'NFL 100 Greatest' Games, No. 4: 'The Epic in Miami'

[GOfins54]

Marino’s first game back from the Achilles should be there too

 

[coalesce]

The Super Bowl win over Washington to go a perfect 17-0 didn’t make the list? FEH!!!

 

[royalshank]

Marino’s first game back from the Achilles should be there too

That’s a good call. It was a better game than the Marino/O’Brien shootout IMO.

 

[ChrisTRD]

I feel like the 1994 opener vs the Pats should be on there. Epic duel between Marino (coming back from injury) vs Bledsoe.

 

[NYC#1finsfan]

And the 2019 team recognized for possibly the worst team, in terms of talent since the merger. That concerns me more...........

 

[FINMAN1]

I’ve always said the SB vs Washington the ‘82 season was an underrated game in an era when just about every SB was a blowout. For some reason this game gets overlooked all the time. Glad to see it made the list. Theisman doesn’t make a great play on Bokamper (Joes best play of the game) and we win the ball game. Up 24-13 at that point in the contest, Riggins becomes irrelevant. What was special about this game was it was like a welterweight fighter going against a heavyweight- us being from the lighter class. We made a couple big plays on O and ST to get a lead, our D fought like hell against an opponent that per player probably weighed 30 pounds more than us and eventually they wore us down. But it took almost a full 60 minutes to do it. And despite that they could push us off of the ball on w their massive O-line, we only surrendered two big running plays - 1 off of a reverse and the other the dagger on that 4th and 1. While they plunged into the line for 2-4 yards at a clip all game, they couldn’t open up the airways. We picked Theisman 2x in the 2nd half. One of them set us up at their 40 but we couldn’t get a first down. The game was a white knuckler from a tension standpoint. Outcome in doubt until Riggins popped the big run.

And that was also the game that convinced Shula to get a QB in the next draft.
As you probably remember, Woodley completed only 4 passes in that game for 80 yards. 76 of them on one play to Cefalo!!!!!

 

[Adam Strange]

True but I considered us a top franchise until 1998-1999.

Actually check that - even part way into the Wanny era we were good.

They were good, but the last Dolphins team to be a legitimate contender to get to the Super Bowl was the 1994 team.

*I know people will say the 2002 team, but I’m never going to call a team that can’t even get in as a wildcard a contender.

 

[royalshank]

And that was also the game that convinced Shula to get a QB in the next draft.
As you probably remember, Woodley completed only 4 passes in that game for 80 yards. 76 of them on one play to Cefalo!!!!!

Yes. Painful. Only pass he completed in 2nd half was to a skin. There was an HBO documentary on Woodley after he passed away and it was very sad to learn (via ex wife / widow) that he suffered from terrible social anxiety (why he never took his helmet off) and she recounted how the night before the SB he had such an anxiety attack at being on that stage that he supposedly drank an entire case of beer. Players said he reeked in the huddle. He had a liver transplant at 34, kept drinking and died at 44. Strock should have come into the game sooner but the formula was only after falling behind. Sad about Woodley though.

 

[royalshank]

They were good, but the last Dolphins team to be a legitimate contender to get to the Super Bowl was the 1994 team.

*I know people will say the 2002 team, but I’m never going to call a team that can’t even get in as a wildcard a contender.

Agreed. No argument here.

 

[Joe Dolfan]

Why is it that the epic games we LOST always seem to rank higher?! SMH.

I was just shy of 11 when that game was played and it crushed my spirit for months! I remember how deflated I was once SD got out to that big 1st quarter lead, but how euphoric I was at halftime.

Hypothetically, for those that watched the game, had MIA managed to win it (thanks a lot Von Shank), do you think Dolphins would have fared any better in the -59 wind chill in Cincinnati than the Chargers did?

If so, do you think that team could have taken down the Niners — who wasn’t near as good as their ‘84 team?

I’ve always wondered what could have been with a competent kicker.

#100: 1982 AFC Championship vs. New York Jets (Mud Bowl)
#94: 1982 Week 14 vs. New England Patriots (Snowplow Game)
#91: 1986 Week 3 vs. New York Jets (Ken O’Brien vs. Dan Marino shootout)
#83: 1994 Week 13 vs. New York Jets (Marino’s fake spike)
#79: 1985 AFC Divisional Playoff vs. Cleveland Browns (Marino’s 18 point comeback)
#73: 1983 Super Bowl XVII vs. Washington Redskins
#43: 2000 Week 8 vs. New York Jets (Monday Night Miracle)
#29: 1985 Week 13 vs. Chicago Bears (Dolphins deny Chicago a perfect season)
#23: 1974 AFC Divisional Playoff vs. Oakland Raiders (Sea of Hands Game)
#18: 1971 AFC Divisional Playoff vs. Kansas City Chiefs (NFL’s longest game)
#4: 1981 AFC Divisional Playoff vs. San Diego Chargers (Epic in Miami)

Dolphins recognized as part of 11 of the greatest games in NFL history

The Miami Dolphins have had a prominent hand in helping to form the rich history of the National Football League — and as the league looks back on their first 100 years, Miami is getting a no…

dolphinswire.usatoday.com

What'd we win? Four of those? I agree; the NE bias is alive and well.

Edit: NE is Northeast