The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 11-15

Two big Tua Tagovailoa performances highlight the next set of games

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) breaks the tackle of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Markus Golden (44) and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy (33) during the second half at State Farm Stadium in 2020. / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The last two seasons have been generally good ones and often memorable for the Miami Dolphins, who made the playoffs each time mostly behind one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.

The proof comes in our ranking of the top 75 Dolphins games of the 2000s, which featured seven games from 2022 (the most of any season) plus four more from last season.

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. 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.

14. 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.

13. 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.

12. 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.

11. 2023 at L.A. Chargers — Dolphins 36, Chargers 34

Talk about a way to kick off a season! In a battle of teams coming off playoff appearances that featured nine lead changes, it’s the Dolphins who had the final answer thanks to the monster performances of Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill. There were clutch plays throughout the game, including a fourth-and-7 completion to Durham Smythe late in the first half, Tua’s brilliant on-the-move third-and-10 completion to Hill on the game-winning drive and the defense rising up after a tough afternoon with two sacks on the final three plays on the Chargers’ futile last-shot drive.

PREVIOUSLY IN THE COUNTDOWN

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 71-75

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 66-70

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 61-65

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 56-60

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 51-55

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 46-50

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 41-45

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 36-40

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 31-35

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 26-30

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 21-25

-- The Top 75 Dolphins Games of the 2000s: Numbers 16-20