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

A couple of recent shootout victories highlight our next set of games

Miami Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel returns a blocked punt for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the second quarter at Soldier Field in 2022. / Mike Dinovo-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 56-60:

60. 2022 at Detroit — Dolphins 31, Lions 27

This first matchup between the Dolphins and their former interim head coach Dan Campbell figured to be a tough one despite the Lions' 1-5 record because Campbell had his team playing hard. And it was just that, with the Dolphins having to come back from an early 14-0 deficit and later trailing 27-17 at halftime. Tua Tagovailoa had a huge game with 382 yards passing with three touchdowns, with Jaylen Waddle (8-106-2) and Tyreek Hill (12-188-0) doing most of the damage in the passing game. The Dolphins defense had one big stop on a fourth-and-1 from the Miami 35 with 3 minutes left, after which the Dolphins clinched the win with three first downs, the last coming on an 8-yard completion from Tua to Hill on third-and-8.

59. 2011 at Kansas City — Dolphins 31, Chiefs 3

This was one of the most shocking victories of the millennium for the Dolphins. They came into this matchup at Arrowhead Stadium with an odious 0-7 record to face the 4-3 Chiefs. But after K.C. took a quick 3-0 lead after the opening drive, it was all Dolphins behind QB Matt Moore, who passed for three touchdowns, including two to tight end Anthony Fasano.

58. 2011 at Buffalo — Dolphins 30, Bills 23

The 2011 season wasn't a lot of fun for Dolphins fans, who saw the team get off to a miserable 0-7 start followed by the firing of head coach Tony Sparano after a loss to Philadelphia in Week 14 dropped the team's record to 4-9. But the biggest highlight of the season came in Todd Bowles' debut as interim head coach on Reggie Bush's most memorable performance as a member of the Dolphins. Bush capped a 203-yard rushing day with a 76-yard touchdown that gave Miami a 30-13 lead with 5:52 left in regulation. Only a late touchdown and field goal, sandwiched around a successful onside kick, made the final score more respectable for the Bills, whose head coach that day was former and future Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey and whose quarterback was Ryan Fitzpatrick.

57. 2022 at Chicago — Dolphins 35, Bears 32

We had the previous game at Detroit on the countdown earlier, but this one ranked slightly higher because it featured a great QB battle between Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Fields. Each QB threw three touchdown passes, but while Tua had a big edge in passing yards (302-123), Fields compensated by rushing for 178 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown. The Dolphins never trailed after Tua's 3-yard touchdown pass followed by Andrew Van Ginkel's touchdown off Jaelan Phillips' punt block gave them a 21-10 lead, but the Bears kept coming back. The Dolphins escaped Soldier Field with the victory after the Bears turned the ball over on downs on their final drive, and they likely got away with a DPI on the last third-and-10 that would have put the ball at the Miami 22.

56. 2015 vs. New England — Dolphins 20, Patriots 10

The finale of the disappointing 2015 season for the Dolphins truly was bizarre, but it also was oh-so satisfying because it robbed the Patriots of the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. After fighting their way to a 5-7 record under interim head coach Dan Campbell, the Dolphins had lost three in a row heading into this finale in Miami but shockingly manhandled the Patriots, outgaining them 438-196. New England mysteriously stuck to its ground game in this one, with 27 carries compared to 25 pass attempts between Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo (he came in after the two-minute warning). It was a big day for rookie first-round pick DeVante Parker, who had the first 100-yard performance of his NFL career.

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