Cause For Celebration!!

Now that was an exciting 60th Birthday present the Dolphins and the Saints gave me on Sunday.

Any time we beat the Jets it's cause for celebration. Twice in one season is a chocolate double scooped and dipped ice cream cone!

Then, to cap off the day with a Ram loss is truly a birthday blessing.

Most of you know why. The '72 Dolphins are still the only "Perfect" team in NFL history.

I say "Perfect" because there were NFL championship teams who finished their seasons with no losses but had ties. They were undefeated but not perfect.

I say "history" because it hasn't just not been duplicated since 1972 but all the way back to  beginning of time as far as the NFL is concerned.

And that goes back to 1920.

We are the only "Perfect" team in close to 100 years. Think about that.

Here are some other tidbits about that season many of you may not know.

We had the number 1 ranked offense and the number 1 ranked defense.

Our starting QB, Bob Griese, broke his leg in game 5 vs San Diego and our back up, Earl Morrall, led the team until halftime of the AFC Championship game.

At that time in the NFL, teams were not seeded for the playoffs. The league determined before the season started which division champions would host which rounds of the playoffs which would start the following week after the season ended with 4 teams from each conference qualifying, 3 division champs and 1 wildcard.

As it would play out, we beat the wildcard Browns at home in the first week of the playoffs while the home standing Steelers beat the Raiders in what would come to be known as the Immaculate Reception game.

The following week, for the AFC Championship game, we traveled to Pittsburgh. That's not a typo, we traveled to Pittsburgh.

Earl Morrall struggled in the 1st half and Bob Griese replaced him for the 2nd half leading us to the Super Bowl vs the Redskins.

Now here is some ammo for you in case another team happens to go Perfect in your lifetime. We got no bye week off going into the playoffs which is a distinct advantage for your 1st playoff game and no home field advantage for the AFC Championship game which is another distinct advantage.

So don't let anyone in the future believe that their 16 game season meant more than our 14 game season. We played who was on our schedule and we beat them all.

Those above playoff obstacles should offset 2 extra games. Throw in the number 1 rankings and no one could be better.

I often wonder that if Franco Harris didn't grab that 4th down miracle rebounded pass, who would have hosted the AFC Championship game between us and the Raiders.

Back to the Jet game on Sunday. That was the most exciting game I have watched in years!

No I am not nuts. I have just been a football fan for 50 years and respect a good ole fashioned defensive battle.

I know living in a microwave era with fantasy football holding supreme, it's hard to appreciate a game were every single play could be the game winner.

Just one blown coverage, missed tackle or as it turned out, one interception for a TD made all the difference in the game.

I know it may seem abysmal to think no one scored a TD on offense in that game. But let's give credit to were it is due, to both defenses playing hard and not blowing assignments.

My heart was pounding every play because I had no idea, good or bad, what was going to happen and for me, that was exciting entertainment.

So cast aside fantasy and watch that game again if you can. I set the DVR. There was a lot happening, just not on the scoreboard.

So we roll to Green Bay and I got to say. I like our chances.

Any given Sunday Dol-Fans, any given Sunday.

Phins Up!!

Carl Leone
Dol-Fan since 12/25/1971