'84, Week #11: Eagles 23, Dolphins 24

[74_75_78_79_]

This game seems to get little mention when discussing the '84 Dolphins season, Dan's classic sophomoric effort. Saw highlights of this game and watched a bit of it as well. This was the game that completed their 11-0 start but apparently its the one that would reveal cracks in the armor (run-blocking, defense; harbinger of things to come).

Philly marched down the field on each of their opening drives to go up 14-0. Then early in the 2nd, they make a goal-line-stand! Of the countless RBs Marino handed the ball off to in his career, of course I remember Tony Nathan (perhaps the best he ever had; he played in this game), but I don't remember Woody Bennett. The first play of the first-and-goal (on the 8), he made a 4-yard run. Then he completed a one-yard pass. And then (forgot he ended up playing for Miami), Pete Johnson came in to get stuffed at the one. Miami then went for it on 4th and goal (Shula sends Bennett back in) only for Johnson to get the ball a second time and get stuffed again. The announcers thought that they should have passed just for the sake of more options but were surprised to see Pete, a reputedly great goal-line runner, get stopped both times. They also mentioned that he weighed in at 275 a month ago and has since lost 26 lbs in that short time.

You would have thought that would have broken Miami's backs, made Birds even more fired-up and dangerous. Especially in that Dan would throw an INT shortly after, thus giving Eagles ball on their own 40. Nathan would score a TD before the half to close it at 14-7. Miami would surrender a FG early 3rd Q only to then put up 17 unanswered to go up 24-17, Bennett then Johnson themselves scoring the two TDs. Jaws would then drive Philly to another TD late in the 4th, a 38 yard connection to Melvin Hoover. However, the XP would get blocked by Doug Betters! Jaws, who actually was the holder, immediately fell flat to the ground spread-(no pun)-eagle looking ready to do a snow-angel without the snow. Then he covers his facemask and lies there frozen for seconds more before finally getting up.
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Had Birds held on that game, they would have now also been in the conversation as far as the NFC East race was concerened. They came into the game at 4-5-1; 3-0-1 in their last four with the tie being at Detroit the previous week. Each of their four division-rivals were at 6-4 going into Week #11! Wash beat Detroit while this Eagles/Dolphins game was going on as Dal at StL would be one of the 4PM Eastern games (Dallas ended up with the 'W'). Also in that slot, Giants would end up losing at TB.

I believe it was said that Philly had the worst run-game in the league leading up yet they out-rushed Mia, 177-97, along with having the ball longer. Jaws also outplayed Dan at QB. Birds would go on to beat Wash the following week only for Jaws to get injured at StL the week after that thus knocking the wind from beneath their wings. Really a respectable, scrappy team that '84 Eagle squad was. Not too far from playoff caliber. Same with their following year's installment that would start out at 6-5.

Miami's D would get shredded the following week at the Murph, Air Coryell handing them their first defeat. Then two weeks later they lose again, this time by giving up 45 to the Raiders at the Orange Bowl. Could the Eagles have actually 'written the book' on Miami for both these teams, and especially SF that January, to read? Avoiding Raiders & Denver in the playoffs - and Seattle being without Curt Warner - helped Miami win the AFC I'd like to think.

[Bryan]

1984 Dolphins were a very strange team. Their division was really bad, their schedule was really easy, and so much of starting 11-0 was just Marino shredding defenses. I remember Betters blocking that XP was a 'signature moment', but Miami's defense was pretty bad, especially after AJ Duhe went down with injury. Arnsparger could 'scheme' to defend the pass and confuse QBs, but pretty much any team could overpower the Dolphins by running the ball. Marino would throw TDs, teams would abandon the run, and Miami would end up winning. I remember Bill Walsh saying that when he was watching tape and preparing for the Super Bowl, he had newfound respect for Don Shula...because Shula had the talent of an 8-8 team and got them to 14-2.

[TanksAndSpartans]

They picked up Woody Bennett from the Jets several seasons before - may have been off waivers, a nice pickup. The starter had been Andra Franklin who was also getting the most carries for several seasons - he was a pro bowler during the strike shortened '82 season, but he went down early with a career ending knee injury reminiscent of Billy Sims and other backs of that era, I don't think they had yet made the advances in surgical techniques. In order to replace him, they first went after Chuck Muncie, who had been having addiction issues and didn't pass the physical. Pete Johnson, the Fins next target, had been a nice player for the Bengals, but the Bengals pulled off a nice trade when they sent him to San Diego for James Brooks as Johnson was never really productive again. Miami just wound up using him in short yardage situations where he scored a bunch of TDs in the "elephant backfield" - when in the I, I recall Bennett was actually the deep back.

Anyway, I disagree with regard to crediting Miami's record to a weak schedule - Marino was tough to stop that year - it wasn't until the 49ers in the SB until a team laid out a blue print for how to do it. I think they were a legitimate 14-2 team. For evidence, look at what they did to Seattle and Pittsburgh in the playoffs. The team definitely had a terrible defense and running game though despite the presence of a nice back in Nathan, he wasn't the workhorse type. I've always said I prefer the '82 team which felt more like a championship team to me, the main mistake being Shula lost his touch with the Wood-Stock thing in the SB.

[nicefellow31]

1984 Dolphins were a very strange team. Their division was really bad, their schedule was really easy, and so much of starting 11-0 was just Marino shredding defenses. I remember Betters blocking that XP was a 'signature moment', but Miami's defense was pretty bad, especially after AJ Duhe went down with injury. Arnsparger could 'scheme' to defend the pass and confuse QBs, but pretty much any team could overpower the Dolphins by running the ball. Marino would throw TDs, teams would abandon the run, and Miami would end up winning. I remember Bill Walsh saying that when he was watching tape and preparing for the Super Bowl, he had newfound respect for Don Shula...because Shula had the talent of an 8-8 team and got them to 14-2.

If my memory is correct Arsparger was no longer with the Dolphins in '84 and was head coach of LSU. Not sure who the DC was in '84 by I'm sure somebody will tell us.

[Bryan]

If my memory is correct Arsparger was no longer with the Dolphins in '84 and was head coach of LSU. Not sure who the DC was in '84 by I'm sure somebody will tell us.

You're right...it was Chuck Studley (best known as Niners DC in 81) taking over in 1984.

[Bryan]

Anyway, I disagree with regard to crediting Miami's record to a weak schedule - Marino was tough to stop that year - it wasn't until the 49ers in the SB until a team laid out a blue print for how to do it. I think they were a legitimate 14-2 team. For evidence, look at what they did to Seattle and Pittsburgh in the playoffs.

They played 12 consecutive games and only faced one team (Pittsburgh) that made the postseason, and overall they played 3 games against postseason teams. Maybe I'm splitting hairs, but I see Miami as being 11-5 or maybe 12-4 at best.

They got Seattle in the playoffs...whose starting RBs were David Hughes & Dan Doornink. Then they got to face 9-7 Pittsburgh in the championship game...a team that needed to win their final game to make the postseason and whom Miami had beaten 31-7 (and who had Mark Malone at QB). Miami probably lucked out to avoid both the Raiders and Broncos in the playoffs. In 85 postseason, the Browns ran them over and should have won, then the Patriots ran them over and routed Miami. The 'style' matchups were much worse for Miami.

[TanksAndSpartans]

You can only play the games on the schedule. The Seahawks beat the Raiders and the Steelers beat Denver. The offense was a novelty at the time, I totally see them getting one nice regular season out of it regardless of schedule. Never said they were a championship team in '85, it actually felt like once they were exposed in the SB, the whole Marino era was kind of ruined. Don't forget they beat the Bears that season though and did get back to the AFC championship game. Browns "should have won"? Based on what? Not the scoreboard.

[Bryan]

I'm guessing the list of teams who lost playoff games despite 250+ rushing yards and 21-3 second half leads is a short one. Good harbinger of future Schottenheimer postseason performances.

[Gary Najman]

I remember well this game as it was an NFL Game of the Week and I recorded it when it aired on ESPN, as I was traveling the previous Sunday and didn't watch any game. THe thing I most remember was the Melvin Hoover TD, as he ran between the Dolphins defense and when he scored an angry policeman outside the endzone hashmarks kicked a large stuffed bone that belonged to a dog who was a Dolphins mascot back then (Do you remmber why it was a dog and his name? I think he lasted at least from 1982/3 to 1986). Then barefoot kicker Paul McFadden's extra point was blocked (few times I have seen a kicker more dissapointed).

[74_75_78_79_]

I'm guessing the list of teams who lost playoff games despite 250+ rushing yards and 21-3 second half leads is a short one. Good harbinger of future Schottenheimer postseason performances.

To me, it was more a harbinger of Cleveland being a playoff-regular the next few (four, actually) seasons as Miami would miss the playoffs the next few (four, actually, as well) seasons. Blowing the 21-pt lead nothing for Cleveland to be too ashamed of. They were 8-8, new to the playoffs, and overachieved as the 12-4 defending AFC-champ had no business allowing them to be up, yet alone by that much, in the first place. I remember feeling very confident at the time that NE would upend Miami the following week.