51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl VII

The Super Bowl is just 45 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 45 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

The Los Angeles Coliseum hosted Super Bowl VII on January 14, 1973. The game pitted the NFC champion Washington Redskins against the Miami Dolphins of the American Football Conference.

Washington Redskins 45 Years Ago

Washington’s 1972 season was their best in 27 years. Fiery George Allen coached this roster that was littered with veterans and cast offs. They had a terrific running back, a great wide receiver, and 38 others of the blue-collar variety. In fact, Allen’s bunch was dubbed, “The Over-the-Hill” gang. Nobody embodied that reputation better than QB Billy Kilmer. Kilmer did not possess the body of an athlete. Rather, he played with the grit and heart that allowed him to play over 18 NFL seasons. He was only in the lineup due to an injury to all-time Redskins’ great Sonny Jurgensen. He took full advantage of his opportunity playing at an elite level in 1972.

The Redskins greatly relied on NFL MVP, Larry Brown. Brown made the All-Pro team in each of his first four seasons. But, ’72 was the best campaign of his career. He had 1700 yards from scrimmage and 8 rushing touchdowns. Future Hall of Famer Charley Taylor was possibly the best wide receiver in the NFC scoring 7 touchdowns of his own.

The Skins finished the season with the number three defense in the NFL. The “D” came up huge in a midseason win against their hated rival and defending champion Cowboys. That victory proved vital down the stretch as Washington won the division and Dallas got the wild card.

In their two NFC playoff games at RFK Stadium, the Skins allowed a total of 6 points to Green Bay and Dallas. The game against the Packers was particularly brutal as both Kilmer and Packers’ starting quarterback Scott Hunter got pulverized all day. The Redskins prevailed 16-3. One week later in front of their raucous home crowd, they defeated the Cowboys 26-3, clinching their first NFC championship.

Miami Dolphins 45 Years Ago

Their opponent in Super Bowl VII was the 16-0 AFC Champion Miami Dolphins. There are not enough superlatives to describe how good the Dolphins were in the early 1970s. In many ways there are overlooked when one discusses the greatest teams of all-time. People bring up the 1978 Steelers, 1989 49ers, 1992 Cowboys, etc. But, the Dolphins of 1972-73 were as good as all those teams and maybe better.

Don Shula was a great leader and game-time coach. Consider this: His 1967-68 Colts and 1972-73 Dolphins combined for a 58-5-2 record. How many starting QBs did he use over those four seasons? Four. That is coaching.

Shula’s masterpiece was his 1972 season especially since starting QB Bob Griese missed nine games due to injury. No problem. Ancient Earl Morrall was undefeated coming off the bench.

Miami topped Cleveland in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Dolphins did not play a great game overall, but Shula went to his bag of tricks and punter Larry Seiple rushed for 37 yards on a fake. Miami prevailed, 20-14. (By the way, this game was played one day after the Steelers defeated the Raiders on the “Immaculate Reception.”)

In the AFC Championship game, Griese came off the bench to rally Miami to a 21-17 victory. The unheralded Jim Kiick scored twice. The Dolphins were off to Super Bowl VII. Their date with history was to take place in Los Angeles against the Redskins and miraculously, they were a 1-point underdog.

Perfection vs. Emotion

From the outset, it was Miami’s defense that dictated the action. League MVP Larry Brown got abused. And, Washington could get nothing established through the air.

Contrariwise, Miami was able to move the ball behind their powerful offensive line. They used well-conceived sweeps where giant tackles matched up against the Skins’ small defensive backs and linebackers like Pat Fischer and Jack Pardee. And it was no match. The misdirection and power sweeps led to the neutralization of All-Pro Chris Hanburger. Thus, Miami rushed for 184 yards on the day.

The Dolphins’ first score came as a result of two perfect throws by the gallant Griese. One throw went to Warfield for 18 and the touchdown was scored by Howard Twilley from the twenty-eight.

The Dolphins intercepted Kilmer twice in the first half. Buoniconti robbed him late in the second half setting Kiick’s touchdown. The score was 14-0 at the half.

In the second half, Washington moved the ball on virtually every possession. However, each drive stalled in the red zone. They missed a field goal and late in the game, Miami cornerback Jake Scott recorded his second interception of the game. This one he ran out from his own end zone.

Scott’s interception put Miami in line to put this thing on ice. With just over two minutes to play, the ‘Fins lined up for a field goal. The Skins blocked it. Garo Yepremien, the tiny Cyprian kicker retrieved the ball and attempted to throw a pass. That turned into an utter comedy/horror show. The pigskin bounced into the air to be grabbed by a Redskin. Mike Bass took the trophy home and the lead was 14-7.

NFL History

Miami held on to win by that score and special team gaffe aside, completed the perfect season. Every season serves as a reminder that the ’72 Dolphins were the only team to complete a season with an undefeated record. The vaunted 2007 Patriots came the closest; just 40 seconds from football immortality, but it was not to be in Super Bowl XLII. The 1984 49ers came three points away from perfection. The 1985 Bears came one visit to Miami away from perfection. But, only one team did it. And, they deserve the special accolades they receive for such an incredible accomplishment. It has now stood for 45 seasons!

In 1973, Miami came back to defend their title. They whipped Minnesota 24-7.

The Redskins also had an excellent 1973 season. But, they did not win the Super Bowl until the ‘80s. Who did they beat? Don Shula and the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII.

Tomorrow, we will talk more about the forgotten 1973 Dolphins in our series – 51 Super Bowls in 51 days!

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_bills

The Worst Starting Pitchers in Red Sox History

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Starting a new historical series of articles, I will cover the worst Red Sox to ever play at each position. This is the follow-up to my series of the five greatest Red Sox at each position. This one is even trickier, trying to find the worst player over the span of more than a century. I won’t bother with players who barely made an appearance. These articles will use some combination of guys who failed miserably in living up to a contract or hype, and those who just failed miserably.

Red Ruffing

Ruffing tops my list for what he did with the team versus what he did after leaving. Ruffing spent five full seasons in Boston and parts of two others. During that time he won 39 games against 96 losses! Despite this record of 57 games under .500, he ended up making the Hall of Fame. Yes, he is one of the weaker members in the Hall of Fame and probably doesn’t belong in there, but it goes to show what he did after.

After going 39-96 with a 4.61 ERA and 1.50 WHIP, just wretched numbers all around, Ruffing was sent to the Yankees. He ended up winning 231 games over parts of 15 seasons with the Yankees. He won 20 games in four consecutive seasons to close out the 1930’s. Ruffing certainly benefited from a potent Yankees lineup, but he pitched much better with the Yankees. That is why this bum comes in at number one.

Red Ruffing of the Boston Red Sox throwing a ball in 1925. (Photo by Sporting New and Rogers Photo Archive via Getty Images)

Daisuke Matsuzaka

It might seem strange to have a guy who finished in the top five of a Cy Young vote at number 2, but he earned it. Daisuke sat on the Red Sox roster, overpaid, for six seasons. Not wanting to lose on their investment, the Red Sox tried to fit him into the rotation year after year, deserving or not. Including the posting fee, Matsuzaka cost the Red Sox over 100 million dollars. For all that he only won 50 games.

Daisuke was one of the most hyped pitchers I have ever witnessed. He came from Japan with a “gyro ball” and a bunch of other phantom pitches he didn’t actually throw. He was also the most frustrating pitcher I have ever watched, nibbling a couple of inches off the plate once he got to two strikes and seemingly going 3-2 on every batter. As a result, Daisuke rarely went deep into games. In fact, in his good season with the team, 2008, Matsuzaka only averaged 5.2 innings pitched per start. Even when he was good, Daisuke taxed the bullpen and relied on them to close out his wins for several innings.

After winning 33 games over his first two seasons in the states, Daisuke won 17 over his last four seasons with Boston. During that stretch he was 17-22 with a 5.53 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. He also walked 4.5 batters per nine innings during that stretch. He was paid 37 million during those four years, on top of the high posting fee the Red Sox had to pay to even negotiate with him.

Year	Tm	W	L	ERA	GS	CG	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	HBP	WHIP	BB9	SO9
2007	BOS	15	12	4.40	32	1	204.2	191	100	80	201	13	1.324	3.5	8.8
2008	BOS	18	3	2.90	29	0	167.2	128	54	94	154	7	1.324	5.0	8.3
2009	BOS	4	6	5.76	12	0	59.1	81	38	30	54	2	1.871	4.6	8.2
2010	BOS	9	6	4.69	25	0	153.2	137	80	74	133	8	1.373	4.3	7.8
2011	BOS	3	3	5.30	7	0	37.1	32	22	23	26	1	1.473	5.5	6.3
2012	BOS	1	7	8.28	11	0	45.2	58	42	20	41	3	1.708	3.9	8.1
2013	NYM	3	3	4.42	7	0	38.2	32	19	16	33	5	1.241	3.7	7.7
2014	NYM	3	3	3.89	9	0	83.1	62	36	50	78	6	1.344	5.4	8.4
BOS	BOS	50	37	4.52	116	1	668.1	627	336	321	609	34	1.418	4.3	8.2

Jeff Suppan

In the nineties Jeff Suppan was a highly touted Red Sox prospect. A 2nd round pick of the team in 1993, Suppan climbed up the ladder successfully. He breezed through both A ball and AA before continuing his success in AAA, leading to his status as the Red Sox top pitching prospect. Suppan made the majors at the age of 20, which might have led to his not panning out. He had some level of success later on, but over parts of three seasons with the Sox to start his career, he posted a 5.99 ERA over 39 games.

After being okay with Kansas City, Suppan went to the Pirates in 2003. In Pittsburgh he won 10 games with a 3.57 ERA. So, what did the Red Sox do? They traded top prospect Freddy Sanchez amongst others to bring him back for the stretch run. Suppan failed the Red Sox again, posting a 5.57 ERA and being left off the playoff roster. He left for the Cardinals in the offseason and had his two best seasons of his career. In 2004 he finally did the best thing he ever did for the Red Sox; he got picked off third base by David Ortiz in the World Series as part of a double play.

Jeff Suppan of the Boston Red Sox throws against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 7, 2003. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

Matt Young

Boston brought in Matt Young with talks of his “great arm”. Despite control problems and underwhelming numbers, the Red Sox gave Young a three-year contract for 6.35 million, big money in those days. Young was coming off a season with 18 losses, although his 3.51 ERA wasn’t so bad. However, since his all-star appearance in his rookie season, Young had gone 40-63 with a 4.52 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. Those are some pretty bad numbers for the 1980’s. Despite this, the Red Sox felt strongly enough in Young’s left arm they gave him a big contract,

Young is most famous for throwing a no-hitter that doesn’t count as one. In April of 1992 he threw an 8 inning no-hitter against the Indians. The reason it doesn’t go into the record books as a no-hitter is because he only pitched eight innings. The reason he only pitched eight innings, well, he lost. Matt Young walked seven batters that day and the Red Sox lost 2-1. This game pretty much sums up Young’s career.

Despite a three-year contract, the Sox released Young before the 1993 season began, getting two seasons out of him. In those two seasons Young was 3-11 with a 4.91 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. Young walked 5.4 batters per nine innings pitched.

Matt Young of the Boston Red Sox before a game on April 20, 1991 at Fenway Park.(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Steve Avery

Avery came to the Red Sox following a successful stint with the Atlanta Braves. In Atlanta, he teamed with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz to form perhaps the best rotation in baseball. Avery won 72 games with a 3.83 ERA for the Braves over seven seasons. There were reasons to be skeptical however, as Avery’s play had dropped off in recent seasons. From 1991-93 he went 47-25 with a stellar 3.17 ERA. After a decent strike season, Avery fell off the next two years, going 14-23 with a 4.58 ERA. The Red Sox, needing help in their rotation, and a left-hander, signed Avery to a 4.85 million dollar contract with a second year vesting option.

Avery was brutal in 1997 for the Sox, finishing with a 6.42 ERA and 1.82 WHIP. One start shy of his option vesting for 1998, the Red Sox took him out of the rotation. The next month however, not agreeing with the morality of the move, Jimy Williams started Steve Avery for one final game, causing his option to take hold. Avery did do better his second season, going 10-7. He still was not good though, with a 5.02 ERA and 1.55 WHIP. In fact, Avery walked more batters than he struck out that season, 64 to 57. So his two-year totals with his fat contract came to a 5.64 ERA, 1.67 WHIP and -0.7 WAR.

Steve Avery leaves the game after giving up seven runs to the Philadelphia Phillies in the 3rd inning. (TOM MIHALEK/AFP/Getty Images)

Dishonorable Mention:

Mike Smithson, Vaughn Eshelman, John Smoltz, Mike Torrez, Matt Clement, Brian Rose, Gordon Rhodes, Jack Russell

Celtics Stun Pacers with 112-111 Win in Indiana

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When it comes to the 2017-2018 NBA season – at least so far – games don’t get much more exciting than the nail-biter between the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers.

Terry Rozier’s steal against the Pacers in Indiana will long be remembered as one of the most clutch plays ever. It gave Boston the unpredictable and heart-stopping win, leaving the Pacers with nothing to do but look dejected and think ahead to revenge.
After leading by as many as 19 points earlier in the game, Boston surprisingly found itself trailing by one point with less than 10 seconds left to play. Indiana was in possession of the ball out of bounds in the hands of Bojan Bogdanovic. Hindsight is always 50-50, but given the circumstances Bogdanovic would’ve been well advised to hold onto the ball in the hope that Boston would foul him. Instead, he inexplicably opted to pass, letting Rozier pick it off, run for the basket and sink the game-winning 2-pointer.

Final score: 112-111 Celtics.

Ecstasy for Boston fans and sheet misery for every Pacer fan in Indiana.
Despite the drama at the end, and the tight score, the Celtics looked strong throughout. The Pacers showed heart and guts – regardless of that moment of catastrophic judgment at the end. But Boston, particularly in the form of Kyrie Irving, gave another stellar performance to come away with the win. Irving scored 30 points on 12-of-23 shooting, including two 3-pointers that he hit in the closing minutes. Those two triples brought Boston within one point and gave Rozier the opportunity to steal, and then to score the unforgettable winning basket.

The Celtics Need Strong D

It’s easy to forget when watching a close call like the Celtics had on Tuesday night that the team just recently ended their epic 16-game winning streak. A run in which was in large part due to their mighty defense. To regain momentum and to display the same brilliance as during the streak, Boston clearly must revive its lagging defense. It’s a challenge on two levels. The first is trying to settle the young players’ lack of experience of working as one unit. The second is Kyrie Irving, who while showing great defense during the winning streak, is not a classic “D” player. With the streak ended, pundits are blaming the lack of defense – particularly on Kyrie’s part. For Boston’s struggle to re-find the magic, and it remains to be seen how Coach Brad Stevens plans to reignite his team.

Boston Celtics Are In for the Long Haul

With so much time remaining in this NBA season, the Eastern Conference title is still up for grabs. Most of the focus lies on the Boston Celtics and their exciting young team. Add to the drama and suspense by placing a wager on NBA games. Check out the Eastern Conference Winner betting odds at William Hill, for the easiest and most convenient way to bet on the Boston Celtics… or whatever team you expect to win.

Anthony Davis Just Wants to Win, but Will It Be in Boston?

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Does Anthony Davis Want Out?

Adrian Wojnarowski sat down with Anthony Davis for a story on ESPN. He shed some light on the superstar’s situation in the Big Easy.

Everyone knows that Danny Ainge covets Davis and will pounce if he’s available. However, will he be?

One thing was extremely clear when reading Davis’ quotes. He wants to win more than anything:

“You look at the Warriors, Cleveland, Boston,” he said. “They lose Gordon [Hayward], they’re still playing well. KD-Steph-Draymond-Klay. They play so well with each other, move the basketball and don’t care who scores. Steph and Draymond are out, and they still won. KD is out. They still win.”

Davis in Celtic Green is a long shot and we all know it. However, Davis has concerns with the Pelicans being loyal after seeing what has conspired around the league. IT, who was traded by the Celtics and Demarcus Cousins traded from the Kings to name a few. Woj goes on to mention that Davis knows he’s on the Celtics radar:

Davis remains an obsession of several NBA teams full of the necessary trade assets to unfasten him from New Orleans, should the Pelicans ever consider a rebuild — or should Davis ever request a trade. Boston has remained vigilant on the possibility of acquiring Davis, and Davis knows it. However, the Pelicans have no intention of trading an all-world talent under contract through 2021, no matter the return.

Going through the full article tells me two things. One, it doesn’t seem like the Pelicans want to deal the superstar anytime soon. Two, it might not matter. If Davis simply cares about winning and nothing else, then what’s stopping him from demanding a trade. When you see a star like Davis talking about The Celtics, Warriors and other winning teams, it shows envy.

He wants to win.

So, even though it’s a long shot, Davis could be in a Boston Celtics uniform. He might play next to Kyrie, Horford, and Gordon Hayward… but he might have to ask.

Boston College Football: Countdown to the Pinstripe Bowl

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Since Steve Addazio’s hiring in 2013, the Boston College football team has appeared in three bowls and are on their way to their fourth. In four out of five seasons, the Eagles have managed to win seven games, one more than the required six for bowl contention. But at the beginning of this season, they had the fans a bit worried.

Rocky Start for Eagles Football

The Eagles began the season with a 23-20 win against Northern Illinois. Unfortunately, the next three games were what most BC fans expected: disappointing. Though in their defense, those opponents were Wake Forest, Notre Dame and Clemson. But the frustration comes from the silly mistakes and what appeared to many as a lack of competitiveness. These three teams outscored Boston College 117-37, embarrassing for the school no doubt. BC has struggled in ACC play in the past, and the games against Wake Forest and Clemson were a haunting reminder of that struggle. In addition, there were calls to fire Adazzio, who made some very questionable play calls in the past that have directly led to losses. But he, and this team, weren’t going down without a fight.

Finding Their Rhythm

BC won their next game against Central Michigan 28-8, then lost to Virginia Tech 23-10. Immediately following that loss to VT was a three-game winning streak! Included in that streak was a thrilling win against Louisville, as well as a blowout against a disappointing Florida State team. The Eagles would then go on to win two of their last three, putting their record at 7-5. The freshman running back AJ Dillon had a lot to do with that. After the three-game losing streak, he rushed for 100+ yards in six of the last eight games. He even exploded for 272 yards on 39 carries against Louisville. The defense was pretty solid too, with Lukas Denis leading the team AND FBS with seven interceptions.

Boston College Returns to the Pinstripe Bowl

Iowa, who is also 7-5, will be the opponent on December 27 at Yankee Stadium. BC has been to the Pinstripe Bowl before, so this will no doubt be a chance at some type of redemption. In 2014, they faced Penn State and lost a thriller in overtime 31-30. The missed extra point by the kicker proved crucial in the game and was ultimately the nail in the coffin. Iowa ended their season losing two of their last three. BC ended their season doing just the opposite, so hopefully they can carry that into the match up!

Don’t miss the Eagles go for their fourth bowl win since Adazzio’s hiring! The game is December 27 at 5:15 pm, live from Yankee Stadium. GO EAGLES!!

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On the Road with the Celtics: Indiana Pacers

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If you ask me, one of the coolest environments to be in is an NBA arena. This holds even more true of the game is close late, which was the situation last night in Indianapolis. I hit the road for the game, so I wanted to write a little recap and share what it was like in Bankers Life Fieldhouse. There’s no place quite like the Boston Garden for a game, but the people of Indiana sure do love their basketball (just ask Larry Bird.) The Celtics already came to Indy and won in November. That was a close game as well, but the Celtics turned the switch on in the 4th and ended up winning by 10. The Pacers were eager to get some revenge.

FIRST HALF

The Celtics got off to a blazing hot start, making the Pacers call an early timeout after starting on a 10-0 run. The young studs Jaylen Brown & Jayson Tatum were big catalysts, showing good togetherness and knowing where each were on the court. Tatum hit Brown for his second 3 that made the Pacers call the timeout, and Kyrie stretched it to 12-0 before the Pacers finally got on the board. The first quarter ended 38-21 in favor of the Celtics. It was one of the best starts of the season for the C’s. They truly showed how dangerous they can be when they are firing on all cylinders and making shots. It was surgical.

While the Celtics were building their lead, the Pacers were starting to muddy up the game by getting to the free throw line. Early on it was evident their game plan was to get the Celtics in foul trouble, and they did a great job of that. Taking this strategy into the second half, they finished the game 30-38 from the charity stripe to Boston’s 8-14. The Celtics lead at half 62-47.

SECOND HALF

The Celtics continued to play well offensively, but Victor Oladipo and the Pacers weren’t going away. Foul trouble became a real issue late in the 3rd, and the Celtics had to change they way they were guarding. It’s never easy to play with foul trouble, and it hurt the Celtics on the defensive end. Kyrie was playing with 4 fouls for much of the 2nd half, Smart & Theis finished with 4, Baynes with 5, and Jaylen Brown fouled out. They couldn’t get in the flow because they couldn’t afford to take risks. This resulted in giving up 64 2nd half points (30+ in both quarters.)

They looked to the offensive end for answers, and had some characteristically clutch plays late. But Oladipo was scoring at a high rate, and the Pacers stormed all the way back to take the lead. Oladipo tied it with an and-1 just under two minutes and then took the lead 105-102 with a huge 3-pointer. It was the Pacers first lead of the game, and it looked like they were going to steal it and get their revenge.

LATE GAME HEROICS

After a clutch Kyrie 3 made it 111-110 with 10 seconds left in favor of the Pacers, it looked like the Celtics would have to send the Pacers to the line and have a chance to tie or win with another 3. It seemed like the game had slipped away, and Bankers Life was rocking. The fans were going nuts, thinking they had already won the game. But Terry Rozier had other plans; he stole the inbound pass and streamed down the court for an electrifying dunk to put the game away. The Pacers had a half-court heave that nearly went in.

Terry stole the ball, and the Celtics stole the game. They left through the tunnel in a frenzy, all running after Terry. The best scene of the night was Al Horford going for a piggyback ride on an assistant coaches back out of the tunnel, unable to hold his excitement in. The team was ecstatic. They nearly gave the game away, but took it back in dramatic fashion. The life had been sucked out of the arena, and I could hear the sweet sounds of silence to go along with a classic road victory.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Victor Oladipo finished with a game-high 38. For those that haven’t had a chance to watch the Pacers yet, this guy makes it worth your time. He’s sure to be an all-star this year after being traded along with another steal in Domantas Sabonis for Paul George. The NBA community collectively thought the Pacers got fleeced in the deal, but nearly halfway through the season it’s looking like they knew just what they were doing. Oladipo is a hoops star in Indiana, going to school less than an hour away at IU. It’s home for him, and they treat him like a true hometown hero.

Jayson Tatum continues to look more confident by the day. He had a few monster dunks. He’s been comfortable going to the rim this season, and took advantage of open lanes last night. He really doesn’t carry himself like a rookie. You have to constantly remind yourself when they’re playing that this dude is 19 years old. In a strong rookie class, you’d be hard-pressed to find another rook with the calm confidence Tatum has, to go along with contributing to winning at the highest level. He’s tough to take out of the game, because he’s simply one of the best options the Celtics have.

Marcus Smart was 4-4 from 3. I repeat. MARCUS SMART WAS 4-4 FROM 3. I don’t even need to say anything else about that. Celtics fans all over know that doesn’t happen often. He’s struggled with his shot mightily this season, but gave us an early Christmas present with the perfect clip last night. The Celtics play again on Wednesday, back at home vs. the Heat, the team that ended their 16-game streak earlier in the season. Something tells me that’s going to be a good one as well.

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl VI

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The Super Bowl is just 46 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 46 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

New Orleans’ Tulane Stadium hosted Super Bowl VI on January 16, 1972. The game pitted the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys against the Miami Dolphins of the American Football Conference. The Cowboys were a perennial powerhouse by 1971. But, they could not seal the deal with a title. In ’66 and ’67, they lost heart breakers to Green Bay. In ’68 and ’69, they got whipped by the Browns. And in Super Bowl V, they choked away a tight one losing to the Colts, 16-13 on a last-second field goal. Thus, they earned their reputation, “Next Year’s Champion.”

Dallas Cowboys 46 Years Ago

The Cowboys started this season with a 4-3 record which included bad losses to the Saints and Bears. Coach Landry tried to use both Craig Morton and Roger Staubach as co-starting quarterbacks. That did not seem to work well for anybody. Unlike 1970, Landry eventually chose Staubach. There was too much upside with his gun-slinging and scrambling abilities. Once Landry made his choice, Dallas put together a nine-game winning streak. Staubach was absolutely fantastic en route to solidifying his place as possibly the best quarterback of the decade.

In addition to Staubach, the Cowboys had a three-headed monster at running back and some dynamic wide receivers. One of those wide outs was Chargers’ legend, Lance Alworth. Alworth, along with veterans Mike Ditka and Forrest Gregg added some great depth and leadership to an already loaded squad. On defense, “Doomsday” was as good as ever.

In the NFC divisional round, the Cowboys scored an extremely impressive win at Minnesota. The Vikings had finished 1971 with the #1-ranked defense in football and league-MVP Alan Page (yes, a defensive player won MVP). However, it was Dallas’ defense that knocked out the home team. They won 20-12. In the NFC championship game, Dallas played host to San Francisco in the first ever playoff game in the history of Texas Stadium. “Doomsday” was awesome. Duane Thomas scored in the 4th to give the Cowboys their second straight NFC championship by a score of 14-3.

Miami Dolphins 46 Years Ago

Their opponent was in their sixth year of existence – the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins were an expansion team in name only. They had extraordinary talent on both sides of the ball. Likewise, Don Shula was a mastermind Head Coach. Shula came into the 1971 season with a chip on his shoulder. The Jets embarrassed his Colts in Super Bowl III. Therefore, his stint in Baltimore came to an inglorious conclusion. His 1970 team in Miami improved as the season went on. But, Oakland knocked them out in the divisional round.

In 1971, Miami was clearly the best team in the AFC. On offense, they possessed a unique ground attack. Fullback Larry Csonka was a punishing runner, a precursor to backs like Christian Okoye or Jerome Bettis. Mercury Morris was all-speed and elusiveness in the vein of a Barry Sanders. Bob Griese was a terrific football player out of Purdue at quarterback. And, maybe the best of them all was wide receiver Paul Warfield. What a great offense!

They were very good on defense as well but without the name recognition of the Cowboys and Vikings. Consequently, they were nicknamed “the No Name Defense.” They finished third in yards allowed. And, they were very tough against the pass.

Dolphins Epic Playoff Win

Their Christmas Day game at Kansas City in the playoffs is simply one of the greatest games in NFL history. The momentum swung back and forth several times throughout the long afternoon. Miami could not stop Chiefs’ running back Ed Podolak who contributed over 300 yards of total offense. For the first time in NFL history, a ball game went into double overtime. Finally, Garo Yepremien kicked the winner for Miami and they advanced to the AFC championship game.

In the title game, Shula was very gratified by a 21-0 destruction of his former team. They intercepted Unitas three times and Warfield scored on an electrifying touchdown. The win catapulted the Dolphins to their first Super Bowl – this in the infant stages of their franchise.

Dallas Dominance

Admittedly, the Dolphins played like they were just happy to be there. Dallas was much more focused, much more aggressive all day. To this day, the Dolphins are the only team to not a score a touchdown in a Super Bowl. The Super Bowl from 46 years ago was drab. So, here are the only highlights:

Duane Thomas rushed 19 times for 95 yards and a touchdown. However, Staubach won the MVP of the Super Bowl. He hit veterans Alworth and Ditka for touchdowns. Bob Lilly registered a ridiculous 29-yard sack of Bob Griese. And, Larry Csonka fumbled during the first quarter. He had not fumbled the entire season, over 300 touches.

And that is about it. This was not a great game by any standards. In fact, it was boring. But, for Coach Landry and his Cowboys, it ranks as one of the sweet days in franchise history. Dallas garnered great success in the ’70’s. Hence, they became known as “America’s Team.” Their cheerleaders, stadium and fans were almost as popular as their players.

For Miami, it served as a catalyst for the greatest team in NFL history – the 1972 17-0 Miami Dolphins. We’ll focus more on that team and their incredible achievement tomorrow!

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Three Teams That the Patriots Should Worry About

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I am a Jets fan, which I’ve shown in previous articles. The Jets are bad, and got worse after the injury to Josh McCown. They’re done and are doing what their original plan was: tank. But, still being a football fan, I’ll talk about the best team in the AFC. That’s the Patriots. They pulled off another miraculous comeback win against the Steelers, thanks to Rob Gronkowski and a classic Big Ben play. The Patriots look primed to make it to the AFC Championship again.

Is there anyone who can stop the Pats from getting yet another AFC crown? There are three teams that the Patriots should look at worrying about down the final stretch of the season. The teams? They’re the Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Buffalo Bills. Before you exit the article, let me make the case for each team. They are all good football teams that have their individual reasons in why they could defeat the New England Patriots.

The Case for the Jaguars

“Sacksonville” has applied pressure consistently on any opponent throughout the year and have earned their nickname. They have the most sacks in the league. The Patriots have a decent line, but it is not the best. The cornerbacks in Jacksonville are the best in the league as well, limiting to opponents to just 169 passing yards per game this season. Brandin Cooks, Gronk and Co. will have tough match-ups ahead of them if New England faces the Jags. Blake Bortles is playing consistently, and Leonard Fournette is one of the best backs in the league. The Jags rolled the Texans 45-7, and did not have Allen Hurns, Marquise Lee or Fournette this past week.

The Jags have everything it takes to play in the cold as well: a great defense and a top-tier running back. It will be a challenge for Bill Belichick and the Pats coaching staff to limit the playmakers on both sides of the ball for Jacksonville if the two AFC powerhouse teams face each other this January. If this showdown does occur, NFL fans should buckle up. They are in for a great game.

The Case for the Steelers

Yeah, Gronk dominated the Steelers’ defensive backs. Yes, the Pats held a very good Pittsburgh offense to 24 points. But, if this match-up goes down in January, coach Mike Tomlin may want to look for a solution to Gronk. The task will not be easy, but maybe the Steelers’ staff can muster something up, which should include a double team.

A key piece was missing from this past weekend, and that was Antonio Brown. The greatest receiver in Steelers history should be back come playoff time after tearing his calf muscle in the first quarter. Le’Veon Bell should be there, along with rookie standout JuJu Smith-Schuster, with Martavis Bryant, etc. The Steelers defense is adequate enough to hold the Patriots to under 30, as seen Sunday. That can give the Pittsburgh offense enough room to outscore the Patriots. But it all starts with limiting Gronk, which is the toughest challenge for any defensive coordinator in the NFL today.

The Case for the Bills

Lol. That’s probably the first thought going through anyone who read that I consider the Bills a danger to the Pats. That could be true, but the Bills face the Pats next week, meaning they could get the Pats out of home field advantage. The Bills are also actually in the playoff picture, and winning out would give them a playoff berth. If the Bills happened to play the Patriots for a third time, it’d be in Foxborough. Probably not an ideal location for the Bills, but it’s the hand they are dealt.

Sean McDermott is a good coach, but probably won’t outcoach Belicheck. They would be forced to rely on LeSean McCoy and, I don’t know, actually use that athletic freak they acquired from Carolina? Charles Clay can also be a guy Tyrod Taylor relies upon, like we saw against the Dolphins. The defense of Preston Brown, Micah Hyde and Tre’Davious White will have to try to limit Rob Gronkowski, something that will be very difficult to do for a defense that simply does not have the raw talent to defend a 6’7″ monster.

Patriots Fans Embrace the Hate

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Like the children of overly strict parents, America hates the New England Patriots and their fans. We’re your daddy. Sure, occasionally you get one over on us – or two in Eli Manning’s case – but for the better part of seventeen years we’ve spanked you and sent you to your rooms crying.

Make no mistake, it’s not enough for us to simply lift Lombardi’s. No, we want to make you angry. We relish your resentful jealousy. We bathe in the salty tears of your disappointment. The fires of your hate keep us warm in the cold New England winters.

Tears of the Vanquished

The truly great thing about being a Patriots fan is this: it doesn’t matter who we beat, the whole country loses their minds about it. Those of us who are old enough to remember watching Steve Grogan or Tony Eason know that we need to cherish every victory; we haven’t always been so fortunate. But some victories are sweeter than others.

Beating the Steelers – as we do with simply absurd frequency – always satisfies the soul more than a normal win. To do it in Pittsburgh, after a textbook Brady 4^th quarter drive and an end zone interception rivaled only by Malcolm Butler’s Super Bowl clinching INT over Seattle – makes it even more special.

But the greatest part, it’s what gets us up early to troll the internet, listen to sports talk radio or, God forbid, turn on ESPN is getting to hear the incessant whining. From the Pittsburgh locker room, the legions of Steelers fans, and the incalculable throngs of Patriot haters from Buffalo to Denver – the chorus of complaints is music to our ears.

New England: Not Arrogant, Just Better Than You

Pittsburgh was the better team for much of last night’s game. What was billed as the game of the year lived up to the hype. For once, Tomlin’s squad wasn’t steamrolled. They moved the ball well, dominated possession, and got pressure on Brady. The Steelers did almost everything they needed to win. They should have won.

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They didn’t win for a number of reasons. First, obviously, Big Ben went bust and threw a terrible pick. Second, obviously, Jesse James dropped what should have been the game winning touchdown. And third, inexplicably, they decided not to double Gronk at any point on New England’s final drive or two-point conversion.

Pittsburgh was the better team until it actually mattered. Then, as usual, they got out played.

The Catch That Wasn’t

Like everyone watching the game live, I thought James caught the ball, broke the plane, and maintained possession. That’s because the live shot was from the backside of the play and a million feet away. The second America saw the replay it was clear the ball not only moved, but touched the ground.

It doesn’t matter if he broke the plane. It doesn’t matter that he wasn’t touched by a defender. He didn’t maintain control through the ground. As famed Patriot-hater Tony Dungy said on Football Night In America, “this is absolutely the right call based on the rule”.

There isn’t a league official or football analyst who thinks that Jesse James caught that ball by the letter of the rule. Not one. It’s clear that he lost possession as he went to the ground. We can argue about the ridiculous nature of the rule all we want, but from Calvin Jonson to Dez Bryant to Adam Thielen last week, that’s always been an incomplete pass.

The Glory of Twitter

The greatest aspect of not just this win, but how this win was achieved, has to be the reaction across the Twittersphere. Pittsburgh’s Scott Kacsmar (@FO_ScottKacsmar) spent hours criticizing the rule and then shifted his attention to how weak the AFC East is. Ironic that this comes for a guy whose team plays the Browns and Bengals twice a year.

My personal favorite comes from Buffalo’s Sal Maiorana (@salmaiorana). You know, Buffalo – home of the “Bills Mafia” and epicenter of drunken tailgate videos and Super Bowl runner-ups. Inside of twenty minutes, Sal made my night almost as much as the Patriots. He called it “one of the worst calls you’ll ever see” and proclaimed he loved it “when the most entitled fan base in the universe revels in its good fortune with the very arrogance that [we] loathe most about them”. Music to my ears.

That someone is so obsessed with New England that they dedicate their lives to crying about games their team wasn’t even in is glorious. Sal, buddy, you complete me. I take so much joy in your suffering I can’t even explain it. When, not if, Brady wins his sixth Super Bowl we’ll have Bob Kraft fly you in for the party. It’s the only way you’ll get that close to a Lombardi.

Game of the Year Lived up to the Hype

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Patriots-Steelers: Game of the Year

That game yesterday was just what the doctor ordered. It was the highest rated game on CBS for three years. The Patriots get the number one seed and clinch the easy AFC East once again. The Patriots never really have two bad games in a row but yesterday they really didn’t play all that great. Injuries showed for the defense, which attributed to Ben Roethlisberger’s success.

The Final Drive…

To the drive and play everyone is talking about. Tight end Jesse James caught a pass from Ben Roethlisberger and as he crossed the plane the ball came loose and hit the ground. Was it a touchdown? No. Was it an incomplete pass? That’s a no too. You can clearly see his knee touch the ground before the ball crossed the plane and he lost control of it. It should’ve been first and goal at the one yard line for Pittsburgh. Secondly though what is Pittsburgh doing throwing on that final play? All they had to do was spike it and kick a field goal.

Brady Is Always Clutch

At the end of the day Brady is going to be Brady. Those Brady to Gronk completions were great during the final drive of that game. The defense gave up that big catch and run and then with a little help from the refs the Steelers lost the game after not electing to go for a field goal. The defense once they get the players back the Patriots should be better. That wasn’t there best performance and you don’t win that game without Tom Brady.

Now the Patriots have two easy cupcake games before heading into the playoffs with home field throughout. Get ready for a shootout in the AFC Championship game when the Steelers come to Foxborough at a chance to go to the Super Bowl.