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1973 Miami Dolphins season
8th season in franchise history; second Super Bowl win From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 1973 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's eighth season and fourth season in the National Football League (NFL). The team entered the 1973 season as defending Super Bowl champion following its perfect undefeated 1972 season.
In week 1, the Dolphins extended their winning streak to 18 with a 21–13 win over the San Francisco 49ers. However, the following week, they were defeated 12–7 by the Oakland Raiders to end the winning streak. The streak stood as an NFL record until it was broken by the New England Patriots in 2004 whose record of 21 consecutive wins still stands.
The team won the AFC East, finishing with a regular season record of 12–2, and then defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the Divisional Round, the Raiders in the AFC Championship game, and the Minnesota Vikings in the league's eighth Super Bowl. It was the Dolphins' second consecutive (and to date last)[1] Super Bowl victory. With the Dolphins' combined records of 17–0 and 15–2 over the course of their 1972 and 1973 seasons, the Dolphins posted a 32–2 total record over 2 years, for a winning percentage of .941. The Dolphins allowed just 10.7 points per game in the regular season, a franchise record still standing today.
The last remaining active member of the 1973 Miami Dolphins was offensive lineman Ed Newman, who retired after the 1984 season, right after making it to Super Bowl XIX, also as a member of the Dolphins.
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Season summary
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Although the Dolphins were unable to match their 17–0 perfect season of 1972, many[who?] sports writers, fans, and Dolphins players themselves felt that the 1973 team was better. While the 1972 team faced no competition in the regular season that had a record of better than 8-6 and/or .500, the 1973 team played against a much tougher schedule that included games against the Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Dallas Cowboys (all playoff teams), plus two games against a resurgent Bills squad that featured 2,000-yard rusher O. J. Simpson, and a Cleveland Browns team that finished over .500. Miami finished with a 12–2 regular season, including their opening game victory over the defending 1972 NFC West champions, the San Francisco 49ers that tied an NFL record with eighteen consecutive wins. The Dolphins' streak ended in week two with a 12–7 loss to the Raiders in Berkeley, California.
Just like the two previous seasons, Miami's offense relied primarily on their rushing attack. Fullback Larry Csonka recorded his third consecutive 1,000 rushing yard season (1,003 yards), while running back Mercury Morris rushed for 954 yards and scored 10 touchdowns, while leading the league with 6.4 yards per carry. Running back Jim Kiick was also a key contributor, rushing for 257 yards, and catching 27 passes for 208 yards. Quarterback Bob Griese, the AFC's second leading passer, completed only 116 passes for 1,422 yards, but threw about twice as many touchdown passes (17) as interceptions (8), and earned an 84.3 passer rating. Wide receiver Paul Warfield remained the main deep threat on the team, catching 29 passes for 514 yards and 11 touchdowns. The offensive line remained strong led by center Jim Langer and right guard Larry Little. Griese, Csonka, Warfield, Langer, and Little would all eventually be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Miami's "No Name Defense" continued to dominate their opponents. Future Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti recovered three fumbles and returned one for a touchdown. Safety Dick Anderson led the team with eight interceptions, which he returned for 163 yards and two touchdowns. And safety Jake Scott, the previous season's Super Bowl MVP, had four interceptions and 71 return yards. The Dolphins were still using their "53" defense devised at the beginning of the 1972 season, where Bob Matheson (#53) would be brought in as a fourth linebacker in a 3–4 defense, with Manny Fernandez at nose tackle. Matheson could either rush the quarterback or drop back into coverage.
In 2007, ESPN.com ranked the 1973 Dolphins as the eight-greatest defense in NFL history,[2] noting that the team "held 11 opponents to 14 points or less, setting a record by allowing just 150 points in a 14-game season". Defensive end Bill Stanfill set a Dolphins' sack record that still stands, with 18.5. In the playoffs and Super Bowl, they allowed only 33 points against Cincinnati, Oakland and Minnesota. Stanfill, Manny Fernandez, Hall of Fame middle linebacker Nick Buoniconti, and safeties Dick Anderson (AP Defensive Player of the Year) and Jake Scott were all named to the 1973 All-Pro team. They also held record-breaking rusher O. J. Simpson to his lowest total yardage of the season, a mere 55 yards in Week Six.
To date, the 1973 Miami Dolphins remain one of two teams (the 2019 Baltimore Ravens being the other) in NFL history with 12 players on their roster to be selected for the Pro Bowl.
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Offseason
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Draft
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Personnel
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Staff / Coaches
Front office
Head coaches
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Roster
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Preseason
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Regular season
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Schedule
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1
- Date: September 16
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 92 °F (33 °C); wind 8 mph (13 km/h)
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (CBS): Jack Whitaker and Wayne Walker
Q1 | SF | Gossett 47 yard field goal | SF 3–0 | |
Q1 | MIA | Yepremian 31 yard field goal | Tie 3–3 | |
Q2 | MIA | Yepremian 53 yard field goal | MIA 6–3 | |
Q2 | SF | Washington 3 yard run (Gossett kick) | SF 10–6 | |
Q3 | SF | Gossett 30 yard field goal | SF 13–6 | |
Q4 | MIA | Warfield 10 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | Tie 13–13 | |
Q4 | MIA | Yepremian 45 yard field goal | MIA 16–13 | |
Q4 | MIA | Safety, Wittum tackled by Johnson in end zone | MIA 18–13 | |
Q4 | MIA | Yepremian 22 yard field goal | MIA 21–13 |
Week 2 at Raiders
Week Two: Miami Dolphins (1–0) at Oakland Raiders (0–1)
at Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, California
- Date: September 23
- Game time: 4:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C)
- Game attendance: 74,121
- Referee: Norm Schachter
- TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis
- Box Score
The Raiders became the first team to defeat Miami since Super Bowl VI. The game was played at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley due to a scheduling conflict at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum with the A's.[7]
Week 4
- Date: October 7
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C); wind 6 mph (9.7 km/h)
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
Q1 | MIA | Morris 3 yard run (Yepremian kick) | MIA 7–0 | |
Q1 | MIA | Briscoe 12 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 14–0 | |
Q2 | MIA | Yepremian 19 yard field goal | MIA 17–0 | |
Q2 | MIA | Warfield 3 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 24–0 | |
Q3 | MIA | Warfield 40 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 31–0 | |
Q4 | NYJ | Howfield 38 yard field goal | MIA 31–3 |
Week 6
Week 6: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins[9]
- Date: October 21, 1973
- Location: Orange Bowl (astroturf)
Miami, Florida - Game start: 1:00 PM
- Game attendance: 65,241
- Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C), relative humidity 77%, wind 17 mph (27 km/h) mph
- Referee: Fred Silva
Miami took over first place in the AFC East by halting Simpson's streak of consecutive 100-yard performances. They held him to 55 yards on 14 carries before he left the game with an ankle sprain in the fourth quarter. Miami posted a 21-point second quarter highlighted by a pair of touchdown passes from Bob Griese to Jim Mandich. The Bills made no first downs in the first half.[10] Leypoldt and Garo Yepremian opened and closed the scoring by swapping field goals. The Dolphins' other touchdown came when a 21-yard Paul Warfield reception set up a Mercury Morris 4-yard touchdown.[11]
Week 8
- Date: November 4
- Location: Shea Stadium
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C); wind 17 mph (27 km/h)
- Referee: Fred Wyant
Q1 | MIA | Morris 19 yard run (Yepremian kick) | MIA 7–0 | |
Q2 | NYJ | Riggins 1 yard run (Howfield kick) | Tie 7–7 | |
Q2 | NYJ | Riggins 3 yard run (Howfield kick) | NYJ 14–7 | |
Q2 | MIA | Morris 4 yard run (Yepremian kick) | Tie 14–14 | |
Q3 | MIA | Warfield 37 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 21–14 | |
Q3 | MIA | Yepremian 20 yard field goal | MIA 24–14 |
Week 10
Week 10: Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills[13]
- Date: November 18, 1973
- Location: Rich Stadium (astroturf)
Orchard Park, New York - Game start: 1:00 PM
- Game attendance: 77,138
- Game weather: 37 degrees, relative humidity 70%, wind 12 mph (19 km/h) mph, wind chill 28
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
The Dolphins clinched the East Division title with a 17–0 shutout of the Bills. Miami's first touchdown drive included two fourth-and-one conversions by Jim Kiick. With Miami leading 10–0, Buffalo drove from their own 20-yard-line to the Dolphins' 4-yard-line and then turned the ball over on downs four plays later at the 1-yard-line.[14] In the game, the Bills were shut out despite a pair of 100-yard rushing efforts by Simpson and Braxton who posted 120 and 119 yards respectively.[13]
Week 12
- Date: December 3
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 68,901
- Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C); wind 14 mph (23 km/h)
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell, and Don Meredith
Q1 | MIA | Anderson 27 yard interception return (Yepremian kick) | MIA 7–0 | |
Q1 | MIA | Yepremian 28 yard field goal | MIA 10–0 | |
Q1 | MIA | Yepremian 46 yard field goal | MIA 13–0 | |
Q1 | MIA | Mandich 2 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 20–0 | |
Q2 | MIA | Anderson 38 yard interception return (Yepremian kick) | MIA 27–0 | |
Q2 | PIT | Gerela 37 yard field goal | MIA 27–3 | |
Q2 | MIA | Yepremian 14 yard field goal | MIA 30–3 | |
Q3 | PIT | P. Pearson 5 yard pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) | MIA 30–10 | |
Q4 | PIT | Harris 21 yard run (Gerela kick) | MIA 30–17 | |
Q4 | PIT | B. Pearson 17 yard pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) | MIA 30–24 | |
Q4 | PIT | Safety, Griese tackled by White in end zone | MIA 30–26 |
Week 14
- Date: December 15
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 69 °F (21 °C); wind 7 mph (11 km/h)
- Referee: Norm Schachter
- TV announcers (CBS): Jack Buck and Pat Summerall
Q1 | MIA | Warfield 21 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 7–0 | |
Q1 | MIA | Warfield 7 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 14–0 | |
Q2 | MIA | Yepremian 27 yard field goal | MIA 17–0 | |
Q2 | MIA | Warfield 16 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 24–0 | |
Q2 | MIA | Warfield 4 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 31–0 | |
Q3 | MIA | Yepremian 28 yard field goal | MIA 34–0 | |
Q4 | DET | Owens 5 yard run (Mann kick) | MIA 34–7 |
Standings
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Postseason
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Divisional
- Date: December 23
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 78,928
- Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C); wind 8 mph (13 km/h)
- Referee: Bernie Ulman
- TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis
Q1 | MIA | Warfield 13 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 7–0 | |
Q1 | CIN | Muhlmann 24 yard field goal | MIA 7–3 | |
Q1 | MIA | Csonka 1 yard run (Yepremian kick) | MIA 14–3 | |
Q2 | MIA | Morris 4 yard run (Yepremian kick) | MIA 21–3 | |
Q2 | CIN | Craig 45 yard interception return (Muhlmann kick) | MIA 21–10 | |
Q2 | CIN | Muhlmann 46 yard field goal | MIA 21–13 | |
Q2 | CIN | Muhlmann 10 yard field goal | MIA 21–16 | |
Q3 | MIA | Mandich 7 yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) | MIA 28–16 | |
Q3 | MIA | Yepremian 50 yard field goal | MIA 31–16 | |
Q4 | MIA | Yepremian 46 yard field goal | MIA 34–16 |
The Dolphins outgained Cincinnati in total yards, 400–194, and first downs, 27–11, while also scoring on three of their first four possessions and shutting out the Bengals in the second half. The Dolphins racked up 241 yards on the ground, including 106 from Mercury Morris and 71 from Larry Csonka, while receiver Paul Warfield caught 5 passes for 95 yards and a score. Bob Griese completed 11 of 18 passes for 159 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception, for a passer rating of 103.7. Griese's 18 pass attempts were the most that he would throw throughout the entire 1973-74 playoffs. For the rest of the playoffs, Griese would throw less than 10 times per game.
Conference Championship
- Date: December 30
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 79,325
- Game weather: 74 °F (23 °C); wind 8 mph (13 km/h)
- Referee: Tommy Bell
- TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis
Q1 | MIA | Csonka 11 yard run (Yepremian kick) | MIA 7–0 | |
Q2 | MIA | Csonka 2 yard run (Yepremian kick) | MIA 14–0 | |
Q3 | OAK | Blanda 21 yard field goal | MIA 14–3 | |
Q3 | MIA | Yepremian 42 yard field goal | MIA 17–3 | |
Q3 | OAK | Siani 25 yard pass from Stabler (Blanda kick) | MIA 17–10 | |
Q4 | MIA | Yepremian 26 yard field goal | MIA 20–10 | |
Q4 | MIA | Csonka 2 yard run (Yepremian kick) | MIA 27–10 |
Running back Larry Csonka led the Dolphins to a victory with 117 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. Mercury Morris also ran for 86 yards. Bob Griese threw just six passes during the game, completing three.
Super Bowl
- Date: January 13
- Location: Rice Stadium
- Game start: 2:50 p.m. CDT
- Game attendance: 71,882
- Game weather: Cloudy; 47 °F (8 °C)
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (CBS): Ray Scott, Pat Summerall, and Bart Starr
Q1 | MIA | Csonka 5 yard run (Yepremian kick) | MIA 7–0 | |
Q1 | MIA | Kiick 1 yard run (Yepremian kick) | MIA 14–0 | |
Q2 | MIA | Yepremian 28 yard field goal | MIA 17–0 | |
Q3 | MIA | Csonka 2 yard run (Yepremian kick) | MIA 24–0 | |
Q4 | MIN | Tarkenton 4 yard run (Cox kick) | MIA 24–7 |
[20] Larry Csonka rushed for 145 yards on 33 carries, scoring two touchdowns, and was named MVP. Bob Griese threw just seven passes all game, completing six.
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Awards and honors
- Larry Csonka, Super Bowl Most Valuable Player
Pro Bowl Selections (voted by NFL coaches for players other than their own):[21]
Offense:
- Bob Griese, Quarterback
- Jim Langer, Offensive line (center)
- Larry Little, Offensive line (guard)
- Wayne Moore, Offensive line (tackle)
- Larry Csonka, Running back
- Mercury Morris, Running back
- Paul Warfield, Wide Receiver
- Garo Yepremian, Place Kicker
Defense:
- Bill Stanfill, Defensive end
- Nick Buoniconti, Middle Linebacker
- Dick Anderson, Safety
- Jake Scott, Safety
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Notes and references
External links
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