5 Miami Regular Season Losses That Still Irks You

['Deep]

Hell the 17-7 loss to Tennessee on a Saturday (hurricane pushed the game up a day) where Jay Fiedler was benched at halftime in favor of AJ Feeley was another nut-puncher.

Any game that Feeley played in was a nut-puncher.

 

[DuderinoN703]

Any game that Feeley played in was a nut-puncher.

The sad part is I was completely stoked when I saw that he was warming up on the sideline and was about to replace Fielder.

What a ****ing clown show.

 

[Fins1971]

In chronological order

1978 season: Week 12 Mon Nov 20 1978 at Houston Oilers 35, Miami 30

This was the Monday night classic where Earl Campbell shredded the Dolphins defense. A month or so later the Dolphins were bounced from the playoffs by the same team at home.

1982 season: Week 6 Sun Dec 12 1982 at New England 3, Miami 0

The infamous snow plow game. Still irks me. Despite that game we still made it to Super Bowl that year. To bad Riggins was there also.

1997 season: Week 16 Sun Dec 14 1997 at Indianapolis 41, Miami 0
1997 season: Week 17 Mon Dec 22 1997 at Miami, New England 14, Miami 12

Back to back games in the 97 season. The first I attended with high hopes of clinching AFC East title against the woeful 2-12 Colts. What followed was the most embarrassing game I ever attended. Left in the 3rd quarter after the Colts scored to start the second half. Knew it was over. Never even competed in that game. It was a long drive home.
Then the following week with AFC title on the line the Dolphins were robbed by the refs multiple times. They blew a fumble return for TD dead early that would have opened up the game. Kept NE in it all the way. The loss to end the regular season ensured a trip to NE and an early exit from playoffs in what looked like a very promising season.

2000 season: Week 8 Mon Oct 23 2000 at NY Jets 40, Miami 37 (OT)

Monday Night Meltdown. It was almost like that game was staged with Swartenager in booth saying Jets would win. Most bizarre loss ever. That loss ended up being the difference in traveling to Oakland where we were shutout in playoffs or getting to play at home.

The worst 5 game regular season stretch for me was in 1989

1989 season: Week 12 Sun Nov 26 1989 at Mia Pittsburgh 34, Miami 14
1989 season: Week 13 Sun Dec 3 1989 at KC Kansas City 26, Miami 21
1989 season: Week 14 SnN Dec 10 1989 at Mia Miami 31, New England 10
1989 season: Week 15 Sun Dec 17 1989 at Ind Indianapolis 42, Miami 13
1989 season: Week 16 Sun Dec 24 1989 at Mia Kansas City 27, Miami 24

After beating the Cowboys on Thanksgiving day and having the best record in football at 9-2 the Dolphins lost the next 5 to miss the playoffs and endure one of the worst collapses in NFL history. That was brutal.

 

[TheRook]

You guys have included probably my top 5 in there above, but 2003 was a bad year with two games already above from this list. Here's one that has always bugged me:
Colts 27, Miami 17 (from 2003)

I will go down as one of those who always hated Jay Fiedler and Dave Wannstedt. Throughout those years, I was always looking for someone, ANYONE to replace Fiedler and give us a shot. The talent on those teams was so good, outside of quarterback (and coaching), it's terrible we won just one playoff game during that time.
Wannstedt seemed to HATE anything that reminded the fans of the team's glory years, and Brian Griese represented the worst of that. It felt like Wannstedt would handcuff anyone who might have any shot at replacing Fiedler. In Griese's first game as a starter, replacing the oft-injured Fiedler, he led the team to an impressive win vs. the Chargers. This Colts game, vs. Peyton Manning, was his second game. Down by just 6, Buckley picked off Manning and gave us the ball at the 15 with under 3 minutes to play. With our defense, if we score 7 there, we probably win that game, giving Griese an impressive 2-0 start with us, making it harder for Fiedler to come back when healthy. But on second down from the 13, Freeney comes around untouched to sack Griese and force the fumble, giving the ball back to the Colts, who just ran out the clock. I always thought that maybe, just maybe, if we win that game, maybe we can finally rid ourselves of the Fiedler curse that had held back the team for almost 4 years...I guess the next year the wheels came off and we finally managed to get rid of him, but by then the damage was done and the team spiraled down out of control for the next decade...

I know Brian didn't play that well for us overall, but I always felt that as the quarterback who preceded Tom Brady at Michigan, and who took them to an undefeated national championship, that perhaps with the right coaching, he could have been a better pro. As it was, his overall stats are still superior to Fiedler's...but I suppose that wasn't hard to do...even Damon Huard's career stats are superior to Jay's...

 

[daryl]

Losing 8 straight to the Jets between 1998 and 2002 was a major pie in the face to the franchise. All the losses seemed to have some embarrassing quality like blown leads, Fiedler pick 6's, Ray Lucas, defensive meltdowns, Bernie Parmalee, Bryan Cox, Mike Westhoff all getting revenge, playoff chances squandered, etc....Those losses and an inability to explain them started to make me think the Zach Thomas/Jason Taylor defenses just weren't that clutch.

 

[Dolph N.Fan]

Losing 8 straight to the Jets between 1998 and 2002 was a major pie in the face to the franchise. All the losses seemed to have some embarrassing quality like blown leads, Fiedler pick 6's, Ray Lucas, defensive meltdowns, Bernie Parmalee, Bryan Cox, Mike Westhoff all getting revenge, playoff chances squandered, etc....Those losses and an inability to explain them started to make me think the Zach Thomas/Jason Taylor defenses just weren't that clutch.

Ugh that streak was terrible. It just always felt like the jets would win no matter what. That 24-0 loss to them at home during that streak was abysmal. Was so elated with Miami crushed the jets 30-3 at home with Ricky running all over them in 2003.

 

[Dolph N.Fan]

You guys have included probably my top 5 in there above, but 2003 was a bad year with two games already above from this list. Here's one that has always bugged me:
Colts 27, Miami 17 (from 2003)

I will go down as one of those who always hated Jay Fiedler and Dave Wannstedt. Throughout those years, I was always looking for someone, ANYONE to replace Fiedler and give us a shot. The talent on those teams was so good, outside of quarterback (and coaching), it's terrible we won just one playoff game during that time.
Wannstedt seemed to HATE anything that reminded the fans of the team's glory years, and Brian Griese represented the worst of that. It felt like Wannstedt would handcuff anyone who might have any shot at replacing Fiedler. In Griese's first game as a starter, replacing the oft-injured Fiedler, he led the team to an impressive win vs. the Chargers. This Colts game, vs. Peyton Manning, was his second game. Down by just 6, Buckley picked off Manning and gave us the ball at the 15 with under 3 minutes to play. With our defense, if we score 7 there, we probably win that game, giving Griese an impressive 2-0 start with us, making it harder for Fiedler to come back when healthy. But on second down from the 13, Freeney comes around untouched to sack Griese and force the fumble, giving the ball back to the Colts, who just ran out the clock. I always thought that maybe, just maybe, if we win that game, maybe we can finally rid ourselves of the Fiedler curse that had held back the team for almost 4 years...I guess the next year the wheels came off and we finally managed to get rid of him, but by then the damage was done and the team spiraled down out of control for the next decade...

I know Brian didn't play that well for us overall, but I always felt that as the quarterback who preceded Tom Brady at Michigan, and who took them to an undefeated national championship, that perhaps with the right coaching, he could have been a better pro. As it was, his overall stats are still superior to Fiedler's...but I suppose that wasn't hard to do...even Damon Huard's career stats are superior to Jay's...

Yep can't believe Freeney came around untouched. I believe that fumble came exactly right after the Buckley int. I believe the final score was 23-17. Miami finished that year 10-6 and missed the playoffs. Aside from the Houston loss everyone else they lost to had at least 12 wins: New England (2), Tennessee, Philadelphia and Indianapolis. That Houston loss cost them the playoffs.

 

[maralieus]

Minnesota, 2003. Culpepper sneaks on 4th to keep the drive alive and the kicker wins it as time expires. Oh yeah, and Chris carter had the worst game of his career against his former team and cost us the game.

The very next week..... NE 2003. I wont even go here because I still tend to rant when I get going about this game. This one is the worst.

Texans, 2008. I remember screaming "sneak!! Sneak!!!" at the tv. David carr RUNS in the gw td as our defense parts like the red sea.



2007 vs pats. This one was just so damn ugly that it scarred me as a fin fan. Brady was literally just tossing the ball downfield and Moss was catching it over our guys like he was playing ****ing vs his kids. It was humiliating. And to make matter worse we were all terribly worried about 19-0. Thank you Giants.

2015 green bay packers. The timeout by philbin when they were scrambling and probably gonna have a bad play. The fumble recovery that didnt happen. The fake spike. Smh. Everyone in the damn stadium knew that Rodgers was going to throw it to quarless. He even stopped and pointed to him and nodded. Wheeler knew it was coming and fast and still could do nothing to stop it. Good riddance wheeler.

Good thing we're not includong playoff games because I've got a couple doozies.....well I guess we all do.

 

[Dolph N.Fan]

Minnesota, 2003. Culpepper sneaks on 4th to keep the drive alive and the kicker wins it as time expires. Oh yeah, and Chris carter had the worst game of his career against his former team and cost us the game.

The very next week..... NE 2003. I wont even go here because I still tend to rant when I get going about this game. This one is the worst.

Texans, 2008. I remember screaming "sneak!! Sneak!!!" at the tv. David carr RUNS in the gw td as our defense parts like the red sea.



2007 vs pats. This one was just so damn ugly that it scarred me as a fin fan. Brady was literally just tossing the ball downfield and Moss was catching it over our guys like he was playing ****ing vs his kids. It was humiliating. And to make matter worse we were all terribly worried about 19-0. Thank you Giants.

2015 green bay packers. The timeout by philbin when they were scrambling and probably gonna have a bad play. The fumble recovery that didnt happen. The fake spike. Smh. Everyone in the damn stadium knew that Rodgers was going to throw it to quarless. He even stopped and pointed to him and nodded. Wheeler knew it was coming and fast and still could do nothing to stop it. Good riddance wheeler.

Good thing we're not includong playoff games because I've got a couple doozies.....well I guess we all do.

Miami didn't play green bay in 2015. I know what game you're talking about though with the fake spike. Also that was Matt Schuab, not Carr that ran in for the game winner. lol Houston had already gotten rid of Carr by then.

 

[maralieus]

1997 season: Week 16 Sun Dec 14 1997 at Indianapolis 41, Miami 0

Back to back games in the 97 season. The first I attended with high hopes of clinching AFC East title against the woeful 2-12 Colts. What followed was the most embarrassing game I ever attended. Left in the 3rd quarter after the Colts scored to start the second half. Knew it was over. Never even competed in that game. It was a long drive home.
.

I remember I was like 14 when that game happened. It was on my birthday and my mom wanted to get me tickets for me and a friend and drive from Ohio to indy...but they were out of our price range, so instead I went shopping for a new dolphins coat. Reversible pretty awesome. But I remember listening to the game on the radio and just being sooooooooo bummed out. My boys got smoked for my birthday that year. Since then I think twice when there are games on my birthday.

 

['Deep]

The worst 5 game regular season stretch for me was in 1989

1989 season: Week 12 Sun Nov 26 1989 at Mia Pittsburgh 34, Miami 14
1989 season: Week 13 Sun Dec 3 1989 at KC Kansas City 26, Miami 21
1989 season: Week 14 SnN Dec 10 1989 at Mia Miami 31, New England 10
1989 season: Week 15 Sun Dec 17 1989 at Ind Indianapolis 42, Miami 13
1989 season: Week 16 Sun Dec 24 1989 at Mia Kansas City 27, Miami 24

After beating the Cowboys on Thanksgiving day and having the best record in football at 9-2 the Dolphins lost the next 5 to miss the playoffs and endure one of the worst collapses in NFL history. That was brutal.

'89 rivals '93.

 

[ghostface95]

Here are 5 more:

1995 vs Colts- The Steve Emtman Show. YouTube the highlights you'll understand.


1997 or possibly 1998 @ Jaguars- Primetime TV game and Rookie Fred Taylor destroys our run defense. What irked me the most was Tony Boselli taunting our defense by making a "come on guys this way" type of hand gesture after a huge gain off a run play.


1995 MNF vs 49ers- Jerry Rice makes our secondary look like a pee-wee football team.

2016 @ Seahawks- A haunting feeling remains from the Stills dropped pass. What could've been.

2016 @ Ravens- Time after time play after play the middle of the field was unoccupied territory need I say more?

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

If we're talking postseason for me number one would be the Sea of Hands loss in 1974.

That one still bugs. If Miami wins that, the Dolphins have a home field game in the Orange Bowl against Pittsburgh. No guarantees that the Dolphins win that match-up, but IMO the Steelers were the third best team in the AFC that year. I feel pretty confident Miami would have beaten Minnesota for their third straight super bowl title.

The Sea of Hands game essentially ended Miami's short-lived dynasty.

 

[fishfanmiami]

I"ve got to go with the Jax playoff massacre. I was on vacation in the bahamas and watched at the hotel sports bar. Completely ruined the whole time there.

The Jets Monday night comeback win is also on my list.

Also the Oakland playoff loss ( sea of hands ) in 73 that probably kept us from 3 straight SB wins.

(I do realize two of these are not regular season which the OP asked for )

 

[Bob512]

The loss to Green Bay in Miami about 3 or 4 years ago. Philip F'king Wheeler matched against their TE.
We had played pretty well but Aaron Rodgers shredded us in the final minute to come from behind. This was the game that fully exposed the shortcomings of Joe Philbin's coaching. Poor time management. Poor positional matchups. Old Joe was close in this game but he didn't know how to win it.

Yup....this one is it for me. We had that game.......