72 dolphins

[b bulldog]

With all the talk about the Pats going undefeated and Don Shula's comments today, I thought it may be interesting to note that the fish beat only two teams with a winning record during the regular season.

[4and12to12and4]

Not to mention it was a 14 game schedule.

[The Leaper]

The 1972 Dolphins aren't even mentioned when you seriously consider who the 10 best teams in NFL history were. As much as I dislike the haughty attitude of the current Pats, the stupid 1972 Dolphins and their little annual celebration is even more ridiculous.

[GrnBay007]

Don Shula on Patriots: 'the Spygate Thing Has Diminished What They've Accomplished'

by Michael David Smith


Don Shula coached the 1972 Dolphins, the only team in NFL history to finish a season unbeaten and untied. And in his expert opinion, the 2007 Patriots have a good chance of joining the Dolphins in that elite company.

But that doesn't mean Shula thinks these Patriots are flawless. According to Shula, even if history remembers the 2007 Patriots as the league's second perfect team, it will also remember them as cheaters:


"The Spygate thing has diminished what they've accomplished. You would hate to have that attached to your accomplishments. They've got it," Shula told the Daily News yesterday. "Belichick was fined $500,000, the team was fined $250,00 and they lost a first-round draft choice. That tells you the seriousness or significance of what they found.

"I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds' home run record. I guess it will be noted that the Patriots were fined and a No.1 draft choice was taken away during that year of accomplishment. The sad thing is Tom Brady looks so good, it doesn't look like he needs any help."

I think Shula is basically right: The Patriots are a great team with a good chance of going undefeated. Bill Belichick will join Shula in the Hall of Fame some day. But anyone who believes that Patriotgate will be forgotten by then is kidding himself.

[GoPackGo]

Also interresting is the fact that the Patriots own San Francisco's first round pick in next year draft. If San Fran continues to tank, The Patriots might be adding a player like Mcfadden to there roster. Thats scary

[swede]

I hate the Patriots.

But the '72 Dolphins weren't that good.

The Vikings Defensive Line was staffed with 40 year old men that were too gassed to handle Csonka in the Super Bowl.

If I can live with Barry Bonds I can live with an undefeated Patriots team.

[Merlin]

Every record is bound to be broken. I am more curious to know New England's salary cap information for this year and next year. How can you keep that kind of talent? No team has had as many play makers on it since before the FA period started.

For the record, I don't think the Patriots will go undefeated. Whoever beats them, it will be an upset. The Colts exposed some holes in the Patriots. I think the biggest factor this year is the separation from the "good" teams and the "bad" teams. There doesn't seem to be as many mediocre teams this season, especially in the AFC.

[Tarlam!]

I think Merlin has a point. They won't go unbeaten: The Pack upsets them.... 8-)

[Zool]

Every record is bound to be broken. I am more curious to know New England's salary cap information for this year and next year. How can you keep that kind of talent? No team has had as many play makers on it since before the FA period started.

For the record, I don't think the Patriots will go undefeated. Whoever beats them, it will be an upset. The Colts exposed some holes in the Patriots. I think the biggest factor this year is the separation from the "good" teams and the "bad" teams. There doesn't seem to be as many mediocre teams this season, especially in the AFC.

Here's one unofficial list.

http://www.patscap.com/

[Noodle]

Just a historical point. The Fins played the Redskins in the SB the year they went 17-0. They then beat up on the Vikes the following year in the SB, in a season where I think they lost two games.

Czonka was a great back. He would have made an excellent Packer. Totally hammered dudes.

[Creepy]

The 72 Dolphins played in two play-off games and won, then beat the Redskins (Dolphns were underdogs) in SB. Whether they played anybody good during the season is debateable, but once in the play-offs they gotit done.


As for those who want to compare 08 Pats & 72 Dolphins, the Dolphins did it with their #2 QB. Grease was out after game 6 and did not return until the SB. Take Brady out of the line-up and see if the back-up leads the Patriopts to a perfect season.

[swede]

Just a historical point. The Fins played the Redskins in the SB the year they went 17-0. They then beat up on the Vikes the following year in the SB, in a season where I think they lost two games.

Czonka was a great back. He would have made an excellent Packer. Totally hammered dudes.

I was 13, and it had been about seven years since I had moved to Wisconsin from Minnesota. I had begun to root for the Packers during the regular season games, but I still pulled for the purple during the post-season games they regularly played in during the Bud Grant era. So it must have been in '73 that I had to watch Csonka clobber Jim Marshall and company.

I have gone over 30 years mistakenly thinking they beat the Vikes to end the 17-0 season.

Thank you, Noodle, for setting the ol' swede straight.

[swede]

The 72 Dolphins played in two play-off games and won, then beat the Redskins (Dolphns were underdogs) in SB. Whether they played anybody good during the season is debateable, but once in the play-offs they gotit done.


As for those who want to compare 08 Pats & 72 Dolphins, the Dolphins did it with their #2 QB. Grease was out after game 6 and did not return until the SB. Take Brady out of the line-up and see if the back-up leads the Patriopts to a perfect season.

Brady seems to be the key piece to the Pats team. I'd think Csonka was more they key to the Dolphins success than Griese, who had, as I recall, a steady veteran quarterback as his back-up.

I think the Bears going 13-3 under Dick Jauron is the ultimate proof that crazy things can happen in football. The Dolphins going 17-0 is only a crazy thing because the record has stood for so long, I think, not because they were so dominant.

[Noodle]

Swede, my rat brother, that's what we're here for.

Ol' Bud had some solid teams in those years, and you had to respect guys like Foreman and Sir Francis, as well as that D-line. You can say the Vikes are losers, and I often do, but they had some bad luck running in to some of the great teams of that era (Fins, then Steelers) during that period.

[oregonpackfan]

The 72 Dolphins played in two play-off games and won, then beat the Redskins (Dolphns were underdogs) in SB. Whether they played anybody good during the season is debateable, but once in the play-offs they gotit done.


As for those who want to compare 08 Pats & 72 Dolphins, the Dolphins did it with their #2 QB. Grease was out after game 6 and did not return until the SB. Take Brady out of the line-up and see if the back-up leads the Patriopts to a perfect season.

Brady seems to be the key piece to the Pats team. I'd think Csonka was more they key to the Dolphins success than Griese, who had, as I recall, a steady veteran quarterback as his back-up.

.

Wasn't Earl Morrell Griese's backup QB?

[b bulldog]

yes he was