Your Unpopular Football Opinions

[Saban1]

The Miami Dolphins, from November 15th 1970 through November 9th 1975 to went 68--12-1 (counting postseason) and were the single greatest team in NFL history during that period.

If not for Clarence Davis they win 3 Super Bowls in row

The Dolphins had quite a team with Csonka, Kiick, Morris, Warfield, Griese, and the no-name D. Warfield was a gift courtesy of Art Modell.

Too bad that Csonka, Kiick, and Warfield went into the World Football League.

[Rupert Patrick]

The Miami Dolphins, from November 15th 1970 through November 9th 1975 to went 68--12-1 (counting postseason) and were the single greatest team in NFL history during that period.

If not for Clarence Davis they win 3 Super Bowls in row

I think if the Dolphins had gotten past Oakland in the Sea of Hands game, Pittsburgh would have beaten Miami in the AFC Championship. After the 1972 Championship and the 1973 MNF game, Pittsburgh had the revenge factor on their side. The Steelers also had the home field advantage on their side, and the temps in Pittsburgh on 12/29/74 were clear and in the mid 40's.

[JuggernautJ]

I think if the Dolphins had gotten past Miami in the Sea of Hands game....

And they said Don Shula teams didn't "beat themselves."

[Rupert Patrick]

I think if the Dolphins had gotten past Miami in the Sea of Hands game....

And they said Don Shula teams didn't "beat themselves."

Corrected.

[Saban1]

Here may or may not be an unpopular opinion. I think that Miami's 1973 team was better than their 1972 team, even though the 1972 team was undefeated and untied.

One thing that the 1973 team did that those Dolphins teams usually had a hard time doing was that they beat Oakland, and in the AFC championship game.

[ChrisBabcock]

Here may or may not be an unpopular opinion. I think that Miami's 1973 team was better than their 1972 team, even though the 1972 team was undefeated and untied.

Conversely, at the opposite end of the spectrum, and somewhere else in Florida, the 1977 Bucs team was far worse than the 0-14 1976 team. Well, at least the first 12 games. That 3-30 TD-INT ratio is... shocking.

[BD Sullivan]

Here may or may not be an unpopular opinion. I think that Miami's 1973 team was better than their 1972 team, even though the 1972 team was undefeated and untied.

One thing that the 1973 team did that those Dolphins teams usually had a hard time doing was that they beat Oakland, and in the AFC championship game.

The 1973 team's two losses came in the 12-7 game at Berkeley against the Raiders and then a throwaway game against the Colts (in Baltimore in Week 13, with reserves dotting the lineup.

[Jay Z]

The Miami Dolphins, from November 15th 1970 through November 9th 1975 to went 68--12-1 (counting postseason) and were the single greatest team in NFL history during that period.

If not for Clarence Davis they win 3 Super Bowls in row

I think if the Dolphins had gotten past Oakland in the Sea of Hands game, Pittsburgh would have beaten Miami in the AFC Championship. After the 1972 Championship and the 1973 MNF game, Pittsburgh had the revenge factor on their side. The Steelers also had the home field advantage on their side, and the temps in Pittsburgh on 12/29/74 were clear and in the mid 40's.

The game would have been in Miami. This was the last year of the rotational system for determining seeds. Pittsburgh was #1, that's why they got to play Buffalo. Under the seeding system, operative the next year, Oakland would have hosted Buffalo and Pittsburgh would have gone to Miami in the divisional round. Here, Pittsburgh was the #1 seed. But for the conference championship, the host was always the winner of the #2-#3 game. So Miami would have hosted them.

I think Pittsburgh wins anyway. Miami's secondary was banged up and they kind of got torched by Stabler. The question would be Noll taking the wraps off Bradshaw enough. The injuries hurt the Dolphins a lot, because their run defense was always good but not great. You could run on the Dolphins, but they could run it more and protect the lead when they got it.

Pittsburgh really got the benefit of the home field draw. They got the AFC championship at home in 1972 because they were #2 and the winner of that game got the home game. Then in 1973 they were wild card, but division winny Cincy got the tougher game, at Miami where Pittsburgh was at Oakland. Then in 1974 they were third seed by record and got to host Buffalo in the 1st round. Then in 1975 they had the best record in conference, and lucky for them, the NFL started seeding by record.

Had the Steelers had to go through both Miami and Oakland, maybe they don't pull it off in 1974. The Raiders had their own problems, a weak run defense, but who knows.

[Rupert Patrick]

Here may or may not be an unpopular opinion. I think that Miami's 1973 team was better than their 1972 team, even though the 1972 team was undefeated and untied.

Conversely, at the opposite end of the spectrum, and somewhere else in Florida, the 1977 Bucs team was far worse than the 0-14 1976 team. Well, at least the first 12 games. That 3-30 TD-INT ratio is... shocking.

The 77 Bucs offense was the worst of any team since WWII, but their defense had made a quantum leap forward from 1976 and were assembling a lot of good young players. The 77 Bucs defense was average to a little above average. I've said in the past I thought the 77 Bucs were maybe the best 2-12 team in pro football history and I'll stick with that, and in 1977 offense was at such a low that their defense kept them in many games. They only gave up 20 points or more three times on the season, and lost eight games by 10 points or less. If you had taken the 1977 Bucs and added Jim Zorn and Steve Largent, I think they might have won the NFC Central division.

[Rupert Patrick]

The Miami Dolphins, from November 15th 1970 through November 9th 1975 to went 68--12-1 (counting postseason) and were the single greatest team in NFL history during that period.

If not for Clarence Davis they win 3 Super Bowls in row

I think if the Dolphins had gotten past Oakland in the Sea of Hands game, Pittsburgh would have beaten Miami in the AFC Championship. After the 1972 Championship and the 1973 MNF game, Pittsburgh had the revenge factor on their side. The Steelers also had the home field advantage on their side, and the temps in Pittsburgh on 12/29/74 were clear and in the mid 40's.

The game would have been in Miami. This was the last year of the rotational system for determining seeds. Pittsburgh was #1, that's why they got to play Buffalo. Under the seeding system, operative the next year, Oakland would have hosted Buffalo and Pittsburgh would have gone to Miami in the divisional round. Here, Pittsburgh was the #1 seed. But for the conference championship, the host was always the winner of the #2-#3 game. So Miami would have hosted them.

According to the 12/17/74 Pittsburgh Press pg 29, a Pittsburgh vs. Miami AFC Championship game would have been held in Pittsburgh and it would have been a 4 PM start.