Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Shula's last two Super Bowl teams.

Both were complete opposites. One had a legendary offense and a meh defense, the other had a destructive defense and a meh offense.

Both lost to NFC powerhouses- albeit one more decisively, the other went down to the wire.

Which of these Miami Super Sunday teams was better?

It's not close, is it?

The ’84 team was so 1 dimensional. The ’82 team could do everything, even if at times they had to rely on the backup QB to get the passing game going.

TanksAndSpartans wrote:The ’84 team was so 1 dimensional. The ’82 team could do everything, even if at times they had to rely on the backup QB to get the passing game going.

The 1982 team also got to the Super Bowl in a nine-game season and was helped the "mistake" of not putting the tarp on the Orange Bowl field prior to the AFC title game.

TanksAndSpartans wrote:The ’84 team was so 1 dimensional. The ’82 team could do everything, even if at times they had to rely on the backup QB to get the passing game going.

Marino in his best season vs Woodstrock? It doesn't matter how good the '82 defense was.

'82 was a strike-shortened year but it's safe enough to assume that had there been a 16-game season, they still have themselves a playoff year similar to what we saw in the two surrounding seasons, closer to '81 I'd think. A very-good at absolute best more-balanced team than '84, but very-good at absolute best just the same. 1984's "one-trick" would be an ample enough answer for the, let's face it, not that great "Killer B's". Now as for the team that did beat (wallop) those '84 Dolphins in SBXIX...balanced as well but a more superior balanced team, especially pass-defense. '84 Broncos were a quite stronger balanced team than '82 Dolphins as well and, as I've stated in agreement with 7Den and others here many times, I think beat Miami in a hypo-AFCC.

The Broncos lost to Mark Malone's Steelers but they would have beaten Marino's Dolphins?

JohnH19 wrote:The Broncos lost to Mark Malone's Steelers but they would have beaten Marino's Dolphins?

That was a bad loss, no question, but I think they looked past the Steelers that year. Practically everyone thought that an Elway-Marino showdown in the AFC Title Game was in the bag, and the Broncos probably bought the hype. Heck, I didn't think the Steelers would make the playoffs that year because I didn't think they could beat the Raiders in LA in Week 16 (especially after what happened a year ago in the playoffs).

BD Sullivan wrote:

TanksAndSpartans wrote:The ’84 team was so 1 dimensional. The ’82 team could do everything, even if at times they had to rely on the backup QB to get the passing game going.

The 1982 team also got to the Super Bowl in a nine-game season and was helped the "mistake" of not putting the tarp on the Orange Bowl field prior to the AFC title game.

Dolphins beat the Jets twice previously that season and were at home. The tarp would have prevented the 3rd win?

JohnH19 wrote:

TanksAndSpartans wrote:The ’84 team was so 1 dimensional. The ’82 team could do everything, even if at times they had to rely on the backup QB to get the passing game going.

Marino in his best season vs Woodstrock? It doesn't matter how good the '82 defense was.

The '82 team would have run the ball on the abysmal '84 defense to try to keep it out of Marino's hands.

I have no problem being in the minority and taking the '82 team. Neither team won a title and the Marino era was much longer, but I'll take the great game/playoff loss against the Chargers followed by a somewhat competitive loss to Washington in the SB over anything the Marino era team did. The 49ers had the '84 team so well game planned that it felt like it was over almost from the beginning.

TanksAndSpartans wrote:

BD Sullivan wrote:

TanksAndSpartans wrote:The ’84 team was so 1 dimensional. The ’82 team could do everything, even if at times they had to rely on the backup QB to get the passing game going.

The 1982 team also got to the Super Bowl in a nine-game season and was helped the "mistake" of not putting the tarp on the Orange Bowl field prior to the AFC title game.

Dolphins beat the Jets twice previously that season and were at home. The tarp would have prevented the 3rd win?

JohnH19 wrote:

TanksAndSpartans wrote:The ’84 team was so 1 dimensional. The ’82 team could do everything, even if at times they had to rely on the backup QB to get the passing game going.

Marino in his best season vs Woodstrock? It doesn't matter how good the '82 defense was.

The '82 team would have run the ball on the abysmal '84 defense to try to keep it out of Marino's hands.

I have no problem being in the minority and taking the '82 team. Neither team won a title and the Marino era was much longer, but I'll take the great game/playoff loss against the Chargers followed by a somewhat competitive loss to Washington in the SB over anything the Marino era team did. The 49ers had the '84 team so well game planned that it felt like it was over almost from the beginning.

So the '82 team coached by Don Shula would have run the ball to keep it away from the '84 Dolphins coached by Don Shula. I hate "what ifs".

The 14-2 '84 Dolphins lost decisively to a 15-1 powerhouse. What a disgrace.