Miami Dolphins: Top 5 moments of the 2000s

Moment #4: Lamar Smith on Wild Card Weekend 2000

The last time the Miami Dolphins won a playoff game was over 21 years ago, and it comes in as the fourth-best moment of its particular decade.

Miami was in their first year post-Dan Marino, and were led by Jay Fiedler and a stout defense that brought them an 11-5 record and AFC East division championship. Their opponent for Wild Card Weekend was the Indianapolis Colts, who were still division rivals with the Dolphins at the time. The two teams split the two regular season meetings, the latter of which came just two weeks before the postseason matchup (a Colts victory).

The Dolphins got out to a slow start, trailing 14-0 at half time. But the defense locked down in the second half, allowing just three Indianapolis points the rest of the way. The game-tying touchdown was thrown by Fielder and caught by tight end Jed Weaver with just 40 seconds left on the game clock.

Both teams possessed the ball in overtime, and after a missed field goal by Indianapolis, Miami took over for a second time with 9:16 remaining. A methodical drive down the field got the Dolphins down to the Colts 17-yard line and in position to take a game winning field goal to send them to the Divisional Round. But on his 40th carry of the game (a playoff record that still stands today), Miami’s workhorse running back Lamar Smith took a hand off going to the right and found his way all the way to the end zone for a Dolphins’ playoff victory. Smith eclipsed 200 yards rushing on the play and finished with 209, good enough for the third-best single game playoff performance of all time.