1973 Miami Dolphins (Better Than The Undefeated 72' Team?)

Yesterday's Sports

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EPISODE SUMMARY

So it was back to the drawing board once again. This time, though, Shula and his players not only wanted to get back to the Super Bowl, they wanted to win it.

And that’s exactly what they did in 1972. But the big story that year was something else: Miami was the first–and is still the only–team in NFL history to go undefeated.

With such a history-making season, you can understand why so much has been written and discussed about those 1972 Miami Dolphins.

But the greatness of those Miami Dolphins can’t be measured by ’72 alone. When combined with the outcome of the ’73 season the Dolphins may have had the best two-year run in NFL history. In those two years, Miami went a combined 32–2 and won two Super Bowls. The Dolphins outscored opponents 865–382 and had five shutouts.

The problem, though, is that Miami’s excellence in ’73 gets lost in the hoopla about the undefeated ’72 squad. And here’s the kicker: the two-loss ’73 Dolphins may have been better than the 1972 team. I’ve heard Don Shula and several former players say the same.

Just how good was Miami in ’73? Let’s do an analysis. Then I’ll draw a conclusion.......

You can read the full blog post here.

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YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUND

Host Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.

No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited Time

Running Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)