Dolphins And The 1972 Season Of Perfection

Among all of the National Football League’s (NFL) current franchises in Florida, none have been in existence longer than the Miami Dolphins, First formed in 1966 as part of the American Football League (AFL), the Dolphins were part of that league’s desire to form new teams in areas of the nation with limited access to professional football programs. After the two leagues were made one in the 1970 merger, the Dolphins began play in the AFC. They would find success in one form or another throughout their NFL existence, but never the kind of success they enjoyed during the team’s hallowed first decade of play with that legend of the coaching world, Don Shula. In fact, the team’s greatest year ever was the one that saw them run the table during the regular season, and then cap a flawless campaign with two victories in the playoffs and the 1973 Super Bowl trophy.

Improbable perfection

The Dolphins of 1972 spent almost the entire season without the services of their starting quarterback Bob Griese, who had suffered both a leg break and an ankle dislocation in a game against the Charges in Week 5 of the regular season. Fortunately, the Dolphins had an able backup to Griese in the form of Earl Morrell – a veteran field general who enjoyed resurgence during the ’72 season. With Morrell under center, the Dolphins won all 14 of their games in the regular season. Griese, meanwhile, sent the season recovering from his injuries. By the time of the AFC title game, Griese was able to see limited play as a substitute for Morrell. By the time Super Bowl VII rolled around, he was back on the field as a starter.

Real perfection in the making

That season’s Super Bowl took place on January 14th of 1973, and was played in Los Angeles, California. The game against the Washington Redskins would ultimately turn out to be the lowest Super Bowl score in history, as the final outcome of fourteen to seven resulted in a Super Bowl low twenty-one total points. As evidenced by the score, the defense commanded the day – particularly the Dolphins so-called “No Name Defense”. Referred to as “No Name” due to their lack of identifiable star power the Dolphins defense nevertheless put on an impressive show in Super Bowl VII as they refused time and again to allow the Washington Redskins’ offensive unit to play on the Dolphins’ side of the field. Those who watched the game know that the Dolphins were even more dominant than the final score suggests – Washington did not score at all until there were only two minutes left in the game.

History made

The Dolphins’ legacy from the 1972 season and Super Bowl has been talked about often in the years since. The Miami team of 1972 is still the only team in professional NFL history to win every regular season game and not lose their Super Bowl contest. It is still history’s only absolutely complete perfect season of NFL play. In addition, that year’s Miami defense set the standard for other defenses to come, and proved the oft-cited adage that “defenses win championships”.

Miami fans were not surprised, of course, that it would come down to the defense to secure the title win and the team’s legacy as the only perfect team ever to play in the NFL.

Freddie Brister is a huge fan of all sports and recommends checking out his Miami Dolphins Watch and Florida Marlins watch at his shop.

Written by Freddie Brister on May 26th, 2010 with comments disabled.
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