NFL Throwback: Dolphins VS Colts 1999

[laxcoach]

Bruce Arians was Manning’s QB coach back then. Easy in retrospect, but clearly a good coach on the rise.

just watched that whole video. It occurred to me that JJ was the last true rebuild before last year. We never got over the top, but we were at least competitive.

 

[Adam Strange]

I just saw this game on YouTube the other night. There’s actually an article on the Dolphins website where Oronde Gadsden discusses it. Dan was amazing at the end, but it’s very sad that even in 1999 that was the only strategy— it was Marino or bust.

There was a drive earlier in the game where the Dolphins got down to the goal line and ran it four times— and were stuffed four times. Granted, Cecil Collins scored later in the game, but he looked awful in that sequence, as did the entire offensive unit. Whatever his successes on the defensive side (and whether they were even all that), JJ utterly failed on the offensive side. And the franchise utterly failed in finding any kind of successor to Marino in what was clearly his last season (that Thanksgiving game in ‘99 referenced above was awful and heartbreaking).

 

[laxcoach]

Don’t forget, when JJ got there he chose to leave the O mostly intact, with Gary Stevens retained as OC.

I would argue that was a mistake. He tried to take half measures in deference to Marino initially. He should have torn down the O side too.

that said, there wouldn’t have been as much draft capital to build the D

 

[MinnFinFan]

"Dan says run the Go. Jimmy says run the Hitch. I figure, Dan's on the field, I better run the Go and if we don't get it, I'm probably going to get cut. " - Gadsden

Dan had balls and the arm to back it up!

 

[Dolphins3]

Wild finish to that one. That’s the game Peyton talks about watching Marino hit a deep seam on a 3rd and long and marveling something to the effect of “that’s not normal” - it stuck out for Peyton because when he tells the story, he said he never really watched the other team’s offense but he wanted to see Dan.

I assumed Peyton was talking about his first NFL game (a loss to Miami in Indy in 1998). I've only heard the story in the context of the A Football Lifeepisode on marino. Peyton refers to college (says he didn't really watch other QB's that much) then says when he got to the NFL, he wa sgoing to watch Marino during their games.

 

[Dolphins3]

Doing the coast to coast and back didn’t help the team playing the well-rested Jags who had a bye. Didn’t Fred Taylor score on the first series on a 70 yard scamper or something? The game is a blur - I just remember it being over within minutes and Dan’s last NFL pass went for a TD before halftime. That loss was so brutal.

He scored ona 90 yarder. During the MNF game the season before, Taylor scored on a 70+ yarder. The 1999 divisional game was dreadful from beginning to end. In hindsight, Marino probably shouldn't have started the second half (his last pass would have been a TD instead of a a nothing series to start the second half). The game was over after the first quarter. The defense was dreadful. Marino didn't play well, but he was the best player on the field for the Dolphins that day. Receivers didn't finish their routes (lack of effort). The defense couldn't tackle anybody and looked like a 4 year old kid trying to catch a super ball as it was bouncing down a concrete ramp. Receivers dropped passes left and right. Autrey Denson dropped a backwards pass then made zero effort to track down the fumble. Marino made a terrible throw on his first attempt that was intercepted by Aaron Beasley. His other picks weren't necessarily his fault (going back to receivers not finishing their routes and dropped passes or deflections by the receiver). One receiver (I don't recall who) caught a pass and just had it taken out of his hands by Carnell Lake. It was total team effort as far as losses go. I brought myself to watch this game on yt a couple days ago ( I actually missed it when it aired live in 1999 and caught it late in the 4th quarter then. I haven't watched it since. The Dolphins didn't even finish second that day.

 

[jfleag61]

Doing the coast to coast and back didn’t help the team playing the well-rested Jags who had a bye. Didn’t Fred Taylor score on the first series on a 70 yard scamper or something? The game is a blur - I just remember it being over within minutes and Dan’s last NFL pass went for a TD before halftime. That loss was so brutal.

Yep, the Seattle game was late on Sunday, Jags was early on Saturday.

 

[royalshank]

I assumed Peyton was talking about his first NFL game (a loss to Miami in Indy in 1998). I've only heard the story in the context of the A Football Lifeepisode on marino. Peyton refers to college (says he didn't really watch other QB's that much) then says when he got to the NFL, he wa sgoing to watch Marino during their games.

You are right. It was the ‘98 game.

 

[Andyman]

PS - that 4th down pass to Gadsden on the final drive was HOF material right there. Geez no one delivered the ball w such quickness and authority. And for you younger folks - that was a broken down Dan Marino in 1999 - knees shot, Achilles shot. If you haven’t watched, find some games from 1983-1993 and enjoy tons of jaw dropping moments. Or week 1 of 1994 if you want to see how arguably the GOAT answered the bell in his return from the Achilles surgery. All gimpy he threw 5 deep TDs in a shootout over NE.

That 1994 game...man, I get chills thinking of it. That bullet post pattern to Ingram and the 4th and 5 deep pass to Fryar late were things of beauty. He was still limping a lot but it was a statement he was back.

 

[ChitownPhins28]

PS - that 4th down pass to Gadsden on the final drive was HOF material right there. Geez no one delivered the ball w such quickness and authority. And for you younger folks - that was a broken down Dan Marino in 1999 - knees shot, Achilles shot. If you haven’t watched, find some games from 1983-1993 and enjoy tons of jaw dropping moments. Or week 1 of 1994 if you want to see how arguably the GOAT answered the bell in his return from the Achilles surgery. All gimpy he threw 5 deep TDs in a shootout over NE.

Jay Cutler wouldve dropped the ball and peed instead of delivering that 4th and 10 pass.

 

[ChitownPhins28]

That game was the last time I enjoyed watching Dan play football. Aside from some good moments in the losses at home against the Colts and Jets, he was horrible that year. And the game against Dallas was absolutely agonizing to watch (I think Dan threw 5 INTS and 1 pick six). Had Damon Huard started and finished that game, we might have won.

Dan's performance in the wildcard round against Seattle was clutch money, too. That should've been his last game but it wasnt cuz he won.
He got a pretty stout concussion in that WC game. In today's NFL he might not have even been cleared to play against Jax the next week.
It's also telling that he put up the 7 vs Jax and the backup put up Zero. As bad as he was in that game, he was still better than the rest of his teamates.

 

[ChitownPhins28]

Don’t forget, when JJ got there he chose to leave the O mostly intact, with Gary Stevens retained as OC.

I would argue that was a mistake. He tried to take half measures in deference to Marino initially. He should have torn down the O side too.

that said, there wouldn’t have been as much draft capital to build the D

He didnt have to tear anything down. He just needed to find some fkn O-line guys who could open holes.

 

[Andyman]

I just saw this game on YouTube the other night. There’s actually an article on the Dolphins website where Oronde Gadsden discusses it. Dan was amazing at the end, but it’s very sad that even in 1999 that was the only strategy— it was Marino or bust.

There was a drive earlier in the game where the Dolphins got down to the goal line and ran it four times— and were stuffed four times. Granted, Cecil Collins scored later in the game, but he looked awful in that sequence, as did the entire offensive unit. Whatever his successes on the defensive side (and whether they were even all that), JJ utterly failed on the offensive side. And the franchise utterly failed in finding any kind of successor to Marino in what was clearly his last season (that Thanksgiving game in ‘99 referenced above was awful and heartbreaking).

Yeah, for all his great defensive draft picks, JJ didn’t have a clue on offence. Not a clue.

 

[Andyman]

Lost in the beauty of that Marino comeback is what a waste of talent Cecil “the Diesel” was. That TD run showed his burst and power. Such a shame.

 

[Adam Strange]

Bruce Arians was Manning’s QB coach back then. Easy in retrospect, but clearly a good coach on the rise.

just watched that whole video. It occurred to me that JJ was the last true rebuild before last year. We never got over the top, but we were at least competitive.

Yeah, we were competitive, but the team was competitive before JJ too. And the success under JJ was very limited: 3 playoff trips, 2 wildcard wins, 2 squashings in the divisional round. The team had won a division title in 1994. It didn't win one again until after JJ (and Shula and Marino) had retired.