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Old School - OLD SCHOOL: The Unbeaten, Part 3 of 3

Were the '72 Dolphins really that good?
Posted On: 12/13/07
Written By:  
Kurt Backert
OLD SCHOOL: The Unbeaten, Part 3 of 3
The Patriots have just the Jets, Dolphins and the Giants to beat to clear their first hurdle of a perfect season. The second hurdle will be the playoffs, which will be three games, divisional round, AFC Championship and then the Super Bowl.
 
This is the last part of our three part series on unbeaten teams. We will focus on the team that the 2007 Patriots are being compared to, 1972 Miami Dolphins.
 
The Dolphins were 14-0 in the regular season , then won their three post season games to become just the second team in pro football history to go unbeaten, untied and then win their league championship.
 
Before we get into all the details of the 1972 Dolphins, we have to mention the connection between the 2007 Dolphins, 2007 Baltimore Ravens, 1972 Dolphins, and the 1972 Baltimore Colts.
 
The Ravens play the Dolphins this Sunday December 16, 2007 in Miami when the Dolphins will try to end their winless streak this season which now sits at 13.
 
The 1972 Dolphins played their 14th and last regular season game of 1972 on Saturday December 16th also in Miami, against the then Baltimore Colts. The Dolphins needed a win to preserve and end their perfect regular season and they did, defeating the Colts 16-0.
 
John Unitas completed his last pass as a Baltimore Colt in that game when he completed one of his 2 pass attempts for three yards towards the game’s end.  Unitas’ other pass was intercepted.  His next pass would be as a member of the San Diego Chargers.
 
The Dolphins entered that 1972 campaign as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. They won the AFC championship in 1971, beating the Chiefs in the divisional playoff round 27-24, in what still is the longest NFL game ever played. They beat the Colts in the AFC championship game 21-0 before being dominated by the Cowboys in Super Bowl VI by the score of 24-3, hardly indicative of how badly the Dolphins were beaten.
 
The Dolphins relied heavily upon their powerful league leading rushing attack. Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Mercury Morris ran behind future Hall of Fame guards Larry Little and Jim Langer. Quarterback Bob Griese was not one of the elite NFL quarterbacks but was efficient with the football.  Griese did however throw 19 touchdowns with just nine interceptions in 1971. Another Hall of Famer Paul Warfield caught 11 of Griese’s touchdown passes.  
 
Defensively the Dolphins were devoid of big name stars hence the appropriately nicknamed, “No Name” defense. They had allowed the second least amount of points in the conference in 1971. Linebacker Nick Buoniconti, defensive lineman Manny Fernandez, Bill Stanfill, and safeties Jake Scott and Dick Anderson were the standout players. They were not household names just yet.
 
As Larry Csonka has said, after their humbling loss to the Cowboys in Super Bowl VI, he and several players vowed to head coach Don Shula in the locker room after the game that they were not going to lose a game in 1972 – a statement that turned out to be rather prophetic.
 
The Dolphins had the experience of the previous year’s Super Bowl loss, one of the best head coaches in football, the best running game in the league, a stingy defense, and one of the easiest schedules any recent NFL team had seen. When the 1972 schedule came out, the Dolphins had 4 games against 1971 playoff teams on it, 2 games against division rival Baltimore and games against the Chiefs and Vikings. By the end of 1972 the Colts were 5-9, their first year with Bob Irsay as owner and John Unitas riding the pine.
 
The Chiefs were 8-6 and missed the playoffs, and the Vikings were just 7-7. None of the teams the Dolphins played during the regular season made the playoffs. When today’s experts talk about this team, the schedule is something that is always left out.
 
Below is a game by game snapshot of the Dolphins’ 1972 season along with the final 1972 records of the teams they played. We will compare this later to the 2007 Patriots.
 
at Chiefs (8-6)  W 20-10         
vs.Oilers (1-13) W 34-13
at Vikings (7-7) W16-14
at Jets (7-7) W 27-17
vs Chargers (4-9-1) W 24-10
vs Bills (4-9-1) W 24-23
at Colts (5-9) W 23-0
at Bills  (4-9-1) W 30-16
vs Patriots (3-11) W 52-0
vs Jets (7-7) W 28-24
vs Cardinals (4-9-1) W 31-10
at Patriots  (3-11) W 37-21
at Giants (8-6) W 23-13
vs Colts (5-9) W 16-0
 
Final Record 14-0
Points scored 385
Points allowed 171
 
Combined records of teams played 70-122-4 .375
 
In retrospect, with a light schedule like this one, consisting of only two teams with winning records (both 8-6), the unbeaten season seems a bit less impressive.  Granted it was not the Dolphins fault that mostly everyone on their schedule had an off year. But while their perfect season is in the record books most NFL historians do not consider them when the discussion turns to who had the best team of all time for one season, (another article for another day).
 
Today’s sportscasters are fast to talk about this Dolphin team whenever the 2007 Patriots are mentioned but the statistics say they while they were perfect they were not challenged. You have to dig deeper than the record to draw a conclusion.
 
In the Dolphins defense, 2 of their first three games were against playoff teams from 1971. Both games were on the road against the Chiefs and Vikings before those clubs went in the tank.
 
After beating the Jets to go 4-0, Griese dislocated his ankle in the Orange Bowl against the Chargers in the first quarter the next week and was replaced by 38-year-old former Colts quarterback Earl Morrall. Morrall threw 2 touchdown passes to lead the Dolphins to their 5th victory 24-10. With Griese’s injury, Morrall would have to lead the team indefinitely. The next week the Dolphins barely beat the Bills 24-23, that game gave the skeptics plenty to talk about. The Bills were not highly regarded. The loss of Griese may have ended their championship chances.
 
Morrall put an end to that speculation their very next game when he beat the Colts in Baltimore 23-0.  The “No Name” defense did not allow the Colts closer than the Miami 28 yard line.
 
After defeating the Colts, Shula’s troops glided through 7 more victories. They crushed the Patriots 52-0 but most of their wins were not blow outs. They controlled the clock with Csonka, Kiick, and Morris running and the defense allowed just twelve points a game. After shutting out the Colts again 16-0 to end the regular season, Morrall and the Dolphins awaited the playoffs and a visit from the 10-4 Wild Card Browns. The Dolphin skeptics said this would be the day they would lose, the Browns would be the first decent team the Dolphins had played since week three.
 
The Playoffs
 
Divsional Round, December 24, 1972 Miami
 
The defense and special teams of the Dolphins overcame a valiant effort by third year signal caller Mike Phipps of the Browns. Charles Babb ran a blocked punt back for a touchdown and a Garo Yepremian field goal had the Dolphins leading 10-0 at halftime. Phipps rallied the Browns in the second half, running for a touchdown and then throwing a twenty seven yard touchdown pass to Fair Hooker in the 4th quarter for a 14-13 Browns lead. Morrall got the ball back with 8 minutes. He moved the Dolphins into scoring position completing 2 passes to Warfield for 50 yards and then a pass interference penalty put the ball on the Cleveland 8. Kiick ran for a touchdown on the next play, the Dolphins led 20-14. Phipps brought the Browns back down the field but Dolphin linebacker Doug Swift ended the rally with an interception on the Dolphin 20, it was Phipps’ fifth interception of the day. The Dolphins survived and would prepare for the AFC Championship game.
 
AFC Championship, December 31, 1972, Pittsburgh
 
The undefeated Dolphins traveled to Pittsburgh to face the 11-3 Steelers for AFC championship. The Steelers were making just their second appearance in franchise history in the playoffs and were feeling lucky. The week before they beat the Raiders 13-7 on Franco Harris’“Immaculate Reception”. Before 1978 the team with the best record was not guaranteed home field advantage in the playoffs. The conference championship games were alternated between the furthest west coast and east coast city. The only rule was the Wild Card team could not host a playoff game (from 1970-1977, four teams in each conference made the playoffs).
 
In 1972 the home team for the championship was determined by geography, the Steelers and Dolphins were each division winners, the Steelers were in the Central, the Dolphins in the East, Pittsburgh was considered the West representative and was awarded home field. The 14-0 Dolphins would have to win the championship on the road – unheard of by today’s standards.
 
The Steelers scored first when quarterback Terry BradshawBob Griese was hit and fumbled on the Dolphin three yard line. The ball rolled forward to the goal line, where Steelers offensive lineman Gerry Mullins fell on the ball for a Steelers touchdown.
 
The Dolphins special teams  responded again in this game when punter Larry Seiple ran from punt formation for 37 yards setting up a Csonka touchdown reception from Morrall, that made the score 7-7 at halftime.
 
After the break Shula decided to gamble. Griese, healed from his ankle injury, started the second half despite Morrall’s 11 game winning streak. Morrall had played a decent first half completing 7 of eleven passes and a score but Griese started the second half for the Dolphins.
 
The gambled paid off as Griese completed a 52 yard pass to Warfield setting up Kiick’s 2 yard touchdown run. Then in the 4th quarter Griese led them on another touchdown drive culminated by another Kiick touchdown run. Bradshaw threw a touchdown pass but also threw two interceptions late in the game that preserved the Dolphin’s 16th victory 21-17.  They were one game away from the dream season as they headed to Los Angeles and Super Bowl VII.      
Super Bowl VII, January 14, 1973 Los Angeles
 
The Dolphins faced the NFC champion Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII. The Redskins were trying to win their first championship since 1942 and head coach George Allen and his “Over the Hill Gang” wanted nothing more than to ruin the Dolphins’ spotless record.
 
The Redskins dominated the NFC, beating the Cowboys 26-3 in the NFC Championship game. While the final score of Super Bowl VII was close, it was never a game. The Redskins rushing game featuring Larry Brown  could not move the ball on the Dolphins. The Dolphins on the other hand controlled the ball and the clock. Csonka ran for 112 yards on fifteen carries. Griese who attempted only 11 passes, completing eight began the scoring with a 28 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Howard Twilley.
 
In the second quarter Griese completed a 19 yard pass to Mandich which set up Jim Kiick’s one yard touchdown run, it was 14-0 Dolphins at halftime.   Billy Kilmer who had a great season for the Redskins at quarterback did not have one of his better days. He threw three interceptions, two of which were snared by Jake Scott who would win the game’s Most Valuable Player award. Kilmer did lead the Redskins on one decent drive that ended with a missed field goal.
 
The Redskins did score a touchdown on the infamous Yepremian blocked field goal. His kick was blocked by the Redskins, it bounced back to him, he tried to pass the ball, it slipped out of his hand, he then batted the ball in the air and it landed in the waiting arms of Redskins defensive back Mike Bass who ran forty nine yards for the Redskins only touchdown.
 
The Dolphins held on from there, stopping the Redskins on a final drive. The Dolphins won Super Bowl VII, and finished 17-0. The second pro football team besides the 1948 Browns to win all their games without a tie, then win the championship.
 
While the Dolphins did win every game and beat a very good Redskins team easily in the Super Bowl, there are skeptics who feel that this was not a great football team. Consider the facts before deciding for yourself.
 
The Dolphins won 11 of their 17 games with a back up quarterback. They scored the most points and gave up the least in the NFL that year. They also gained the most yards and gave up the least. They rushed for 2,960 yards a record at that time and still the fifth highest in NFL history. Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris became the first teammates to rush for 1,000 yards. All impressive statistics, but does the fact that they played one of the easiest schedules in NFL history hold more weight than all of this?
 
Again draw your own conclusions.  In an upcoming edition of Old School, we will take on this subject in when we focus on the greatest teams of all time – not the greatest dynasties which we previously covered.  
 
As you absorb the plethora of debate after each Patriots victory from the so-called experts every week about the 1972 Dolphins (including the windbag formerly known as Mercury Morris), perhaps you now have a different perspective on how great or not so great those Dolphins were.
 
As the Patriots prepare for their 14th game, here is a fast comparison statistically of the 2007 Patriots to those of the 1972 Dolphins. Please note these teams were from different eras.  The Dolphins played before passing rules were liberalized. Also teams score more points every year as rules evolve to ensure more scoring.
 
Statistical Category
'07 Patriots
Rank
'72 Dolphins
Rank
Opponents' Combined Record
85-84 .503
n/a
70-122-4 .375
n/a
Avg. Pts. Scored/Game
39
1
27.5
1
Avg. Pts. Allowed/Game
17
4
12
1
Avg. Yds. Gained/Game
425
1
359
1
Avg. Yds. Allowed/Game
294
4
236
1
 
If the Patriots run the table, let the debate begin.

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Posted On: 12/13/07
Written By:  
Kurt Backert

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