The second loss occurred during a road game dubbed the Monday Night Miracle, against the New York Jets, which scored 30 points in the fourth quarter and then defeated the Dolphins by a field goal in overtime.
This was the Dolphins' fourth consecutive winning season and the first time the club won the AFC East title since 1994.
Running backs (RB) Wide receivers (WR) Tight ends (TE) Defensive linemen (DL) Defensive backs (DB) Special teams Reserve at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida Jay Fiedler started as quarterback in the first Miami Dolphins season opener without Dan Marino since 1983.
Winning 23–0, Miami caused Seattle to have their first shutout defeat since their 0–19 loss to the Los Angeles Raiders in October 1992.
Although Minnesota dominated Miami in terms of yardage, the game remained close throughout because mistakes by both teams kept them of out the opponent's end zone until the fourth quarter.
Fiedler threw for 175 yards, completing only 12 of 31 passes and throwing an interception to Keith Thibodeaux in the third quarter.
After another field goal from Anderson and a touchdown pass from Culpepper to Randy Moss, the score was 13–0 in favor of Minnesota with 1:56 left in the game.
Miami finally scored with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Fiedler to Thurman Thomas with barely a minute on the clock.
After that, the Dolphins attempted an onside kick, but the ball was recovered by Orlando Thomas of the Vikings, effectively ending the game with a 13–7 win for Minnesota.
Following the fourth quarter touchdown, Mare missed the extra point, only the second time in his 99 career attempts.
On the Ravens team, quarterback Tony Banks threw for 189 yards with 19 out of 31 completions, but was sacked six times, intercepted once, and fumbled twice.
Unable to reach the Miami end zone, Baltimore had to settle for two field goals from Matt Stover, one each in the third and fourth quarters.
The ceremony was begun by former quarterback Bob Griese and included video highlights of Marino's career with the Dolphins.
Miami Dolphins president Eddie Jones then presented a life-size statue of Marino on the grounds of Pro Player Stadium.
Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe had a slightly worse pass completion percentage than Fiedler and was 16-for-33 with 161 yards at the end of the game.
With New England leading 3–0 at 14:43 left in the second quarter, Miami answered with a 53-yard touchdown pass from Fiedler to Bert Emanuel about three minutes later.
Miami scored two touchdowns in the third quarter, the first an 18-yard rush by Lamar Smith and the second a 7-yard pass from Fiedler to Oronde Gadsden.
After the tendinitis in Johnson's throwing elbow flared up, he was replaced by Doug Flutie late in the fourth quarter.
However, Bills running back Sammy Morris fumbled on Buffalo's 16 yard line, with the ball being recovered by Madison and returned for a touchdown.
Coming off of bye week, the Dolphins traveled to the Giants Stadium to challenge division rival New York Jets on October 23, a Monday Night Football game.
The Jets did not obtain a first down until 8:04 in the second quarter, by which time the Dolphins already scored 20 points, including two touchdowns and two field goals.
Late in the second quarter, New York score a touchdown with a pass from Testaverde to Wayne Chrebet, but Miami responded with another field goal as the first half of the game ended.
With 8:13 left in overtime, John Hall kicked a field goal, ending the game 40–37 in favor of New York.
Green Bay did not allow Miami any points until 1:15 left in the second quarter, at which time the Dolphins scored a touchdown by a 1-yard rush from Fiedler.
Miami capitalized on this and scored another touchdown, leaving Detroit losing 0–14 near the middle of the first quarter, having yet to make a single play.
The Dolphins held the Lions scoreless until early in the fourth quarter, when Detroit made a touchdown and a subsequent 2-point conversion.
The starter, Moses Moreno, completed 9 out of 21 passes for 67 yards and was intercepted twice, before leaving the game early in the third quarter due to injury.
[15] The Dolphins led in scoring throughout the game, beginning with a touchdown as a result of a 2-yard run from Smith early in the first quarter.
The Chargers finally scored early in the fourth quarter with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Leaf to Fred McCrary.
[16] Just 12 seconds into the game,[17] Fiedler was sacked by Mo Lewis and suffered an injury that forced him to head for the sideline.