December 24, 2000: The Dolphins scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to come back and win 27-24 in Foxboro against the Patriots and clinch the AFC East division title. Olindo Mare kicked a field goal into the wind with 9 seconds left to put Miami up by three points and give them the win. The Patriots did get the ball back, and on the last play for quarterback Drew Bledsoe it was ruled a fumble with an illegal forward pass, and the game ended as time expired, or so everyone thought. But after a 35-minute delay, referee Johnny Grier said a replay showed the last play was an incompletion, and three seconds remained. Both teams had to return to the field; many of the players had already taken a shower and were only wearing towels to run one more play with three seconds on the clock. The Patriots didn’t score on that play, and the Dolphins then “officially” had won the game. In this game, Dolphins running back Lamar Smith ran for two touchdowns, and quarterback Jay Fielder hit tight end Hunter Goodwin, for a touchdown as well. Jay Fiedler completed 13 of 17 passes on Miami’s last two drives that produced 10 points. This was the regular-season finale for the Dolphins, who ended the year 11-5 and AFC East division champs.
