The Top 100 Plays of the First Quarter of the Century: 46-50

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 46-50:

50. Ryan Tannehill’s game-winning TD pass at L.A. Rams in 2016

Setting the stage: The 2016 season ended with the Dolphins’ first playoff appearance since 2008 and they did it with an uncanny ability to make plays down the stretch. One such example came in a November game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum after they showed no life on offense and trailed 10-0 with about five minutes left in the fourth quarter.

The play: After Jarvis Landry's touchdown pulled the Dolphins to within 10-7, the defense made a stop and gave the offense a chance to at least tie the score with a field goal starting at its 25 with 2:11 left. But quarterback Ryan Tannehill quickly marched the ball downfield, thanks in part to a roughing-the-passer penalty, and suddenly Miami was thinking victory with a second-and-2 at the Rams 9-yard line. Tannehill then dropped back to pass and connected in the right corner of the end zone with DeVante Parker, whose knee came down before his body fell out of bounds. The touchdown gave the Dolphins a 14-10 victory, their fifth of six in a row that produced that elusive playoff berth.

49. Kenyan Drake’s kickoff return vs. N.Y. Jets in 2016

Setting the stage: Kenyan Drake ensured his place in Dolphins history with his touchdown in the Miracle in Miami, but two years earlier he produced another memorable moment as a rookie. His big play against the Jets helped the Dolphins even their record at 4-4 in the middle of a six-game winning streak that led Miami to an improbable playoff berth in Adam Gase's first season as head coach.

The play: The Dolphins found themselves trailing the 3-5 Jets with 5:42 left after Ryan Fitzpatrick — yes, that Ryan Fitzpatrick — threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jalin Marshall, but Drake turned things around in a hurry when he sprinted right down the middle for a 101-yard touchdown that gave the Dolphins a 27-23 lead. Miami would make that lead hold up on its way to the playoffs. It was sweet redemption for Drake, whose penalty had negated a 57-yard punt return for a touchdown by Jakeem Grant in the second quarter.

48. Brendon Ayanbadejo INT vs. New England in 2004

Setting the stage: Though some Dolphins fans want to point to the 1985 victory against the Chicago Bears, the Monday night home victory against the Patriots clearly stands as the biggest upset win in team history. The 1985 Dolphins simply were too good a team for any of their wins to be considered huge upsets, while the 2004 team was 2-11 when it took down the 12-1 Patriots. And it took a series of big plays that erase a 28-17 fourth-quarter deficit.

The play: While the offense scored two touchdowns in that fateful fourth quarter, the defense produced big plays on its three final snaps. The biggest was the first one, which came when Jason Taylor got to Tom Brady on the pass rush and the legendary quarterback made the mental blunder of trying the throw the ball as he was going down. The result was a pass directly into the arms of linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo. The turnover set up the game-winning touchdown (coming later in the countdown) and that was followed by two more big defensive plays, a sack by David Bowens and a game-sealing interception by safety Arturo Freeman.

47. Reggie Bush 76-yard TD at Buffalo in 2011

Setting the stage: The lead-up to the 2011 season was unusual because of the lockout that shut down operations for mid-March to the later part of July. Shortly after business resumed, the Dolphins made one of their best trades of the 2000s when they acquired running back Reggie Bush from the New Orleans Saints for the mere cost of moving down 17 spots in the sixth round of the 2012 draft. Bush ended up rushing for 1,086 yards in his first of two seasons with Miami, closing with four consecutive 100-yard rushing performances before he sat out the finale against the New York Jets. The Week 15 game at Buffalo was his crowning achievement.

The play: The Dolphins were looking to close out a victory at rainy Ralph Wilson Stadium when they took over at their own 24 with 5:52 left in regulation after Ryan Fitzpatrick had thrown a TD pass for the Bills to cut Miami's lead to 23-13. But Bush found himself with a gaping hole in the middle of the offensive line and basically sprinted straight ahead all the way to the end zone for a 76-yard touchdown to cap a 203-yard rushing performance. Bush actually had a more impressive run earlier in the game when he spun on a dime to juke safety George Wilson in the open field, but the long touchdown carried more significance as it made Bush the second Dolphins running back to rush for 200 or more yards in a game after Ricky Williams had done it twice in 2002 (Lamar Smith did it in a playoff game, of course).

46. Jonnu Smith’s OT TD vs. N.Y. Jets in 2024

Setting the stage: The Dolphins faced a must-win game against the Jets at Hard Rock Stadium last December when they came in with a 5-7 record following the Thanksgiving night loss at Green Bay and they were able to force overtime with a last-second field goal set up by rookie Malik Washington’s long kickoff return. The score was 26-26 after regulation, with the Dolphins offense putting up points despite tight end Jonnu Smith not having a single reception.

The play: After the Dolphins got the ball first in overtime, it just felt as though a game-winning touchdown drive was inevitable and, sure enough, that’s what happened. And that drive began and ended with Smith, who took a quick throw at the line for 20 yards on the second offensive snap and then ran across the field on a second-and-7 from the Jets 10-yard line and caught Tua Tagovailoa’s pass after the line gave him the time he needed to scan the field. It was the Dolphins’ first overtime touchdown since 2016 when Jay Ajayi scored against the Cleveland Browns.

More Miami Dolphins Coverage: