Super Bowl VII (January 14, 1973) featured the Dolphins v. Redskins. Played at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, the temperature at kickoff was 84 degrees, the highest (to date) for a Super Bowl game.
The Redskins 1972 season: Head Coach George Allen couldn’t settle on his starting QB, and the decision was eventually made for him. Sonny Jurgensen tore his Achilles tendon, and Billy Kilmer took over for the remainder of the season. The team finished 11-3, tops in the division, and then whizzed through the playoffs beating the Packers and Cowboys (the defending Super Bowl champs) by a combined score of 42–6.
The Dolphins 1972 season: Undefeated in the regular season (14-0), the Dolphins had a much tougher time surviving the playoffs–first against the Browns (20-14) and, then, versus the Steelers (21-17). That made some fans question the quality of the Dolphins’ unblemished record, attributing it to an easy schedule. The counterargument is that Miami won seven games against .500 or better teams.
Miami received the ball first, starting at their 24-yard line, but went three-and-out. Then the Redskins tried to pull a fast one, slapping the ball away on the snap. The announcers were fooled (thinking the Dolphins fumbled), but the refs weren’t. The Redskins were penalized for interference.
The ensuring fifty-yard punt gave Washington the ball at their own 25. After making a first down, the next three plays netted just 3 yards, and Washington was forced to punt. A short punt gave the Dolphins the ball at their 32. After getting to midfield, a holding penalty put Miami back at their 30, and Verlon Biggs sacked Bob Griese on the next play giving the Dolphins a 2nd-and-38. After two short runs and a punt, the Skins took over at their 40-yard line.
But again, they couldn’t move the ball against what was known as Miami’s ‘No-Name Defense.’ And this time, a 15-yard holding penalty made matters even worse.
Twilley scores (photo courtesy Google)
Washington punted and almost got a break when Dolphins’ return man Jake Scott fumbled, but Miami quickly recovered the ball and took possession at their 37. Two runs by Jim Kiick gave the Dolphins a first down, followed by an 18-yard pass completion to Paul Warfield.
Two short runs were followed by a 28-yard touchdown pass to Howard Twilley. The extra-point kick gave Miami a 7–0 lead.
The Redskins tried to respond, but Jack Scott intercepted Billy Kilmer’s pass, returning it to the Washington 47. Miami couldn’t capitalize on the break and had to punt. A touchback gave Washington the ball at its twenty, but after making a first down (highlighted by Larry Brown’s catch for 11 yards), the drive stalled, and the Skins had to punt.
Larry Csonka and Kiick ran for a combined 21-yards to move the ball to near midfield. Miami then went for it all, and it looked as though the Dolphins had cashed in on a long Griese-to-Warfield TD pass. But illegal procedure nullified the play, and the drive stalled after that. Washington took over again, this time at their 17.
Kiick scores, making it 14-0 (photo courtesy eBay)
Two first downs followed–and it looked as though the Skins might have something going–but Kilmer threw his second pick, this time to MLB Nick Buoniconti, who returned it to the Skins 28-yard line.
The Dolphins took advantage.
Two short runs were followed by a 21-yard completion to tight end Jim Mandich. Kiick ran two more times, the second yielding a TD, and Miami expanded its lead to 14–0.
(Next up, the second half.)
