I had forgotten how difficult it was to pass consistently well, in those days, before they changed the rules in 1978 to encourage more passing (what we see, today).
The piece, of unknown composer (it isn't Sam Spence I don't believe... unlike any of his moods) from 5:14 to 8:20 is my number 1 favorite NFL Films music piece ever. There's more joy and light in that three minutes than one possibly can believe.
Cleveland’s last playoff game until the 80s. For all intents and purposes, this game marked the end of a great era of Browns football that dated back to 1946
A few years back I applied for the GM job - knowing, of course, I wasn't going to get it - the year after they drafted Johnny Football - told them I'd start cheap - and they could make it up to me after they saw I knew how to evaluate QBs.
Browns wouldn't next make it into llnd season till 1980-1981 season when they were beaten at home by Raiders, 14-12 in infamous "Red Right LXXXVIII" div. playoff game w/game time temperature, 4 above 0
I was a HUGE Miami Dolphins fan back then, a rabid NFL fan. The Dolphins had the BEST helmet logo - today's Dolphin's logo is junk. Anyway, I remember watching this game and thought the Browns were going to beat my beloved Dolphins. Back then I was young and naïve so I would be miserable whenever they lost. I have learned over the years it doesn't really matter. That being said, the NFL was way more fun to watch back then, unlike today's NFL. The rivalries were real (before players could decide to switch to another team so easily). The best rivalry game I loved to watch was the Raiders vs Chiefs. Those days are way over and now it's all about the money and the gamblers.
The Raiders v Chiefs was a helluva rivalry, they actually fought more than they played, the Browns v Steelers got to be a pretty good rivalry, Jets v Dolphins, Jets v Raiders, Cowboys v Redskins etc,... rivalry games well worth watching everytime
Christmas Eve 1972. My grandparents house. All guys were watching this. A valiant effort by the Browns. Phipps 5 interceptions were too much to overcome.
WOW, thanks again for this great upload! I wish NFL Films would give this the full Greatest Games Series treatment. I'm sure they have the film, live broadcast, mesh it all together!
I watched that game...I genrally recall the Browns missing something like a 7 yard FG attempt on 4th and goal at the one...they still had the wider hash marks then, (which I miss) and the kick was from the far left side and made the goal posts look maybe like only 5 feet wide to the kicker.
This piece is from “This Week in Pro Football”, narrated by Al Meltzer, a popular Philadelphia sportscaster of the time (he sat in for Pat Summerall a couple of times)
I was at this game and it was scary as well as ugly. Even though it was the first score of the game, I felt that blocked punt was the difference. The five picks by the No-Name Defense didn't hurt either. BTW, 24 playoff games in pro football history featured five INTs. Every game but one, a 10-3 win by the Oilers in 1961 AFL Championship, was a loss.
The Name "Griese" along with the name "Mercury" and the awesome aqua jerseys are the reasons why the Dolphins were my 1st favorite team as a child even though I was born and raised in Cleveland. I don't remember this game though. Oddly enough the first game i can ever remember was the Super Bowl later that year when Dolphins beat the Redskins. My mom was a church going woman so we had to leave for evening worship service and I only saw the early part of the game.
Browns' dark jerseys weren't used often, but they were striking, especially with the old-style black cleats, which would, basically, be gone from the scene by 1980. And they gave the Dolphins a good run for the money.
We'll never know, but it's hard to imagine these Dolphins going undefeated against a stronger schedule. They played two teams with winning records (KC and NYG 8-6) and 2 others (MIN, NYJ) that were .500. Their opponents' overall record was 51-86-3. Not at all saying they were not great, but I can't imagine an NFL team could have a weaker schedule than they did. Could not put away any of their playoff games, though they were really never in danger of losing to the Redskins. The '73 team lost 2 games, but their playoff games were all over in the first ten minutes. They were a well-oiled machine.
@Whammer79 The Dolphins shouldn't have gotten swept by those teams, right? So, what if they split? That would have given the Jets 8 wins, Bills 5, Colts 6 and NE 4. Wins in their only meeting would have given StL and SD 5, NYG, KC and MIN 8 and Hou 2. Even the best of these teams was mediocre. None made the playoffs.
By the opinions of most of us who were around at the time, the 1973 Dolphins were even better than the 1972 team. But the '73 Dolphins lost twice -- against Oakland in Berkeley, and in a meaningless late season game at Baltimore. In addition to the Raiders, the '73 Dolphins also had to play the Cowboys and Steelers, all playoff teams, plus the Bills and Browns, who had winning records but missed the playoffs. By comparison, the '72 Dolphins played zero playoff teams and only two teams with winning records -- the Chiefs and Giants (both 8-6). The '73 team also was far more dominant in its postseason wins than the '72 team. So it's very fair to assume the '72 team would've had at least one loss if they'd played even a moderately difficult schedule. Compare all this to the 1985 Bears, who played 5 playoff teams, plus a 10-6 Washington team that missed the playoffs due to tiebreakers. The Bears lost at Miami but easily won the other 5 games by double-digit margins. They also had the most dominant playoff run in the Super Bowl era, shutting out the Giants and Rams and not allowing a postseason TD until after they'd already run up a 44-3 lead in Super Bowl XX.
People need to remember that no matter who they played that year the other team had circled the game on the schedule and played them like it was the biggest game of the year
Yes, correct. That's why I can't stand it when the bandwagoner, pseudo experts exclaim..." Ya know, the 1973 team may have been better"😵😡. Just so stupid !!
I watched this game from Pompano Bch Fla. I was on leave from the Army visited family from Florida. Only my brother & I were Brown's fans. we almost pulled it off.
I remember this game well. My Dad was born in Kent Ohio and used to see the Otto Graham Browns play when they were the best team on the planet whereas I was born in Fl., and as a young teen boy I was a huge Dolphins fan. Regarding Paul Warfield, I have seen all the greats play at WR and to my eyes Warfield was the best of them.
When I was a kid in the 60s/early 70s, watching the NFL, I just got to where I thought the Browns would likely beat anyone they played. I remember seeing the 27-0 win over the Colts. Browns played them tough. Browns uniforms are excellence.
Imagine 1972 the only team in football that is aquatic went undefeated the same year the clean water act and the protection for aquatic animals went in place... just say.
@@jimsimpson3334 No, he never said that. Was an urban legend of sorts. There was a full telecast of the game on YT but it was removed. But the actual exchange went this way: Meredith: Isn't Fair Hooker a great name? Cosell: I pass. Jackson: 3rd down and about 42 yards to go
I wish NFL Films would put out all the film on this game, or do a documentary. This was the undefeated Dolphins, and they damned near lost (even though they were better).
I agree.... The Browns could have won this game. The Steelers were winning the championship game as well vs the 72 Dolphins. I would love to see more " legal " games by NFL films of this time period.
Although the Eagles have always been my favorite team, for a while there (from the early seventies until around the Marino era) the Dolphins were right there with them as far as my rooting interest was concerned. And since the Eagles were terrible, the Dolphins were without question the team I was most concerned about come playoff time. What I remember most about watching this game was that during the fourth quarter, my mother made us all sit down to a family dinner in the dining room. She allowed us the luxury of having the TV on in the adjacent room, so I could kind of "hear" the Dolphins go-ahead drive.
FB Bo Scott played for several seasons with Ottawa rough riders of CFL winning 2 grey cup championships before moving to Cleveland.Vic Washington from same Ottawa team jumped to 49’rs as productiveHB ...
Bo Scott was drafted by Cleveland in 1965, but when he saw Jim and Leroy Kelly were still there, he jumped to Canada which was the thing to do during this time.....lol
@@howardcosell2022 Hey Howard...is it true you and Dandy Don used to share a bottle of Johnny Walker Red on those cold Monday night Football games while live on the air?
@@brainscott8198 The bottle was Howard's. As for Dandy-“I can’t say personally that Don got high for every Monday Night game he did, except for the 40 or 50 times we did before he headed to the booth.”-Willie Nelson
So many great players on this Dolphins team...my fave player as a kid was #13 Jake Scott...Free Safety...who still owns the Dolphins career interception record....and who put the Hit on a diving Terry Bradshaw in Pittsburg two weeks later that knocked Bradshaw out of the game and kept him out of the end zone.
steve Fowler loved when Bradshaw looked up after that hit and his helmet was sideways on his head. And too bad Pitt still scored on that play when he fumbled into the end zone. Luckily miami recovered!!
francis salles Not sure about the best game, although the Browns offense woke up in the 2nd half. For sheer drama and big plays, Dallas 30-28 victory over the Niners is my pick. Also the AFC championship game with Miami and Pittsburgh was good. The Immaculate Reception game was all defense until the final two minutes so I agree this game was overall more exciting than that famous game.
first time i have ever seen anything on this game...thank you for posting...can still remember when hooker caught the go-ahead score...my brother and i were going crazy...short-lived though
The game was blacked out in Miami - so I got together with 3 buddies - one of whom had a pilot's license - we rented a 4-seater Cessna at North Perry Airport in Miramar - flew to Ft. Myers - and watched the game in the airport bar.
Mike Phipps threw five INTs and the Browns still had the lead in the 4th quarter. Similar to Detroit losing to the 49ers in 1983 despite Gary Danielson's awful game...both teams would fall out of playoff contention for eight years.
My Brother ,myself and my best friend were HUGE Miami Dolphin fans 1971 thru 1974. We could not believe Miami was Losing to the Browns in this game. BUT Earl Morrell and Company did what they did best in 1972. WON! We were jumping up and down yelling with happiness when #21 Jimmy Kiick scored and won the game!
Just wondering if anyone can recall a weekly NFL show done back in the 70's called "NFL Review & Preview?" I think it was hosted by Pat Summerall. I did a google search & came up with nothing, but I seem remembering this title too this show but still can't find any trace of it even on the internet. As for this video, its GREAT!!! Back when football was FOOTBALL!!! And I'm entering week 14 of the NFL 1972 season with my football game. Some AMAZING PLAYERS from that year!!!
@@drewnogy Thanks for the info! You was lucky because we got it here in the south in the wee hours in the morning. Miss that show & miss those days too. Back then, football was still a MAN'S game. Nowadays its more of a game played by a bunch of snowflakes. sigh............
Haven't seen this in 50 years, the Browns should have won, 5 INT's and a TD for Miami on a blocked punt... I remember it was a close game but didn't realize it was a game Miami should not have won...
It’s interesting that the dolphin who made that last interception chose to run as far as he could, and he wasn’t exactly securing the rock with both hands.
Jeez Mike Phipps had to throw 5 INTs in this game, the Browns likely would have stopped Miami’s historic undefeated season if he had taken care of the ball just a little.
Wow! As a student of pro football history (especially 1950s-1970s), where I've tended to focus on the Bears, Packers, Vikings, and Falcons, I now have to add the Browns as one of my very favorite teams, from a history perspective! I was surprised, after them being in the NFL Championship games of 1964, 1965, 1968, and 1969, to see today, on RUclips, that they played the Colts again, in an AFC Divisional Playoff in 1971, and then they almost defeated the undefeated 1972 Dolphins, in a 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff. I've always especially admired Leroy Kelly, Gary Collins, and Paul Warfield, and now I realize Bo Scott was right up there as a great contributor to Browns offenses.
The Browns from 1946-1973 had one losing season in 28 YEARS (5-7 in 1956) and you're just now adding them from a historical perspective? www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cle/
They also won the NFL Championship in 1950, '54, and '55 after winning 4 AAFC Championships 1946-49. Paul Brown and Otto Graham were probably the best Coach-QB duo, before Lombardi, Starr and of course Belichick, Brady.
Yep...save for a miraculous catch by David Tyree on 3rd and 17 in the Super Bowl, Feb. 2008...T Brady woulda been 19-0, he coulda had 8 rings, and the Pats shoulda been the best of all time, hands down. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.
I think the number 1 thing i am most grateful for while watching this is that there were no idiots on ESPN telling stupid people how Mike Phipps should be kicked out of the league for throwing 5 interceptions in a playoff game that the Browns lost by 6 points.
I love how the commentator said the Phipps/Warfield trade worked out for both teams. Haha...not really. The Dolphins received a Hall of Fame receiver in the prime of his career, and the Browns received a QB that couldn't stay sober. The only good thing that ever came from Mike Phipps is that later he was traded to the Bears for a 1st round draft choice, which the Browns used to select Hall of Fame TE Ozzie Newsome.
@@mjp96 Oh yeah, although no one knew it at the time (well, maybe guys like Chuck Heaton, Pete Franklin, and Hal Lebovitz did, but it never was made public). Phipps much later was very open about it.
One of the few times the Browns would wear their brown jerseys 70 ,71 ,72,73,74,They rarely wore Brown after the Merger.The Cowboys in the 70s were the same.The only time you really saw them in Blue was when the Cardinals forced them to wear Blue by wearing their White at home.Same scenario with the Rams 69 70 71 72.The Saints forced them to wear blue by wearing their white at home .
@@michaelleroy9281 yes and that was interesting because neither team liked to wear Dark.But the Browns were more Reluctant in the 60s..but the Rams.....never wanted to.
Me too. With his knees, Miami would've blitzed early and often. Then again, the line played well in that game. Nelsen was a wonderful field general and is still my favorite Browns qb behind Kosar.
@willie beamen the line played well in that game so who knows. Frank Pitts dropped that ball let us not forget that. I think that he was ultimately cut afterwards because that is Art Modell rolled back in the day.
Personally, I think Cleveland Browns should go back to 1972 Uniforms. Jersey sleeves down to elbow. Socks with Orange and Brown border at top of socks. Old school Fullcage Facemasks for linemen. Just like this game,
A little before my time,, But from what I heard and seen this was the top of Mike Pipps career,, It all went south from here. Making the Warfield trade look look like a joke.
Warfield averaged 31 catches a year for the five years he was with the Dolphins. Phipps had a steady, if unspectacular, 12 year above .500 career. The joke is probably in your pants.
@@dolphingoosby7195 Yeah, it's been a while since I posted this. I had second thoughts some time after as I think Jim Simpson did the game, and he was known to pitch his voice on big plays.
I have no doubt that Don Shula decided he wanted to move to Miami and coach there after his heavily favored Baltimore Colts lost Super Bowl III there to the Jets in 1969, who were oddly coached by Weeb Ewbank, who was the Colts coach in 1958 in the famous NFL title overtime game win against the NY Giants, when Johnny Unitas was the QB...you first knew the Colts were in serious trouble against the Jets, when Earl Morrall threw a costly interception to Jets safety Johnny Sample in the end zone just before the half on a flea-flicker play that worked so well for them during the season. Morrall didn't see a wide-open Johnny Orr waving his hands on the other side of the end zone. Morrall was finally benched in the 4th quarter, scoreless, and Unitas led the Colts to a too-late TD, their only score in a 16-7 loss. Oddly, in Super Bowl V in Miami, Unitas came off the bench again, this time in the 2nd quarter, when Morrall got injured, to lead the Colts over the Dallas Cowboys, 16-13, the only Super Bowl when the losing team had the MVP, Dallas MLB Chuck Howley, who threw his helmet half the length of the field, when the game ended on Colts rookie PK Jim OBrien's FG as time expired.
2 different nfl teams spent 1st round picks on Phipps. Brown’s & bears including the browns trading HOF Warfield for the pick. Had to be the worst use of draft capital in NFL history!!!
Paul Warfield was drafted in 64' or 65' as a halfback but also was a fine receiver in college, whatever the season the Browns won the NFL championship and Jimmy Brown's last season . I'm not certain , but i think it was the beginning of NFL taking a running back out of the full four man backfield on a full time basis (using warfield as a flanker wide receiver ) and using him as a receiver , the flanker position . now i guess they call them just the other wide receiver , but he must line up behind the lineman . the other wide receiver is a true lineman so he lines just behind the ball with the lineman , of course usually farther out towards the sidelines .
Paul Warfield played for the Browns from 1964-1969 and 1976-1977. www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WarfPa00.htm Jim Brown retired in 1965. He played 9 years. www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrowJi00.htm
in the old AFL Lance Alworth may have been one of the first flankers or the wide receiver who must line up with the backfield but usually further out as a receiver .
From the Side Judge Officials: The offensive lineman on both sides of the ball must have one player cover them on a line of scrimmage for them to be eligible receivers. If the offensive lineman is exposed as the last player on a line of scrimmage on either side of the ball, this will be an illegal formation
The Steelers wanted to interview then Browns HC Nick Skorich but the Browns said he would eventually take over for Blanton Collier. Browns recommended a former player and current asst coach back then to the Steelers: Chuck Noll.
This 1972 Defense was never on the field very long , you know why , 26 interceptions and 29 fumbles recovered, mental mistakes -64 for 714 yards , they led the league in points scored , points against , Scoring Offense and Scoring Defense , 1st - 1st - 1st - 1st , 17 - 0 , Perfection , The only TEAM ever to do so in NFL history . 1973 Team Ranked - 5th points for - 9th scoring Off - 1st points against - 3rd scoring Def , 52 penalties for 416 yards , created turnovers , 21 interceptions , 13 fumbles recovered , the 1973 team statistically WAS NOT BETTER except in Penalties .
This was a butt ugly win for Miami, they were sloppy as hell that day. Phipps had a great game, but you can't throw 5 picks and expect to beat the best team in the league. This game showed that even the vaunted No Name Defense could look like crap on any given Sunday. The thing many fans may not know, is that the perfect season was mostly quarterbacked by Old Bones, the nickname players had for backup QB, Earl Morrall. Bob Griese went down in week 5 and Morrall took them 9-0 to finish out the 14-0 regular season. When the playoffs started, Griese was back, just in time.
I dont know why, but after watching this video, it doesn't seem like to me that the game is really as close as the final score, (won by the Dolphins against the Browns, 20-14), especially with the Browns QB throwing 5 INTs in this game. Dont get me wrong, I believe Browns did put up a great fight in this game, but I still believe the Dolphins had won this game more handily & easily than the final score!!
The game would’ve been in Oakland. The NFL used a weird rotation schedule for home field advantage in the championship game at that time. Since the championship was in Miami the year before, there was no chance of it being in Miami for a second year in a row, according to the rules.
I find myself watching more of these games than what the modern nfl has to offer.
i agree, i am done with todays NFL. i will watch the playoffs but thats about it
@@JIM87ification It's a spectacle, and the uniforms look like they're made for a video game.
I had forgotten how difficult it was to pass consistently well, in those days, before they changed the rules in 1978 to encourage more passing (what we see, today).
AGREED!!
Thoroughly agree. I'd rather watch UFC or World's Strongest Man or some extreme sports than the NFL these days.
I was at that game and was seven years old. Great times and great days.
I could listen to this music all day.
The piece, of unknown composer (it isn't Sam Spence I don't believe... unlike any of his moods) from 5:14 to 8:20 is my number 1 favorite NFL Films music piece ever. There's more joy and light in that three minutes than one possibly can believe.
The music on these on old N.F.L. films are classic!!!
I agree
Sam Spence
Cleveland’s last playoff game until the 80s. For all intents and purposes, this game marked the end of a great era of Browns football that dated back to 1946
The players from the good 1960 s teams were just about done
In 1989 the Browns had the highest winning percentage in the league
A few years back I applied for the GM job - knowing, of course, I wasn't going to get it - the year after they drafted Johnny Football - told them I'd start cheap - and they could make it up to me after they saw I knew how to evaluate QBs.
Browns wouldn't next make it into llnd season till 1980-1981 season when they were beaten at home by Raiders, 14-12 in infamous "Red Right LXXXVIII" div. playoff game w/game time temperature, 4 above 0
5 interceptions by the browns QB and the browns almost won the game against an undefeated team. Hard to believe.
I was a HUGE Miami Dolphins fan back then, a rabid NFL fan. The Dolphins had the BEST helmet logo - today's Dolphin's logo is junk. Anyway, I remember watching this game and thought the Browns were going to beat my beloved Dolphins. Back then I was young and naïve so I would be miserable whenever they lost. I have learned over the years it doesn't really matter. That being said, the NFL was way more fun to watch back then, unlike today's NFL. The rivalries were real (before players could decide to switch to another team so easily). The best rivalry game I loved to watch was the Raiders vs Chiefs. Those days are way over and now it's all about the money and the gamblers.
I agree- the dolphin with the "M" helmet jumping in front of the sun is a better logo than today's version.
They coulda pulled off the upset.
@@barrybowe1464 - Yep, and I coulda' won the billion dollar Power Ball..., but I didn't 😂😂🤣🤣
The Raiders v Chiefs was a helluva rivalry, they actually fought more than they played, the Browns v Steelers got to be a pretty good rivalry, Jets v Dolphins, Jets v Raiders, Cowboys v Redskins etc,... rivalry games well worth watching everytime
Those 5 interceptions were just too much, I'm a Browns fan, what a bummer this playoff game was.
Christmas Eve 1972. My grandparents house. All guys were watching this. A valiant effort by the Browns. Phipps 5 interceptions were too much to overcome.
The 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff game that wasn't the Immaculate Reception...not a bad game in its own right.
Bo Scott had three solid seasons for the Browns.
I was 7 years old and watching it on a black and white TV.
i was 7 as well.where did the time go?
@@votedemocratmyiqis7330 same here. My dad's friend yelled and called Pitts "stone hands"
@@methus57 My Dad once said, vs. San Diego, "Pitts you crumb!!" He was 110% right :)
WOW, thanks again for this great upload! I wish NFL Films would give this the full Greatest Games Series treatment. I'm sure they have the film, live broadcast, mesh it all together!
I watched that game...I genrally recall the Browns missing something like a 7 yard FG attempt on 4th and goal at the one...they still had the wider hash marks then, (which I miss) and the kick was from the far left side and made the goal posts look maybe like only 5 feet wide to the kicker.
the old browns jerseys was so cool.the new ones look like complete shit
I agree even though im a Steelers fan.
That's all on their idiot owner. He even wanted to change the colors and put logos on the helmets.
The best were the Sipe era uni's
The new ones are complete fucking trash. I agree
This piece is from “This Week in Pro Football”, narrated by Al Meltzer, a popular Philadelphia sportscaster of the time (he sat in for Pat Summerall a couple of times)
He did the Big 5 games on TV during its heyday.
The Dolphins also lost there starting quarterack in game 5 of the '72 season and still went unbeaten. Some of the wins were ugly but a W is a W 🏈.
Just ask last year’s Saints.
The Saints got screwed on that pass intererence call that wasnt made.
I was at this game and it was scary as well as ugly. Even though it was the first score of the game, I felt that blocked punt was the difference. The five picks by the No-Name Defense didn't hurt either. BTW, 24 playoff games in pro football history featured five INTs. Every game but one, a 10-3 win by the Oilers in 1961 AFL Championship, was a loss.
The Name "Griese" along with the name "Mercury" and the awesome aqua jerseys are the reasons why the Dolphins were my 1st favorite team as a child even though I was born and raised in Cleveland. I don't remember this game though. Oddly enough the first game i can ever remember was the Super Bowl later that year when Dolphins beat the Redskins. My mom was a church going woman so we had to leave for evening worship service and I only saw the early part of the game.
I was there. 11 years old. Very nervous during game. Cleveland was within one score the whole 2nd half.
scottslaught do you know where the game would have been played had Miami played Oakland?
I was 7 years old and watching it on a black and white TV.
@@captjim007 Do you know where the game would have been played had Oakland played Miami
@@ronbowlingjr6122 Would it have been Oakland since they won the division?
Browns' dark jerseys weren't used often, but they were striking, especially with the old-style black cleats, which would, basically, be gone from the scene by 1980.
And they gave the Dolphins a good run for the money.
It was the only time the brown jerseys were worn in 1972
@@michaelleroy9281 wow so every week besides this one, they wore White? Home or away?
@@shanetrimble9265 Yes the whole regular season home and away
Same in the 1980s in some years the browns wore white jerseys the entire year aside from one game
@@bnegs521 The Rams did that also up until 1972 when they ditched the navy blue and white jerseys for the blue and gold ones
We'll never know, but it's hard to imagine these Dolphins going
undefeated against a stronger schedule. They played two teams with
winning records (KC and NYG 8-6) and 2 others (MIN, NYJ) that were .500.
Their opponents' overall record was 51-86-3. Not at all saying they
were not great, but I can't imagine an NFL team could have a weaker
schedule than they did. Could not put away any of their playoff games,
though they were really never in danger of losing to the Redskins. The
'73 team lost 2 games, but their playoff games were all over in the
first ten minutes. They were a well-oiled machine.
You play the schedule in front of you.... they beat the team on the other side.... so whatcha bitching about?
show me any bitching in that post...
@@gaetagirl
@Whammer79 The Dolphins shouldn't have gotten swept by those teams, right? So, what if they split? That would have given the Jets 8 wins, Bills 5, Colts 6 and NE 4. Wins in their only meeting would have given StL and SD 5, NYG, KC and MIN 8 and Hou 2. Even the best of these teams was mediocre. None made the playoffs.
By the opinions of most of us who were around at the time, the 1973 Dolphins were even better than the 1972 team. But the '73 Dolphins lost twice -- against Oakland in Berkeley, and in a meaningless late season game at Baltimore. In addition to the Raiders, the '73 Dolphins also had to play the Cowboys and Steelers, all playoff teams, plus the Bills and Browns, who had winning records but missed the playoffs. By comparison, the '72 Dolphins played zero playoff teams and only two teams with winning records -- the Chiefs and Giants (both 8-6). The '73 team also was far more dominant in its postseason wins than the '72 team. So it's very fair to assume the '72 team would've had at least one loss if they'd played even a moderately difficult schedule.
Compare all this to the 1985 Bears, who played 5 playoff teams, plus a 10-6 Washington team that missed the playoffs due to tiebreakers. The Bears lost at Miami but easily won the other 5 games by double-digit margins. They also had the most dominant playoff run in the Super Bowl era, shutting out the Giants and Rams and not allowing a postseason TD until after they'd already run up a 44-3 lead in Super Bowl XX.
Yeah yeah yeah act like they didn't go to the super bowl year before
People need to remember that no matter who they played that year the other team had circled the game on the schedule and played them like it was the biggest game of the year
Yes, correct. That's why I can't stand it when the bandwagoner, pseudo experts exclaim..." Ya know, the 1973 team may have been better"😵😡. Just so stupid !!
@@6400az The Dolphins PLAYERS almost universally say the 73 team was better. You know more than the players?
Browns nearly pulled off big upset.
I watched this game from Pompano Bch Fla. I was on leave from the Army visited family from Florida. Only my brother & I were Brown's fans. we almost pulled it off.
Thank you for your service, sir
I remember this game well. My Dad was born in Kent Ohio and used to see the Otto Graham Browns play when they were the best team on the planet whereas I was born in Fl., and as a young teen boy I was a huge Dolphins fan. Regarding Paul Warfield, I have seen all the greats play at WR and to my eyes Warfield was the best of them.
I couldn't agree with you more! Paul Warfield in my opinion was the best I have ever seen play wide receiver!
Warfield was great but......Jerry Rice?
Don't forget the Packers' zzBoud Dowler
Don't forget the Packers' Boyd Dowler and Carroll Dale
We Eagles fans hated playing Otto & Lou the Toe = sooo good.
When I was a kid in the 60s/early 70s, watching the NFL, I just got to where I thought the Browns would likely beat anyone they played. I remember seeing the 27-0 win over the Colts.
Browns played them tough. Browns uniforms are excellence.
The Colts were overrated in that game, besides it was before 80, 000 in Cleveland
Imagine 1972 the only team in football that is aquatic went undefeated the same year the clean water act and the protection for aquatic animals went in place... just say.
Don Meredith on MNF, 1971: "I never met a fair hooker..."
bigtex macgonigle did he really say that ? Dandy Don what a guy.
@@jimsimpson3334 No, he never said that. Was an urban legend of sorts. There was a full telecast of the game on YT but it was removed. But the actual exchange went this way:
Meredith: Isn't Fair Hooker a great name?
Cosell: I pass.
Jackson: 3rd down and about 42 yards to go
@@stevep8445 😂 !
@@stevep8445 Actually, after Cosell said "I pass", Meredith said: "Well, I never met one..."
I was only 10 and I understood it!! Man, Dandy Don was the best.
I wish NFL Films would put out all the film on this game, or do a documentary. This was the undefeated Dolphins, and they damned near lost (even though they were better).
1thepner. They should have also lost to minnesota 3rd wk of that season. Lucky
That's part of the game. Minnesota was lucky to win a few of their own playoff games during the 70's.
Winning ugly is still winning,
I agree.... The Browns could have won this game. The Steelers were winning the championship game as well vs the 72 Dolphins. I would love to see more " legal " games by NFL films of this time period.
1thepner I would like to see it on the big screen.
I can’t remember the details of this game but I do recall the Dolphins barley squeezing by to win . I was rooting for the browns
I was 16 yrs old with my family at Disney World the 1st year it opened. We took time out to watch this disappointing loss.
great video!
and the music!
Although the Eagles have always been my favorite team, for a while there (from the early seventies until around the Marino era) the Dolphins were right there with them as far as my rooting interest was concerned. And since the Eagles were terrible, the Dolphins were without question the team I was most concerned about come playoff time. What I remember most about watching this game was that during the fourth quarter, my mother made us all sit down to a family dinner in the dining room. She allowed us the luxury of having the TV on in the adjacent room, so I could kind of "hear" the Dolphins go-ahead drive.
The Eagles had great jerseys at the time with the white helmets with 💚 green wings
I was a huge Dolphins fan as a kid and was in tears when the Browns scored the go ahead TD. Great little stroll down memory lane.
What are you now , a cowgirl fan ?
@@jacksonhwyoming1264 I don't watch a lot of NFL games anymore. Have you seen the uniforms? Looks like a video game.
@@zyrrhos im a DOLPHIN fan
@@jacksonhwyoming1264 What's that song by Phil Collins? Oh yeah, I Don't Care Anymore. ;)
AWESOME FIND COMRADE!
FB Bo Scott played for several seasons with Ottawa rough riders of CFL winning 2 grey cup championships before moving to Cleveland.Vic Washington from same Ottawa team jumped to 49’rs as productiveHB ...
Bo Scott was drafted by Cleveland in 1965, but when he saw Jim and Leroy Kelly were still there, he jumped to Canada which was the thing to do during this time.....lol
@@howardcosell2022 Hey Howard...is it true you and Dandy Don used to share a bottle of Johnny Walker Red on those cold Monday night Football games while live on the air?
@@brainscott8198 The bottle was Howard's. As for Dandy-“I can’t say personally that Don got high for every Monday Night game he did, except for the 40 or 50 times we did before he headed to the booth.”-Willie Nelson
So many great players on this Dolphins team...my fave player as a kid was #13 Jake Scott...Free Safety...who still owns the Dolphins career interception record....and who put the Hit on a diving Terry Bradshaw in Pittsburg two weeks later that knocked Bradshaw out of the game and kept him out of the end zone.
steve Fowler loved when Bradshaw looked up after that hit and his helmet was sideways on his head. And too bad Pitt still scored on that play when he fumbled into the end zone. Luckily miami recovered!!
@@fritterfoof5146 I meant recovered for the victory as when I said "And too bad Pitt still scored on that play."
The best game of the 1972 post season
francis salles Not sure about the best game, although the Browns offense woke up in the 2nd half. For sheer drama and big plays, Dallas 30-28 victory over the Niners is my pick. Also the AFC championship game with Miami and Pittsburgh was good. The Immaculate Reception game was all defense until the final two minutes so I agree this game was overall more exciting than that famous game.
Steelers-Dolphins AFC Championship Game. Larry Seiple the punter running for a first down to help Dolphins win.
@@natch27 Both on the same day so much for the possible Bay Area Super Bowl
Cowboys 49ers playoff game was the game of the year
@@michaelleroy9281 that game is rarely talked about.
Had Phipps only thrown 4 INTs instead of 5, this very well could have been one of the NFL’s most memorable upsets.
And wouldn't it have been great-Shula's old team (that he played for) kicks his ass. Classic.
first time i have ever seen anything on this game...thank you for posting...can still remember when hooker caught the go-ahead score...my brother and i were going crazy...short-lived though
The game was blacked out in Miami - so I got together with 3 buddies - one of whom had a pilot's license - we rented a 4-seater Cessna at North Perry Airport in Miramar - flew to Ft. Myers - and watched the game in the airport bar.
That's awesome.
@@michaelshaffer3393 Once in a lifetime experience - for 50 bucks - can't beat that.
Mike Phipps threw five INTs and the Browns still had the lead in the 4th quarter. Similar to Detroit losing to the 49ers in 1983 despite Gary Danielson's awful game...both teams would fall out of playoff contention for eight years.
That first one didn't look like an interception to me. The last one was just a desperation pass. Phipps wasn't great, but he wasn't horrible.
Eddie murray missed the game winning field goal
The glory days.
My Brother ,myself and my best friend were HUGE Miami Dolphin fans 1971 thru 1974. We could not believe Miami was Losing to the Browns in this game. BUT Earl Morrell and Company did what they did best in 1972. WON! We were jumping up and down yelling with happiness when #21 Jimmy Kiick scored and won the game!
Just wondering if anyone can recall a weekly NFL show done back in the 70's called "NFL Review & Preview?" I think it was hosted by Pat Summerall. I did a google search & came up with nothing, but I seem remembering this title too this show but still can't find any trace of it even on the internet. As for this video, its GREAT!!! Back when football was FOOTBALL!!! And I'm entering week 14 of the NFL 1972 season with my football game. Some AMAZING PLAYERS from that year!!!
ruclips.net/video/9QzQcS4Ycuc/видео.html
It was called"this Week in Pro Football" with Summerall and Tom Brookshier.. It aired on Saturdays in the late afternoon here in LA.
@@drewnogy Thanks for the info! You was lucky because we got it here in the south in the wee hours in the morning. Miss that show & miss those days too. Back then, football was still a MAN'S game. Nowadays its more of a game played by a bunch of snowflakes. sigh............
C. Babb had a nice flow going there.
This game was played on day before Christmas Day 🎄 (December 24, 1972-Sun.)
Haven't seen this in 50 years, the Browns should have won, 5 INT's and a TD for Miami on a blocked punt... I remember it was a close game but didn't realize it was a game Miami should not have won...
Browns would play Dolphins in Miami again in 1985 playoffs and give them a scare, before losing.
Were up 21-3. The late Don Rogers had a pick.
And the Browns would be the brown jerseys in that 1985 playoff game
The Browns had the best chance to end the Dolphins season.
It’s interesting that the dolphin who made that last interception chose to run as far as he could, and he wasn’t exactly securing the rock with both hands.
Yeah, even though I knew the result, I found myself a little nervous just watching that!
Jeez Mike Phipps had to throw 5 INTs in this game, the Browns likely would have stopped Miami’s historic undefeated season if he had taken care of the ball just a little.
As a Bears fan, it's so weird to think of Mike Phipps being such a coveted player.
Humorous comment. But yeah, I guess for a time he was highly regarded. Heck, Mitch Trubisky was too...once.
Worst trade ( next to the Walker trade) in NFL history Browns trading Paul Warfield to the Dolphins for a draft choice which would be Mike Phipps
@@michaelleroy9281smdh Cleveland gradually started falling off the map missing the playoffs for eight straight years.
@@michaelleroy9281 The Hadl trade was the worst. That disaster set the Packers for many years. No other trade damaged a team as much as that one.
Dude, they used to have 6 pre season games!
6 pre-season games!
That's work place abuse!!
Wow! As a student of pro football history (especially 1950s-1970s), where I've tended to focus on the Bears, Packers, Vikings, and Falcons, I now have to add the Browns as one of my very favorite teams, from a history perspective! I was surprised, after them being in the NFL Championship games of 1964, 1965, 1968, and 1969, to see today, on RUclips, that they played the Colts again, in an AFC Divisional Playoff in 1971, and then they almost defeated the undefeated 1972 Dolphins, in a 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff. I've always especially admired Leroy Kelly, Gary Collins, and Paul Warfield, and now I realize Bo Scott was right up there as a great contributor to Browns offenses.
The Browns from 1946-1973 had one losing season in 28 YEARS (5-7 in 1956) and you're just now adding them from a historical perspective? www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cle/
Me too! Love that era of pro football as well.
They also won the NFL Championship in 1950, '54, and '55 after winning 4 AAFC Championships 1946-49. Paul Brown and Otto Graham were probably the best Coach-QB duo, before Lombardi, Starr and of course Belichick, Brady.
Even though this team went undefeated, there is no way this was the best NFL team in history.
Yep...save for a miraculous catch by David Tyree on 3rd and 17 in the Super Bowl, Feb. 2008...T Brady woulda been 19-0, he coulda had 8 rings, and the Pats shoulda been the best of all time, hands down. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.
That 76-77 Raiders team was a monster. Also the '84 San Francisco and '85 Bears.
this team did it......
A lot of times it is just luck.
@@cliftonconnor9389 u cant be just lucky to get to 3 super bowls in a row...from 70-74..they were a powrehouse
I was at this game and I still have the game program that I bought that day, along with a hotdog that is still in my freezer to this very day.
Keep that program. It might be worth a whole lot someday.
I think the number 1 thing i am most grateful for while watching this is that there were no idiots on ESPN telling stupid people how Mike Phipps should be kicked out of the league for throwing 5 interceptions in a playoff game that the Browns lost by 6 points.
I love how the commentator said the Phipps/Warfield trade worked out for both teams. Haha...not really. The Dolphins received a Hall of Fame receiver in the prime of his career, and the Browns received a QB that couldn't stay sober. The only good thing that ever came from Mike Phipps is that later he was traded to the Bears for a 1st round draft choice, which the Browns used to select Hall of Fame TE Ozzie Newsome.
I grew up in the 70's in Cleveland - had no idea he was alcoholic?
@@mjp96 Oh yeah, although no one knew it at the time (well, maybe guys like Chuck Heaton, Pete Franklin, and Hal Lebovitz did, but it never was made public). Phipps much later was very open about it.
Cool game
The Browns could have won this game had they stopped the last Dolphin drive. RIP Jim Kiick.
That was the story of the 1972 Dolphins they came through when the pressure was on like in the Browns game
One of the few times the Browns would wear their brown jerseys
70 ,71 ,72,73,74,They rarely wore Brown after the Merger.The Cowboys in the 70s were the same.The only time you really saw them in Blue was when the Cardinals forced them to wear Blue by wearing their White at home.Same scenario with the Rams 69 70 71 72.The Saints forced them to wear blue by wearing their white at home .
The Browns wore brown at home for one game in 1968 against the Rams
@@michaelleroy9281 yes and that was interesting because neither team liked to wear Dark.But the Browns were more Reluctant in the 60s..but the Rams.....never wanted to.
The Rams went 3 full seasons wearing the white jerseys
@@michaelleroy9281 lol...Yep...they stayed away from them
The Saints work their black jerseys at home in 1969 and 1970 so the Rams wore white those games
I think this game was played on Christmas eve and the NFC game earlier in the day was Green Bay at Washington.
you are correct
No GreenBay, they were terrible in 70's.
@@dianemadison2254 :
Yes, Green Bay. Probably their best season during 70's. Under a not so good coach named Dan Devine.
@Thomas Lane :
Devine should have stayed there at Notre Dame.
@Thomas Lane :
No sir,
Devine was replaced by Bart Starr in 75. After Coach Starr came Forrest Gregg.
That Hooker receiver sure did get around
Always wondered if Coach Nick should have benched Phipps for Bill Nelson after the 3rd int
Me too. With his knees, Miami would've blitzed early and often. Then again, the line played well in that game. Nelsen was a wonderful field general and is still my favorite Browns qb behind Kosar.
@willie beamen the line played well in that game so who knows. Frank Pitts dropped that ball let us not forget that. I think that he was ultimately cut afterwards because that is Art Modell rolled back in the day.
Nick was a good man and coach. He was not the fault for this loss. Pitts dropped everything. Again, not on Nick, nor the the Warfield trade, geez
The 1972 Dolphins were fundamentally sound and methodical.
Yeah, as are almost every single great team in history, Captain Obvious.
Yeah, sounds about right🤪🤣
A well oiled machine, that's what you got with Shula's teams
Also were UNDEFEATED
where was that awesome running game of the Dolphins that day.
They saved it for the last 80 yard drive that won the game
Personally, I think Cleveland Browns should go back to 1972 Uniforms. Jersey sleeves down to elbow. Socks with Orange and Brown border at top of socks. Old school Fullcage Facemasks for linemen. Just like this game,
Nobody wears jerseys to the elbows anymore
Dolphins 🐬 had quintet, interceptions in this game
That was a clean interception
yep
A little before my time,, But from what I heard and seen this was the top of Mike Pipps career,, It all went south from here. Making the Warfield trade look look like a joke.
Warfield averaged 31 catches a year for the five years he was with the Dolphins.
Phipps had a steady, if unspectacular, 12 year above .500 career.
The joke is probably in your pants.
In both 72 and 73 he had only 29 catches
I remember Curt Gowdy exclaiming Fair HOOKer in this game, probably on that go ahead touchdown pass.
Curt Gowdy did not call this game for NBC.
@@dolphingoosby7195 Yeah, it's been a while since I posted this. I had second thoughts some time after as I think Jim Simpson did the game, and he was known to pitch his voice on big plays.
"The, Good Guys of the NFL" wore white - even though they were bad ass as hell!
Trading Paul Warfield made me cry
Sooo good
Didn't remember Phipps having such a low throwing slot.
I have no doubt that Don Shula decided he wanted to move to Miami and coach there after his heavily favored Baltimore Colts lost Super Bowl III there to the Jets in 1969, who were oddly coached by Weeb Ewbank, who was the Colts coach in 1958 in the famous NFL title overtime game win against the NY Giants, when Johnny Unitas was the QB...you first knew the Colts were in serious trouble against the Jets, when Earl Morrall threw a costly interception to Jets safety Johnny Sample in the end zone just before the half on a flea-flicker play that worked so well for them during the season. Morrall didn't see a wide-open Johnny Orr waving his hands on the other side of the end zone. Morrall was finally benched in the 4th quarter, scoreless, and Unitas led the Colts to a too-late TD, their only score in a 16-7 loss. Oddly, in Super Bowl V in Miami, Unitas came off the bench again, this time in the 2nd quarter, when Morrall got injured, to lead the Colts over the Dallas Cowboys, 16-13, the only Super Bowl when the losing team had the MVP, Dallas MLB Chuck Howley, who threw his helmet half the length of the field, when the game ended on Colts rookie PK Jim OBrien's FG as time expired.
2 different nfl teams spent 1st round picks on Phipps. Brown’s & bears including the browns trading HOF Warfield for the pick. Had to be the worst use of draft capital in NFL history!!!
Browns almost pulled the upset of the century.
Uh, there was a game a few years earlier involving the same guy who played qb for the fins in this game...
Wait what.... 6 pre season games??
Cool
Paul Warfield was drafted in 64' or 65' as a halfback but also was a fine receiver in college, whatever the season the Browns won the NFL championship and Jimmy Brown's last season . I'm not certain , but i think it was the beginning of NFL taking a running back out of the full four man backfield on a full time basis (using warfield as a flanker wide receiver ) and using him as a receiver , the flanker position . now i guess they call them just the other wide receiver , but he must line up behind the lineman . the other wide receiver is a true lineman so he lines just behind the ball with the lineman , of course usually farther out towards the sidelines .
Paul Warfield played for the Browns from 1964-1969 and 1976-1977. www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WarfPa00.htm Jim Brown retired in 1965. He played 9 years. www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrowJi00.htm
in the old AFL Lance Alworth may have been one of the first flankers or the wide receiver who must line up with the backfield but usually further out as a receiver .
From the Side Judge Officials: The offensive lineman on both sides of the ball must have one player cover them on a line of scrimmage for them to be eligible receivers. If the offensive lineman is exposed as the last player on a line of scrimmage on either side of the ball, this will be an illegal formation
Yeah well we're gonna win this Suday! Go.Browns!
Bad choice by Phipps at 10:00. Frank Pitts (25) is covered man to man down the right sideline and could possibly have scored had he made a catch!
The Steelers wanted to interview then Browns HC Nick Skorich but the Browns said he would eventually take over for Blanton Collier. Browns recommended a former player and current asst coach back then to the Steelers: Chuck Noll.
Your in the same ballpark, but Don Shula recommended Noll to Pittsburgh
@@howardcosell2022 thanks. I was close, lol.
Bob Demarco was a Dolphin.
Johnny Yuma was a rebel. So?
Jeremiah was a bullfrog
Fair Hooker , what an unusual name
The late Don Meredith said " I haven't met one yet"!
This 1972 Defense was never on the field very long , you know why , 26 interceptions and 29 fumbles recovered, mental mistakes -64 for 714 yards , they led the league in points scored , points against , Scoring Offense and Scoring Defense , 1st - 1st - 1st - 1st , 17 - 0 , Perfection , The only TEAM ever to do so in NFL history . 1973 Team Ranked - 5th points for - 9th scoring Off - 1st points against - 3rd scoring Def , 52 penalties for 416 yards , created turnovers , 21 interceptions , 13 fumbles recovered , the 1973 team statistically WAS NOT BETTER except in Penalties .
6 pre season games.. can you imagine??
Now it's only 3
And if you bought season tickets - you didn't have to be the preseason games.
This was a butt ugly win for Miami, they were sloppy as hell that day. Phipps had a great game, but you can't throw 5 picks and expect to beat the best team in the league. This game showed that even the vaunted No Name Defense could look like crap on any given Sunday. The thing many fans may not know, is that the perfect season was mostly quarterbacked by Old Bones, the nickname players had for backup QB, Earl Morrall. Bob Griese went down in week 5 and Morrall took them 9-0 to finish out the 14-0 regular season. When the playoffs started, Griese was back, just in time.
After eighteen years steelers dominance of brownsfinaly over
Thx!! Comrade Dobler > Conrad Dobler
If you didn't chuckle once at the mention of Fair Hooker, something is wrong with you.
Hooker for the score!! 😁
Don Shula's Colts beat the Browns 35-0 in the NFL championship in 68. Not sure why this guy is acting like the Browns own him.
34-0..
Poor, Bob Demarco.
Did Baker throw that pick?
No he wasn't even born yet
Didn't Earl Morrall get benched after this and Griese became the starter, again?
I dont know why, but after watching this video, it doesn't seem like to me that the game is really as close as the final score, (won by the Dolphins against the Browns, 20-14), especially with the Browns QB throwing 5 INTs in this game. Dont get me wrong, I believe Browns did put up a great fight in this game, but I still believe the Dolphins had won this game more handily & easily than the final score!!
Wonder where the game would have been played had Miami played Oakland instead of Pittsburgh
The game would’ve been in Oakland. The NFL used a weird rotation schedule for home field advantage in the championship game at that time. Since the championship was in Miami the year before, there was no chance of it being in Miami for a second year in a row, according to the rules.
9:50 Don Vito Skorich
How come Griese wasn't playing quarterback for this game ?
www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/mia/1972.htm He was hurt mid season but returned for the Super Bowl.
He broke a leg against the Chargers. Miami still won 24-10. ☺