The two Super Bowl wins, obviously
But I'll pinpoint two other landmark games from the same time frame. The 1971 Christmas Day (and night) playoff victory at Kansas City remains the most joyous, festive win in franchise history, and that would be true if played on a different date. It was like the entire city spilled onto the streets, honking horns and waving hankies. The first playoff victory in Dolphins history, after being on the brink of defeat so many times, and more than anything a feeling that we were a legitimate championship contender.
I'll go back a year earlier to the 34-17 midseason home victory over the Colts. Consider the situational influence. Not only had the Colts thumped us 35-0 on the road a few weeks earlier, they were from the big boy NFL. Nobody was assuming parity in those days. The NFL imports were rightfully considered bigger and stronger than AFL holdovers. The Dolphins had started the season well then been embarrassed by 3 consecutive losses to old time NFL teams, the first two via shutout rout.
A home game versus Baltimore was the last meaningful chance to erase that stigma and inferiority complex. Nobody much cared that we had defeated the pathetic Saints a week earlier. And obviously there was the Shula situation. He didn't want to start 0-2 against his former team.
I wasn't surprised when I looked at the attendance figures and it was not a full house. As indicated, we had been beaten down. Miami sports fans have a long history of demoralized and fickle. Everybody turned out for the Browns game a month earlier. That was easily the "worst" seats we ever had in the Orange Bowl, so high in the upper west end zone I can still envision the little players so far away, like they were on my magnetic board game. A 0-28 game sent everybody home very early, amidst gulp concern it had been an early season mirage.
The 67,000 in attendance versus Baltimore were treated to a coming out party. That's what it felt like. High energy hankies and jubilation throughout, sparked by Jake Scott's circling punt return touchdown early in the game.
BTW, I apologize for often specifying 80 yards on that return. It has always been my memory. I looked it up tonight and was quite shocked at the true distance of 77 yards.