The Top 100 Games of the First Quarter of the Century: 1-10

Here's our countdown of the top 100 Miami Dolphins games of the first 25 seasons of the new century.

For ground rules, the plays were picked on the basis of historical significance, impact on a game or season, and uniqueness.

We conclude the countdown with the top 10 games, 1-10:

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

As the Dolphins looked to complete their remarkable journey from 1-15 to AFC East champs in one year, their biggest challenge heading into their Week 16 matchup at Arrowhead Stadium wasn't so much the 2-12 Chiefs as it was the frigid weather that awaited them. And the coldest game in Dolphins history until the playoff game a couple of seasons ago — 10 degrees, with a wind chill of minus-12 — became an unexpected shootout. Chad Pennington threw three touchdown passes to his tight ends, two to Anthony Fasano and one to David Martin, to help the Dolphins outlast the Chiefs and future Dolphins QB Tyler Thigpen. The defense did come up with three interceptions, including the game-clincher by future Dolphins secondary coach Renaldo Hill.

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

The Dolphins clinched the AFC East title in Dave Wannstedt's first season as head coach when they defeated the Patriots on Christmas Eve, and the bizarre ending added an extra dimension to the game. After the Dolphins tied the score 24-24 with a Lamar Smith touchdown, New England quickly moved to the Miami 38 looking to regain the lead with under 4 minutes left before Zach Thomas picked off Drew Bledsoe. After a 12-yard play, 45-yard drive, Olindo Mare kicked a 49-yard field goal with 9 seconds left and after a Bledsoe incompletion on the next play from scrimmage, the Dolphins began celebrating as the clock showed 0.0. But wait a second, officials conferred and ultimately decided that 3 seconds should be put back on the clock and the teams were summoned back from their dressing rooms for one final snap from the Patriots 40. Some 35 minutes after the original end, Michael Bishop took the snap for New England, but his pass fell incomplete and the Dolphins had the win and the AFC East title — again.

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

This forever will be known as the "Wake-off Game" in honor of Cameron Wake's game-winning sack of Bengals QB Andy Dalton in the end zone. The safety came on a third-and-8 from the Bengals 8-yard line and provided a much more dramatic ending that what looked to be in store a few minutes earlier when Miami had a second-and-1 at the Bengals 39-yard line poised to move into field goal position. It was two failed runs by Daniel Thomas that led to Miami punting and Brandon Fields' 32-yard put Cincinnati in a hole. The Dolphins needed a 50-yard field goal drive at the end of regulation to avoid blowing a 17-3 lead they had built thanks in part to Brent Grimes' 94-yard interception return for a touchdown.

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

The Wildcat game. Need we say more? Off to an 0-2 start in Tony Sparano's first season as head coach, the Dolphins shocked the NFL when they unveiled a formation that had Ronnie Brown taking snaps from the shotgun with Ricky Williams running in motion underneath at the snap. The Patriots defense had no answers, and Brown ended up rushing for four touchdowns and passing for another. On the other side, Joey Porter harassed Matt Cassel — this was the season when Tom Brady went down in the opener — to the tune of four sacks.

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

This was the game that put the Dolphins in the playoffs (thanks to the Sunday results), and it was a thrilling but nerve-racking affair. With Ryan Tannehill nursing a knee injury, Matt Moore made a second consecutive start at quarterback but he was overshadowed by Bills QB Tyrod Taylor, who helped the Buffalo offense amass 589 total yards. Touchdowns of 45 yards by Kenyan Drake and 56 yards by DeVante Parker helped the Dolphins build a 28-14 lead, but Buffalo came roaring back to take a 31-28 lead before Andrew Franks came up with a clutch 55-yard field goal in the final seconds while the clock was ticking. The Dolphins caught two major breaks in overtime, first when former Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter missed a 45-yard field goal attempt and later when the Bills lined up only 10 players on defense and Jay Ajayi broke free for a 57-yard gain that set him up for his third 200-yard rushing performance of the season and, more importantly, set up Franks' OT winner.

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 on the field 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 spot 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. 2020 at Las Vegas — Dolphins 26, Raiders 25

This game takes the fourth 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.

3. 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. Six 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!"

2. 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.

1. 2000 playoffs at Miami — 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.