SB Nation User Blog: Mosul_DolFan

Historical Perspective VII - 1974

Mosul_DolFan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:16:21 -0000

1974

The Miami Dolphins were flying high. It was 1974 and the team had been to three straight Super Bowls, wining the last two, having only lost 2 games in the last 34. The team was a dynasty in the making. And then it all started to fall apart.

The 1974 Dolphins entered the year looking to continue their hot streak. The team had just 16 days after Super Bowl VIII, before changing gears and preparing for the upcoming season with the NFL Draft taking place on January 29th and 30th.

Miami made the switch to offseason effortlessly, as on January 25th, the team made a trade that would change the face of a franchise. Miami, still holding the NFL rights to CFL QB Joe Theismann after selecting him in the 4th round of the 1971 draft, made a trade sending the QB to the Washington Redskins for a first round pick in the 1976 draft.

The 1974 draft was looked at as a chance to add some depth to an already dominating team. The Dolphins were a young team, on the verge of all-time greatness, and the thought was that the draft would only assist in keeping the team on top of the league.

The Dolphins, selecting last in each round for the second straight year, made the following picks:

Rnd	Overall Pick	Name	Position	School	Games Played	Season Starter	All-Pro 1st Team	Pro Bowl	HOF	Remarks
1	26	Don Reese	DE	Jackson St.	88	3	0	0	No
2a	38	Andre Tillman	TE	Texas Tech	58	4	0	0	No	From Green Bay for QB Jim Del Gaizo (22 August 1973)
2b	47	Benny Malone	RB	Arizona St.	82	3	0	0	No	From Dallas for WR Otto Stowe (10 May 1973)
2c	52	Jeris White	CB	Hawaii	129	5	0	0	No
3	78	Nat Moore	WR	Florida	183	9	1	1	No
4	104	Bill Stevenson	DT	Drake	0	0	0	0	No
5	130	Cleveland Vann	LB	Oklahoma St.	0	0	0	0	No
6a	136	Randy Crowder	DT	Penn State	71	3	0	0	No	From Baltimore for RB Hubert Ginn (02 October 1973)
6b	156	Bob Wolfe	T	Nebraska	0	0	0	0	No
7a	164	Carl Swierc	WR	Rice	0	0	0	0	No	From New Orleans for K Jeff White (29 August 1973)
7b	182	Joe Sullivan	T	Boston College	0	0	0	0	No
8	206	Mel Baker	WR	Texas Southern	21	0	0	0	No
9a	212	Tom Wickert	T	Washington St.	27	1	0	0	No	From Chicago for CB Dave McCurry (10 August 1973)
9b	234	Bob Lally	LB	Cornell	2	0	0	0	No
10	260	Gary Valbuena	QB	Tennessee	0	0	0	0	No
11	286	Gerry Roberts	DE	UCLA	0	0	0	0	No
12	312	Jim Revels	S	Florida	0	0	0	0	No
13	338	Clayton Heath	RB	Wake Forest	8	0	0	0	No
14	364	Sam Johnson	LB	Arizona St.	0	0	0	0	No
15	390	Larry Cates	CB	Western Mich.	0	0	0	0	No
16	416	Jesse Wolf	DT	Prairie View	0	0	0	0	No
17	442	Ken Dickerson	CB	Tuskegee	0	0	0	0	No

(Bold players on Miami active roster at some point in career)

The Dolphins resumed their collection of future draft picks following the draft. The Dolphins made five trades throughout the month of August, starting with a trade on the 7th of the month with the New York Jets. The trade sent DT Larry Woods to the New York franchise, with the Dolphins acquiring the Jets' 6th round draft choice in 1975. Two days later, Miami sent WR Charley Wade to the Chicago Bears for a 10th round pick in 1975.

The August trading spree continued on August 17th, when the Dolphins sent again sent a player to New York - this time it was RB Ed Jenkins to the Giants. In return, the Dolphins received a 14th round selection in the 1975 draft. The Dolphins then sent G/C Howard Kindig to the Redskins for a 1975 10th round pick. Finishing up the spree, Miami send a 6th round pick to the New York and rescued T John Mooring from the Jets.

Miami's final trade for the 1974 season happened the following month. On September 10th, the Dolphins received a 3rd round pick when they sent WR Bo Rather to Chicago.

The Dolphins season started on September 15th, with the Super Bowl Champs visiting Foxboro for an AFC East matchup with the Patriots. The Patriots scored the first touchdown of the game, and then never trailed again. The Dolphins opened the 1974 season with a 34-24 loss.

A week later, Miami traveled to Buffalo, where they once again fell behind early. This time, however, Miami was able to respond, take a 7-3 lead before the half, and winning the game 24-16.

Week 3 saw Miami travel to San Diego. The two teams traded first half touchdowns, with the Chargers scoring an additional 14 points in the third period. Miami rallied with 21 points of their own in the fourth, and left San Diego with their second win, this time by a 28-21 final.

Miami finally had their home opener on Monday, October 7th when the New York Jets came to the Orange Bowl. Miami jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first half, held on when the Jets responded with 10 points in the third quarter, and then traded touchdowns in the fourth. Miami improved to 3&1 with the 21-17 victory.

The Dolphins were back on the road in Week 5, this time traveling to Washington, D.C to face the Redskins. The Dolphins held a 10-0 lead during the third quarter, only to see the Redskins put up the next 13 points. Trailing 13-10 in the fourth quarter, Miami seemed to put the game away with a fourth quarter touchdown, taking the lead 17-13. However, the Redskins would not go away, and put up the game's final points with a 6-yard touchdown pass. Washington won the game 20-17.

After entering the season with only 2 losses in the last 34 games, the Dolphins had lost 2 in the first 5 played in 1974.

Week 6 proved to be a defensive struggle, as the Kansas City Chiefs visited Miami. The Chiefs got on the board first with a 21-yard second quarter field goal. Miami got their first points of the game when CB Tim Foley blocked a Kansas City punt out the back of the end zone for a safety. The game remained at 3-2 Kansas City until Larry Csonka punched the ball into the endzone from the one yard line in the fourth quarter. The game ended with a 9-3 score, moving Miami to 4&2 on the year.

October 27, 1974 brought the Baltimore Colts to Miami, and another win for the Dolphins. The Colts, entering the game with only one win on the season, lost to the home franchise 17-7.

The following week, Miami returned to its high scoring highlight reel of the previous few years when the Atlanta Falcons visited the Dolphins. Miami was led by RB Benny Malone's 108-yards on 24 carries with 1 touchdown. Malone's backfield mate, RB Don Nottingham, had 25 carries for 87-yards, and 3 touchdowns. Wide receivers Paul Warfield and Jim Mandich each had a touchdown reception, with QB Bob Griese throwing for 158 yards on just 10 of 15 attempts, with one interception. Safeties Jake Scott and Dick Anderson stepped up for the defense, each picking off a pass. Miami defeated the Falcons 42-7.

In Week 9, Miami traveled to New Orleans and continued to dominate. Miami scored all 21 of the game's points in the first half, and then held on for the shutout. Six different players rushed at least once during the game (Malone 16 for 76 yards, Csonka 8 for 25 yards, Nat Moore, 1 for 15 yards, Kiick 7 for 12 yards, Hubert Ginn 4 for 13 yards, and Griese 1 for 0 yards), while Griese only threw for 93 yards, but accounted for all three Miami scores (2 to Mandich, 1 to Moore).

Miami played Buffalo in Miami during Week 10 on November 17th. The Dolphins threw the ensure offence at the Bills, who came into the game with a 7&2 record, identical to Miami's. Csonka got the scoring started in the second quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run. Griese added a 49-yard touchdown pass to Warfield before the half. Buffalo responded with 7 points of their own in the third quarter, which Miami answered with another Csonka touchdown run. The fourth quarter proved to have fast and furious scoring, as the two teams combined for 35 points in the period. Buffalo scored the first two touchdowns of the fourth quarter, off a 42-yard fumble recovery and a 44-yard touchdown pass. Miami's Nottingham scored next with an 11-yard touchdown run of his own. Buffalo countered with a 5-yard touchdown pass, tying the score at 28 apiece. Miami finally put the game away with a 23-yard run by Nottingham, winning the game 35-28, improving to 8&2 as the Bills fell to 7&3. The Dolphins had 160 yards rushing and 237 yards passing during the game, while holding the Buffalo Bill's 2,000 yard rusher from the prior season, O.J. Simpson, to just 60 yards.

Week 11 saw Miami travel to New Jersey to take on the New York Jets. The Jets defense stifled the Dolphins running attack, holding Csonka and Morris to identical statistics, 11 caries for 39 yards each. Bob Griese ran twice for 28 yards and a touchdown, and Jim Kiick had 3 carries for 10 yards. Meanwhile, Griese went 8 for 19 for 116 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Nat Moore threw in one completion for 31 yards. The Jets defsne held the high power Dolphins to 270 total yards and just 14 points. The Jets handed the Dolphins theuir third loss of the year, 17-14.

Miami hosted Cincinnati in Week 12 during the showcase Monday night game. The Dolphins completed the rebound from the previous week's disappointment by dominating Bengals. Csonka ran the ball 24 times for 123 yards. Morris added 12 carries for 34 yards, with Jim Kiick gaining 27 yards on 8 carries of his own. Benny Malone scored the Dolphins lone rushing touchdown on a fourth quarter 2-yard run. Griese threw for 118 yards on 11 for 13 passing, along with 2 touchdowns. The Dolphins defense held the Bengals to a lone field goal in the second period. Miami won the game easily 24-3.

With just two weeks to go in the season, Miami once again looked like a team ready for the playoffs.

The Dolphins traveled to Baltimore for the December 8th, Week 13 game against the Colts. The Dolphins took a 14-3 lead into the half, and then watched as Baltimore made a furious fourth quarter comeback, only to fall one point short. Miami escaped with a 17-16 victory.

In the Week 14 season finale, Miami was seeking retribution for their Week 1 loss to the Patriots. The game started off with furious scoring, as the visiting Patriots found the Orange Bowl end zone three times in the first quarter - a fumble recovery in the end zone, a 23-yard interception return, and a 4-yard touchdown pass. New Englad scored first in the second period as well, adding three points and going up 24-0; but the Dolphins were not out of the game yet. Miami quickly scored 17 points before the half - a one-yard Nottingham rush, a 37 yard pass from Earl Morrall to Melvin Baker, and a 28-yard field goal from Garo Yepremian. Miami tied the score at 24 with a third quarter 46-yard touchdown pass from Morrall to Baker. New England opened the fourth quarter by taking a 3point lead after a 34-yard field goal. However, Miami scored the next 10 points, and won the game 34-27.

Game Date	Team	Score	Result
September 15, 1974	@New England	34-24	Loss
September 22, 1974	@ Buffalo	24-16	Win
September 29, 1974	@ San Diego	28-21	Win
October 7, 1974	New York Jets	21-17	Win
October 13, 1974	@ Washington	20-17	Loss
October 20, 1974	Kansas City	9-3	Win
October 27, 1974	Baltimore	17-7	Win
November 3, 1974	Atlanta Falcons	42-7	Win
November 10, 1974	@ New Orleans	21-0	Win
November 17, 1974	Buffalo Bills	35-28	Win
November 24, 1974	@ New York Jets	17-14	Loss
December 2, 1974	Cincinnati	24-3	Win
December 8, 1974	@ Baltimore	17-16	Win
December 15, 1974	New England	34-27	Win

Miami had three players named to the 1st Team All-Pro with G/T Larry Little (4th time), C/G Jim Langer (2nd time), and S Jake Scott (2nd time). The Dolphins also had 10 Pro-Bowlers in 1974: Little (5th time), Langer (2nd time), QB Bob Griese (6th time), WR Paul Warfield (5th time), Scott (4th time), RB Larry CSonka (5th time), G/T/C Bob Kuechenberg (1st time), S Dick Anderson (3rd time), DE Bill Stanfill (5th time), and T Norm Evans (2nd time).

The two-time defending Super Bowl Champs were once agin in the playoffs, and staring a third straight championship in the face. However, the football gods had other ideas.

As the 11&3 Dolphins took the field in Oakland to face their nemesis 12&2 Raiders (the Raiders were 6-1-1 all time against the Dolphins), two future Hall of Fame coaches took their places along the sidelines. Dolphins' coach Don Shula was 1&1 against the Raiders' John Madden.

The Dolphins struck first, when WR Nat Moore returned the opening kick-off 89 yards for a touchdown. Miami had a 7-0 lead, 15 seconds into the game. Over 52,000 Raiders fans, dressed completely in black, went from stadium shaking to silent instantly.

The two teams slugged back and forth through the rest of the first quarter and into the second before the Raiders found the end zone. Raiders Quarterback Ken Stabler found WR Charlie Smith, a college sprinter, on a 31-yard touchdown pass when he blew past the LB locked on him in man-to-man coverage.

Miami responded with a 33-yard Yepremian field goal with just over a minute before the half. The Dolphins led 10-7 at the half.

Midway through the third quarter, the Raiders again struck, this time with WR Fred Biletnikoff making an acrobatic, one handed catch over Dolphins CB Tim Foley for a 13-yard touchdown. The Raiders took the 14-10 lead, only to see Miami respond with their own touchdown pass - a 16 yard pass to WR Paul Warfield. However, Yepremian's extra point was blocked, and the Dolphins settled for the 16-14 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The Dolphins extended the lead to 5, with a 46-yard field goal to open the fourth. With just under six-minutes remaining in the game, the Raiders took possession at their own 17-yard line. After an 11-yard completion the Raiders struck deep. Stabler threw a pass to WR Cliff Branch at the Miami 27-yard line. Branch caught the ball falling to the ground, but was never touched. Surprising the Miami defense, Branch immediately jumped back up and completed the 72-yard touchdown. The Raiders covered over 80-yards in just 17 seconds, taking the lead 21-19.

Miami immediately responded, scoring just before the 2:00 mark on a 23-yard run from Benny Malone. The Dolphins' touchdown gave Miami the 26-21 lead. The Raiders were not going to be outdone, however. With exactly 2:00 to play and the Raiders down by 5, coach John Madden began to design a drive to cover 68-yards.

The Raiders, still in possession of all three time outs, began the series with short passes and runs. Nickel and diming the Dolphins, the Raiders were suddenly on the Miami 14-yard line with 1:00 on the clock - and used their final time out.

Ken Stabler dropped back on first down, looking for WR Blietnikoff in the end zone. The Dolphins defense had Biletnikoff locked down, so Stabler began scanning for another option. With Miami DE Vern Den Herder wrapped around his legs, Stabler threw the ball up for grabs, aimed toward the well covered RB Clarence Davis. Somehow, through a "Sea of Hands" Davis came down with the ball, fighting off several Dolphins players, falling to the ground with the ball clutched safely to his chest. Suddenly, with less than half-a-minute to play, Oakland again had the lead, now 28-26.

Miami regained possession at the Oakland 45, looking to somehow pull out the last minute win. On the second play of the drive, Griese threw a desperation pass, only to have it picked off by Raiders LB Phil Vilapiano. The Raiders held on to win one of the greatest games in NFL history 28-26.

Following the game, coach Don Shula stated, "This has to be the toughest loss I've ever suffered. The Raiders are a great credit to professional football. They needed touchdowns to win, and they got them."

The Dolphins were shocked. With 213 rushing yards and 101 passing yards, the Dolphins had lost. The defense had allowed 411 total yards to the Raiders offense, and could not hold on to a lead during the game.

The Sea of Hands game further feel into NFL lore, as the game film disappeared. Known also as the "Lost Game," no known English version of the film remains following the NFL losing their only copy during a move in the 1980s. There reportedly is a remaining Spanish audio version of the game film, however it is lost somewhere in Mexico.

**UPDATE [08JUL09 1038 Real Time]. Thanks to Snorky, it was brought to my attention that NFL Films found the Sea of Hands game and has aired it on NFL Network.**

The Miami Dolphins, after three straight Super Bowl visits, and two straight Super Bowl wins, were kicked out of the playoffs in the first round. The Dolphins were still poised to rebound and make another run at a championship in the 1975 season. However, the off-season would prove disastrous to the franchise.

References:

www.pro-football-reference.com

www.wikipedia.org

www.miamidolphins.com

www.profootballhof.com

www.sportsencyclopedia.com

www.raiders.com

Earlier Editions:

Historical Perspective VI - 1973

Historical Perspective V - Nineteen seventy-perfect

Historical Perspective IV - 1971

Historical Perspective III - 1970

Historical Perspective II - 1967-1969

Historical Perspective I - 1965-1966

Historical Perspective VI - 1973

Mosul_DolFan — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:31:23 -0000

After the epic run the 1972 Miami Dolphins completed with their 14-7 win in Super Bowl VII, the team came back to 1973 still hungry and looking to repeat as Champions. The celebration of the Perfect Season behind them, the front office quickly began working on the team and getting ready to march toward Super Bowl VIII.

The NFL Draft was held on 30-31 January 1973, with Miami settling in to wait for the last pick in each round. In fact, the Dolphins would not see their first pick until the 52nd pick, the last pick in Round 2. Miami's draft selections were:

Rnd	Overall Pick	Name	Position	School	Games Played	Season Starter	All-Pro 1st Team	Pro Bowl	HOF	Remarks
1	26									Traded Pick to Buffalo for WR Marlin Briscoe (07 June 1972)
2	52	Chuck Bradley	C	Oregon	19	0	0	0	No
3	78	Leon Gray	T	Jackson St.	142	8	3	4	No
4	104	Bo Rather	WR	Michigan	64	3	0	0	No
5a	111	Don Strock	QB	Virgina Tech	167	0	0	0	No	Received Pick from Buffalo for DT Frank Cornish (22 August 1972)
5b	130	Dave McCurry	CB	Iowa State	2	0	0	0	No
6	156	Ed Newman	G	Duke	167	6	1	4	No
7a	160	Kevin Reilly	LB	Villanova	25	0	0	0	No	Received Pick from NE for T Wayne Mass (28 August 1972)
7b	163	Ben Shephard	RB	Arkansas Tech	0	0	0	0	No	Received Pick from NE for G/C Bill Griffin (26 September 1972)
7c	178	Willie Hatter	WR	Northern Ill.	0	0	0	0	No	Received Pick from Cleveland for C Bob DeMarco (26 September 1972)
7d	182	Tom Smith	RB	Miami (Fla.)	2	0	0	0	No
8	206	Archie Pearmon	DE	N.E. Oklahoma	0	0	0	0	No
9	234	Karl Lorch	DE	Southern Cal.	90	3	0	0	No
10	260	Ron Fernandes	DE	Eastern Mich.	40	1	0	0	No
11	286	Chris Kete	G	Boston College	0	0	0	0	No
12	312	Mike Mullen	LB	Tulane	0	0	0	0	No
13	338	Joe Booker	RB	Miami (Ohio)	0	0	0	0	No
14	364	Greg Boyd	RB	Arizona	6	0	0	0	No
15	389	Bill Palmer	TE	St. Thomas	0	0	0	0	No
16	416	James Jackson	DE	Norfolk St.	0	0	0	0	No
17	442	Charley Wade	WR	Tennessee St.	22	1	0	0	No

(Bold players on Miami active roster at some point in career)

One interesting note from the 1973 Draft was Buffalo's selection with the Miami first round choice was G Joe DeLamielleure, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

The Dolphins then turned their attention to players other teams working looking to trade. Miami made its first 1973 trade on May 10th, when they send WR Otto Stowe to Dallas for a 2nd Round pick in 1974 and WR Ron Sellers. The trade activity increased dramatically in August, when the team made trades on 10 August (CB Dave McCurry to Chicago for a 9th Round Pick in 1974), 22 August (QB Jim Del Gaizo to the Packers for 1974 and 1975 2nd Round Picks), 27 August (DT Mike Kadish to the Bills for C/G Irv Goode), and 29 August (K Jeff White to the Saints for a 1974 7th Round Pick). Miami's final trade for 1974 came during the season, when on 2 October, the team sent RB Hubert Ginn to the Colts for FB Don Nottingham and a 1974 6th round pick.

September 17, 1973 Sports Illustrated Cover via www.hollywoodcollectibles.com

Miami began the 1973 season at home against the San Francisco 49ers on September 1st. The 49ers challenged the defending Super Bowl champs, forcing 4 turnovers (2 fumbles, 2 interceptions), and led 13-6 going into the fourth quarter. However, the Dolphins rallied, scoring 15 points in the final period, winning 21-13.

Week 2 of the 1973 saw Miami do something they hadn't done since 1971 - lose. Facing the same franchise that had handed the Dolphins their first ever loss and their first playoff loss, the Raiders welcomed Miami to Oakland and ended the Dolphins 18-game win streak - tied for the NFL record at the time (since passed by the 2003-2004 Patriots). The Raiders' Kicker George Blanda kicked 4 field goals during the game, while the defense held Miami to a single fourth-quarter touchdown, as the Raiders won 12-7.

Week 3 saw the Dolphins return to their winning ways, as they welcomed the Patriots back to Miami. The Dolphins took a 20-3 lead into the half, and then stretched the lead throughout the second half, finishing the game 44-23.

During Week 4, October 7th, Miami again trounced on a division rival, this time beating the Jets in Miami 31-3.

Miami spent Week 5 of the season slugging it out against the Browns in Cleveland. The two teams traded scores throughout the game, with Miami pulling into the lead for good in the third quarter, adding a touchdown in the fourth, and winning the game 17-9.

Miami returned home for Week 6 and hosted the Buffalo Bills. The Bills held Miami to just 3 points - in the first quarter. Miami dominated the rest of the game, scoring 21 points in the second quarter, with the vaunted Miami "No-Name Defense" not allowing Buffalo to score again until a fourth quarter field goal. The game finished with a 24-6 Miami victory.

The Dolphins October 28th, Week 7 game against the Patriots in New England continued the team's domination of their Boston area rival, as the team won the game 30-14.

In Week 8, Miami traveled to New York to face the Jets. This game proved no easier for the Jets, as Miami swept the season series with a 24-14 victory.

Week 9 saw the Dolphins perform at their peak, dominating the Baltimore Colts 44-0 in Miami. The rushing attack for the Dolphins racked up 315 yards and 3 touchdowns on 41 attempts, highlighted by Mercury Morris' 144 yards and 2 end-zone visits (a 48 yard TD and a 53 yard TD).

Miami traveled to Buffalo in Week 10, looking to repeat their Week 6 result. After beating Buffalo 24-6 in Miami four weeks earlier, Miami shutout the Bills, winning 17-0 , even though the defense gave up 238 yards rushing.

Week 11 saw Miami once again reach the double digit win mark, when they improved their record to 10-1 with a 14-7 victory over the Cowboys in Dallas.

Miami hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12 on Monday night. The game proved to be a close one, with Miami scoring all 30 of their points in the first half, and then holding on as the Steelers rallied. The game ended with Miami leading 30-26.

Miami again faced the Baltimore Colts during Week 13. After the 44-0 drubbing in Miami, the confidence of the team was high. However, the Colts were not going to be embarrassed again. The Colts, 2-10 at this point of the season, upset the Dolphins, led by QB Earl Morall in his only 1973 start, 16-3. The Dolphins fell to 11-2, losing for only their second time in the last 30 games.

Week 14 of the 1973 season was played on December 15th, with Miami hosting the Detroit Lions. The Non Name Defense once again dominated the game, with the Lions only scoring one touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Miami racked up 34 points on 165 yards rushing and 157 yards passing.

Game Date	Team	Score	Result
September 16, 1973	San Francisco	21-13	Win
September 23, 1973	@ Oakland Raiders	12-7	Loss
September 30, 1973	New England Patriots	44-23	Win
October 7, 1973	New York Jets	31-3	Win
October 15, 1973	@ Cleveland Browns	17-9	Win
October 21, 1973	Buffalo Bills	27-6	Win
October 28, 1973	@ New England Patriots	30-14	Win
November 4, 1973	@ New York Jets	24-14	Win
November 11, 1973	Baltimore Colts	44-0	Win
November 18, 1973	@ Buffalo Bills	17-0	Win
November 22, 1973	@ Dallas Cowboys	14-7	Win
December 3, 1973	Pittsburgh Steelers	30-26	Win
December 9, 1973	@ Baltimore Colts	16-3	Loss
December 15, 1973	Detroit Lions	34-7	Win

With the regular season finished, Miami finished the year with the 5th ranked offense. Quarterback Bob Griese threw for 1,422 yards on just 116 completions, with 17 touchdown passes and only 8 interceptions. Running back Larry Csonka finished the season with 1,003 yards, his third consecutive 1,000 yard campaign, with Mercury Morris missing the 1,000 yard mark by 46 yards (954 yards and 10 touchdowns) and Jim Kiick throwing in 257 rushing yards and 208 receiving yards. WR Paul Warfield led the team in receiving with 29 receptions for 514 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Dolphins' No-Name Defense once again finished the year as the league's number one ranked defense. The team had only surrendered 150 points through the 14 game season, and the No-Name Defense had repeated as the top unit in the league. The 12-2 team also had the best record in the AFC, tied with the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams for the top record in the league . Dick Anderson, Safety, had a team high 8 interceptions, with 163 return yards and two touchdowns and was named AP Defensive PLayer of the Year. Safety Jake Scott, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, had an additional four interceptions. Linebacker Nick Buoniconti had three fumble recoveries, returning one for a touchdown. And linebacker Bob Matheson was still entering the games as a fourth linebacker in a 3-4 set, with Manny Fernandez sliding over to be the nose tackle, the defense known as the "53 defense," named after Matheson's jersey number.

Defensive Player of the Year Saftey Dick Anderson via www.sportsecyclopedia.com

Miami hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in the Division Playoffs on December 23, 1973. Miami easily dispatched the Bengals, gaining 400 yards of total offense, while only surrendering 194 yards in route to a 34-16 win. Mercury Morris again led the team with 106 yards rushing and a touchdown, while Larry Csonka had 71 yards rushing and a touchdown of his own. Not to be left out, Jim Kiick broke the 50-yard mark with 51 yards rushing on 10 attempts.

The AFC Championship game, Miami's third straight trip to the game, was played in Miami against the visiting Oakland Raiders. The Raiders, having broken the Dolphins 18-game win streak in Week 2 of the season were preared to again stop the Dolphins. However, Miami had retribution on its mind. The Dolphins quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the half, stretched it to 17-0 in the third, only to see Oakland come back to within 3, as the third period ended 17-14. Miami put the game away in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 additional points, winning the game 27-14. Miami's rushing offense again dominated, this time with Csonka leading the way with 117 yard and all 3 Miami touchdowns. Morris gained 86 yards of his own, with QB Bob Griese adding 39 yards on 3 rushes.

Miami was once again on their way to the Super Bowl - the first team to ever appear in three straight Super Bowls. Super Bowl VIII was played on January 13, 1974 at Rice University in Houston, Texas (which was the first time a Super Bowl was played in a Stadium that no NFL team called its home), with the AFC Champion Dolphins looking to defend their title against the new NFC Champs, the Minnesota Vikings in front of 71,882 fans. The Dolphins, having been 2 point underdogs in Super Bowl VII despite being undefeated going into the game, played the role of the favorite this year, being favored by 6-1/2 points. The Dolphins were so highly regarded that New York Jets QB, Joe Namath, said "If Miami gets the kickoff and scores on the opening drive, the game is over."

Super Bowl VIII Ticket via www.sportspool.com

Prior to the game, reports of dissension amongst the Dolphins surfaced, due to owner Joe Robbie's decision to allow wives to accompany players at the team's expense. The reports stated that several of the single players were upset with the owner's policy, because it barred them from bringing their girlfriends or mothers and showed favoritism towards married players.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings had their own pre-game complaints. The Vikings were given a local high school to utilize as their training complex, but they found the facility unacceptable due to the lack of carpets, lack of lockers, and shower heads that didn't work. Head Coach Bud Grant stated that he didn't think his "players had seen anything like this since junior high school."

Pre-game injuries for the Dolphins included WR Paul Warfield who had an injured hamstring in his left leg and G Bob Kuechenberg played the game with a cast on an arm he broke during a game played back in the regular season.

Super Bowl VIII was hosted by the AFC, making Miami the home team. Although Miami traditionally wore white when at home, the NFL's policy at the time stated that the Super Bowl home team would wear their color jerseys, leading to Miami to play the game in their aqua jerseys. The game also featured two different Miami Dolphins logos. The majority of the players wore the 1969-1973 Miami Dolphins logo on their helmet. However, several players, particularly the lineman, had already changed to the new logo that would go into effect for the Dolphins' 1974 campaign.

1969-1973 Miami Dolphins Logo via www.sportslogos.net

1974-1989 Miami Dolphins Logo via www.sportslogos.net

The Super Bowl began with Miami remaining perfect in Super Bowl coin tosses, again winning and electing to receive the opening kickoff. Jake Scott returned the kick 31-yards to the Dolphins' 38-yard line. The Dolphins immediately turned to their running attack, eating up yards with runs by both Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris. Quarterback Bob Griese completed two passes during the drive, which was capped off by a Csonka five-yard touchdown run. The Dolphins became the first team in Super Bowl history to score on the opening drive. The team never looked back, proving once again, Jets QB Joe Namath could predict the outcomes of Super Bowls.

Super Bowl Starting Lineups:

Miami Dolphins	Position	Minnesota Vikings
Bob Griese	QB	Fran Tarkenton
Mercury Morris	RB	Oscar Reed
Larry Csonka	FB	Chuck Foreman
Paul Warfield	WR	John Gilliam
Marlin Briscoe	WR	Carroll Dale
Jim Mandich	TE	Stu Voigt
Wayne Moore	LT	Grady Alderman
Bob Kuechenberg	LG	Ed White
Jim Langer	C	Mick Tingelhoff
Larry Little	RG	Frank Gallagher
Norm Evans	RT	Ron Yary
Vern Den Herder	LDE	Carl Eller
Manny Fernandez	LDT	Gary Larsen
Bob Heinz	RDT	Alan Page
Bill Stanfill	RDE	Jim Marshall
Doug Swift	LLB	Roy Winston
Nick Buoniconti	MLB	Jeff Siemon
Mike Kolen	RLB	Wally Hilgenberg
Lloyd Mumphord	LCB	Nate Wright
Curtis Johnson	RCB	Bobby Bryant
Jake Scott	SS	Jeff Wright
Dick Anderson	FS	Paul Krause

The Vikings went three-and-out on their opening drive, punting the ball back to the Dolphins. Miami immediately drove down the field, 56-yards in 10-plays, and scored on Jim Kiick's first and only touchdown of the 1973 season.

The first quarter ended with Miami leading 14-0 on 20 plays and 118 yards of offense. The No-Name Defense had dominated the Vikings during the quarter, giving up only 25-yards on 6 plays, with the Vikings never making it to their own 24-yard line.

Miami scored again on their second drive of the second period, a seven play drive capped with a 28-yard field goal from Garo Yepremian. During the drive, Csonka was cut above the eye when Vikings LB Wally Hilgenberg threw an elbow, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

The Vikings attempted to respond on their next drive. The successfully drove the ball against the Miami defense, making it all the way to the Dolphins' six-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-one, however, the Vikings chose to go for the first down, rather than kick a field goal. With less thana minute remaining in the half, the Vikings handed the ball off to RB Oscar Reed , but Dolphins' Buoniconti forced a fumble, which Scott recovered.

Miami led Minnesota 17-0 at the half, and would never look back.

The opening drive of the second half was once again a three-and-out by the Vikings. Scott returned the kick into Minnesota territory. The Dolphins immediately drove down the field and scored on a two-yard Csonka run. Due to his hamstring injury, Paul Warfield, primarily being used as a decoy, caught only his second pass of the game during the drive. He would remain at two receptions for the rest of the game, as the Dolphins did not attempt another pass during the last 24 minutes of the game.

Two possessions later, with only 13 minutes remaining in the game, Minnesota finally scored on a four-yard run by QB Fran Tarkenton.

During the ensuing kick-off, the Vikings received an offsides penalty, erasing the on-side kick they had just recoved. The team elected to kick deep following the penalty, and the Dolphins proceeded to go three-and-out.

Miami punted the ball away, and Minnesota immediately drove back down the field. Reaching the Dolphins' 32-yard line, Tarkenton dropped back to pass, only to thrown an interception to Dolphins' CB Curtis Johnson.

With just 6-1/2 minutes to play, Miami pounded the rock straight into the Vikings defense, using Csonka and Kiick to kill the clock. Future Hall of Famer, Dolphins' center Jim Langer later wrote that, "We hit the Vikings defense so hard and so fast that they didn't know what hit them. Alan Page [Vikings DT and former Notre Dame teammate of the Dolphins' Bob Kuechenberg - who was tasked with blocking Page throughout the game]later said he knew we would dominate them after only the first couple of plays."

Center Jim Langer via www.profootballhof.com

The Dolphins' running game had once again dominated. QB Bob Griese only attempted 7 passes, completing 6 of them for just 73-yards - the fewest passes attempted ever in a Super Bowl. Miami's rushing attack gained 196 yards. The team had no turnovers and received their first penalty with just eight minutes remaining in the game - an offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when Kuechenberg and Page scuffled follwing a late hit by page on QB Griese the play before . Vikings's QB Tarkenton set the then record for completions in a Super Bowl by going 18 for 28 for 182 yards and one interception. He also ran for 17 yards and the Vikings' lone touchdown.

Super Bowl VIII Championship Ring via www.sportspool.com

Larry Csonka was named the game's MVP for his145 yards rushing on 33-attempts with two touchdowns. He was asked after the game about the elbow thrown by the Vikings LB Wally HIlgenberg. He replied, "It was a cheap shot, but an honest cheap shot. He came right at me and threw an elbow right through my mask. I could see the game meant something to him."

Super Bowl VIII MVP RB Larry Csonka via dolphinfaned.tripod.com

With three straight Super Bowl appearances and two championships, the young Dolphins appeared destined to become the next NFL dynasty. However, 1974 would begin a downfall no one saw coming.

1973 Super Bowl Champion Miami Dolphins Team Photovia www.sportsecyclopedia.com

References:

www.pro-football-reference.com

www.wikipedia.org

www.miamidolphins.com

www.profootballhof.com

www.philadelphia-eagles.net

www.sportsencyclopedia.com

Past Editions:

Historical Perspective V - Nineteen seventy-perfect

Historical Perspective IV - 1971

Historical Perspective III - 1970

Historical Perspective II - 1967-1969

Historical Perspective I - 1965-1966

Eric Allen from ESPN discusses the Wildcat and how to defense it. Thanks to ESPN.com's Tim...

Mosul_DolFan — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:18:31 -0000

Eric Allen from ESPN discusses the Wildcat and how to defense it.

Thanks to ESPN.com's Tim Graham - it's from his AFC East blog that I got the video.

HAHAHAHAHA - Saban in Trouble

Mosul_DolFan — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:45:02 -0000

HAHAHAHAHA - Saban in Trouble

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Sorry, I get enjoyment out of this.

Apparently, Alabama gave out free textbooks to athlletes from 2005-2007, so they may have to vacate up to 21 wins. 2--5 and 2006 falls on Mike Shula, but 2007 is all Nicky baby! And again, I find this enjoyable. I don't know why.

Twitter? Wanted to see who all on here has a twitter...

Mosul_DolFan — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:20:39 -0000

Twitter? Wanted to see who all on here has a twitter...

Mosul_DolFan = Mosul

Historical Perspective V - Nineteen seventy-perfect

Mosul_DolFan — Sat, 23 May 2009 18:34:44 -0000

1972

After six seasons of football, the Miami Dolphins had tasted the ultimate prize, but had left the field hungry for the trophy. The next season would fulfill that desire - more than anyone before or after them ever would.

The 1972 NFL Draft was held February 1-2, 1972.

Rnd	Overall Pick	Name	Position	School	Games Played	Season Starter	All-Pro 1st Team	Pro Bowl	HOF	Remarks
1	25	Mike Kadish	DT	Notre Dame	127	6	0	0	No	Taxi (Practice) Squad
2	51									To Cleveland for LB Bob Matheson (1971)
3	77	Gary Kosins	RB	Dayton	40	0	0	0	No
4	91	Larry Bell	LB	Louisville	79	0	0	0	No	From San Diego for C Carl Mauck (1971)
4	103	Al Benton	T	Ohio	0	0	0	0	No
5	129	Charlie Babb	DB	Memphis	97	2	0	0	No
6	155	Ray Nettles	LB	Tennessee	0	0	0	0	No	Signed with CFL (British Columbia Lions)
7	161	Bill Adams	G	Holy Cross	46	0	0	0	No	From Denver for QB John Stofa (1971)
7	180	Calvin Harrell	RB	Arkansas St	0	0	0	0	No
8	207	Craig Curry	QB	Minnesota	0	0	0	0	No
9	233	Greg Johnson	DB	Wisconsin	0	0	0	0	No
10	259									To Houston for DE Russell Price (1971)
11	285	Ed Jenkins	RB	Holy Cross	14	0	0	0	No
12	311	Ashley Bell	TE	Purdue	0	0	0	0	No
13	337	Archie Robinson	DB	Hillsdale	0	0	0	0	No
14	362	Willie Jones	LB	Tampa	0	0	0	0	No
15	389	Bill Davis	DT	William & Mary	0	0	0	0	No
16	415	Al Hannah	WR	Wisconsin	0	0	0	0	No
17	441	Vern Brown	DB	Western Michigan	0	0	0	0	No

(Bold players on Miami active roster at some point in career)

The Dolphins also continued their customary busy offseason by making several trades. The first one, made on June 7, 1972, brought DT Jim Dunaway to Miami from Buffalo, sending LB Dale Farley to the Bills. The Dolphins traded, again with Buffalo, later that day for WR Marlin Briscoe, giving up a 1973 first round draft pick.

WR Marlin Briscoe - acquired in a trade before the season with the Buffalo Bills. via dolphinfaned.tripod.com

August saw two more Dolphins trades, the first one also with the Buffalo Bills on August 22nd. This time, the Dolphins sent DT Frank Cornish to the Bills for G/C Howard Kindig and 5th round pick in 1973. The second trade of the month was with the New England Patriots, breaking the string of Bills trades; the Dolphins gave up T Wayne Mass and received a 1973 7th Round draft choice in compensation.

As the season started in September, the month also witnessed an additional two trades by the busy Dolphins. The first of these two moves sent C Bob Demarco, acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh in 1970, to Cleveland for a 1973 7th round pick, on September 22, 1972. The second trade, sending G/C Bill Griffin to New England for yet another 7th round pick in 1973, was made later that same day.

RBs Jim Kiick and Larry Csonka on a Sports Illustrated cover prior to the 1972 Season via mymedia.myfoxla.com

The Dolphins first game in 1972 was also the first game in the Kansas City Chiefs' new home, Arrowhead Stadium. The September 17th game was never in doubt, however, as the visiting Dolphins dominated the home team for the entire first half, scoring 7 points in the first quarter off a 14-yard pass from QB Bob Griese to WR Marlin Briscoe and 10 more points in the second (47-yard field goal from Garo Yepremian and a 2-yard rush from RB Larry Csonka). The Dolphins scoring ceased after a third quarter, 15-yard field goal from Yepremian. The Chiefs finally scored in the third quarter with a 40-yard field goal, ending the game with 10-points when Len Dawson connected with Willie Frazier on a 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Miami handed the Chiefs a loss in their first game at the now legendary stadium.

The Dolphins home opener was the next week, as the Houston Oilers traveled to Miami for their September 24th meeting. Again, Miami jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. By the end of the first quarter, the Dolphins held a 13-0 lead off of a Jim Kiick 1-yard rush and a 2-yard Mercury Morris rush (missed extra point).

The second quarter scoring began with the third of the Dolphins' running backs finding pay-dirt, as Larry Csonka scored from 4-yards out. Quarterback Bob Griese, not to be out-done, scored the Dolphins only points of the third quarter with a 2-yard run of his own.

Houston finally found the end zone for themselves in the third period, scoring on an 82-yard pass from QB Dan Pastorini to WR Charlie Joyner (accounting for most of Pastorini's 104-yards passing for the game) - but they too missed an extra point. The Oilers scored for a second time in the quarter when RB Willie Rodgers scored from the 1-yard line. The fourth quarter saw Miami add another touchdown when Jim Kiick caught a 6-yard pass from QB Bob Griese.

Miami was on a winning streak - a streak that wouldn't end.

The Dolphins traveled to Minnesota on October 1st looking to continue the hot start to the season. However, the game was controlled by the Vikings early on. Minnesota opened the game with a first quarter touchdown when QB Fran Tarkenton hit John Gilliam on a 56-yard strike. Neither team would add any more points in the first half.

The third quarter saw Miami claw their way back into the game with two Garo Yepremian field goals (38-, 42-yards). Going into the fourth quarter, Miami trailed by one. Minnesota quickly increased that lead with a Bill Brown 1-yard rushing touchdown.

Trailing 14-6 in the fourth quarter, Miami responded. Yepremian kicked his third field goal of the day, this one from 51-yards, to tighten the score at 14-9. Miami finally found the end zone when Jim Mandich caught a 3-yard pass from Bob Griese. Miami took the lead 16-14, and held on for the two-point win.

Week 4, October 8, 1972, again saw Miami on the road, this time visiting their Division rival New York Jets. The Dolphins again let their opponent score first when New York guard Randy Rasmussen recovered a fumble in the end zone, giving the Jets the 7-0 early lead.

Miami took over in the second quarter, scoring two touchdowns, a16-yard pass from Griese to Howard Twilley followed by a 6-yard Kiick run. Going into halftime, the Dolphins led 14-7.

The Dolphins started the third quarter scoring with a 27-yard field goal from Garo Yepremian. The Jets answered with an 18-yard field goal of the own. Leading 17-10 going into the fourth quarter, Miami slammed the door on the Jets with a 3-yard Kiick touchdown and a 43-yard Yepremian field goal sandwiching a 1-yard Emerson Boozer touchdown run for the Jets. The game ended with the Dolphins 27-17 victors.

After two weeks on the road, Miami hosted the San Diego Chargers on October 15th. San Diego managed a first quarter field goal and a fourth quarter touchdown, but the game was never in doubt. Miami scored 3-points on a 37-yard Yepremian field goal in the 1st, two touchdowns in the second (a 35-yard fumble recovery by Dick Anderson and an 18-yard pass from QB Earl Morrall to Howard Twilley), and another touchdown in the 3rd off a 19-yard reception from Morrall to Paul Warfield. The Dolphins won their fifth game 24-10.

The real story of Week 5, however, was a tackle of QB Bob Griese by Deacon Jones and Ron East. The hit broke Griese's leg and dislocated his ankle. The injury would sideline the All-Pro Quarterback for the rest of the Regular Season. The Dolphins were forced to turn over the team to backup Earl Morrall. Morrall had been signed off of waivers in the offseason, coming to Miami from coach Don Shula's previous team, the Baltimore Colts.

QB Earl Morrall via weblogs.newsday.com

Week 6, October 22nd, saw Buffalo nearly end Miami's five game winning streak. Miami scored first, with a first quarter 5-yard touchdown run from Mercury Morris. However, Buffalo scored 13 points in the second quarter with a 35-yard field goal, a 16-yard interception return, and a 34-yard field goal. At halftime, Miami trailed 7-13.

Miami Running Back Mercury Morris runs away from the Buffalo defense via static.nfl.com

Miami stormed back to the lead with 10, 3rd quarter points when Larry Csonka ran it in from 10-yards out and Yepremian connected on a 54-yard field goal. Buffalo responded at the start of the fourth quarter with a 45-yard field goal, closing the margin to one point, 17-16 in favor of Miami.

The game concluded with the teams trading touchdowns, Miami scoring first with a 15-yard rush from Mercury Morris and Buffalo adding their own touchdown off a 6-yard pass. The game ended 24-23, with Miami barely keeping the winning streak alive.

Week 7 saw Miami return to the early season domination. On October 29th, Miami traveled to Baltimore to face the Colts. The scoring started early, with a first quarter rushing touchdown from Larry Csonka (1-yard). Continuing into the second quarter, Miami scored twice, once off another 1-yard rush from Csonka (missed extra point) and once on a 24-yard Yepremian field goal. The final score of the game came in the third quarter, when Mercury Morris ran it in from 7-yards out. The Dolphins easily dispatched their AFC East rival 23-0.

Miami faced the Bills again in Week 8, this time in Buffalo. Not wanting to repeat the nail-biter from two weeks before, Miami quickly attached the Bills and never slowed down. The scoring began in the first quarter, as Yepremian connected on a 33-yard field goal. Buffalo took their only lead of the game when they scored on a 13-yard pass play, but missed the extra point. Miami continued the first quarter out-pouring of points with a 22-yard rush from Morris.

The second quarter, started with Miami leading 10-6, began with two Yepremian field goals, a 17-yarder and a 16-yarder. Buffalo then found the end zone again when Tony Greene returned an interception 39-yards. The half ended with Miami leading 16-13.

Miami Dolphins TE Marv Fleming via 64.17.171.58

The third quarter saw Miami's Marv Fleming catch a 7-yard pass from Morrall followed by a 28-yard Buffalo field goal. With a 23-16 lead, Miami began to control the clock, pounding the ball with the running game. Morris extended Miami's lead with a final touchdown in the fourth quarter, finding the end zone on a 4-yard run. The game ended with a 30-16 win for Miami.

The Dolphins hosted the Patriots on November 12th, and handed New England an embarrassing loss. The Dolphins scored early and often in the game, with Morris running it in three times (4, 4, and 6-yards), Csonka once (3-yards), Marlin Briscoe catching two touchdowns (16 and 51-yards), Jim Madnich catching one (39-yards), and Yepremian kicking a 16-yard field goal. Miami's domination of the game included two quarterbacks throwing for over 100-yards each (Earl Morral - 162-yards and a touchdown; Jim Del Gaizo - 145-yards and two touchdowns) and a combined 181 yards rushing (Morris led the way with 90 yards and three touchdowns). Miami moved to 9&0 on the season with their impressive 52-0 win over 2&7 New England.

Miami's Week 10 matchup proved to be much closer than the previous week. Hosting the Jets, Miami returned to their standard run-first offense, racking up 214-yards as a team on 45 carries. The Jets attempted to answer after each Dolphins score, but were not able to keep up with Miami. The first quarter saw each team score a touchdown (Miami - 9-yard pass from Morrall to Twilley; New York - 1-yard rush by John Riggins).

New York opened the scoring in the second quarter, taking the lead 17-7 with a 29-yard touchdown pass followed by a 33-yard field goal. But the defending AFC Champions were not ready to give up under the barrage from the Jets. Miami scored a touchdown before the end of the half with a 1-yard rush by Morris and then opened the third quarter scoring with a 31-yard scramble by Morrall for the touchdown. On top 21-17, Miami saw its lead slip away again when New York scored on a 4-yard pass from Joe Namath.

Trailing 24-21 in the fourth quarter, Miami found the end zone one more time on a 14-yard run by Morris. The game ended 28-24 in favor of Miami. With the win, the Dolphins reached double digits wins, holding a 10&0 record.

Miami hosted the Week 11 Monday Night game, welcoming in the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dolphins again scored first, this time with a first quarter 2-yard run from Kiick. The two teams traded field goals in the second quarter, with St. Louis hitting a 49-yarder followed by Yepremian kicking a 25-yarder for Miami. The Dolphins scored twice in the third quarter, when Otto Stowe caught a 37-yard pass from Morrall and Lloyd Mumphord returned an interception28-yards for a touchdown. The two teams again traded scores, this time touchdowns, with St. Louis scoring on a 2-yard run followed by Miami connecting on a 27-yard pass from Morrall to Stowe. The game ended with Miami picking up the win , 31-10.

Miami traveled to New England on December 3rd. This game proved to be more competitive than the previous meeting, though the Dolphins would again dispatch the Patriots. Miami grabbed the game's first points with two field goals (Yepremian for 36- and 10-yards) and a touchdown (Kiick on a 1-yard run). New England scored their first points against Miami in 6 quarters of football when Tim Reynolds caught a 36-yard pass from Jim Plunkett. The game reached the half with Miami leading 13-7.

Miami's 1972 season's dominance of the Patriots continued in the third quarter, when the Dolphins scored 17 points ( Morrall 3-yard pass to Mandich; Yepremian 18-yard field goal; Morrall 14-pass to Briscoe). The fourth quarter opened with Miami scoring another touchdown (Hubert Ginn 8-yard rush) before New England scored two touchdowns (8-yard pass; 1-yard rush). Miami's winning streak reached 12 with the 37-21 victory.

Week 13 of the season, December 10, 1972, saw Miami travel to New York to face the Giants. New York scored first with a 1-yard rushing touchdown, but failed to make the extra point. Miami then answered with two first quarter scores of their own; a 12-yard Morris rushing touchdown and a 37-yard Yepremian field goal. The second quarter saw the two teams trade touchdowns, with Miami scoring on a 34-yard pass from Morrall to Warfield and New York scoring on a 1-yard rush. Miami continued the scoring with two fourth quarter Yepremian field goals (31- and 16-yards) and won the game 23-13.

Dolphins WR Paul Warfield and RB Mercury Morris on the sideline via www.sun-sentinel.com

Miami moved into Week 14 one win shy of a perfect regular season. The Dolphins welcomed the Colts into the Orange Bowl on December 16, 1972, looking to repeat the Week 7 result. The scoring began with a Miami 40-yard field goal by Yepremian. Miami continued to dominate the Colts in the second quarter when Morrall connected with Warfield on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The third and fourth quarters saw Yepremian kcik two more field goals, one of 50-yards and one of 35-yards. Miami won the game 16-0, completing an 8-quarter shutout of Baltimore.

The 1972 regular season ended with the Miami Dolphins holding a perfect record of 14 wins and 0 losses. The team had dominated the entire season, with an average margin of victory of 15.2 points per game, and only three games were won by less than 10 points. The team had two 1,000-yard rushers (Csonka 1,117 and Morris 1,000 - first time that feat was accomplished) and Kiick had another 521 yards and set the single-season team rushing yardage record. The offense was the top ranked offense in the league (1st in the rush, 16th in the pass, 1st in scoring), racking up 5,036 yards of total offense and 385 points. The Dolphins also had the league's top defense (3rd against the run, 5th against the pass, #1 in points allowed), giving up only 3,297 yards and 171 points.

Date	Team	Score	Result
September 17, 1972	@ Kansas City	20-10	Win
September 24, 1972	Houston	34-13	Win
October 1, 1972	@ Minnesota	16-14	Win
October 8, 1972	@ New York Jets	27-17	Win
October 15, 1972	San Diego	24-10	Win
October 22, 1972	Buffalo	24-23	Win
October 29, 1972	@ Baltimore	23-0	Win
November 5, 1972	@ Buffalo	30-16	Win
November 12, 1972	New England	52-0	Win
November 19, 1972	New York Jets	28-24	Win
November 27, 1972	St. Louis	31-10	Win
December 3, 1972	@ New England	37-21	Win
December 10, 1972	@ New York Giants	23-13	Win
December 16. 1972	Baltimore	16-0	Win

The first round of the playoffs saw the Cleveland Browns travel down to Miami on Christmas Eve. The Dolphins again relied on their tried-and-true method of scoring first and never looking back. The only points of the first half came in the opening quarter, with Miami scoring on a blocked kick returned for a touchdown (Charlie Babb) and on a 40-yard field goal (Yepremian). Cleveland scored the game's next points in the third quarter with a 5-yard rushing touchdown. Both teams scored in the fourthy quarter, with Miami getting a 46-yard field goal from Yepremian before a Browns 27-yard touchdown pass. Trailing late in the fourth, Miami marched down the field and scored a touchdown on an 8-yard Kiick rush. The last touchdown gave the Dolphins the 20-14 win and a spot in the AFC Championship game for the second year in a row - the first AFC team to ever accomplish that feat.

On New Year's Eve, Miami traveled to Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship. The first quarter saw the Steelers jump out to an early lead as Steelers Guard Gerry Mullins recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown, giving Pittsburgh a 7-0 advantage.

Miami evened the score in the second period with a 9-yard Morrall-to-Csonka pass. At halftime, Dolphins coach Don Shula realized his team needed a spark and turned to Quarterback Bob Griese. Asking him simply, "Are you ready?" Shula reinserted Griese, at the start of the third quarter - the first game action the quarterback had seen since his Week 5 injury.

The game stayed knotted until Pittsburgh hit on a 14-yard field goal in the third quarter. Once again trailing, Miami turned to RB Jim Kiick to bring them back. Kiick responded with third- and fourth-quarter touchdowns for the Dolphins the first from 2-yards out and the second from 3-yards. Down 21-10 in the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh scored on a 12-yard Terry Bradshaw pass. It turned out to be too little to late as the Miami Dolphins won the game 21-17 and earned themselves a second straight trip to the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl VII was held on January 14, 1973 at Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California in front of 90,182 fans. The game was played at 3:30pm EST (12:30 locally in the PST) and game-time temperature was 84 degrees and the Dolphins entered the game as 1-1/2 point underdogs. The game proved to be a more defensive struggle than was anticipated, as the Miami Dolphins, with the top offense in the league, battled the Washington Redskins, with the seventh ranked offense. Coach Shula, recognizing the difference in the energy and efficiency of his team upon the return of Bob Shula, decided to start the returning quarterback in the Super Bowl.

Miami started the scoring early, with two touchdowns in the first half. Howard Twilley scored on a 28-yard pass from Griese in the second longest play of the game (Larry Csonka had a 49-yard run in the third quarter). In the second quarter, Jim Kiick found pay dirt with a 1-yard touchdown run.

Dolphins TE Jim Mandich catches a pass from QB Bob Greise during Super Bowl VII via cache.daylife.com

Meanwhile, the Miami "No-Name Defense" focused on stopping Washington running back Larry Brown. The effort was so effective due to LB Nick Buoniconti's audibles throughout the game, shifting the defense so it was strongest where he believed Brown would attempt to run. The result was so dominating that defensive tackle Manny Fernandez finished the game with 17-tackles, and was a strong candidate for game MVP. Buoniconti wrote, "It was the game of his life - in fact, it was the most dominant game by a defensive lineman in the history of the game, and he would never be given much credit for it. They should have give out two game balls and made Manny Fernandez the co-MVP with Jake Scott.

The Redskins failed to get anything going for most of the game. Their only points came off of one of the most infamous plays in Miami Dolphins history. With just over two minutes to go in the game, the Dolphins lined up to kick a 42-yard field goal. As Garo Yepremian kicked a low-line drive, the ball was blocked by the Redskins' Bill Brundgie. Holder and backup quarterback Earl Morrall attempted to reach the ball, but Yepremian beat him to it. Yepremian picked up the ball and, as Brundgie steamed towards him, attempted to throw a pass to Csonka. However, the ball slipped out of Yepremian's hand and went straight up into the air. Yepremian stayed with the ball and attempted to hit the ball out of bounds, but wound up hitting it straight up in the air, allowing Redskins' cornerback Mike Bass to grab it. Yepremian made a kicker's tackle attempt, but Bass avoided it and returned the ball 49-yards for a touchdown. Suddenly, instead of having the only shut-out in Super Bowl history, the Dolphins were clinging to a 14-7 lead with 2:07 left in the game.

Dolphins Kicker Garo Yepremian and Holder/Quarteback Earl Morrall react to a blocked kick with 2:00 remaining in Super Bowl VII via 3.bp.blogspot.com

Dolphins K Garo Yepremian attempts to pass the ball following a blocked kick in Super Bowl VII via www.latimes.com

Upon returning to the sideline, Yepremian had to face immediate criticism from his teammates. Defensive lineman Manny Fernandez told Yepremian, "You son of a b****, we lose this game, I'm gonna f***ing kill you." Nick Buoniconti informed the kicker that if they lost, he would "Hang [him] up by one of [his] ties." Yepremian was so distraught after the play that he had to be escorted out of the team's post-game party by his brother when he started experiencing debilitating stress induced pains in his side. The kicker immediately went into a self-imposed isolation as his depression continued to deepen. He continued this seclusion until a few weeks following the game, he received a letter apparently written by coach Shula, expressing his gratitude for the contributions to the Dolphins that Yepremian had made and telling him to forget about the play and the criticisms. Yepremian kept the letter, talking to Coach Shula in 2000 about it - Shula said he never sent a letter. The two decided that it was actually written by Shula's wife Dorothy who had signed her husband's name. Dorothy Shula died of breast cancer in 1991.

Following the touchdown, many expected the Redskins to attempt an onside kick; however, Washington kicked the ball deep and left it to the defense to try to get the ball back. The defense held the Dolphins to a five-play drive, but was forced to use all of the team's timeouts. Miami punted from their own 36-yard line, a punt that was nearly blocked, with just over one-minute left on the clock.

The Redskins' offense returned to the field, looking to drive down the field for the game tying touchdown. However, the No-Name Defense was not going to let the dream of a Perfect Season die. After two straight incomplete passes, the defense forced a 4-yard loss on a swing pass. Facing fourth down with 14-yards to go, the Redskins came out looking to pass. Miami defensive end burst through the offensive line and sacked Redskins' quarterback Billy Kilmer for a 9-yard loss as time expired. The Dolphins won the game 14-7, in the lowest scoring Super Bowl ever. Yepremian's missed field goal in the 4th quarter prevented the team from finishing the game with the score matching the team's season record, 17&0.

Super Bowl VII Ticket and Championship Ring via www.phins.com

The Miami Dolphins had completed the only perfect season in NFL history - a feat that has yet to be repeated. The closest teams were the 1934 and 1942 Chicago Bears, both of whom lost the Championship game to the Giants and Redskins respectively, and the 2007 New England Patriots, who were embarrassed by the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII, one of the biggest upsets in NFL history. The only other professional football team with a perfect regular and post-season record was the 1948 Cleveland Browns, who went undefeated in the All-American Football Conference - which folded the next year and, even though the Browns entered the NFL, the NFL did not incorporate AAFC records.

As he was being carried off the field, Don Shula had his watch stolen by a kid who had reached up to shake the coach's hand. Shula immediately jumped out of his players' arms and chased down the kid, recovering his watch.

Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula is carried off the field after winning Super Bowl VII via www.orlandosentinel.com

Miami Safety Jake Scott was named the game's Most Valuable Player for his two interceptions. Scott got his first interception at the start of the second quarter, returning the ball eight yards. His second interception of the game was in the fourth quarter, when Scott intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it 55 yards to the Dolphins' 48-yard line. He ended the game with those two interceptions, totaling 63 return yards. Dick Schaap, editor of SPORT magazine, selected the game's MVP. Later, Schaap admitted that he had been out late the previous night and had found it difficult to watch the defensive game. He stated that he did not realize that Fernandez had 17-tackles in the game when he selected Scott.

Miami Saftey Jake Scott (13) was named Super Bowl VII MVP - only the second Defensive player to win the award via i.cdn.turner.com

Following the season, many Dolphins received awards and honors. The team had nine players named to the Pro Bowl (G/T Larry Little - 3rd; WR Paul Warfield - 3rd; S Jake Scott - 2nd; RB Larry Csonka - 3rd; DB Dick Anderson - 1st; DE Bill Stanfill - 1st; LB Nick Buoniconti - 2nd; RB Mercury Morris - 2nd; T Norm Evans - 1st). They also had four players named First Team All-Pros (G/T Larry Little - 2nd; DB Dick Anderson - 1st; DE Bill Stanfill - 1st; QB Earl Morrall - 1st). Quarteback Earl Morrall was also named the game's Comeback Player of the Year - the first year the award was presented.

The Dolphins' 1972 Perfect Season remains the greatest season in NFL history.

via www.halloffamememorabilia.com

Historical Perspective I - 1965 and 1966

Historical Perspective II - 1967-1969

Historical Perspective III - 1970

Historical Perspective IV - 1971

Taking a Look at Wake

Mosul_DolFan — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:37:40 -0000

Taking a Look at Wake

Reactions to Cameron Wake's first field work with the team - and a little bit about Jason Taylor.

More discussion on Pat White's Role

Mosul_DolFan — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:33:12 -0000

More discussion on Pat White's Role

Ethan J. Skolnick of the South Florida Sun Sentinel discusses the role of Pat White and his first day of mini-camp.

How we utilize Pat White

Mosul_DolFan — Fri, 01 May 2009 23:15:01 -0000

There's been a lot of talk lately about how we can use Pat White. How he will be a great Wildcat option while remaining our #3 QB.

But this can't happen.

I've explained it to a couple of people, and I know some of you now understand the rule. But, in case I haven't made sense, or you haven't seen my comments, I thought I would explain more, with the help of Tim Graham and ESPN.com.

The NFL currently allows a team to activate 2 QBs for a game, and dsignate a third QB as the "emergency QB." This means, even though he was technically inactive all year last year, John Beck would have been able to see the field if (1) Chad Pennington and Chand Henne had been injured or (2) the coaching staff decided to put him in the game (otherwise, why would he be on the sidelines in pads and be "inactive").

However, there is a a stipulation to this...

The third quarterback doesn't count toward the 45-man roster, but if he is inserted into the game before the fourth quarter, then the first two quarterbacks are not allowed to go back in at any position.

What does this mean?

That means the Dolphins would have to designate Henne their third quarterback so White could get on the field in the Wildcat.

The Dolphins could list White as a regular player, but then another contributor would lose a spot.

So basically, we just made Chad Henne the #3 quarterback.

"If Pat's the second quarterback at the game and something were to happen to Chad [Pennington] during the course of the game it affects my decision-making. If I bring No. 3 in, then neither Pat nor Chad can re-enter the game."

- Tony Sparano

Now, we have to look at the options here. Do we make Pat White the #2, and risk making Chad Henne the #3? That lets White get on the field during the game (and add his ability to the Wildcat), but if Pennington (who, let's face it is injury prone - especially in a year following a good year for him) gets hurt, we either make White the QB for the rest of the game or we bring in the "QB of the future" in Henne and lose both Pennington and White for that game.

Or. do we keep Henne #2, but lose White's playmaking ability?

Should be interesting to see what happens.

For the full article I quoted, please click here.

Former homeless player tries to make Miami Dolphins' roster

Mosul_DolFan — Fri, 01 May 2009 00:15:38 -0000

Former homeless player tries to make Miami Dolphins' roster

One of the UFAs we signed today, Receiver Brennan Marion, was homeless during part of his junior college time, and he actually lived in the locker room, the bathroom, and the bus for a while.