 |
| (photo credit: nydailynews.com) |
A year after their perfect season,
the Miami Dolphins returned, this time after a 12-2 season, to the Super Bowl
to try and become the first team to defend as World Champions since the Green
Bay Packers in Super Bowls I and II. The Vikings also came into the game with
two losses on the season, but were a heavy underdog.
The game was the first Super Bowl
to be played at a site that did not host an NFL franchise, and the last to be
played with goal posts at the front of the end zone. Played at Rice stadium in
Houston, TX, it was the first time the AFC team came into the game favored.
Miami opened the game strong,
scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions of the game with back-to-back
10-play drives. At the end of the first quarter, the Dolphins led 14-0 in
points, 118-25 in yards, 20-6 in plays from scrimmage and 8-1 in first downs.
After adding a field goal, and
stopping the Vikings on fourth-and-one late in the second quarter, Miami went
into halftime with a 17-0 lead and every ounce of momentum.
Miami’s dominance continued into
the third quarter, where they pushed Minnesota back to their own seven-yard
line on the opening possession of the half. After returning the punt to the
Vikings 43-yard line, the Dolphins lead an eight-play drive that ended in Larry
Csonka’s second touchdown of the game.
Minnesota scored late in the fourth
quarter on a Fran Tarkenton run, but it would be their only score of the game
after a recovered onside kick was called back by an offsides penalty.
Dolphins quarterback Brian Griese
finished the game with six completions on seven attempts, the fewest ever by a
team in the Super Bowl. Larry Csonka won MVP honors due to his 145 rushing
yards and two touchdowns.
No comments:
Post a Comment