The Top 100 Plays of the First Quarter of the Century: 16-20

Counting down the memorable Miami Dolphins plays of the first 25 years of the 2000s

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. (19) avoids a tackle by New York Jets linebacker Larry Izzo (53) while running back his second kickoff for a touchdown during the second half at Giants Stadium in 2009. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Here's our countdown of the top 100 Miami Dolphins plays 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 continue the countdown with plays 16-20:

20. Lamar Miller’s 97-yard run vs. N.Y. Jets in 2014

Setting the stage: The 2014 season had its moments for the Miami Dolphins, but it ultimately ended in disappointment. And maybe nothing encapsulated that year more than what happened in the season finale. It featured one of the most sensational plays in team history — Lamar Miller's 97-yard touchdown run — but also saw the New York Jets score the final 23 points to hand the Dolphins a 37-24 loss.

The play: The Dolphins led 17-14 before Chris Owusu returned the second-half kickoff 87 yards to the Miami 12-yard line. But the Miami defense turned back the Jets by stuffing two running plays for no gain on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1. It was on the very next play that Miller found a crease in the right side of the offensive line, ran past a diving Jets defensive back and then used his speed to split two more defenders in a race to the end zone. The 97-yard run demolished the previous franchise record — set by Leroy Harris in 1977 and tied by Keith Byars in 1993 — by 20 yards and gave the Dolphins a 24-14 lead.

19. Rosenfels’ game-winning TD pass to Chambers vs. Buffalo in 2005

Setting the stage: The Dolphins' first season with Nick Saban as head coach didn't exactly go as planned, with the team starting 3-7 before closing out with a six-game winning streak. The second of those victories came against the Buffalo Bills in Miami in early December and featured a remarkable comeback. It was engineered by backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels, who entered the game after Gus Frerotte was injured on a safety that gave Buffalo a 23-3 lead in the third quarter. Rosenfels threw two touchdown passes to bring Miami within 23-17, but an interception near midfield with 2:49 left appeared to seal the Dolphins' fate. But Miami got the ball back, and Rosenfels moved the Dolphins from their 27 to a first-and-goal from the Buffalo 1. But it became fourth-and-goal from the 4 before Rosenfels combined with Chris Chambers for a memorable touchdown.

The play: The Dolphins didn't get the chance to huddle before their third-down play because Rosenfels scrambled up the middle for 2 yards on third down and they were out of timeouts. After taking the snap, Rosenfels threw an alley oop in the right corner of the end zone and Chambers outjumped cornerback Jabari Greer to give the Dolphins a 24-23 lead and put the capper on a monster day. He set team records with 15 catches for 238 yards, though the latter was broken by Brian Hartline in 2012.

18. Ginn’s KOR for TD at N.Y. Jets in 2009

Setting the stage: OK, we have to be more precise here. We're talking about Ginn's SECOND kickoff return for a touchdown IN THE THIRD QUARTER. It was the shining moment of Ginn's time in Miami after he was selected ninth overall in the 2007 NFL draft. His selection was not well received at a Dolphins draft party, but he did deliver some big plays. Ginn gave Miami a 10-6 lead when he returned a kickoff 100 yards, but the encore was something special.

The play: One certainly can question why the Jets would have Jay Feely, who two years earlier had kicked for the Dolphins, send the ball again to Ginn, though it appeared early on the return would go nowhere. Ginn ran into traffic around the 15-yard line and he came to a stop before backing up and sidestepping a handful of defenders. By the time he got through a crease and broke outside, it became a foot race that nobody but Ginn would have a chance to win. This return was good for 101 yards and made Ginn the first player in NFL history with two kickoff returns for touchdowns of 100-plus yards in the same game.

17. Jason Taylor’s sack-strip-TD at Cincinnati in 2000

Setting the stage: The Dolphins' first season under head coach Dave Wannstedt got off to an impressive start, as the team rode its defense and running game to a 3-1 start. Then came a trip to Cincinnati against a Bengals team that was 0-3, but a sleepwalking first half by the Dolphins seemed certain to bring them into the locker room with a 13-3 deficit. Then came a stupid decision by the Bengals for which Jason Taylor made them pay with one of the signature plays of his Hall of Fame career.

The play: After the Dolphins kicked a field goal for their first point of the half, the Bengals got a 28-yard kickoff return and a 5-yard run, putting them in a second-and-5 at their 37 with 8 seconds left before halftime. Instead of having quarterback Akili Smith just kneel on the ball or go with another running play in the hope that it somehow could break for a touchdown, the Bengals thought it would be a good idea to throw the ball. It wasn’t. Taylor easily got around the left tackle and hit Smith's right arm from behind to force a fumble. Taylor picked up the ball and returned the fumble 29 yards for a touchdown to make it 13-10. The Dolphins cruised in the second half and left Cincinnati with a 31-16 victory on their way to the AFC East title.

16. Howard’s fumble forced/recovered at New England in 2021

Setting the stage: The 2021 season opener between the Dolphins and Patriots featured a battle of former Alabama quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones, with Tua making his first opening-day start and Jones making his NFL debut. The Patriots ended up dominating the game statistically, but the Dolphins defense came up with the big play at the end.

The play: The Dolphins never trailed in the game, but they were in danger late in the game after Tagovailoa was intercepted around midfield with 8:07 left and Miami leading 17-16. The Patriots followed with three first downs, the last coming on an 11-yard completion from Jones to current Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith. But on first-and-10 from the 11-yard line, Xavien Howard just went to strip the ball while running back Damien Harris was met by Miami defenders on a running play and was able to pry the ball loose and fall on it for the game-saving turnover. The Dolphins killed the final 3:31 with two first downs, the second coming when Jacoby Brissett came into the game on third-and-1 and gained 2 yards on a quarterback sneak.