Ranking the Super Bowls, #46: Super Bowl VI

(photo credit: pinterest.com)

No one knew it when Super VI kicked off, but now when it's looked back on at the title game of the 1971 NFL season as a matchup between the cream of the crop of the 1970s. Along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders, the Miami Dolphins and the Dallas Cowboys combined for 12 trips to Super Sunday and eight titles in the decade.

The 1971 NFL Title game would turn out to be instrumental in the future of both franchises. While Miami would come up short in Super Bowl VI it would be the prequel back-to-back titles including the league's only undefeated season a year later. The Cowboys were able to shake the demons of past failures including a Super Bowl loss the previous season and losing both the 1966 and '67 NFL Championship Games (pre-1970 merger). This game would propel Dallas to become one of the NFL's marquee franchises and become 'American's Team' by 1980.

After the Cowboys failed to gain any momentum on their two drives they were able to take a early 3-0 lead on their third possesion. The Dolphins had been moving the chains when Hall of Fame fullback Larry Csonka fumbled for the first time in 238 carries. Dallas took advantage of that miscue and were the first on the board. Then first year starter Roger Staubach connected with Wide Reciever Lance Alworth the endzone to give Dallas a 10-0 lead in the second quarter. Bob Griese was able to drive the Dolphins into field goal range go into the half down 10-3.

In the second half, Tom Landy's defense shut down a potent Dolphins offense led by running back Csonka and Jim Kiick. The duo who had rushed for a combined 1,789 yards during the regular season were held to a total of 80 yards in New Orleans that Sunday. Griese's favorite target, Hall of Famer Paul Warfield, was limited to 39 yards on four receptions as Miami was shut out in the second half. The Cowboys dominated the second half as Staubach connected with Mike Ditka for a score while Duane Thomas punched in another one.

The Cowboys won the game by a final score of 24-3. The three points for the Dolphins still stands as the least amount of points scored by a team in a Super Bowl.