Game-by-game run of the perfect 1972 Miami Dolphins
The streak continues...
(Dick Raphael-USA TODAY Sports)
The 2022 Philadephia Eagles lost their Week 10 matchup against the Washington Commanders, ending a run at a perfect season.
That means the 1972 Miami Dolphins still reign as the only NFL team to finish a season—postseason included—without a loss.
Here’s the game-by-game breakdown of that epic run in ’72…
Week 1: Defeated Kansas City Chiefs, 20-10
(Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports)
The Dolphins got off to a fast start, rolling to a 17-0 halftime lead as Don Shula and Hank Stram matched wits. Bob Griese only threw 15 passes, completing 8 for 111 yards and a TD to Marlin Briscoe. Larry Csonka rushed for 118 yards and a score.
Week 2: Defeated Houston Oilers, 34-13
(Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY Sports (c) Copyright 1972)
Another fast break and the Dolphins cruised over the Oilers. Jim Kiick had two touchdown runs. Miami scored the first 27 points and was never threatened.
Week 3: Defeated Minnesota Vikings, 16-14
(Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
This was a thriller. The Vikings took a 14-6 lead on a short Bill Brown run in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins scored 10 points as Garo Yepremian hit a 51-yard field goal and Jim Mandich caught a 3-yard scoring pass from Griese for the difference. Griese was only 16-of-33 for 127 yards with 2 picks.
Week 4: Defeated New York Jets, 27-17
(Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK)
Miami fell behind early when Jets lineman Randy Rasmussen recovered a fumble in the end zone for a score. The Dolphins then ran off 17 straight points and 24 of the next 27 to improve to 4-0. Csonka had 102 yards rushing and Kiick scored a pair of TDs.
Week 5: Defeated San Diego Chargers, 24-10
(Dick Raphael-USA TODAY Sports)
Tied at 3-3 after one quarter, the Dolphins stifled the Bolts while scoring 21 points over the second and third. Earl Morrall was 8-for-10 with a pair of TD passes as Griese was 1-of-3 before being tackled hard by Deacon Jones and Ron East of the San Diego Chargers, and suffering a broken right leg and dislocated ankle.
Week 6: Defeated Buffalo Bills, 24-23
(Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
A squeaker as the Bills got a TD pass from Mike Taliaferro to Jim Braxton to close within 24-23 in the fourth quarter. Mercury Morris had a pair of rushing TDs and Csonka had another score. The Bills completed 7 passes for 45 yards in the loss. Csonka had 107 rushing yards.
Week 7: Defeated Baltimore Colts, 23-0
(Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
Don Shula’s Dolphins defeated the team the great once coached in an emphatic fashion. The Fish shut out the Colts, scoring all the points in the first three quarters. Csonka had two short TD runs and Morris had another. Miami rushed for 286 yards did not put anyone over the century mark.
Week 8: Defeated Buffalo Bills, 30-16
(Dick Raphael-USA TODAY Sports)
It was 16-13 at halftime in favor of Miami. The Dolphins only allowed a field goal after the break while getting a TD pass from Morrall to Marv Fleming and a run by Morris.
Week 9: Defeated New England Patriots, 52-0
(Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
A complete blowout. The Patriots came in 2-6 and left 2-7. Miami scored in every quarter and New England didn’t score. Morris had 3 touchdown runs. Earl Morrall and Jim Del Gaizo went a combined 11-for-19 for 307 yards and 3 TD passes. A waltz.
Week 10: Defeated New York Jets, 28-24
(Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
The Dolphins scored a touchdown in every quarter and the last one was the most important as it gave them the victory. Morris’ 14-yard run accounted for the only points in the final 15 minutes and overcame a 24-21 deficit. Morris had 107 rushing yards and 2 rushing TDs.
Week 11: Defeated St. Louis Cardinals, 31-10
(Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
The 1-8-1 Cardinals were no match for the Miami Dolphins. It was 10-3 at halftime, and Miami added 14 points in the third quarter on a TD throw from Morrall to Otto Stowe and Lloyd Mumphord’s 28-yard pick-six. Stowe and Morrall combined for a 27-yard score in the final quarter to seal the victory.
Week 12: Defeated New England Patriots, 37-21
(Malcolm Emmons- USA TODAY Sports)
Another easy win over an AFC East foe. The Dolphins were up 30-7 after three quarters and coasted home. Morris and Csonka combined for 204 rushing yards and each had a receiving touchdown as did Kiick.
Week 13: Defeated New York Giants, 23-13
(Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
The Fish built a 17-6 lead at halftime on a Morris touchdown and 34-yard pass from Morrall to Paul Warfield. The only scoring in the second half were a pair of Yepremian field goals.
Week 14: Defeated Baltimore Colts, 16-0
(Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
The perfect regular season was concluded with a shutout of the Colts. The defense had three picks and limited Baltimore to 126 net pass yards. Johnny Unitas backed up Marty Domres and went 1-of-2 for 3 yards. Griese played some and went 2-of-3 for 19 yards.
Divisional Round: Defeated Cleveland Browns, 20-14
(Dick Raphael-USA TODAY Sports)
The Dolphins trailed in the fourth quarter, 14-13, as Mike Phipps connected with Fair Hooker on a 27-yard pass. However, Kiick saved the day with an 8-yard TD run. Phipps was picked off 5 times in the game. Dick Anderson had 2, as did Doug Swift. Curtis Johnson had the third with a 33-yard return.
Conference Championship: Defeated Pittsburgh Steelers 21-17
(Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
The Dolphins trailed the Steelers 10-7 in the third quarter but Kiick had a pair of short touchdown runs to make it 21-10 and the closest the Steelers could get was four points on a TD pass from Terry Bradshaw to Al Young. Super Bowl, here they come. Griese came in for Morrall in this one.
Super Bowl: Defeated Washington, 14-7
(Darryl Norenberg-USA TODAY Sports)
The final touch on a 17-0 season, Miami led 14-0 before Garo Yepremian’s infamous pass attempt on a botched field goal. The 49-yard return by Mike Bass is well-remembered but more important was Miami finishing the season perfect. Csonka had 112 yards on 15 carries.
