The Perfect Season

In the National Football League it is hard to compete game in and game out, but to go UNDEFEATED?! That's exactly what the 1972 Miami Dolphins did with an amazing year capping it all off with a Super Bowl win over the Washington Redskins and a record of 17-0. The coach for the Dolphin's at the time that led them to a amazing season was head coach Don Shula. Shula holds the current record for NFL career wins at a very strong 347. All across the nation to sports fans the headline was being made for the Dolphins, "Perfect Season". They are the only team in the NFL to ever have a perfect record and go undefeated all the way to take home the Lombardi Trophy which is for the Super Bowl.

There have been three other teams in the NFl to have come close, but yet have not achieved the perfect season. Those teams are the 1934 Chicago Bears, 1942 Chicago Bears, and 2007 New England Patriots. All these teams that had a undefeated season in there grasp all lost in either playoff games after the regular season or in the Super Bowl. The closest team that had a chance to repeat what the Dolphins made so special was the 2007 New England Patriots which ended up losing in the Super Bowl after having a perfect record before that of 16-0.

The '72 Dolphins had a special group of players that got the job done for them. Quarterback Bob Griese, running backs Larry Csonka, and Earl Morrall, both which had over 1,000 yards running in one season. All three are now in the NFL Hall of Fame. There defense, which got the national title, "No-Name Defense' because of all the stars on the Dolphins offense, led the league in all categories and finished off number one. The Dolphins changed the way television would be watched for the NFL from every season on. In a way we have them to thank. Many people had to travel somewhere to watch a Miami game on television or just listen to the radio or go the game. Super Bowl VII which is what the Miami Dolphins played in, was the first Super Bowl to be nationally televised. What the 1972 Dolphins accomplished with having the perfect season is what many aspiring athletes have in their mind set when they dream. To be the best and have a undefeated season in whatever sport it may be. The Miami Dolphins hit the definition of perfect.


Sources:
www.google.com
http://www.72dolphins.com/
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_NFL_teams_have_had_undefeated_seasons
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_season
http://www.phins.com/72phins/

Images:
http://i.cdn.turner.com/sivault/multimedia/photo_gallery/0901/history.january14/images/006272945final.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JvaoyCwbcLI/SzoOVAK1AJI/AAAAAAAAAdk/p0ehn8qMZuc/s320/don_shula_1972_dolphins_undefeated.jpg