The 1972 Dolphins on the 2007 Patriots

[Christopher_Price]

Recently, several members of the 1972 Dolphins were part of a conference call with reporters who asked them their thoughts on the 2007 Patriots. Here are some of the unfiltered highlights:Q. I was hoping to ask this of anyone who is on the conference call, given the parity in the NFL with the salary [...]

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[Watson's IQ]

Mercury Morris: "So there’s no way that we could have stopped it. It could have happened in ‘73, 74, ‘75, 76. It’s been 1,290 tries."

I guarantee you that Morris did that math himself.

 

[tobias funke]

I may be alone, but I appreciate their candor and honesty. So what if they care about their record?

Shula admitted that what he said came off as self-serving and Morris always sounds like a crackhead. Good enough for me.

 

[Steve1iron]

The 72 Dolphins are on the verge of being a lot less relevant than ever before. After Sunday no one will be the least bit interested in what they have to say. For those of us who were around in 1972 and remember this Dolphins team and the NFL at that time, we recognize that the 2007 Patriots are a much superior team. Rather than being quietly proud of their accomplishments, the 72 Dolphins are throwing dirt on their own accomplishments.

 

[mrrhodeisland]

Recently, several members of the 1972 Dolphins were part of a conference call with reporters who asked them their thoughts on the 2007 Patriots. Here are some of the unfiltered highlights:Q. I was hoping to ask this of anyone who is on the conference call, given the parity in the NFL with the salary [...]

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Great stuff Chris! You rock!!! :rocker:

 

[richpats]

The 72 Dolphins are on the verge of being a lot less relevant than ever before.

True. The "17-0" only matters because it has not been matched in a 16-game season. If the Pats win Sunday, the modern standard will become the 2007 Patriots, and the '72 Dolphins will just be the gold standard of a different era, not all of NFL history.

IMO, their undefeated season is fairly underwhelming compared to the '07 Pats. Going undefeated wasn't that big of a deal back then, and it seemed achievable. Only after 35 years of great teams failing to do so has made their feat look impressive.

Getting ahead of myself, let's just win Sunday and put all debates to rest.

 

[upstater1]

The reason that people don't like them is that they have been celebrating losses with a champagne toast for over 35 years now.

Be humble, sheesh.

 

[Caspir]

The reason that people don't like them is that they have been celebrating losses with a champagne toast for over 35 years now.

Be humble, sheesh.

No, they haven't.

 

[Patsgofor4]

WARNING: If you read this quote by Mercury Morris more than once, there is a good chance you will have a seizure. Your brain will definitely ache after a single reading. It has to be one of the longer sentences (spoken or written) since 1972. Take a damn breath Mercury.

"I think the intent was there to steal signals rather than to put themselves in a position where they would have an advantage as far as games are concerned as they soon realized they are so good they didn’t have to have that small advantage they tried to do get and eventually cost them a first round draft pick and it eventually did that."

 

[DaBruinz]

OK.. Could someone who was watching games in 1972 (I wasn't born yet), please comment on Jim Kiick saying that there was MORE parity in 1972 and that every team had a great QB?

Just looking at the stats, I'd say he's full of sh!t. But, I'd rather have independent confirmation on this.

 

[shmessy]

During the 1972 regulalr season, their high water mark was beating two 8-6 teams.

'Nuf ced.

 

[cartmen]

wasnt around back then but yeah he is full of Sh!t. the best team Miami faced that year was in the playoffs and after that they faced 1 team over .500. Thats not parity thats mediocrity

 

[shmessy]

OK.. Could someone who was watching games in 1972 (I wasn't born yet), please comment on Jim Kiick saying that there was MORE parity in 1972 and that every team had a great QB?

Just looking at the stats, I'd say he's full of sh!t. But, I'd rather have independent confirmation on this.

He's full of it.

Check out the 1972 Patriots. There was NO parity in the NFL. Some teams (admittedly ours) had no right taking the field that year as an NFL team.

The gaps were far wider than today.

Let's just imagine a game between the 2007 Dolphins and the 1972 Patriots. 2007 Dolphins by at least 3 touchdowns.

 

[the shadow]

OK.. Could someone who was watching games in 1972 (I wasn't born yet), please comment on Jim Kiick saying that there was MORE parity in 1972 and that every team had a great QB?

Just looking at the stats, I'd say he's full of sh!t. But, I'd rather have independent confirmation on this.

I seen the 72 Dolphins.............There is NO WAY they could ever match up with the 2008 Pats. Speed alone would kill the 72 team (I'd bet we have at least 30 guys who are faster now than there fastest guy) They were a Run, and Run, and Run again offense. BG didn't have to throw the ball (if he did, he would be no better than his son is now)
Just the way the offenses are today compared to 72 would kill the Dolphins. In 72 No One Knew what a "spread offense" was. If any team ever went into a "no backs" backfield the 72 team wouldn't have a clue.
Its tough to compare different eras but SPEED alone would make the Pats about a 28 point favorite (and they would cover that spread too LOL)

 

[Dojo Chargerfan]

Don't take this as a bash on the Pats' season but before this season started would you have considered the 72 Fins the greatest team of all time because they had no losses? I would have put them as the most accomplished team of all time, and now, because of what the Pats have done, I would put the Pats up there too. I don't think that history will place the Pats as the GREATEST team of all time but I think they'll be top 10. History likes teams that cram it down your throat with great defense and smashmouth offense. The funny thing is though that if you played teams like the 92 Cowboys, 89 9ers, 85 Bears I think the 07 Pats will demolish those teams. The "greatest team of all time" talk is a funny thing but the Pats have put themself up there with this current team.

 

[shmessy]

You are trying to compare apples and oranges when you try to match a team from the 1970's to a team in the 2000's era.

Who's rules are you going to play the game by? Speed is all fine and good if you can get seperation but if your recievers are being leveled 5 or ten ten steps off the line what good is speed going to do. If you QB dosnt have the time to throw the ball it does not matter who is open. It's really not easily comparable.

If you gave the Dolphins the medical and training advantages of todays athelete they would also be different athletes.

The dolphins had the best season in the history of football in thier era just as the pats are having the best season in thier era of football. This comparison of which team is beter and who would beat who in a match up is silly.

I agree with your post.

However, to take it a step further, within the context of your argument, it is obvious that the 2007 Patriots dominated their season (and decade, for that matter) far more than the 1972 Dolphins.

1) 19-0 (if it occurs) versus 17-0

2) NE - Beat 6 playoff teams during regular season Mia- Beat 0 teams during regular season. In fact they beat only two teams with winning records in a FREAKISHLY soft (pre-parity) NFL schedule. BTW, Shula Guy, those 2 teams' "winning records"? 8-6, both.

3) Point differential: NE has a FAR better point differential

There are far more to list, however, it is obvious that they Patriots of 2007 dominated their present more than the 1972 DOLPHINS did in theirs. So yes, Shula Guy, they each won their respective eras and it is apples and oranges. But to put it in a horse racing analogy: The Patriots won their race by 30 lengths, while the Dolphins won theirs by 5 lengths.

 

[JoePats]

During the 1972 regulalr season, their high water mark was beating two 8-6 teams.

'Nuf ced.

How come nobody ever asks them about this?

 

[mrrhodeisland]

How come nobody ever asks them about this?

Because they've outlawed assisted suicide.

 

[Watson's IQ]

Don't take this as a bash on the Pats' season but before this season started would you have considered the 72 Fins the greatest team of all time because they had no losses? I would have put them as the most accomplished team of all time, and now, because of what the Pats have done, I would put the Pats up there too. I don't think that history will place the Pats as the GREATEST team of all time but I think they'll be top 10. History likes teams that cram it down your throat with great defense and smashmouth offense. The funny thing is though that if you played teams like the 92 Cowboys, 89 9ers, 85 Bears I think the 07 Pats will demolish those teams. The "greatest team of all time" talk is a funny thing but the Pats have put themself up there with this current team.

I think the fact that the Patriots scored the most points of all time kind of speaks for itself in that regard. I do think the "Greatest ever" is open to debate, and not something that will probably ever be resolved. A lot of the criticisms of this Patriots team are things like "They don't have a dominant D like those Steelers teams in the 70s, etc". While that's undeniably true, I would say the fact that they also set the NFL record for margin of victory suggests that their defense was more than good enough.

What's not in doubt by anyone who's not an idiot is that this Patriots team is FAR better than the '72 Dolphins. Where it ranks with those others is I guess a matter of opinion.

 

[Dojo Chargerfan]

I think the fact that the Patriots scored the most points of all time kind of speaks for itself in that regard. I do think the "Greatest ever" is open to debate, and not something that will probably ever be resolved. A lot of the criticisms of this Patriots team are things like "They don't have a dominant D like those Steelers teams in the 70s, etc". While that's undeniably true, I would say the fact that they also set the NFL record for margin of victory suggests that their defense was more than good enough.

What's not in doubt by anyone who's not an idiot is that this Patriots team is FAR better than the '72 Dolphins. Where it ranks with those others is I guess a matter of opinion.

I find it completely ironic that the two most accomplished teams in NFL history is NOT riddled with hall of famers. The Pats have Brady, Seau (mostly from his tenure in SD), Moss IF he continues to have 3 or 4 great seasons like he did this year, Bruschi is a longshot, and Harrison is a VERY longshot. Maybe someone could come out and be a HOFer but so far that's it. The Fins had the no name defense for a reason, no one really knew them. I find it funny that both teams just kept winning. HOF coaching beats HOF players any game of the year. Just my opinion. But trying to compare the 07 Pats to the 72 Fins is like comparing the 06 BoSox to the 27 Yankees.