Devoir de Philosophie

The Undefeated Dolphins.

Publié le 14/05/2013

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The Undefeated Dolphins. In 1972 the Miami Dolphins became the first National Football League (NFL) team to go undefeated through an entire football season, including both regular and playoff games. This account chronicles the Dolphin's perfect season. . The Undefeated Dolphins The 1972 Miami Dolphins played an entire season without losing a game, an accomplishment no other National Football League (NFL) team had done. The 1972 Dolphins were a fundamentally sound unit with a great running game. They had excellent athletes at the skilled positions and bruising players elsewhere. In 1972 they roared through the regular season with a 14-0 win-loss mark, won two playoff games, and defeated the Washington Redskins, 14-7, in Super Bowl VII. They finished the season at 17-0-0. The Dolphins, who entered professional football in 1966, were the perennial patsies in their division until Don Shula took over in 1970. Shula, the coach behind the Baltimore Colts' great teams of the 1960s, rebuilt the Miami squad from scratch. By 1972 Shula had assembled a powerful team that included two strong quarterbacks. Starting quarterback Bob Griese, an unspectacular yet efficient signal caller, had been instrumental in Miami's Super Bowl trip the prior season. He began the spectacular 1972 season, but suffered an ankle injury midway through the year. His replacement was Earl Morrall, a 38-year-old pro who had spent much of his career as the backup for Johnny Unitas. Previously, Morall had led the Colts to the Super Bowl in 1968, replacing an injured Unitas. Griese and Morrall had at their disposal an arsenal of weapons: running backs Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, and Jim Kiick, and receivers Paul Warfield and Howard Twilley. As a runner, Csonka was a punishing bulldozer. Morris brought speed and agility to the Dolphins' ground game. Warfield was one of the best bigplay receivers in football. A tall, tough wide receiver with good speed, he caught 29 passes during the year--more than 11 percent of the team's completions--and averaged more than 20 yards a grab. Twilley, who recorded 20 receptions, was a classic sure-handed short-yardage receiver. Miami's interior line--Norm Evans, Wayne Moore, Bob Keuchenberg, Larry Little, and Jim Langer--were all castoffs from other teams. They coalesced into a veteran unit that led the running attack and provided good pass protection. Much of the Dolphins' success, however, came from their "No-Name Defense." Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry tagged the nickname before the previous Super Bowl when he said, "I can't recall the names of the Miami defensive unit, but they're a big concern to me." The designation stuck. Linebacker Nick Buoniconti, a former star at Notre Dame, seemed to be the only recognizable player on the Miami defense. The rest existed in virtual anonymity. Sports Illustrated once wrote that Buoniconti was "flanked by outside linebackers Nos. 57 and 59." The defense allowed the fewest points in the NFL that season, registering three shutouts and giving up more than 20 points only three times in the regular season--the high was 24 by the New York Jets. Miami opened the season by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 20-10. Next, they trounced the Houston Oilers, 34-13. One of the Dolphins' closest contests of the year came in the third game, when they clipped the Minnesota Vikings, 16-14. Miami handily defeated the New York Jets, 27-17, and the San Diego Chargers, 2410, before just slipping past the Buffalo Bills, 24-23. The Dolphins handled the Colts, 23-0, dropped the Bills, 30-16, and annihilated the New England Patriots, 52-0. In the Dolphins' tenth win, a 28-24 victory over the Jets, Miami trailed 14-7 in the second quarter when the Jets intercepted a Morrall pass and advanced to the Miami 9-yard line. The Dolphins defense tightened up, holding the Jets to a field goal. Miami rallied for the win in the second half. The Dolphins weren't seriously challenged during the remainder of the regular season. They defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 31-10; the Patriots, 37-21; the New York Giants, 23-13; and the Colts, 16-0. In the playoffs Miami defeated the Cleveland Browns, 20-14, and then captured the American Football Conference (AFC) championship by downing the Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-17. Miami's opponent in Super Bowl VII was the Washington Redskins. The Redskins had finished the regular season with an 11-3 record. They had defeated the Green Bay Packers, 16-3, and the Cowboys, 26-3, to reach the NFL championship. George Allen, who had assembled a team of veterans known as the Over the Hill Gang, coached the Redskins. Foremost among these was quarterback Billy Kilmer, an old-school player with a big gut and a weak arm who nevertheless found a way to win. Like the Dolphins, the Redskins relied on a potent ground game and a solid defense. Despite the Dolphins' unblemished record, many experts were picking the Redskins, citing their experience. The Dolphins were three-point underdogs. Super Bowl VII was played in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in California on January 14, 1973. The largest live audience to witness a Super Bowl, 90,152 people, crammed the stadium. With Griese recovered, Shula started the younger quarterback over Morrall. On the Dolphins' third possession, Griese hit Twilley with a 28-yard touchdown pass. The Redskins marched back, however, and threatened to tie the game. Buoniconti intercepted a Kilmer pass and galloped to the Washington 27-yard line. Tight end Jim Mandich then took a Griese pass to the 2-yard line. Kiick rammed home the touchdown. The Dolphins threatened to blow the game open in the third quarter, leading 14-0 on Washington's 5-yard line. A Griese pass in the end zone, however, was intercepted. The Redskins marched down the field to the Miami 10yard line, threatening to score. Dolphins safety Jake Scott intercepted a pass in the end zone and scampered back to the Washington 48. The Dolphins moved 14 yards in five plays, setting up one of the oddest moments in Super Bowl history. Washington's Bill Brundige blocked the field-goal attempt of Miami's Garo Yepremian, a 5-ft 8-in (1.7-m) kicker. Yepremian scooped up the ball and attempted to pass it down field, but his weak throw slipped off his hand and into the arms of Washington cornerback Mike Bass. Bass ran 49 yards for a score, easily avoiding an attempted tackle by Yepremian. "I almost caused a disaster," Yepremian later told the Sporting News. In the final moments he hoped his mistake wouldn't lose the game for the Dolphins. "I had never prayed so much," he said. Leading 14-7 with less than two minutes to play, the Dolphins were able to hold on for the team's first Super Bowl victory and the first undefeated and untied season in the NFL's 53-year history. Other teams had come close, but none had succeeded. The Chicago Bears recorded perfect records in the 1934 and 1942 regular-season campaigns but lost each time in the NFL championship game. The Canton Bulldogs in 1922 and 1923 and the Green Bay Packers in 1929 suffered a tie. In 1973 the Dolphins lost the second game of the season to the Oakland Raiders, 12-7. Miami finished the regular season 12-2 and won its second consecutive Super Bowl. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

« The Dolphins weren't seriously challenged during the remainder of the regular season.

They defeated the St.

Louis Cardinals, 31-10; the Patriots, 37-21; the NewYork Giants, 23-13; and the Colts, 16-0.

In the playoffs Miami defeated the Cleveland Browns, 20-14, and then captured the American Football Conference (AFC)championship by downing the Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-17. Miami's opponent in Super Bowl VII was the Washington Redskins.

The Redskins had finished the regular season with an 11-3 record.

They had defeated the GreenBay Packers, 16-3, and the Cowboys, 26-3, to reach the NFL championship.

George Allen, who had assembled a team of veterans known as the Over the Hill Gang,coached the Redskins.

Foremost among these was quarterback Billy Kilmer, an old-school player with a big gut and a weak arm who nevertheless found a way towin.

Like the Dolphins, the Redskins relied on a potent ground game and a solid defense.

Despite the Dolphins' unblemished record, many experts were picking theRedskins, citing their experience.

The Dolphins were three-point underdogs. Super Bowl VII was played in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in California on January 14, 1973.

The largest live audience to witness a Super Bowl, 90,152people, crammed the stadium.

With Griese recovered, Shula started the younger quarterback over Morrall.

On the Dolphins' third possession, Griese hit Twilley witha 28-yard touchdown pass.

The Redskins marched back, however, and threatened to tie the game.

Buoniconti intercepted a Kilmer pass and galloped to theWashington 27-yard line. Tight end Jim Mandich then took a Griese pass to the 2-yard line.

Kiick rammed home the touchdown.

The Dolphins threatened to blow the game open in the thirdquarter, leading 14-0 on Washington's 5-yard line.

A Griese pass in the end zone, however, was intercepted.

The Redskins marched down the field to the Miami 10-yard line, threatening to score.

Dolphins safety Jake Scott intercepted a pass in the end zone and scampered back to the Washington 48. The Dolphins moved 14 yards in five plays, setting up one of the oddest moments in Super Bowl history.

Washington's Bill Brundige blocked the field-goal attemptof Miami's Garo Yepremian, a 5-ft 8-in (1.7-m) kicker.

Yepremian scooped up the ball and attempted to pass it down field, but his weak throw slipped off his handand into the arms of Washington cornerback Mike Bass.

Bass ran 49 yards for a score, easily avoiding an attempted tackle by Yepremian.

“I almost caused adisaster,” Yepremian later told the Sporting News. In the final moments he hoped his mistake wouldn't lose the game for the Dolphins.

“I had never prayed so much,” he said. Leading 14-7 with less than two minutes to play, the Dolphins were able to hold on for the team's first Super Bowl victory and the first undefeated and untied seasonin the NFL's 53-year history.

Other teams had come close, but none had succeeded.

The Chicago Bears recorded perfect records in the 1934 and 1942 regular-seasoncampaigns but lost each time in the NFL championship game.

The Canton Bulldogs in 1922 and 1923 and the Green Bay Packers in 1929 suffered a tie. In 1973 the Dolphins lost the second game of the season to the Oakland Raiders, 12-7.

Miami finished the regular season 12-2 and won its second consecutive SuperBowl. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.

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