Happy Thanksgiving...The Dolphins "History" on Thanksgiving | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Happy Thanksgiving...The Dolphins "History" on Thanksgiving

jg772006

jg772006

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History of the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Phin Fans out there. Hope everyone has a safe, and happy "turkey day" with your friends and family.

To help celebrate Thanksgiving, lets take another trip down memory lane and look at the Miami Dolphins history on Thanksgiving Day. One thing we can be very thankful for is the Miami Dolphins career record of 5-1 which is tied for the best winning % with the Minnesota Vikings. Miami has been a part of some of the most memorable games (and maybe the MOST memorable) on Thanksgiving Day.

So enjoy this small ride down memory lane (while mostly positive, with only one negative) as we look at the Miami Dolphins history on Thanksgiving Day.


Nov. 22, 1973 in Dallas: The Super Bowl VI Rematch
Two years earlier, Miami was embarrassed by Dallas in Super Bowl VI by a score of 24-3. The next time they met was on this day, which Miami exacted some revenge...winning by one of the closest margins in Thanksgiving Day history.
Result: Miami 14 Dallas 7


Nov. 24, 1977 in St. Louis: Bob Griese throws for 6 TD Passes
Bob Griese put on a show in this game by throwing for a team record (and dominating) six TD passes in only three quarters, in one of the biggest blowouts in team history.
Result: Miami 55 St. Louis (Cardinals) 14


Nov. 25, 1993 in Dallas: Leon Lett's Letdown
Arguably, not only the greatest Thanksgiving Day game in history, but without a doubt, the most memorable. In what was a back and forth game on a field covered in snow, it came down to the final play of the game. In the contest, Miami trailed 14-13 with just 15 seconds left in regulation and Pete Stoyanovich's 40-yard field goal attempt for the win was blocked by the Cowboys' Jimmie Jones. However, Dallas' DT Leon Lett unexpectedly attempted to pick up the loose ball, but muffs it in the process. If Leon wouldn't of touched the ball, Dallas would of won. Miami's Jeff Dellenbach recovers the ball on the one-yard line with three seconds remaining. Stoyanovich converts on his second chance and boots a 19-yard field goal on the game's final play for the improbable win.
Result: Miami 16 Dallas 14


Nov. 25, 1999 in Dallas: Marino throws for 5 INTS in his first and only start on Thanksgiving
Ironically in Marino's last season, he made his first start on Thanksgiving Day. After being sidelined for six weeks with a shoulder injury, Marino got the start on this day, however it did not go very well. Marino threw for 5 INTs, two of them picked off by future NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. The Dolphins suffered their first (and to date, ONLY) loss on Thanksgiving Day in this crushing shutout.
Result: Dallas 20 Miami 0


Nov. 27, 2003 in Dallas: The Jay Fiedler to Chris Chambers Show / ZT and JT Dominate
For the fourth time in Thanksgiving Day history, Miami and Dallas would duke it out again. This time it was all Miami. QB Jay Fielder was 16 of 20 with three of those passes hitting WR Chris Chambers for TD scores. With RB Ricky Williams running for over 100 yards, Dallas did not have a chance. The defense was equally dominate which featured Jason Taylor returning a fumble for a TD, Patrick Surtain getting his NFL leading 6th INT, and Zach Thomas picking off Quincy Carter on the goal line.
Result: Miami 40 Dallas 24


Nov. 23, 2006 in Detroit: Joey Harrington's Revenge
In what was perhaps Joey Harrington's greatest game, he got some revenge on his former team during this Thanksgiving. After giving it his all for four years in Detroit, Joey was traded to the Dolphins at the end of the 2005 season. He would return home for Thanksgiving to face his former team. Detroit bolted out to a 10 point lead early but it did not faze Miami as they scored the next 27 points of the game. It did not faze Joey either. He finished 19 of 29 for 213 yards, and three TD passes, two of which went to WR Marty Booker. Miami's defense was equally dominate, recording eight sacks, two by Zach Thomas.
Result: Miami 27 Detroit 10


Hopefully next year, or in future years, Miami will be put on Thanksgiving more often. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!
 
Happy Thanksgiving. May God Bless....

Oh... and GO FINS!!!!
 
The '73 game is easily my favorite. Like the Super Bowl vs. Washington, the 14-7 score was hardly indicative of how decisively we controlled the game.

Besides, Dallas had dominated us to such extent in the Super Bowl less than two years earlier that Dolphin fans were very apprehensive going into the Thanksgiving Day game. There had always been a sense of good fortune we had avoided Dallas in the unbeaten season Super Bowl when Washington routed Dallas in the NFC Title Game. Defeating Dallas on the road in a high profile meaningful game really stamped our legitimacy, as weird as that sounds given what we had accomplished in '72 and to that point in '73. The skeptics in the media were ready to pounce if the Cowboys had exposed us again.

The Dolphins were really screwed in the scheduling heading into the '73 Thanksgiving Day game. Inevitably the league gives the road team on a short week the benefit of a home game a week earlier. Huh. Miami played at Buffalo on the previous Sunday, our 5th consecutive division game. The Dallas game was Miami's 4th road game in 5 starts. The three road games against division opponents had been strung together within a month then Miami was asked to travel to Dallas before hosting Pittsburgh on Monday Night.
 
2 years we play in dallas and since that year dallas gets the cbs game, its either going to be us or the bills. my guess is we would be put on rather than buffalo, but then again oakland and san diego were both slated to play in dallas this season and they chose oakland. but playing on thanksgiving is very special, and the last time in o3 when we played there was probably the best offensive performance ive seen by the dolphins as a fin fan in my generation.
 
Happy Thanksgiving fellas! Give thanks....for going 5-5 after a 0-3 start :D

GO PHINS!!
 
I just think it is time to do away with having Dallas and Detroit automatically playing every turkey day. Let other teams get a chance to play and allow Dallas and Detroit to spend time with their families.
 
Roman529 said:
I just think it is time to do away with having Dallas and Detroit automatically playing every turkey day. Let other teams get a chance to play and allow Dallas and Detroit to spend time with their families.
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i kind of like dal and det on thanksgiving. its been a long standing tradition why break it. nfl has added a 3rd game for other teams but sadly most people dont see it.
 
I was just thinking about that Cowboys game. Anybody have any pictures of that game when we wore our throwbacks? I still think those looked pretty cool.
 
jg772006 said:
History of the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving Day

Nov. 23, 2006 in Detroit: Joey Harrington's Revenge
In what was perhaps Joey Harrington's greatest game, he got some revenge on his former team during this Thanksgiving. After giving it his all for four years in Detroit, Joey was traded to the Dolphins at the end of the 2005 season. He would return home for Thanksgiving to face his former team. Detroit bolted out to a 10 point lead early but it did not faze Miami as they scored the next 27 points of the game. It did not faze Joey either. He finished 19 of 29 for 213 yards, and three TD passes, two of which went to WR Marty Booker. Miami's defense was equally dominate, recording eight sacks, two by Zach Thomas.
Result: Miami 27 Detroit 10


Hopefully next year, or in future years, Miami will be put on Thanksgiving more often. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!
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I was freaking there. That game was truly epic.
 
Good thing it wasn't this year because we would have 3 games on a Sun, Thurs, and another Thur. Not enough time. We play Det. next year, so maybe that's when we play on thanksgiving.
 
Two seriously great Dolphins moments.

I was duty NCO the day before Thanksgiving. I was exausted at my first fianee's house for Thanksgiving. I was awake for about as long to say.."wow...It's snowing in Dallas on Thanksgiving?"

I woke up one play before the Byers Snow Angel.

I woke up when the family (All Redskins rabid) Roared in time to see the replay. I went back to sleep, thinking..."This is the best Thanksgiving ever."

I loved that Joey shoved it down the Lions throats. That just made me happy.
 
I was living outside Atlanta back in '93 so any time I could see the Dolphins on tv it was a treat. I remember going in to that game with Dallas thinking we didn't have much of a chance, Dallas was the real powerhouse at that time and we were on our 3rd Qb for the season in Steve Deberg. Well the ice storm was a real equalizer as no one had really good footing for the whole game. It was already a classic before Leon Lett slid into the ball after the fieldgoal block, but that made it the most memorable Thanksgiving game I have ever seen. In a way I've always felt a little sorry for Leon Lett, he was a pretty darn good defensive tackle and that play along with his Superbowl fumble are what he is best known for.
 
Kiick72 said:
I was living outside Atlanta back in '93 so any time I could see the Dolphins on tv it was a treat. I remember going in to that game with Dallas thinking we didn't have much of a chance, Dallas was the real powerhouse at that time and we were on our 3rd Qb for the season in Steve Deberg. Well the ice storm was a real equalizer as no one had really good footing for the whole game. It was already a classic before Leon Lett slid into the ball after the fieldgoal block, but that made it the most memorable Thanksgiving game I have ever seen. In a way I've always felt a little sorry for Leon Lett, he was a pretty darn good defensive tackle and that play along with his Superbowl fumble are what he is best known for.
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Yep. Even at the time I was thinking that.

I couldn't believe that game. I was just sitting on the couch and laughing. No way do we win that game.

Keith Byars and his little chop step running style worked well on that track.
 
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