Our current NFL Thursday miniseries continues today, moving south from the snows of Minnesota to the sandy beaches of Miami. The Dolphins franchise has compiled a .553 winning percentage in 57 seasons since 1966—which includes 24 postseason appearances, 14 division titles, 5 conference championships, and 2 Super Bowl victories. While the team hasn’t won an NFL title since 1973, it still has been very successful.

No. 5: 1982 Miami Dolphins

With a 7-2 record, these Dolphins finished the strike-shortened season atop the AFC East Division. They were No. 10 on offense, No. 2 on defense, and No. 2 overall in the SRS rankings. Miami rolled through the AFC playoffs, beating New England (28-13), San Diego (34-13), and New York (14-0). The Super Bowl didn’t work out as well, however, as the Washington Redskins stopped the Dolphins’ momentum by a 27-17 score.

Nose tackle Bob Baumhower (15 Approximate Value) topped the roster that featured 8 players in double-digit AV in a 9-game regular season. The defense anchored Miami in the postseason, holding the Patriots to 237 yards and 3 turnovers; the Chargers to 247 yards and 7 turnovers; and the Jets to 139 yards and 5 turnovers. But the Redskins ran for 276 yards on 52 carries to wear down the Killer Bs defense in SB XVII.

No. 4: 1975 Miami Dolphins

It’s a surprise to see this team here, instead of the 1971 group that lost SB VI. After all, this 10-4 squad didn’t even qualify for the AFC playoffs, strangely, despite the No. 6 defense, the No. 4 offense, and the No. 2 overall SRS ranking. How did Miami miss out?! With a plus-135 scoring differential, second best in the conference, the Dolphins were undone by two losses to rival Baltimore, including an OT loss in Week 13.

Center Jim Langer (16 AV) and guard Larry Little (16) were the top players on this team, providing strength up front for the offense. And Miami wasn’t the only 10-win team to miss the postseason in the AFC; the same fate befell the Houston Oilers. But the two defeats against the 10-4 Colts hurt, since Baltimore won the division on the head-to-head tiebreaker—making that Week 13 loss the de facto division championship.

No. 3: 1984 Miami Dolphins

These Dolphins won the AFC East with a 14-2 record, thanks to the No. 1 offense, the No.7 defense, and the No. 2 overall SRS ranking. Miami was dominant in the conference postseason, dropping the Seattle Seahawks (31-10) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (45-28), readily. However, agains the San Francisco 49ers at the Super Bowl in Stanford Stadium, the Dolphins met their match—and went down by a 38-16 score.

Quarterback Dan Marino (21 AV) was the voted and confirmed league MVP, and he was supported by G Ed Newman (20), C Dwight Stephenson (20), wide receiver Mark Clayton (16), and WR Mark Duper (15). The offense was nearly unstoppable, posting 513 points in the regular season. But the 49ers’ unsung defense rose to the occasion in SB XIX, intercepting Marino twice and holding the Dolphins to just 25 rushing yards.

No. 2: 1972 Miami Dolphins

Perfection came at a sabermetric cost, as this team played the worst SOS in 1972, by far; thus, it is not the top team in franchise history, as a result. But the 14-0 record speaks for itself, built on the backs of the No. 1 offense, the No. 1 defense, and the No. 1 overall SRS ranking. The three playoff victories came by a total of just 17 points, as well, demonstrating that the pressure perhaps was getting to the team by Super Bowl time.

This really was a team effort: strong safety Dick Anderson (18), Little (16), defensive end Bill Stanfill (16), and free safety Jake Scott (15) were the top AV Dolphins here. Miami forced 5 turnovers in a 20-14 divisional round win over the Cleveland Browns, and then the Dolphins held the Pittsburgh Steelers to just 250 yards and 2 turnovers in the AFC title game win (21-17). The Super Bowl is legend and needs no recap.

No. 1: 1973 Miami Dolphins

It’s funny how math works sometimes, as this 12-2 team that won the AFC East with the No. 5 offense, the No. 1 defense, and the No. 2 overall SRS ranking actually rates highest in team history. But these Dolphins won every postseason game by double digits on the way to a second-straight Super Bowl victory. Miami dropped Cincinnati, 34-16; it pounded Oakland, 27-10; and it flattened Minnesota, 24-7. That’s dominance.

Anderson (20 AV) and Scott (17) provided the heart and soul for the defense, “No Name” status and all. The Bengals gained just 194 yards on offense in the playoff loss, while the Raiders produced just 236 yards total. In the Super Bowl, the Vikings registered just 238 yards. This roster’s offense wasn’t as strong, perhaps, as the perfect-season offense, but it did the job on the scoreboard with much more grandeur and panache.