Second quarter of Super Bowl VII vs. the Redskins. It was still scoreless and we had blown several chances, including the penalty wiping out the long touchdown pass to Warfield. I had been frantically rooting for every play, along with the rest of my family. Then suddenly I had a realization that we were controlling the game, were the superior team, and everything would take care of itself. It was a remarkable calm sensation, a certainty that it would happen, the championship and unbeaten season. For several minutes I stopped stressing every play and merely observed my family members, still shouting and pacing.
Prior to that game Dolphin fans were anything but confident and sure. Don't let anybody pretend otherwise. There are always scattered examples of fans who think we'll win every game every season. But the overriding concern was the NFC was still the stronger conference, based on NFL roots, and we were in danger of being exposed again. I wasn't optimistic or pessimistic heading into that game. Once I'd seen about 20 minutes of play I was convinced we'd prevail. Fernandez was dictating the defensive front. Griese was healthy, calm and in control. Our offensive line was starting to get to them. I can still envision where I was standing, and the images as I looked around the room, once the calming realization hit me.
Recently, it's not even close: New England losing the Super Bowl and to the Giants in 2007 was the greatest moment in Dolphin franchise history since our second Super Bowl win. Keuchenberg described it that way and he's absolutely correct. If that unbeaten feat had been matched, particularly by a division rival, suddenly our trump card is gone and the four decades of subsequent failure is front and center.
