaylen Waddle on a third-and-22 to set up the only touchdown of the second half, Thomas Morstead's 74-yard free punt after the safety that resulted from the "butt punt" and, of course, the goal-line stand that preceded it after Buffalo had a first-and-goal from the 2-yard line down by four points.

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

When it comes to key plays at key moments, the 2016 Dolphins were about as clutch as it gets and this Week 10 game at Qualcomm Stadium was a great example. The Dolphins came up with a whopping four interceptions against Philip Rivers in the fourth quarter of that game, including Kiko Alonso's 60-yard game-winning pick-six with 1:01 left and Tony Lippett's game-ending second pick with 37 seconds left.

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

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Dolphins news and analysis year-round. Also, you can follow me on Twitter at @PoupartNFL, and that's where you can ask questions for the regular All Dolphins mailbags. You also can ask questions via email at fnalldolphins@yahoo.com.The 75 Best Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Nos. 36-40