The Top 100 Plays of the First Quarter of the Century: 51-55

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 51-55:

55. Xavien Howard’s INT vs. Kansas City in 2020

Setting the stage: A year removed from their rebuilding/tanking year of 2019, the Dolphins found themselves in playoff contention in 2020 thanks in large part to an opportunistic defense headlined by cornerback Xavien Howard. The Dolphins were 8-4 heading into a December battle against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs that wasn’t going well until Howard swung the momentum.

The play: Long touchdowns by Tyreek Hill, one on a reserve and the other on a bomb, gave Kansas City a 30-10 heading into the fourth quarter and they were looking for more with a first-and-10 at the Miami 24. Patrick Mahomes looked for Hill again, but this time Howard had the answer in man-to-man coverage and made a leaping one-handed snag to the end drive. The Dolphins proceeded to score two touchdowns to make it a 30-24 game but fell short in their comeback attempt, 33-27.

54. Ricky Williams' 68-yard touchdown run vs. New Orleans in 2009

Setting the stage: The 2009 Dolphins came into the season as defending AFC East champions but got off to an 0-3 start thanks in large part to a brutal early-season schedule and things got worse when starting quarterback Chad Pennington went down in a Week 3 loss against the San Diego Chargers. The Dolphins rebounded with victories against the Bills and Jets before they played host to Williams' former team, the New Orleans Saints, who were off to a 5-0 start on their way to the first Super Bowl title in franchise history. This was an absolute thriller, though it ended in disappointment for the Dolphins, who squandered a 24-3 second-quarter lead and gave up two pick-sixes on Chad Henne interceptions in a 46-34 loss.

The play: The Dolphins led 7-3 in the first quarter after Williams' short touchdown run when they faced a first-and-15 after a false-start penalty on center Jake Grove. Henne then pitched the ball to his left to Williams, who took advantage of some great blocking up front, made one quick cut to the inside, squeezed between a small group of players and raced to the end zone for a 68-yard touchdown. It would end up being the longest touchdown run of his career and his second of three on the day.

53. Damon Huard’s game-winning TD pass to Oronde Gadsden at Indianapolis in 2000

Setting the stage: The Dolphins’ run to the AFC East title was not without its adversity, one of which came when starting QB Jay Fiedler was injured while being sacked on the first play of a 20-3 loss against the Jets in Week 12. Damon Huard threw three interceptions after coming in for Fiedler, and his performance didn’t inspire a ton of confidence heading into a game at Indianapolis the following week.

The play: Huard didn’t exactly light it up against the Colts, but he delivered in the clutch, leading the Dolphins on an 86-yard drive that ended with his TD pass to Gadsden in the corner of the end zone for the game-winning 17-yard touchdown with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter.

52. Jacoby Brissett fourth-down completion to Mike Gesicki at Las Vegas in 2021

Setting the stage: The Dolphins went 0-3 when Tua Tagovailoa was sidelined with a rib injury sustained during a Week 2 35-0 loss against Buffalo in Miami, and the first loss without him was a heartbreaker that featured a magnificent game-saving effort by Brissett.

The play: After the Raiders got a field goal on the opening possession of overtime, the Dolphins found themselves in a must-have fourth-and-20 situation from their own 15-yard line. Never the quickest quarterback, Brissett found himself having to move to his left in the pocket to avoid pressure and was able to withstand contact from a defensive linemen to continue rolling out before hitting tight end Mike Gesicki on the move for a 27-yard gain. The drive ended with a 50-yard field goal when then-coach Brian Flores declined to go for the first down on a third-and-3 from the Raiders 32-yard line and the Raiders scored on the next possession to win the game, 31-28.

51. Ricky Williams' touchdown run vs. the New York Jets in 2002

Setting the stage: The Dolphins entered the 2002 season with big hopes after swinging a huge deal to acquire running back Ricky Williams in the offseason and he got off to a great start by rushing for 111 and 132 yards in the first two games, victories against the Lions and Colts. But Week 3 offered a different challenge with a visit to Miami by the New York Jets, who the Dolphins hadn't defeated since 1997. 

The play: The Dolphins were leading 16-3 when they got the ball back at their 19-yard line with 8:43 left in the fourth quarter. Williams carried four consecutive times for 15 yards and a first down, and the Dolphins then converted a third down with a Jay Fiedler completion to tight end Randy McMichael. On a first-and-10 from the Miami 47, Fiedler again handed off Williams, who made a quick move and found a hole on the right side before splitting two defenders and making his way to the end zone. The 53-yard touchdown capped a 151-yard rushing performance for Williams. More significantly, the touchdown was the perfect exclamation on the Dolphins finally slamming the door on their losing streak against the Jets.

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