**One of the favorite nights of my life. The Dolphins needed this win so badly. And got it in grand fashion. Just after everyone thought the Jets had won, Marino went deep to Duper and, with one hand, Mark Super Duper was able to secure the ball and the game. Miami Dolphins #1!
**Buffalo ran off 21 points in the first quarter for a 21-0 lead. The Fins were able to kick a field goal just before halftime to cut the deficit to 21-3. When starting quarterback Gus Frerotte was sacked in the end zone for a safety, he was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Backup Sage Rosenfels took over and starting throwing darts, especially to Chris Chambers. Chambers hauled in 15 passes, including the game-winner on 4th down with 6 seconds left in the game! My favorite announcer, Don Criqui, ended the broadcast by saying, "What a day for the Dolphins!"
**In this AFC WildCard game, the Dolphins trailed the favored, red-hot Colts, 14-0. Determined to overcome, Lamar Smith would not be denied. He set a team record for yards gained (209) and set an NFL playoff record for number of carries (40). His 19-yard touchdown gallop in overtime won it for the never-say-die Dolphins.
**This battle went back and forth from the game's first play to the final gunshot. On the first play from scrimmage, the Bills went for the home run. Doug Flutie hit Eric Moulds in full stride, however, as the race was on, Terrell Buckley knocked the ball loose and Brock Marion recovered. With just 17 seconds left in the game and the Bills at the Dolphin five, Trace Armstrong sacked Flutie, and the ball came loose. The Dolphins pounced on it for the win.
**Dan Marino, coming off of his Achilles tendon injury in 1993, was being doubted by all the critics. He responded by completing 23 of 42 passes for 473 yards and FIVE touchdowns as the Dolphins won in dramatic fashion. The Patriots had apparently sealed the deal, but Danny put on a show that had me going through a friend's basement ceiling.
**On an ice-covered field in Dallas, this Thanksgiving Day game saw one of the strangest endings ever to a football game. Dolphin kicker Pete Stoyanovich's 40-yard field goal attempt was blocked with 15 seconds left. As the ball slid away and the announcers gave the win to Dallas, defensive lineman Leon Lett saved the day for the Dolphins. For some reason, Lett tried to recover the ball. He was unable to control the ball and a Dolphin jumped on it. This gave the Dolphins the ball and another kick attempt with four seconds left. This time Pete split the uprights, thus beginning a wonderful holiday celebration for me. Thanks, Leon!
**As a boy, Dan Marino's favorite team was the Pittsburgh Steelers. On this day it was his favorite team to go deep on. Danny completed 21 of 32 passes for 421 yards and FOUR touchdowns to help advance the Dolphins into Super Bowl XIX.
**I watched the Dolphins win a thriller with SupaNef Alex. The game looked so promising early and then came the twists and turns. The Dolphins, who have shown perseverance all season, made the plays down the stretch. A 55-yard field goal by Andrew Franks? Good!!! Overtime!!! The Jay Train went over 200 yards again, becoming just the fourth NFL player ever to hit the 200-yard mark three times in one season. To beat a team I despise made it even sweeter. To enter the playoffs with this win (combined with a KC win over Denver a day later) was the ultimate feeling!
**The Dolphins, forced to start back-up quarterback Brock Osweiler against the best defense in the league, took a 7-0 lead. But, Chicago would take a seemingly commanding lead of 21-10 in the second half. Brock showed that he knew how to hit speedy Albert Wilson, a receiver who joined the Dolphins last spring. And, Wilson found the end zone a couple of times. Soon, it was tied at 28-28 and the game went into overtime. On the Dolphins' first drive, they moved all the way to the Bear one yard line...and that's where Kenyan Drake fumbled. After Chicago missed a 52-yard field goal that would've won it for them, Kenyan Drake had a couple of key gains to set up the winning 47-yard field goal on the final play of overtime by Jason Sanders. Alex and I went and celebrated at the nursing home with Kenny afterwards.
**Sixteen seconds remain. Stephen Gostkowski kicks off for New England. Kalen Ballage gets exactly zero yards on the return setting the trailing Dolphins up at their own 31. Nine seconds ticked off the clock, thus leaving only seven seconds in the game and the winning end zone a distant 69 yards away. Enter Ryan Tannehill. Enter Kenny Stills. Enter DeVante Parker. And, throw in the elusive Kenyan Drake. With those four key players, the Miami Dolphins shocked the NFL world with this play: Tannehill to Stills for 14 yards, Stills laterals to Parker and DeVante takes it three yards, and finally DeVante pitches the ball to Kenyan. Kenyan made his way for 52 yards and the Dolphins, in their beautiful throwback uniforms, won a this magical, miracle of a play.
**New England needs this win for a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Tom Brady's last regular season game as a Patriot (unknown at the time). A hostile environment. New England is a 17-point favorite against the 4-11 Dolphins. Everything to gain for the hometown team, and every reason to lose for the visitors. A 10-0 lead by the Dolphins would be overcome by the heavy favorite in Vegas. It appeared that it would be another loss for the game Dolphins team under the direction of first-year head coach Brian Flores as New England scored a go-ahead touchdown with 3:59 remaining in the fourth quarter. But, leave it to a little magic, the magic of FitzMagic, a quarterback by the name of Ryan Fitzpatrick. He calmly led the overmatched Dolphins down the field and, with just 29 seconds remaining, Fitz fired a pass over the middle to a large target named Mike Gesicki. TOUCHDOWN, MIAMI DOLPHINS!!
