Bradley Ruzicka

Headline: “The Pack Is Back” with the Green Bay Packers’ best post-Lombardi record and first trip to the post-season since 1967.

Regular Season Record: 10 – 4 (First Place NFC Central Division)

Offseason Highlights: After 16 years as quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, Bryan Bartlet Starr retired on July 22 1972. Subsequently, on July 27, Starr agreed to join Head Coach Dan Devine’s coaching staff as Green Bay’s quarterback coach, one of the first to hold such a specialized position in the NFL. Starr’s duties would expand dramatically as the 1972 season progressed, making him the de facto offensive coordinator as he designed game plans and called the plays.

Bart Starr started his professional football career as the Packers’ 17th round selection in the 1956 NFL Draft, the 200th overall pick, out of Alabama. Johnny Dee, the Alabama basketball coach, was a friend of Jack Vainisi, Green Bay’s personnel director. Dee recommended Starr as a prospect to Vainisi. The Packers ultimately became convinced he had the ability to succeed in the NFL and would learn the pro game quickly. Starr began as a backup to QB Tobin Rote in 1956 and subsequently split time with QB Babe Parilli until 1959, Vince Lombardi’s first year as Packers head coach. Initially, Lombardi wasn’t happy with any of the quarterbacks he’d inherited, and obtained Lamar HcHan from the Chicago Cardinals prior to the 1959 season to be his starter.

McHan started the first seven games and Starr saw little action. However, in Week 7 against the Chicago Bears, Lombardi replaced McHan with Starr at the beginning of the second half after McHan pulled a hamstring. With McHan still injured the next week, Lombardi named Starr the starter against the Baltimore Colts, although he wasn’t yet sold on his ability to lead the Packers’ offense. According to John Eisenberg in his book, That First Season, “The coach liked Starr’s work ethic and intelligence but was bothered by his mild demeanor and penchant for making mistakes.” Baltimore won the game, 28-24, but Starr almost led Green Bay to a come from behind victory, throwing for 242 yards. According to Eisenberg, “Lombardi had to smile at how unpredictable this game was. Maybe the starting quarterback he wanted had been on his roster all along.”

After going 3-15-1 over three years in games he started, never playing all four quarters of a victory, Starr got his first complete game win as a starting quarterback in Week 9 against the Washington Redskins, 21-0, completing 11 out of 19 passes for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns. Lombardi was now convinced that Starr would be Green Bay’s trigger man henceforth. The coach and his quarterback subsequently led the Packers to six NFL Championship Games and five NFL titles in nine years. However, Starr injured his shoulder early in 1967, an injury that plagued him throughout the remainder of his career, finally forcing his retirement at the age of 38. Starr finished his career with 1,808 completions out of 3,149 attempts (57.4%) for 24,718 yards, 152 touchdowns, 138 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 80.5, for a total of 94 career wins.

During his tenure, Starr was voted to the Pro Bowl four times. He was also voted NFL Most Valuable Player by both AP and UPI in 1966, was chosen Super Bowl I & II MVP in 1966 and 1967, and was the only quarterback in NFL history to lead a team to three consecutive league championships (1965-67). Starr was inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1977, his first year of eligibility, and is one of only six Green Bay Packers to have his number (15) retired by the team. At the time of his retirement, Starr had the second best career passer rating in NFL history, and owns the highest post season QB rating (104.8) in NFL history.

Green Bay’s 1st and 2nd round selections in the 1972 NFL Draft yielded two future All-Pros; San Diego State CB Willie Buchanon (7th overall) and K Chester Marcol from tiny Hillsdale College (34 overall). Both played key roles during the 1972 season. Buchanon would become a shutdown corner, playing seven of his 11 NFL seasons with the Packers, before finishing his career with the San Diego Chargers in 1982. During his time in Green Bay, Buchanon started 80 out of 80 games he was available, intercepting 21 passes for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, a broken leg in both his second and fourth seasons robbed him of 20 games, and possible Hall of Fame consideration.

Marcol would play eight years for Green Bay before being released during the 1980 season, finishing his career with the Houston Oilers. Marcol would subsequently retire prior to the 1981 season. Highly successful two out of his first three years, Marcol would be named All-Pro in 1972 and 1974. However, a succession of injuries and personal problems limited his success later in his career. Marcol finished his Packers’ career having converted 120 out of 195 field goal attempts (61.5%) and 155 out of 164 extra point attempts (94.5%), totaling 521 points.

Devine would use his second 1st round selection, acquired from San Diego a year earlier for backup DT Kevin Hardy, on Nebraska QB Jerry Tagge (11th overall). While Tagge had led the Cornhuskers to two consecutive National Championships, he was ranked by most scouts as a third round talent, although both Devine and Assistant General Manager Pat Peppler thought he had the talent to win in the NFL. However, Tagge would ultimately play only three seasons in Green Bay, starting 12 out of 18 games, while completing 136 out of 281 attempts (48.4%) for 1,583 yards, 3 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 44.2. Sixth round pick DT Dave Pureifory (6 seasons), 8th round selection WR Leland Glass (2 seasons), and 10th round pick OT Keith Wortman (4 seasons) were the only other selections of note.

The 1972 draft would see the selection of only one future Pro Football Hall of Famer; 13th overall pick, Penn State RB Franco Harris (Pittsburgh Steelers). No one could have imagined at the time that Harris, in his rookie season, would not only tie Hall of Fame RB Jim Brown’s record of six 100 yard games in one season, he’d be involved in one of the most memorable plays in NFL history, the “Immaculate Reception”.

There were two rules changes made during the offseason that would have a significant impact on future NFL teams. First, the inbounds lines or hashmarks were moved closer to the center of the field, 23 yards, 1 foot, 9 inches from the sidelines. The hashmarks were now 18 feet, 6 inches apart, the same width as the goalposts, cutting down on severe angles for short field goal attempts. Second, tie games, previously ignored in computing of winning percentage, were made equal to a half-game win and a half-game loss.

Finally, beginning with the 1972 season, the Kansas City Chiefs moved their home games to Arrowhead Stadium at the Truman Sports Complex, becoming the 12th team to play their home games on artificial turf.

Regular Season Highlights: Green Bay finished first in the NFC Central Division with a record of 10-4, one and a half games ahead of the 8-5-1 Detroit Lions, leading the division from start to finish and making the playoffs for the first time since 1967. Packer fans once again enjoyed chanting “The Pack Is Back” in 1972, because it seemed to be true in Head Coach Dan Devine’s second season. Relying on strong running, one of the NFL’s best defenses, and a rejuvenated kicking game, Green Bay finished the year with their most wins since 1966. The Packers also finished an impressive 5-1 against division opponents, including two wins over Detroit, gaining a measure of revenge after losing both games to the Lions in 1970 by a combined margin of 60-0.

Change was again the theme in 1972 as Devine continued to reshape the roster, with 21 players absent from the 1971 squad as the season began. DE Lionel Aldridge and QB Zeke Bratkowski, both Packers since 1963, were traded. Aldridge, along with a 1974 3rd round draft pick, was sent to the San Diego Chargers on April 18 for S Jim Hill, while Bratkowski was traded to Chicago on September 1 for a 1974 6th round draft choice. Aldridge started 116 out of 123 games during his nine years with Green Bay, playing two seasons with San Diego before retiring in 1974. Hill would replace future Hall of Fame S Willie Wood, who retired at the end of the 1971 season after 12 years. Wood, a five time All-Pro, finished his career with 48 interceptions for 699 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Bratkowski, a valuable backup to the retired Bart Starr for seven seasons after he was waived by the Los Angeles Rams and subsequently picked up by Vince Lombardi in 1963, completed a total of 762 passes out of 1,484 attempts (51.3%) for 10,345 yards, 65 touchdowns, 122 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 54.3 during his 15 year career with the Bears, Rams, and Packers. Assistant GM Pat Peppler also left to join the Miami Dolphins prior to the beginning of the season. Peppler had been Lombardi’s Director of Player Personnel since 1963, serving in a similar role for Phi Bengston and for Devine during his first two NFL drafts. In a January 2011 JSOnline article, Martin Hendricks said Peppler left because he could no longer work for Devine. In any case, it was clear that the last remnants of the Lombardi era were rapidly disappearing.

Devine also traded RB Dave Hampton, after only three seasons, to the Atlanta Falcons for OG Malcolm Snider on September 6. Hampton had been in Devine’s doghouse due to a number of fumbles in 1971. While rushing for only 787 yards total during his time in Green Bay, Hampton was a valuable kickoff returner for the Packers, leading the league with 1,314 yards the previous season. In Atlanta, Hampton would blossom as a running back, gaining 3,482 yards in a little more than four seasons, before finishing his career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976. Snider played only two years with Green Bay, retiring after the 1974 season. The trade was precipitated by an ill-advised change that resulted in an inauspicious start to the 1972 regular season.

Gale Gillingham was drafted by Lombardi with Green Bay’s 1st overall pick in 1966, and became the starting left guard as of 1967. From 1969-71, Gillingham was a unanimous All-Pro selection, and considered one of the best offensive lineman in the NFL. In Week 3 of the preseason, the Packers defensive line suffered a huge blow when second year DT Mike McCoy broke a bone in his foot. Only days before the season began, Devine moved the star guard to defensive tackle. Gillingham hadn’t played this position in a live game since 1965, his senior year in college. In the second game of the season, Gillingham tore up his knee, never again to be the same player over the remainder of his career. Devine’s decision is still considered one of the most bizarre moves in Green Bay history. Yet, despite this fiasco, the team would come together for a truly miracle season.

Green Bay opened with a rout of the 1971 AFC Central Division Champion Cleveland Browns, 26-10, in Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium. Unfortunately, the next week would not only see a home loss to the Oakland Raiders, 20-14, it would see the loss of both Gillingham and TE Rick McGeorge, one of the Packers best receivers, for the season. However, despite the setbacks, Green Bay recovered to win their next three games, a victory over the defending Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys, 16-13, in Lambeau Field as well as home and away victories over division rivals Chicago, 20-17, and Detroit, 24-23, respectively. The Packers were 4-1, one game ahead of the Lions for the division lead.

Consecutive home losses to the Atlanta Falcons, 10-9, and Minnesota, 27-13, briefly tied Green Bay with Detroit for the division lead at the season’s midpoint. But instead of folding as in previous years, the Packers rose up to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8, 34-24, starting another three game winning streak. Green Bay’s next two victories, road wins over Chicago, 23-17, and the Houston Oilers, 23-10, left the Packers alone again in first place with a 7-3 record, a game ahead of both the Vikings and the Lions. A Week 11 21-16 road loss to the Washington Redskins dropped Green Bay back into a tie for the division lead with Detroit, setting up a Week 12 showdown with the Lions at Lambeau Field.

Unlike their first encounter earlier in the season, this time it was no contest, as Green Bay decisively beat Detroit 33-7. The defense forced six Lion turnovers and held them without a score until late in the fourth quarter, after the Packers had taken a 33-0 lead. Meanwhile, the running game amassed a total of 233 yards on 55 attempts, scoring three touchdowns, and rookie K Chester Marcol converted four field goals. Detroit was now officially out of the race for the division title. That left one last hurdle for Green Bay, a Week 13 contest against the 7-5 Vikings in Metropolitan Stadium. Win and the Packers were NFC Central Division Champions.

In the third coldest game in Packers’ history, Green Bay started slowly, with Minnesota leading 7-0 at halftime. However, the Packers again relied on an opportunistic defense, a strong running game, and consistent placekicking to secure a victory. Green Bay dominated the second half, scoring 23 unanswered points, for a 23-7 victory. The Packers rushed for a total of 214 yards and two touchdowns. Second year RB John Brockington once more surpassed the 1,000 yard mark, with 25 carries for 114 yards. Marcol kicked three field goals, and the defense picked off three Fran Tarkenton passes, to wrap up Green Bay’s first division title in five years.

With the retirement of long time starter Bart Starr and the departure of veteran backup Bratkowski, second year QB Scott Hunter started every game, although Devine gave now assistant coach Starr play calling responsibilities, a rarity at the time. Overall, the results were less than impressive, with Hunter completing only 43.2% of his passes (86 out of 199 attempts) for 1,252 yards, 6 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 55.5. Rookie Jerry Tagge saw limited action, completing 10 out of 29 attempts (34.5%) for 154 yards on the season. Unfortunately for Tagge, according to Stanton Greene in his book, The Green Bay Packers The Dan Devine Years 1971-1974, “his mechanics were already under question.”

Regarding Hunter, Greene felt he’d engineered an adequate air game during the first half of the season. Hunter completed 7 out of 17 attempts for 150 yards, 2 touchdowns, and a QB Rating of 112.3 against Cleveland, had arguably the best performance of his career against Chicago in Week 4, completing 15 out of 30 passes for 240 yards and 1 touchdown for a QB Rating of 88.2, led a comeback victory over Detroit on a Monday night in Week 5, completing 11 out of 18 attempts for 149 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception, for a QB Rating of 82.9, and, while only completing 6 out of 16 passes, threw for 151 yards, 1 touchdown, and a QB Rating of 93.5 against San Francisco in Week 8.

However, Hunter was dismantled in a loss to Minnesota in Week 7, throwing four interceptions in the second half with two returned for touchdowns. According to Greene, despite the fact Hunter had passed for 1,047 yards, 6 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and earned a QB Rating of 67.7 over eight games, the Viking debacle was the point where Devine began to lose faith in Hunter’s ability to be his quarterback, and he limited his involvement in the offense over the remainder of the season. As a result, no Packers’ quarterback would get the ball into the end zone by a pass and none would throw for more than 100 yards over the last six games. During that stretch, Hunter threw for a total of just 205 yards, 4 interceptions against 0 touchdowns, and a QB Rating of only 23.7.

There was even a brief quarterback controversy, when Devine pulled Hunter in favor of Tagge midway through the second quarter of the Washington game in Week 11, after he completed only 2 out of 5 attempts for -5 yards and one interception. Hunter would be back as the starter the next week against Detroit and remain at the helm for the duration of the season. However, this was further evidence of Devine’s sagging belief in his quarterback. After Green Bay had wrapped up the division title against Minnesota, Devine stated that the quarterback competition would be wide open the following season. This lack of confidence would again be on display in Green Bay’s playoff game.

As was the case in 1971, poor quarterback play negatively impacted Green Bay’s receiving corps. However, according to Greene, the wide receivers, Carroll Dale, rookie Leland Glass, Jon Staggers, and Dave Davis, were one of the weakest groups in the league, collectively catching a total of 43 passes for 820 yards and 4 touchdowns. Dale, in his last season, again led the Packers in receiving yards and yards per catch with 316 yards on only 16 receptions, for an average of 19.8 yards per catch, and 1 touchdown. With the loss of McGeorge in Week 2, Green Bay’s tight ends added just 9 catches for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns, both by McGeorge in the season opener.

With weaknesses at both receiver and tight end, Green Bay’s running backs were vital to the passing game, catching 48 passes for 547 yards and 1 touchdown. Fourth year RB MacArthur Lane led all Packer receivers with 26 receptions, and finished second behind Dale with 285 receiving yards. Brockington finished second to Lane in catches with 19 receptions for 243 yards and 1 touchdown. Lane had been acquired in a February 21st trade with the St. Louis Cardinals for 1965 1st round draft choice Donny Anderson. Anderson finished his six year Green Bay career with 787 attempts for 3,165 rushing yards as well as 125 receptions for 1,725 yards and a total of 30 touchdowns, retiring after the 1974 season.

The ground game powered the offense in 1972, overcoming deficiencies in the passing attack. Brockington rushed for 1,027 yards on 274 attempts (3.7 yards per carry) and 8 touchdowns, finishing 4th in the NFL in attempts, 7th in touchdowns, and 9th in yardage. Lane rushed for 821 yards on only 177 carries (4.6 yards per attempt) and 3 touchdowns, finishing 8th overall in yards per attempt. Together, Brockington and Lane would rush for 1,848 yards, including three 100+ yard games, second in the league only to the Miami Dolphins’ Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris. In total, Green Bay would rack up more than 2,100 yards on the ground. In addition to enabling a strong running game, the offensive line, consisting of OTs Dick Himes and Bill Hayhoe, OGs Malcolm Snider and Bill Lueck, and C Ken Bowman, gave up a total of only 17 sacks over 14 weeks.

On special teams, Marcol led the NFL with 128 points, including a league leading 33 fields goals, one short of the NFL record and more than all his predecessors had made in the past four seasons combined, as well as the 5th best field goal percentage (68.75%). Marcol became Green Bay’s most reliable placekicker since Don Chandler’s departure at the end of the 1967 season, and his contributions were key to many of the Packers’ victories in 1972. P Ron Widby, acquired from Dallas along with CB-KR Ike Thomas on September 7 for a 1973 2nd round draft pick, was ranked the third best punter in the league. Ken Ellis lead the NFL in yards per punt return (15.4), while Thomas finished 7th in yards per kickoff return (27.2).

Overall, Green Bay’s offense finished the season ranked 7th in rushing, 25th in passing, and 11th in total offense, scoring 304 points, 42% of which came from the toe of Marcol. Led by Defensive Rookie of the Year Willie Buchanon, the Packers’ defense was the catalyst behind Green Bay’s resurgence, ranking 8th against the pass, recording 17 interceptions, 2nd against the run, giving up only 3.4 yards per carry, and 4th in total defense, allowing 226 points, their best performance since allowing 221 points in 1969.

Miami finished with the NFL’s best record, 14-0, wining the AFC East Division and becoming the first NFL team to go undefeated in the regular season since the Chicago Bears finished the 1942 regular season 11-0. Washington and Pittsburgh finished tied for the second best record at 11-3, winning the NFC East and the AFC Central Divisions respectively. In addition to Green Bay winning the NFC Central Division, Oakland won the AFC West Division with a record of 10-3-1, and San Francisco won the NFC West Division with a record of 8-5-1. Dallas and Cleveland were in the playoffs as the NFC and AFC Wild Card entrants respectively, both with a record of 10-4.

For the Redskins, it was the most wins in their history, and their first division title in 27 years. For the Steelers, it was their first ever division title, the team’s third ever post-season appearance, its first post-season appearance in 10 seasons, and only its second playoff game since 1947. Washington RB Larry Brown won the 1972 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year Awards. Pittsburgh DT Joe Greene won Defensive Player of the Year and RB Franco Harris won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Green Bay CB Willie Buchanon won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Miami Head Coach Don Shula won Coach of the Year.

Post Season Highlights: In the Divisional Playoffs, the AFC Central Champion Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the AFC West Champion Oakland Raiders in Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium, while the NFC’s Wild Card team, the Dallas Cowboys, traveled west to Candlestick Park to play the NFC West Champion San Francisco 49ers. Meanwhile, the NFC East Champion Washington Redskins hosted the NFC Central Champion Green Bay Packers in Washington’s RFK Stadium, while the AFC’s Wild Card team, the Cleveland Browns, traveled to Miami’s Orange Bowl to play the AFC East Champion Miami Dolphins. The winners would advance to their respective Conference Championship games.

On December 23, Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie RB Franco Harris scored the winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders on what became known as the “Immaculate Reception”, considered by many to be the most famous play in NFL history.

In a game that was dominated by defense, the contest remained scoreless throughout the entire first half. On the opening drive of the second half, Pittsburgh drove 67 yards to take a 3-0 lead on K Roy Gerela’s 18-yard field goal. Following two Raiders drives that were shut down by a Steeler interception and a fumble recovery, DB Mike Wagner fell on a fumble by Oakland’s QB Ken Stabler, who had replaced ineffective starting QB Daryle Lominica late in the third quarter, at the Raider 35 yard line. Five plays later, Gerla kicked a 29 yard field goal that gave Pittsburgh a 6-0 lead in the fourth quarter. Stabler responded by leading his team 80 yards, scoring on a 30 yard touchdown scramble, to give Oakland a one point lead, 7-6, with just 1:13 left in the game.

Facing 4th and 10 on their own 40 yard line with only 22 seconds left, Steelers’ QB Terry Bradshaw threw the football toward RB John Fuqua. But the pass deflected off Raiders’ S Jack Tatum as he and Fuqua collided, the ball bouncing high in the air and back towards the line of scrimmage. Just before hitting the ground, it was caught by Harris, who then ran the rest of the way downfield to score the touchdown, giving the Steelers a 13-7 win, and their first post-season victory in team history. The play was controversial, as Tatum insisted the ball had bounced off Fuqua, not himself, which would have made Harris’ reception illegal under the rules of the time. Replays were inconclusive as to which player touched the ball.

Later that day, backup QB Roger Staubach led the Dallas Cowboys to 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to overcome a 28-13 San Francisco 49ers lead. It was the third consecutive year Dallas had eliminated San Francisco from the playoffs.

The 49ers jumped to a 7-0 lead, when RB Vic Washington returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. Dallas cut the deficit to 7-3 with K Toni Fritsch’s 37 yard field goal. In the second quarter, the 49ers moved the ball deep into Dallas territory, only to have the Cowboys end the drive with an interception of QB John Brodie’s pass on the 1 yard line. But shortly after the turnover, Dallas QB Craig Morton lost a fumble, which San Francisco recovered on the Cowboys 15 yard line. RB Larry Schreiber later scored on a 1 yard run, giving San Francisco a 14-3 lead. Later in the quarter, Morton was intercepted on the Dallas 32 yard line, setting up Schreiber’s second rushing touchdown, increasing the 49er advantage to 21-3.

Morton rallied his team with 10 unanswered points, a Fritsch 45 yard field goal and WR Lance Alworth’s 28 yard touchdown reception, cutting the deficit to 21-13 at halftime. Early in the second half, with Dallas on their own 5 yard line, DT Charlie Krueger stripped the ball from RB Calvin Hill, who had replaced star RB Duane Thomas after he was traded in early August to the San Diego Chargers, and the 49ers recovered. The fumble ultimately led to Schreiber’s third 1 yard touchdown run, and a commanding 28-13 San Francisco lead late in the third quarter.

Shortly before the end of the quarter, Dallas Head Coach Tom Landry replaced Morton with Roger Staubach. Staubach didn’t start a single regular season game, throwing only 20 passes total in limited appearances late in the year, after sustaining a shoulder injury in the season’s third exhibition game. On his first drive, Staubach lost a fumble while being tackled by DT Bob Hoskins. San Francisco was in prime position to put the game away with another score, but couldn’t get the ball into the end zone, and K Bruce Gossett missed a 32 yard field goal attempt. The score remained 28-13 early in the final quarter.

On the Cowboys next possession, Hill gained 48 yards on a draw play to set up Fritsch’s 27 yard field goal, trimming the 49ers lead to 28-16. Later in the quarter, a poor 49er punt gave Dallas the ball at the San Francisco 45 yard line. Staubach then led the team to the end zone, completing a 20 yard touchdown pass to WR Billy Parks, acquired in the Duane Thomas trade, cutting the score to 28-23 with less than two minutes left. With time running out, Dallas had to attempt an onside kick. San Francisco couldn’t hang on to the ball, and it was recovered by the Cowboys.

On the first play after the recovery, Staubach gained 21 yards on a quarterback scramble. He then found Parks for a 19 yard gain, before running out of bounds at the San Francisco 10 yard line. On the next play, Staubach threw a 10 yard touchdown pass to WR Ron Sellers, giving Dallas a 30-28 lead with just 52 seconds left. Needing only a field goal to win, Brodie completed three consecutive passes on the team’s final drive. However, on his fourth attempt, Brodie was picked off by DB Charlie Waters for his second interception of the game, and the Cowboys hung on to win, 30-28. Dallas’ comeback from an 18 point deficit was the second largest in NFL postseason history at the time.

This game would mark the end of the four year battle for Dallas’ starting quarterback position between Morton and Staubach. With his outstanding performance of 12 completions in 20 attempts for 172 yards and 2 touchdowns in just over one quarter of play, Staubach became the Cowboys permanent starter and would not relinquish the position until he retired after the 1979 season. Morton, meanwhile, was traded to the New York Giants in 1974, six games into the season, in exchange for their 1975 1st round draft pick. After being subsequently traded to the Denver Broncos in 1977, Morton became their starting quarterback, leading the Broncos to Super Bowl XII against Dallas, where the two quarterbacks would meet once more.

On December 24, the Washington Redskins, using a five man defensive line, limited the Green Bay Packers to a single field goal, and held star RB John Brockington to just 9 yards on 13 carries. According to Redskins’ LB Jack Pardee, “[C Ken] Bowman’s as good as they come on blocking the linebacker and we had to stop that if we were going to stop their running attack. But he’s not too big, only 235 pounds, but we put our 275 pounder [DT Manny] Sistrunk on him, and there’s no way he could handle Manny.” Washington K Curt Knight scored three field goals and RB Larry Brown rushed for 101 yards, to defeat the Packers.

After K Chester Marcol missed a 47 yard field goal in the first quarter, Green Bay scored on Marcol’s 17 yard field goal in the second quarter for a 3-0 lead. Washington came right back, with QB Billy Kilmer’s 32 yard touchdown pass to WR Roy Jefferson, to give Washington the lead, 7-3. With 33 seconds left in the first half, Knight kicked a 42 yard field goal for a 10-3 Redskins halftime lead. Washington proceeded to dominate the second half, holding Green Bay scoreless, with the Packers advancing beyond mid-field only once. Knight added two fourth quarter field goals of 35 and 45 yards for a 16-3 Redskins’ victory. MacArthur Lane ran for 56 yards on 14 attempts and caught 4 passes for 42 yards, leading the Packers in both rushing and receiving. QB Scott Hunter completed 12 out of 24 attempts for 150 yards and 1 interception.

After the game, it was clear there had been disagreement between Bart Starr and Dan Devine regarding the conservative play calling. Several players later stated that Devine took the play calling away from Starr when he wanted to start passing the ball on first and second downs to take advantage of the limited Redskins’ defensive set. According to Ken Ellis, “Bart had prepared Scott for the five-man front. Bart would call a play and Devine would change it.” In his autobiography, Starr said that the only disagreement he ever had with Devine was over the Washington game. In any case, two weeks after Green Bay’s playoff loss, Starr resigned his position as quarterbacks coach.

Later in the day, the Miami Dolphins, despite being 13 point favorites, found themselves trailing the Cleveland Browns, 14-13, midway through the fourth quarter. The Dolphins responded to retake the lead with less then five minutes left in regulation, and kept alive their hopes for an undefeated season.

Miami’s first score came when Charlie Babb blocked a Cleveland punt, picked it up, and returned it for a first quarter touchdown, and a 7-0 advantage. Following another Cleveland punt, Miami increased their lead to 10-0 on K Garo Yepremian’s 40 yard field goal. Cleveland responded by moving the football to the Dolphins 25 yard line, but failed to score when QB Mike Phipps was intercepted. Despite numerous chances, there would be no additional scoring by either team in the first half. Cleveland finally got on the board on their second drive of the third quarter, with a 5 yard Phipps touchdown run, following a 38 yard punt return, to trail Miami by only 3 points at 10-7.

Following a Browns punt, RB Jim Kiick picked up 12 yards on 2 carries, while RB Mercury Morris rushed twice for 24 yards, to set up Yepremian’s 46 yard field goal, increasing Miami’s lead to 13-7 at the end of three quarters. On the Browns ensuing drive, Phipps picked up 14 yards on a scramble, and then completed an 18 yard pass to WR Fair Hooker, on a drive to the Dolphins 38 yard line. S Dick Anderson initially shut down the drive with an interception, but fumbled the ball during the return, and Hooker recovered it for Cleveland on the Miami 30 yard line. Two plays later, Phipps completed a 27 yard touchdown pass to Hooker, giving the Browns their first lead of the game, 14-13, just under seven minutes into the fourth quarter.

With their undefeated season on the line, Miami responded by driving 80 yards in 6 plays for the game winning score. A pass interference penalty gave the Dolphins a 1st and goal on Cleveland’s 8 yard line, and Kiick scored the go ahead touchdown on the next play, for a 20-14 lead with 4:49 left in the game. On Cleveland’s final drive of the game, LB Doug Swift recorded his second interception of Phipps to end the Browns threat. Miami then ran out the clock for a 20-14 victory.

On December 31, the NFC Championship Game pitted the Washington Redskins against the Dallas Cowboys in Washington’s RFK Stadium, while the Miami Dolphins played the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium for the AFC Championship.

In the NFC, the Washington Redskins massively outgained the Dallas Cowboys in total yards (316-169), first downs (16-8), and third-down conversions, while holding Dallas to a single field goal for the entire game.

After a scoreless first quarter, Washington got on the board in the second quarter with an 18 yard Curt Knight field goal for a 3-0 lead. Later on, Redskins’ QB Billy Kilmer smoked the Cowboys with a 51 yard completion to WR Charlie Taylor, and eventually scored on a 15 yard touchdown pass to Taylor, for a 10-0 lead. Near the end of the half, Dallas QB Roger Staubach’s 29 yard run set up K Toni Fritsch’s field goal from 35 yards, cutting the lead to 10-3 at the half. Neither team would score in the third quarter, with Dallas unable to move the ball past their own 30 yard line. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Kilmer completed a 45 yard touchdown bomb to Taylor, increasing Washington’s lead to 17-3. The Redskins then dominated the rest of the game, with Knight kicking field goals of 39, 46, and 45 yards, to make the final score 26-3.

Later that day, the Miami Dolphins continued their unbeaten streak, as QB Bob Griese, who had not played a game since suffering a broken ankle in Week 5, took over the starting spot and led the team to two touchdowns in the second half, against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Things started well for Pittsburgh, as they intercepted a pass by Miami QB Earl Morrall on the opening drive, and returned it 28 yards to the Dolphins 48 yard line. The Steelers drove to a 3rd and 2 on the Miami 3 yard line, but QB Terry Bradshaw fumbled the ball as he tried to run into the end zone. However, OG Gerry Mullins recovered the football for a touchdown, giving the Steelers an early 7-0 lead. Unfortunately for the Steelers, Bradshaw was injured on the play, and did not return until the fourth quarter. The Dolphins tied the game, 7-7, in the second quarter after P Larry Seiple’s 37 yard run on a fake punt set up Morall’s 9 yard touchdown pass to RB Larry Csonka. The score would remain tied 7-7 at the end of the first half.

On the opening drive of the third quarter, Steelers’ backup QB Terry Hanratty led the team to a 14 yard Roy Gerela field goal, putting Pittsburgh up 10-7. At this point, Bob Griese, who had been sidelined for 10 weeks, replaced Morrall and threw a 52 yard completion to WR Paul Warfield on his first pass attempt. Eventually, RB Jim Kiick finished the 11 play, 80 yard drive with a 2 yard touchdown run, giving the Dolphins their first lead at 14-10. Following a blocked field goal attempt, Miami took over on the Steelers 49 yard line and, after an 11 play drive that only had one pass play, Kiick scored with a 3 yard touchdown run, to give Miami a 21-10 fourth quarter lead.

Bradshaw returned to the game for the Steelers on next drive, and quickly led them to a score. On the fourth play of the possession, he threw a 12 yard touchdown pass to WR Al Young, cutting the lead to 21-17. However, on each of Pittsburgh’s last two drives, Bradshaw threw an interception, enabling the Dolphins to run out the clock and preserve a 21-17 victory.

One year after their loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI, the Miami Dolphins were again poised to win an NFL Championship, this time against the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII. One more victory and the Dolphins would be immortalized as the only team in NFL history to go undefeated and untied for an entire season.

Super Bowl Highlights: On January 14 1973, in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the NFC Champion Washington Redskins, led by Head Coach George Allen, played the AFC Champion Miami Dolphins, led by Head Coach Don Shula, in Super Bowl VII. In less than three years, both Shula and Allen had led their respective teams from the cellar to the Super Bowl. For Shula, this would be his third attempt at a Super Bowl victory, after two embarrassing defeats in Super Bowls III and VI. Despite being undefeated, the Dolphins were one point underdogs, largely based on the perceived weakness of their regular season schedule.

Seventeen year veteran QB Earl Morrall, claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Colts early in the year, led Miami’s offense during the last nine weeks of the regular season, after starting QB Bob Griese was lost to a broken ankle. Morrall completed 83 out of 150 attempts (55.3%) for 1,360 yards, 11 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a league leading QB Rating of 91.0. For his efforts, Morrall was named 1972 Comeback Player of the Year. WR Paul Warfield led the Dolphins in receiving with 29 catches for 606 yards (20.9 yards per reception, 4th overall) and 3 touchdowns followed by fellow WR Howard Twilley with 20 catches for 364 yards (18.2 yards per reception) and 3 touchdowns. Overall, the Dolphins finished 16th in passing offense, with 2,076 yards.

On the ground, RBs Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris became the first teammates to each rush for 1,000 yards in a season (1,117, 4th overall, and 1,000 yards, 10th overall, respectively). Morris scored a league leading 12 touchdowns and was 3rd overall in yards per attempt (5.3), followed by Csonka (5.2). Miami set an NFL record at that time with 2,960 total rushing yards. K Garo Yepremian led the Dolphins in scoring with 115 points, 4th overall, with Miami leading the league in points scored (385). The Dolphins “No-Name Defense” was led by a future Hall of Famer, LB Nick Buoniconti, the only Miami starter over 30 years of age. Despite injuries throughout the season, the Dolphins unique “53” defense allowed the fewest points in the league (171) while finishing 3rd in rushing yards allowed (1,548) and 5th in passing yards allowed (1,749).

Starting as the Boston Braves in 1932 and renamed the Boston Redskins in 1933, the team became the Washington Redskins in 1937, when Owner George Preston Marshall moved the franchise to the nation’s capital. The Redskins played in six NFL Championship Games between 1936 and 1945, winning two, the last in 1942. However, during those years, Washington may best be known for its’ 73-0 loss to the Chicago Bears in the 1940 Championship, the worst defeat in league history. After losing to the Cleveland Rams in the 1945 NFL Championship, it would be 25 years before the Redskins would again compete for an NFL title.

George Herbert Allen spent five seasons as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams before leaving at the end of 1970 when his contract expired. Allen’s hiring as Washington’s head coach in 1971 paid immediate dividends, with the Redskins making the playoffs for the first time since 1945, losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round. In 1972, Washington, nicknamed the “Over the Hill Gang” due to Allen’s preference for older, experienced veterans, won more games than any team in Redskins’ history. They were led by 33 year old QB Billy Kilmer. Kilmer, acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Saints early in 1971, completed 120 out of 225 passes (53.3%) for 1,648 yards and a league leading 19 touchdowns, with 11 interceptions, giving him a QB Rating of 84.8.

Kilmer started the first three games of the season, was replaced in Week 4 by 38 year old QB Sonny Jurgensen, then replaced Jurgensen in Week 7, when the veteran quarterback was lost for the season with an Achilles Tendon injury. Jurgensen went 4-0 as a starter, completing 39 out of 59 attempts for 633 yards, 2 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and a QB Rating of 84.9. WR Charlie Taylor led Washington in receiving with 49 catches for 673 yards (13.7 yards per reception) and 7 touchdowns while fellow starter Roy Jefferson was second with 35 receptions for 550 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Like Miami, Washington had a powerful rushing attack, featuring RB Larry Brown, who gained 1,216 yards on 285 carries, finishing 3rd overall in rushing attempts and 2nd in rushing yards, best in the NFC and behind only O.J. Simpson in the AFC. Brown also finished third on the team in receiving with 32 catches for 473 yards. In total, Brown scored 12 touchdowns, 4th overall. RB Charlie Harraway finished second with 567 yards on 148 attempts and 6 touchdowns. Overall, Washington finished 12th in passing yards (2,193) and 10th in rushing yards (2,082).

K Curt Knight led the Redskins in scoring with 82 points, and the team finished 7th overall in total offense, scoring 336 points. Washington had the NFL’s third best scoring defense, allowing 218 points, best in the NFC and behind only Miami and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC. The Redskins’ defense was led by All-Pros LB Chris Hanburger and CB Pat Fischer. Washington finished 6th overall in passing yards allowed (1,862) and 7th overall in rushing yards allowed (1,733).

According to Shula, Miami’s priority on defense was to stop Brown and force Kilmer to beat them through the air. Ultimately, the strategy proved successful. Washington’s offensive line also had trouble handling Dolphins’ DT Manny Fernandez. “He beat their center Len Hauss like a drum,” wrote Buoniconti. Miami’s defenders had also drilled in maintaining precise pursuit angles on sweeps to prevent the cutback running that Dallas Cowboys’ RB Duane Thomas had used to destroy the Dolphins in Super Bowl VI. Washington’s priority on defense was to disrupt Miami’s ball control offense by stopping Csonka.

With a game time kickoff temperature of 84 degrees, this was the warmest Super Bowl to date. It came a year after the coldest Super Bowl, with a temperature at kickoff of 39 degrees.

The first quarter was a defensive battle, until Miami got the ball on their own 37 yard line with 2:55 left in the quarter. Bob Griese completed an 18 yard pass to Paul Warfield to reach the Washington 34 yard line. On 3rd and 4, Griese threw a 28 yard touchdown pass to Howard Twilley for a 7-0 Dolphin lead with one second remaining in the period. On the third play of the Redskins’ ensuing drive, Miami S Jake Scott intercepted Billy Kilmer’s pass intended for Charlie Taylor, and returned it 8 yards to the Washington 47 yard line. However, the Dolphins were unable to move the football and were forced to punt.

The Redskins then advanced from their own 17 yard line to the Miami 48 yard line with less than two minutes left in the half. But, on 3rd and 3, the Dolphins’ Nick Buoniconti intercepted another Kilmer pass at the Miami 41 yard line, and returned it 32 yards to the Washington 27 yard line. From there, Griese completed a 19 yard pass to TE Jim Mandich, advancing the ball down to Miami’s 2 yard line. Two plays later, RB Jim Kiick scored on a 1 yard blast with just 18 seconds left in the half, giving the Dolphins a 14-0 halftime lead. Miami’s defense had thoroughly dominated the Redskins in the first half, limiting Washington to 49 yards rushing, 23 yards passing, and 4 first downs.

The Redskins had more success moving the ball in the second half. They took the second half kickoff and advanced across midfield for only the second time in the game, driving from their own 30 yard line to Miami’s 17 yard line, in a seven play drive that featured just two runs. However, the drive stalled, and subsequently ended with no points, after Curt Knight missed a 32 yard field goal. “That was an obvious turning point,” said George Allen. Later in the period, the Dolphins drove 78 yards to Washington’s 5 yard line, featuring a 49 yard run by Larry Csonka, the second longest run in Super Bowl history at the time. The Redskins defense stiffened, and DB Brig Owens intercepted a Griese pass in the end zone for a touchback, ending the Miami drive.

Early in the fourth quarter, Washington mounted its most impressive drive of the game, going 79 yards from its own 11 yard line to Miami’s 10 yard line in 12 plays. On second down, Kilmer threw to TE Jerry Smith in the end zone. Smith was wide open, but the ball hit the crossbar of the goalpost, and fell incomplete. On third down, Scott intercepted a second Kilmer pass in the end zone, returning it 55 yards to the Redskins 48 yard line. Washington’s best drive of the game had again ended with no points. Miami then moved the ball to the 34 yard line on their ensuing drive. On 4th and 4 with only 2:38 remaining in the game, Shula called on Garo Yepremian to attempt a 42 yard field goal in what is now remembered as one of the most famous blunders in NFL lore; “Garo’s Gaffe”.

Yepremian’s attempt was too low, and the kick was blocked by Washington DT Bill Brundige. The ball bounced to Yepremian’s right and he reached it before holder Earl Morrall. But instead of falling on the ball, Yepremian picked it up and, with Brundige bearing down on him, made a frantic attempt to pass the ball to Csonka. Unfortunately for Miami, the ball slipped out of his hands and went straight up in the air. Yepremian attempted to bat the ball out of bounds, but instead batted it back up into the air, and it went right into the arms of Redskins’ CB Mike Bass, who returned the fumble 49 yards for a touchdown, making the score 14-7.

Incredibly, Washington was only one score away from a tie with 2:07 left in the game, despite not having scored an offensive touchdown. After the kickoff, Washington forced Miami to punt from its own 36 yard line with 1:14 remaining, giving themselves one final chance for the tying score. However, the Dolphin defense forced two incompletions, a 4 yard loss on a swing pass, and a 9 yard sack by DE Vern Den Herder on fourth down as time expired, preserving a 14-7 victory.

Jake Scott was named the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player, recording 2 interceptions for 63 return yards, and became only the second defensive player in Super Bowl history to earn an MVP award, the other being Dallas LB Chuck Howley in Super Bowl V. Shula finally had his Super Bowl victory, accomplishing it in the most extraordinary fashion imaginable. To this day, the Miami Dolphins remain the only team in NFL history to go undefeated and untied in the regular season and post-season. Miami is also only the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl after losing it the previous year. Critics can argue that the Dolphins were the beneficiary of a “soft” schedule during their undefeated season, however, no one can argue that Miami accomplished something in 1972 that may never again be repeated.

The Perfect Season.

Conclusion: For Green Bay, while not a perfect season, 1972’s 10-4 record and NFC Central Division Title were totally unexpected after losing seasons three out of the last four years. Success was achieved by combining a talented group of young players, led by John Brockington and Willie Buchanon, with a small core group of remaining Lombardi veterans. The Packers’ coaching staff was brilliant, with Dan Devine delegating play calling, to a great extent, to his Quarterbacks Coach Bart Starr, while allowing Defensive Coordinator Dave Hanner to spearhead the defense. Over and over, the players talked about the teamwork that held the Packers together during the 1972 season.

However, by the end of the season, cracks in the organization were showing, particularly between Devine, Starr, and QB Scott Hunter. Starr and most of the remaining Lombardi veterans were or would soon be gone. Devine clearly had lost confidence in his passing game and his quarterback. Going into 1973, Green Bay fans were asking, were The Pack Really Back or was this past season a fluke? Overall, the Packers were not a particularly deep team, with significant weaknesses at both quarterback and wide receiver. Left unaddressed, Devine and his team were in for a rude awakening.

To end this post, I’ve attached three video clips. The first highlights the “Immaculate Reception”, arguably the greatest play in NFL history. The second is one of my all time favorite NFL Films videos, the 1972 Washington Redskins Highlights film. I remember watching this video in the summer of 1973, as well as remember how the combination of sound and sight inspired a 13 year old boy to start his own football career as a member of the Iowa-Grant Panthers High School football team. The final clip is the NFL Films Super Bowl VII Highlight video. Enjoy!

As always, your feedback is appreciated!