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 sixteen years as the Green Bay Packers signal caller, the last twelve as their undisputed franchise quarterback, Bryan Bartlet Starr retired on July 22. However, even after a series of injury plagued seasons, Starr originally planned to play one more year, participating in April’s spring camp. Unfortunately, it soon became clear that his throwing arm, after last year’s surgeries, was no longer effective. But less than a week after announcing his retirement, Starr agreed to join Head Coach Dan Devine’s staff as his quarterback coach. With the departure of Bob Schnelker earlier in the year, Starr evolved into Devine’s de facto offensive coordinator by season’s end.

The future Hall of Famer started his professional football career as Green Bay’s 17th round choice in the 1956 draft, the 200th overall pick, out of the University of Alabama. Johnny Dee, Alabama’s basketball coach and a friend of the team’s personnel director, Jack Vainisi, recommended Starr as a worthwhile prospect. Vainisi ultimately convinced the coaches that Starr had the ability to succeed in the big leagues. His career began slowly, backing up sixth year veteran Tobin Rote, starting just one game. After Rote was traded to the Detroit Lions, he split time with veteran Babe Parilli the next two seasons. When Vince Lombardi was hired in 1959, the new head man was initially unimpressed.

Before the preseason, Lombardi decided to obtain another veteran signal caller to be his starter, Lamar McHan, from the Chicago Cardinals. With four quarterbacks on the roster, Starr thought he might be cut. Instead, Parilli was ultimately released. Starr was younger and Lombardi was impressed with his preparation. But the coach saw him as McHan’s backup. Starr’s chance to prove he could be Lombardi’s starter came in the seventh week against the Chicago Bears when he replaced McHan at the beginning of the second half after he pulled a hamstring. Starr’s performance against the Bears and McHan’s unavailability earned him an opportunity to start against the Baltimore Colts.

Still, Lombardi wasn’t yet sold on the youngster’s 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 after being down 21-3 at halftime, throwing for 242 yards. The coach and his teammates were impressed with Starr’s performance, particularly his decision making and leadership. McHan had never run the offense so deftly. According to Eisenberg, “Maybe the quarterback [Lombardi] wanted had been [there] 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 the ninth week against the Washington Redskins, 21-0, completing 11 of 19 for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns. Lombardi was now convinced the fourth-year player would be his trigger man henceforth. The coach and his quarterback subsequently led the Packers to five NFL titles (1961-62, 1965-67) in their nine seasons together. But persistent injuries to the 38-year old’s throwing arm over his last five years and subsequent failed surgeries to correct the problems during the 1971 offseason finally forced his retirement in 1972.

At the time, Starr ended his career as the franchise’s leading passer, completing 1,808 of 3,149 (57.4%) for 24,718 yards, 152 touchdowns, 138 interceptions, an 80.5 QBR, and a record of 94-57-6. It would be 30 years before another Green Bay quarterback would surpass Starr’s place in the record books. Despite being a four-time Pro Bowler, only once was Starr named All-Pro, the same year he won the league MVP (1966). He was, however, a two-time Super Bowl MVP (1966 & 1967) and the only quarterback in NFL history to win three consecutive league titles (1965-67). For all this and more, Starr was inducted into both the Pro Football and Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1977.

For the second straight year, Devine used a high first round draft choice to pick a blue-chip talent. Last season, running back John Brockington, the Offensive Rookie of the Year, was selected ninth overall. This time, Devine used the seventh overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft to select San Diego State Cornerback Willie Buchanon. Said Defensive Coordinator Dave Hanner, “I think Willie Buchanon is going to help a lot. He’s better right now than a lot of people who are playing regular in the NFL.” Hanner was proven right as Buchanon followed up an excellent college career by becoming a shutdown corner during the season, culminating in being named Defensive Rookie of the Year.

In the second round, Devine made another inspired selection when he chose Hillsdale College Kicker Chester Marcol (34th overall), the highest a kicker had ever been picked in an NFL draft. Green Bay had been without a reliable placekicker since the end of the 1967 season when Don Chandler retired, cycling through nine different kickers over the next four years. Joe Zagorski, in his book, The Year the Packers Came Back: Green Bay’s 1972 Resurgence, stated “The Packers had lost no less than four games in 1971 because of missed field goals.” Marcol’s selection finally provided a level of stability at a key position, leading the league in scoring while being named All-Pro in his rookie year.

Coming into the draft, Devine and assistant general manager Pat Peppler had identified two of Green Bay’s greatest areas of need as their pass defense and the kicking game. Buchanon and Marcol filled those needs. Buchanon would play seven of his eleven NFL seasons with the Packers, starting 80 out of 80 games he was available during that time, 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. Despite a Pro Bowl and All-Pro season in 1978, Buchanon was traded to the San Diego Chargers the subsequent offseason due to a contract dispute.

Meanwhile, Marcol played eight full seasons for Green Bay before being released five games into his ninth, playing two games for the Houston Oilers before retiring after the season. Highly successful during his first three years, Marcol would be named All-Pro for a second time in 1974, again leading the league in scoring with 94 points. However, a succession of injuries and personal problems shortened his career. The two-time Pro Bowler converted 120 of 195 field goals (61.5%) and 155 of 164 extra points (94.5%) during his time with the Packers, totaling 521 points, fourth in franchise history at the time. Both Marcol and Buchanon were ultimately inducted into the Packer Hall of Fame.

Although they might not have said it publicly, Devine and Peppler were also concerned about the quarterback situation heading into the draft. It was clear Starr’s career was over, he would confirm that in July, leaving second year veteran Scott Hunter and 40-year-old Zeke Bratkowski as the Packers signal callers. Even though Hunter started ten games in 1971, the head coach didn’t feel he’d shown enough in his rookie season to be definitively considered Starr’s successor. As a result, Devine used his second first round selection, acquired from San Diego a year earlier in a lopsided trade for backup defensive tackle Kevin Hardy, on Nebraska Quarterback 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 Peppler thought he had the potential to win in the NFL. However, Tagge would ultimately play only three seasons in Green Bay, starting 12 of 18 games (6-6), while completing 136 of 281 (48.4%) for 1,583 yards, 3 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, and an unimpressive 44.2 QBR. The Packers sixth, eighth, and tenth round choices; defensive tackle Dave Pureifory (6 seasons), wide receiver Leland Glass (2 seasons), and offensive tackle Keith Wortman (4 seasons), would all contribute as part time starters going forward.

League historians have frequently described 1972 as one of the worst draft classes ever, especially the failure of a majority of first-round draftees. Only seven of thirty first round picks made even a single Pro Bowl. The entire draft produced only two Hall of Famers: the 13th overall selection, Penn State Running Back Franco Harris (Pittsburgh Steelers) and the 98th pick, Colorado Wide Receiver Cliff Branch (Oakland Raiders). No one could have imagined that Harris, in his rookie season, would not only tie Hall of Famer Jim Brown’s record of six 100-yard games in one season, he’d also be involved in one of the most memorable plays in league history, the “Immaculate Reception”.

There were two rule 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, minimizing severe angles for short field goal attempts. Second, tie games, previously ignored in computing a team’s winning percentage, were made equal to a half-game loss and a half-game win. Tiebreaker rules were also revised to start with head-to-head competition, followed by a team’s division records, common opponents records, and conference play record.

Finally, on July 13, a unique series of transactions took place. Robert Irsay and Willard Keland bought the Los Angeles Rams from the estate of previous owner Dan Reeves and transferred that ownership to Carroll Rosenbloom, in exchange for ownership of the Baltimore Colts, all on the same day. Reeves, who’d owned the Rams since 1941 when they were still the Cleveland Rams, had passed away the previous year from lung cancer. Rosenbloom had been the Colts owner since they were reincarnated in 1953 but, due to issues with Memorial Stadium and the city’s officials, made the decision to leave Baltimore after the 1971 season. He would own the Rams until his death in 1979.

Regular Season Highlights: The Green Bay Packers 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. Packer fans once again enjoyed chanting “The Pack Is Back”, because it seemed to be true in Head Coach Dan Devine’s second year. 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 foes, including two wins over Detroit, gaining a measure of revenge after losing 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 gone from the 1971 squad as the season began. According to Joe Zagorski, “Coach Devine felt that there was an obvious need for young talent to fill out the roster and replace any and all veterans who were past their prime.” The trades began shortly after the draft, on February 21, when the coach exchanged sixth year halfback Donny Anderson for the St. Louis Cardinals fourth year fullback MacArthur Lane. In his book, The Green Bay Packers The Dan Devine Years 1971-1974, Stanton Greene said, “Both players were unhappy in their current situations and were looking for a fresh start.”

One year after his fellow “Gold Dust Twin”, Jim Grabowski, was traded to the Chicago Bears, Devine traded Anderson to the Cardinals. Both were high first round draft picks in 1966 and 1965 respectively. Vince Lombardi had envisioned the duo replacing the aging Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung. Now, under Devine, the new tandem would consist of John Brockington and MacArthur Lane. The seventh overall selection finished his Packers career with 787 carries for 3,165 yards (4.0 yards per attempt) as well as 125 receptions for 1,725 yards (13.6 yards per catch) and 30 total touchdowns. Anderson played three years for St. Louis, retiring in 1975 after starting just one game in 1974.

Defensive End Lionel Aldridge and backup quarterback Zeke Bratkowski, both Packers since 1963, were next up, traded on April 18 and September 1 respectively. Aldridge, along with a 1974 third round draft pick, was sent to the San Diego Chargers for third year safety Jim Hill. Bratkowski was then traded to Chicago for a 1974 sixth round draft choice. With Anderson gone, Green Bay needed a punter as “The Golden Palomino” had performed this duty since taking over for Don Chandler in 1967. As a result, on September 7, Devine traded a 1973 second round draft pick to the Dallas Cowboys for fourth year punter Ron Widby and kick returner Ike Thomas, in his second season.

Aldridge had started 116 out of 123 games, totaling 62 sacks, during his nine years with Green Bay, playing two years for San Diego before retiring in 1974. Hill replaced future Hall of Fame Safety 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 Bart Starr for seven seasons after he was waived by the Los Angeles Rams and subsequently picked up by Lombardi, completed 762 of 1,484 (51.3%) for 10,345 yards, 65 touchdowns, 122 interceptions, and a QBR of 54.3 over his 14-year career with the Bears (5), Rams (2), and Packers.

Devine also traded third year halfback Dave Hampton to the Atlanta Falcons for third year offensive guard Malcolm Snider on September 6. Hampton had been in Devine’s doghouse due to fumbling problems (17 over three seasons). While gaining only 1,063 combined rushing and receiving yards during his time in Green Bay, Hampton had been a valuable kickoff returner, leading the league with 1,314 yards the previous season. In Atlanta, the ninth-round pick would blossom as a running back, with 4,305 yards from scrimmage and 20 total touchdowns in just over four years. After a 1,000-yard season, “Scooter” was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976, retiring after the season.

The Hampton trade was precipitated by an ill-advised change to the Packers offensive line, resulting in an inauspicious start to the 1972 season. Gale Gillingham was drafted by Lombardi with Green Bay’s second first round pick in 1966, replacing the retired Fuzzy Thurston at left guard the next season. For the past three years, Gillingham had been a unanimous All-Pro selection and was considered to be one of, if not the best, guard in the league. Packer historian Cliff Christl felt he was “possibly … even better than [future Hall of Famer] Jerry Kramer.” Similarly, several years later, Brockington stated that “Gillingham was the best … a cut above. … I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Unfortunately for Green Bay, defensive tackle Mike McCoy, in the preseason’s third week, broke a bone in his foot and would be out for the next eight games. Losing the second overall pick of the 1970 draft was a huge blow to the defense. In desperation, and only days before the start of the regular season, Devine made the fateful decision to move his star lineman from offense guard to defense tackle. Although Gillingham had played both offensive and defensive line in college, he hadn’t played defense in a live game since his senior year. In the second game of the season, Gillingham tore up his knee, never again to be the same player over the remainder of his 10-year career.

Devine’s decision is still considered one of the most bizarre moves in franchise history. Many believe that the injury eliminated any chance Gillingham might one day be a Hall of Fame selection. In a 2011 interview with Martin Hendricks, the five-time Pro Bowler stated, “It was not a good move. What was really ridiculous about it is that we played six exhibition games back then, but Devine waited until the regular season to put me on defense. I started the game with basically no practice time. … I tore up my knee. [The coach] comes in and says he was planning to switch me back to offense. He knew it was a mistake, but it was too late. … [Devine] was simply out of his league in the NFL.”

According to Zagorski, “Devine’s 1972 regular season roster was filled with a majority of younger players, and with a small mixture of older and more experienced leftovers from the Lombardi era.” On offense, only two starters remained from the Super Bowl years, center Ken Bowman and wide receiver Carroll Dale. The starting quarterback, Scott Hunter, was in his second year while his backup, Jerry Tagge, was a rookie. On defense, only future Hall of Fame linebacker Dave Robinson remained a starter from the Packers last playoff team in 1967. And just one player remained from Lombardi’s first championship team, 14-year linebacker Ray Nitschke, playing in his final season.

Green Bay opened with a rout of the 1971 AFC Central Division Champion Cleveland Browns, 26-10, in Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium. Two of Devine’s 1972 top draft picks, Chester Marcol and Willie Buchanon, immediately proved their worth. Marcol converted four field goals, tying Packer greats Paul Hornung and Jerry Kramer for most field goals in a single game. Buchanon picked off a first quarter Bill Nelson pass, leading to Green Bay’s first score, a 23-yard touchdown pass from Hunter to tight end Rich McGeorge. It was a strong start against a quality team. With Bart Starr now calling the plays, Hunter finished 7 of 17 for 150 yards, 2 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a QBR of 112.4.

Unfortunately, the next week would not only see a loss to the Oakland Raiders, 20-14, in their Lambeau Field home opener, it would see injuries to Gillingham and McGeorge. Both were lost for the remainder of the season. The third-year tight end was the best of an otherwise weak staff of receivers and was Hunter’s favorite target. The Packers also had to deal with less severe injuries to Hunter (back), Brockington (neck), offensive guard Bill Lueck (shoulder), offensive tackle Francis Peay (knee), and cornerback Ken Ellis (ankle). On the plus side, Green Bay kept the game close throughout, leading 14-10 at the break despite a disputed fumble, before the offense stalled in the second half.

That controversial fumble came as the Packers were poised to take a double-digit lead from Oakland’s 1 yard line. Hunter pitched to Lane, who dropped the ball. It rolled into the end zone for what should have been a touchback. But rather than ruling the play a muffed lateral, which couldn’t be advanced, the officials ruled it a fumble. Raider safety Jack Tatum picked up the ball and ran it 104 yards for a touchdown. Instead of Green Bay leading 14-3, Oakland led 10-7. A few days later, the NFL acknowledged the call on the field had been wrong. However, the Packers had no time to dwell on this missed opportunity as the World Champion Dallas Cowboys were next up on the schedule.

In their first game of the season at Milwaukee County Stadium, Dallas would outgain Green Bay both on the ground (269-168) and through the air (169-53). However, five Cowboy turnovers, including three Craig Morton interceptions, to none for the Packers resulted in a close 16-13 victory. The win was a big confidence builder for Green Bay after their disappointing loss to Oakland. According to ninth year center Ken Bowman, “This was a big game for a very young team. I don’t think some of the new men on this club thought deep down that they could win, or that they belonged on the same field with Dallas.” It was now back to Lambeau for a game against the hated Chicago Bears.

Surprisingly, the Bears shut down the Packer running attack for much of the contest, forcing two fumbles by the normally sure handed Brockington and Lane. It took what arguably was the biggest day of Hunter’s career (15 of 30, 240 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, 88.2 QBR) for Green Bay to escape with a 20-17 victory. Although the youngster’s totals after four games were modest (30 of 73, 509 yards, 3 touchdowns), he’d not thrown an interception on the season after throwing 17 the year before. That ended on the Packers third offense play against the 3-1 Lions on a Monday night in Detroit. Lem Barney’s pick ultimately led to a 20-10 Lions lead late in the third quarter.

However, a Ken Ellis 80-yard punt return for a touchdown to end the third period and a 13 play, 83-yard drive, culminating in a 15-yard Hunter touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Leland Glass with less than two minutes to play, gave Green Bay a thrilling, come from behind victory, 24-23. Said Devine after the game, “Dallas was a big win for us, but this one [against the Lions] is bigger. I think you’ve got to prove to yourself that you can come from behind and win.” Suddenly, the Packers were 4-1, one game ahead of Detroit for the NFC Central lead, having won three straight. After two victories in the division, the question now was could Green Bay stay on top with nine games to play.

Over the next two weeks, the answer appeared to be no. Consecutive home losses to the Atlanta Falcons, 10-9, and Minnesota, 27-13, tied the Packers with the Lions for the division lead at the season’s midpoint. Against Atlanta, all of Green Bay’s points came in the first half off the toe of Marcol with 44-, 32-, and 35-yard field goals on a muddy field in Milwaukee. Of note, Hampton, a Packer less than two months ago, led both teams with 93 yards on 30 carries. The next week, Green Bay was leading the Vikings through three quarters, 13-10, until a 32-yard Fred Cox field goal and two interception returns for touchdowns gave Minnesota the victory. “I blew the game,” admitted Hunter.

However, instead of folding as in previous years, the Packers rose up to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in the eighth week, 34-24, beginning another three-game win streak. It appeared Green Bay had the game well in hand, leading 24-7 over the two-time NFC West division champions midway through the third period. Brockington had a career day, rushing for 133 yards and a total of 181 scrimmage yards with three touchdowns. A furious San Francisco comeback narrowed the Packers lead to 27-24 late in the fourth quarter before Ellis’s 35-yard interception return for a touchdown with seconds left iced the victory. Publicly at least, the players and coaches seemed to be coming together.

Green Bay’s next two road victories, 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. Although the Bears won the statistical battle, Green Bay’s defense and special teams ultimately won the game. After going 0 for 3 with two picks, Hunter suffered a concussion and was relieved by Tagge. In his first regular season action, the rookie did well enough to keep the Packers in the contest. Hunter was back against the 1-8 Oilers but, once again, the defense and special teams were the heroes of the game. Lane drove the offense with 126 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown.

The eleventh week brought a third straight road game against the team with the NFC’s best record, the 9-1 Washington Redskins. For the first time, internal tensions between Packer players and coaches, which had been simmering behind the scenes all season, surfaced publicly. Devine abruptly pulled Hunter early in the second quarter, replacing him with Tagge. Although Green Bay kept the game close, the rookie was ill prepared for one of the NFL’s best defenses, completing just three passes. After the game, when asked for comment, Hunter remarked to reporters, “Not a chance. I’m afraid of what I might say.” Brockington was more forthright. “Nothing on this team surprises me.”

Despite the 21-16 loss to Washington, the 7-4 Packers still controlled their own destiny with three games left. Win out and they were in the playoffs. But, according to Stanton Greene, “… the delicate team chemistry that had gotten them this far seemed ready to come unraveled.” In addition to the quarterback controversy, the team was hurting in the secondary with injuries to both Ellis and Hill. But each man was determined to play in next week’s showdown with the Lions. Green Bay was again tied for the division lead with Detroit, with the surging Vikings only a game behind. Despite his struggles over the past three weeks, Hunter would once more be back at the helm against the Lions.

However, unlike their first encounter earlier in the season, this time it was no contest. The Packers decisively beat Detroit, 33-7, on a frozen Lambeau Field. The defense forced six Lion turnovers and held them to 189 total yards. Detroit wouldn’t score until late in the fourth quarter, after the Packers had taken a 33-0 lead. The running game amassed 233 total yards on 55 attempts, with Brockington and Lane combining for 3 touchdowns. Marcol meanwhile converted four field goals. Detroit was now officially out of the division title race. One last hurdle remained, a contest against the 7-5 Vikings in Metropolitan Stadium. A win and the Packers would recapture the Central division.

Although Minnesota struggled through the first half of the season with just a 2-4 record, they were now on a roll, having won five out of their last six. Both teams started slowly, with the Vikings leading 7-0 at halftime. But, in the second half, Green Bay again relied on their opportunistic defense, a strong running game, and consistent placekicking to secure the victory. They scored 23 unanswered points, for a 23-7 win. The Packers ran for 214 yards and two touchdowns. 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, wrapping up Green Bay’s first title in five years.

With future Hall of Famer Bart Starr’s retirement and the departure of veteran backup Zeke Bratkowski, Hunter started every game, including the season ending 30-20 victory over the New Orleans Saints. But, even as Devine transitioned play calling duties to Starr as the season progressed, quarterback play continued to be unimpressive. The 140th overall pick in last year’s draft completed only 43.2% of his passes (86 of 199) for 1,252 yards, 6 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and a 55.5 QBR. Despite the head coach’s brief flirtation with Tagge late in the season, the rookie saw limited action, completing just 10 of 29 (34.5%) for 154 yards, no touchdowns or interceptions, and a 52.9 QBR.

Unfortunately for Tagge, “his mechanics were already under question”, stated Greene. As for Hunter, Greene felt he’d engineered an adequate air game during the first half of the season, passing for 1,047 yards, 6 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and a 67.7 QBR over eight games. But youngster was dismantled in the October 29 loss to the Vikings, tossing four interceptions in the second half with two returned for scores. This appeared to be the point where Devine began to lose faith in Hunter’s ability to be his quarterback and limited his involvement in the offense. As a result, neither quarterback got the ball into the end zone by a pass or threw for more than 100 yards over the last six games.

During that stretch, Hunter passed for 205 yards, no touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and a dismal 23.7 QBR. The brief quarterback controversy, when Devine pulled his starter in favor of Tagge after Hunter completed 2 of 5 for -5 yards and one interception midway through the second quarter of the Washington game, was further evidence of Devine’s sagging belief in his quarterback. After Green Bay wrapped up the division title against Minnesota, Devine further undermined Hunter by stating that next season’s quarterback competition would be wide open. This lack of confidence would again be on display in Green Bay’s playoff game. Still, Hunter remained proud of his contributions in 1972.

As was the case in 1971, poor quarterback play had a negative impact on the Packers receiving corps. However, according to Greene, the wideouts; Carroll Dale, Dave Davis, Leland Glass, and Jon Staggers, were one of the weakest groups in the league, totaling 43 receptions for 820 yards and 4 touchdowns. Dale, in his last season with Green Bay, again led the Packers in receiving yards (316) and yards per reception (19.8) on only 16 catches, adding 1 touchdown. Glass was second with 15 catches for 261 yards and a touchdown. With the loss of McGeorge in the second week, the tight ends added just 9 catches for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns, both by McGeorge in the season opener.

With weaknesses at both wide receiver and tight end, the Packers running backs were vital to the passing game, catching 48 throws for 547 yards and 1 touchdown. Lane led all Green Bay receivers with 26 receptions and finished second behind Dale with 285 receiving yards. Brockington finished second to Lane in catches with 19 for 243 yards and 1 touchdown. But it was the ground game that powered the offense again 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, his second straight 1,000-yard season, finishing 4th overall in attempts, 7th in touchdowns, and 9th in rushing yards.

Meanwhile, 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 ran 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, the Packers racked up more than 2,100 yards on the ground. In addition to enabling a strong running game, the young offensive line, consisting of tackles Dick Himes and Bill Hayhoe, guards Bill Lueck and Malcolm Snider, and center Ken Bowman, gave up just 17 sacks the entire season. Only Bowman, drafted 111th in 1964, had more than five years in the league.

On special teams, Marcol led the league with 128 points, including leading in field goal attempts (48) and conversions (33), one short of a league record and more than all his predecessors had made in the past four seasons combined. The rookie also had the league’s fifth best field goal percentage (68.75%). Overall, the offense finished 7th in rushing (2,127), 25th in passing (1,412), and 11th in scoring (304), 42% of which came from the toe of Marcol. His efforts were key to many of 1972’s victories. Widby ranked as the NFL’s third best punter, averaging 41.8 yard per kick. Ellis led the NFL in yards per punt return (15.4), while Ike Thomas finished 7th in yards per kickoff return (27.2).

But the defense was ultimately the catalyst behind Green Bay’s resurgence, ranking 8th against the pass (1,957), recording 17 interceptions, 2nd against the run (1,517), giving up just 3.4 yards per carry, and 4th in total points allowed (226), their best performance since giving up 221 points in 1969. The line was both young and gifted. Ends Clarence Williams and Alden Roche as well as tackle Mike McCoy were all in their third season. Seventh year tackle Bob Brown, along with fifth year linebacker Fred Carr, were named to the Pro Bowl. The other two linebacker spots were capably manned by two-time All-Pro Dave Robinson, completing his tenth season, and third year veteran Jim Carter.

The secondary was the surprise of the season. According to Joe Zagorski, the quartet of corners Willie Buchanon and Ken Ellis as well as safeties Jim Hill and Al Matthews “would quickly become one of the best defensive secondaries in the entire league by the end of the season.” Said Devine, “We thought they’d be ready in a couple of years. They decided they’d be ready now.” The four worked well together. Author Don Kowet described Hill as “the traffic cop, calling out defensive formations and hints. Matthews earned recognition as a brutal tackler. Everyone began to notice the unit’s speed, its youth, and its rare ability to anticipate each other’s moves and help each other out.”

The Miami Dolphins finished with the league’s best record, 14-0, wining the AFC East and becoming the first team to go undefeated in the regular season since the Chicago Bears finished the 1942 regular season 11-0. Washington and the Pittsburgh Steelers finished tied for the second-best record at 11-3, winning the NFC East and the AFC Central respectively. In addition to Green Bay winning the NFC Central, Oakland won the AFC West with a record of 10-3-1, and the San Francisco 49ers won the NFC West with a record of 8-5-1. Cleveland and the Super Bowl Champion Cowboys were in the playoffs as the AFC and NFC Wild Card entrants respectively, both with a 10-4 record.

For the Redskins, it was the most victories in their history, division title winners for the first time since 1945. Similarly, Pittsburgh, one of the NFL’s original teams, had their first winning season since 1963 and won their first ever division title. It was also just the third ever post-season appearance in team history and the first in ten years. Cleveland challenged Pittsburgh for the title, winning six of their last seven, falling just short. The Cincinnati Bengals led the division at midseason but faded down the stretch, losing four of their last seven. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs led the AFC West as late as the eighth week with a 5-3 record but a three-game losing streak ended their title hopes.

The Rams led the NFC West for seven weeks but lost five of their last six. Atlanta had a chance to win the division with two weeks left in the season but lost to the 49ers. Lastly, Washington Running Back Larry Brown won the Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year Awards. Pittsburgh Tackle Joe Greene won Defensive Player of the Year, finishing fourth overall with 11 sacks. Running Back Franco Harris won Offensive Rookie of the Year, rushing for 1,055 yards on 188 attempts, finishing second overall in yards per attempt (5.6). Willie Buchanon won Defensive Rookie of the Year while Miami Head Coach Don Shula again won Coach of the Year for the fourth time in ten years.

Post Season Highlights: Opening day of the Divisional Playoffs would feature two of the most memorable games in league history. In the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders, both division winners, would square off in Three Rivers Stadium. Later on, the NFC’s Wild Card team, the Dallas Cowboys, traveled to Candlestick Park to play the San Francisco 49ers. On Sunday, the NFC’s division winning Washington Redskins and Green Bay Packers battled in RFK Stadium while the AFC’s Wild Card team, the Cleveland Browns, traveled to the Orange Bowl to play the Miami Dolphins. The survivors would advance to their respective Conference Championship games.

On December 23, Pittsburgh rookie running back Franco Harris scored the winning touchdown against Oakland on what became known as the “Immaculate Reception”, considered by many to be the most famous play in league history. However, Harris’s heroics notwithstanding, the defenses dominated the game. Neither offense was able to gain over 300 yards. The Steeler defense, ranked second overall, held the Raiders to just 216 total yards and forced four turnovers. But it was Oakland who was poised to win the game late in the fourth quarter after a little heroics of their own from a fifth-year backup quarterback. Only a miracle would allow Pittsburgh to stave off elimination.

The contest remained scoreless throughout the first half. An interception by Pittsburgh linebacker Andy Russel off tenth year quarterback Daryle Lomonica in the first quarter led to the only scoring drive of the half. But Roy Gerela’s 52-yard field goal attempt fell well short. On the opening drive of the second half, the Steelers drove 67 yards to take a 3-0 lead on Gerela’s 18-yard field goal. The Raider offense continued to be stymied in their first two drives of the half. Their third drive resulted in a turnover when Pittsburgh safety Mike Wagner fell on a fumble by reserve signal caller Ken Stabler at Oakland’s 35. He had replaced the ineffective Lamonica (6 of 18, 45 yards) after a second pick.

Just five plays later, Gerela kicked a 29-yard field goal for a 6-0 lead early in the fourth quarter. However, a young Stabler would redeem himself. The little used 1968 second round draft pick, with only two starts in five years, responded by driving his team 80 yards, scoring on a 30-yard scramble for a touchdown. The Raiders had their first lead of the game, 7-6, with just 1:13 remaining. Pittsburgh had one last chance for victory. But, for three downs, Oakland’s defense held firm. Facing 4th and 10 on their own 40-yard line with just 22 seconds left, third year quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw the football toward running back John Fuqua, also in his third season with the Steelers.

But the pass deflected off hard hitting Raiders’ safety Jack Tatum as he and Fuqua collided, the ball bouncing high in the air and back towards the line of scrimmage. But just before hitting the ground, it was caught by Harris, who then ran 60 yards to score the go-ahead touchdown, giving the Steelers a miraculous, come from behind 13-7 win. To this day, the play remains controversial, as Tatum insists 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 who touched the ball. Regardless, Pittsburgh had their first post season win and first title game appearance in their 38-year history.

Later on, quarterback Roger Staubach led Dallas to 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to overcome a 28-13 San Francisco lead, the third straight season the Cowboys had eliminated the 49ers from the playoffs. It had been a difficult year for the defending champions when they lost Staubach, last year’s Super Bowl MVP, for the entire regular season due to a shoulder injury. In addition, Duane Thomas, their leading rusher for the past two seasons, became even more isolated and insubordinate than he was in 1971, forcing Dallas to ultimately trade their 1970 first round draft choice to the San Diego Chargers on July 31 for running back Mike Montgomery and wide receiver Billy Parks.

Fortunately, Dallas had two experienced players ready to take over, Craig Morton and Calvin Hill. But it was San Francisco who dominated the Cowboys early in the game. Vic Washington returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Dallas cut the deficit to 7-3 with Toni Fritsch’s 37-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the 49ers moved the ball deep into Cowboy territory, only to have Dallas end the drive by intercepting quarterback John Brodie on the 1-yard line. However, shortly after the turnover, Morton lost a fumble, which San Francisco recovered on the Cowboy 15-yard line. Running back Larry Schreiber later plunged 1-yard to give the 49ers a 14-3 lead.

In the second quarter, Morton was intercepted on the Dallas 32-yard line, setting up Schreiber’s second rushing touchdown, increasing San Francisco’s advantage to 21-3. But the eighth-year signal caller rallied the Cowboys with 10 straight points. A Fritsch 45-yard field goal and wide receiver Lance Alworth’s 28-yard touchdown reception from Morton cut the deficit to 21-13 at the half. However, early in the second half, with Dallas on their own 5-yard line, 14-year defensive tackle Charlie Krueger stripped the ball from Hill and the 49ers recovered on the one, leading to Schreiber’s third 1-yard touchdown run of the game and a decisive 28-13 San Francisco advantage late in the third period.

Shortly before the end of the quarter, Cowboy Head Coach Tom Landry decided the time had come to go with Staubach. On his first drive, the future Hall of Famer lost a fumble while being tackled by defensive tackle Bob Hoskins. The 49ers were in prime position to put the game away with another score but couldn’t get the ball into the end zone. Bruce Gossett then missed a 32-yard field goal attempt, and the score remained 28-13. On the next Dallas possession, Hill ripped off 48 yards on a draw play to set up a Fritsch 27-yard field goal, trimming San Francisco’s lead to 12 points. Subsequently, a poor 49er punt gave the Cowboys great field position at San Francisco’s 45-yard line.

Staubach then led the team to the end zone, completing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Parks, cutting the score to 28-23 with less than two minutes left. With time running out, Dallas had to attempt an onside kick. But San Francisco couldn’t hang on to the ball, and it was recovered by the Cowboys. On the first play after the recovery, Staubach scrambled for 21 yards. He then again found Parks for a 19-yard gain, before running out of bounds at San Francisco’s 10-yard line. On the next play, Staubach threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ron Sellers, acquired from the New England Patriots during the offseason. Dallas had their first lead, 30-28, with 52 seconds left.

Needing just a field goal to win, Brodie completed three straight passes on the team’s final drive. However, on his fourth attempt, Brodie was intercepted by safety Charlie Waters, his second of the game, to end the 49ers season. The Cowboys comeback from an 18-point deficit was the second largest in NFL postseason history at the time. With his outstanding performance (12 of 20, 172 yards, 2 touchdowns) in just over one quarter of play, Staubach became the Cowboys permanent starter until his retirement after the 1979 season. Morton, meanwhile, would be traded to the New York Giants in 1974, six games into the season, in exchange for their 1975 first round draft choice.

On December 24, the Redskins, using a five-man defensive line, limited the Packers to a single field goal, and held star running back John Brockington to just 9 yards on 13 carries. According to Washington linebacker Jack Pardee, in his 15th and final season, “[Center 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 [defensive tackle Manny] Sistrunk on him, and there’s no way he could handle Manny.” The Redskins’ Curt Knight kicked three field goals and MVP running back Larry Brown rushed for 101 yards to defeat Green Bay.

Initially, the Packers held their own, mostly as a result of their hard-hitting defense. Pro Bowl quarterback Billy Kilmer, starting in place of the injured Sonny Jurgensen, was hit by defensive ends Clarence Williams and Alden Roche in the first quarter, knocking him out cold and forcing Kilmer to leave the game for a short time. They also forced Brown to fumble, setting up Green Bay’s first scoring opportunity, a 47-yard field goal attempt. But Chester Marcol missed, and the game remained scoreless. Late in the first half, the Packers did score on Marcol’s 17 yarder for a 3-0 lead, but only after Washington kept Green Bay out of the end zone after getting a first down on the Redskin 15-yard line.

Washington came right back, returning the subsequent kickoff 42 yards. Kilmer then drove the offense 60 yards in 6 plays, scoring on a 32-yard touchdown pass to eighth year wide receiver Roy Jefferson, giving the Redskins a 7-3 lead. With 33 seconds left in the first half, Knight added a 42-yard field goal for a 10-3 halftime lead. In the second half, Washington proceeded to dominate. They held the Packers scoreless, allowing the offense to advance 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 led the Packers in both rushing and receiving (56 yards on 14 attempts and 4 catches for 42 yards).

Scott Hunter finished 12 of 24 for 150 yards, 1 interception, and a 52.4 QBR. After the game, it was clear there was disagreement between Dan Devine and Bart Starr with regards to the conservative game plan. Several players later said 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 Redskins’ defensive set. According to Ken Ellis, “Bart had prepared Scott for the five-man front. [He’d] 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. After the loss, Starr resigned his coaching position.

Later in the day, Miami, 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 than five minutes left in regulation and kept alive their hopes for an undefeated season. The Browns season began with quarterback Bill Nelsen, in his tenth year, as their starter. But with his chronic knee problems, the team struggled early, getting off to a rocky 2–3 start. The move was made to start Mike Phipps, drafted in 1970 with the third overall pick obtained by trading future Hall of Fame wideout Paul Warfield to Miami. Cleveland went on to win eight of their last nine to make the playoffs.

The Dolphins first score came when Charlie Babb blocked a Browns punt, picked it up, and returned it for a first quarter touchdown for a 7-0 lead. Following another Cleveland punt, Miami increased their advantage to 10-0 on Garo Yepremian’s 40-yard field goal. The Browns responded by moving the football to the Dolphins 25-yard line but failed to score when 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 following a 38-yard punt return. Phipps completed a 21-yard throw to tight end Milt Morin, eventually scoring on his 5-yard touchdown run.

Following a Browns punt, running back Jim Kiick picked up 12 yards on 2 carries, while halfback Mercury Morris rushed twice for 24 yards, to set up Yepremian’s 46-yard field goal, increasing the Miami lead to 13-7 at the end of the third quarter. On Cleveland’s ensuing drive, Phipps picked up 14 yards on a scramble, and then completed an 18-yard pass to wide receiver Fair Hooker, down to the Dolphins 38-yard line. Safety Dick Anderson appeared to stop the Browns with an interception, but then he fumbled during the return, with Hooker recovering on the Miami 30. Two plays later, Phipps completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Hooker, giving the Browns the game’s first lead, 14-13.

Just under seven minutes into the final period, the Dolphins undefeated season was on the line. But, as they had all season, Miami responded by driving 80 yards in 6 plays for the game winning score. Reserve quarterback Earl Morrall connected with Warfield for 15- and 35-yard gains, while Morris added a 12-yard carry. A pass interference penalty gave the Dolphins a first and goal on Cleveland’s 8-yard line. Kiick scored the go-ahead touchdown on the next play for a 20-14 lead with 4:49 left in the game. On the Browns final drive of the game, third year linebacker Doug Swift got his second interception of Phipps to end the Cleveland threat. Miami then ran out the clock for a 20-14 victory.

On New Year’s Eve, the NFC Championship pitted Washington against Dallas in RFK Stadium while Miami faced Pittsburgh in Three Rivers Stadium for the AFC title. The Cowboys and Redskins split their season series with each team winning in their home stadium. Washington defeated Dallas 24-20 in the third week while the Cowboys beat the Redskins 34-24 in the second to last week. Miami and Pittsburgh hadn’t faced each other during the regular season, and it would be the first time the two had met in the postseason. Their only common opponent was Cleveland, with the Steelers splitting the season series while the Dolphins defeated the Browns in the first round of the playoffs.

Miami raised their unbeaten streak to 16-0, defeating Pittsburgh in a come from behind victory. Quarterback Bob Griese, who had not played a down since suffering a broken ankle in the season’s fifth week, took over as the starter in the second half and led the team to two touchdowns. It brought to an end the Steelers best season ever. After five consecutive losing seasons under three different head coaches, the rebuilding of the franchise finally began with the hiring of Head Coach Chuck Noll in 1969. After winning only once in that first season, the Steelers showed steady improvement over the next three years, culminating in a championship game appearance in Noll’s fourth season.

Things started well for Pittsburgh. They intercepted two-time All-Pro Earl Morrall’s pass on their opening drive and returned it 28 yards to the Dolphins 48. Rookie of the Year Franco Harris gained 35 yards on 7 carries as the Steelers drove to Miami’s 3. On 3rd and 2, Terry Bradshaw fumbled as he tried to run for the score. But second year tackle Gerry Mullins fell on the loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown, giving Pittsburgh a 7-0 lead. Unfortunately for the Steelers, 1970’s first overall selection was injured on the play and would not return until the fourth quarter. The Dolphins subsequently tied the game in the second period after punter Larry Seiple’s 37-yard run on a fake kick.

Morrall’s 9-yard touchdown pass to fullback Larry Csonka would be the last score of the first half. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Pittsburgh backup signal caller Terry Hanratty, in his fourth season, completed 22- and 24-yard passes to rookie tight end John McMakin and wide receiver Ron Shanklin respectively, leading to a 14-yard Roy Gerela field goal, giving the Steelers a 10-7 lead. At this point, Griese, who had been sidelined for ten weeks, replaced Morrall and immediately threw a 52-yard completion to Paul Warfield on his first pass attempt. Eventually, halfback Jim Kiick finished the 11 play, 80-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, giving Miami their first lead at 14-10.

Following a blocked field goal attempt, the Dolphins took over on Pittsburgh’s 49-yard line. After an 11-play drive that only had one pass play, Kiick scored again with a 3-yard touchdown run, to give Miami a 21-10 fourth quarter lead. But Bradshaw returned to the game for the Steelers on the next drive, and quickly led them to a score. Three straight completions for a total of 59 yards brought the team to the Dolphin 12-yard line. On the fourth play of the drive, he threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Al Young, cutting the lead to 21-17. However, on each of Pittsburgh’s last two drives, Bradshaw threw an interception, enabling Miami to run out the clock and preserve a 21-17 victory.

Later in the day, Washington massively outgained Dallas in total yards (316-169), first downs (16-8), and third-down conversions (10/18-3/12), while holding the Cowboys to a single field goal for the entire game. Yet, at the end of the third quarter, the Redskins led by only a single touchdown before scoring 16 unanswered points to end the game. Tom Landry started Roger Staubach, hoping to ride the momentum of their come from behind victory over the 49ers. But Washington’s defense, tops in the NFC, throttled Staubach, holding him to 9 of 20 for just 98 yards while sacking him three times. They also held Calvin Hill, the league’s seventh leading rusher, to only 22 yards on 9 carries.

After a scoreless first quarter, during which Dallas was able to run just six plays, the Redskins got on the board in the second quarter with an 18-yard Curt Knight field goal after a 13 play, 9-minute drive for a 3-0 lead. Billy Kilmer then smoked the Cowboys with a 51-yard completion to five-time Pro Bowl wideout Charlie Taylor, and eventually scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Taylor, for a 10-0 advantage. Near the end of the half, Staubach’s 29-yard run set up Toni Fritsch’s field goal from 35 yards, cutting Washington’s lead to 10-3. Dallas did have one more chance to score before halftime when the second-year kicker got another field goal try on the last play of the quarter.

However, Fritsch missed a 23-yard attempt, his first of the season from under 30 yards. Neither team would score in the third quarter, with the Cowboys unable to move the ball past their own 30-yard line. On the second play of the fourth period, the Redskins broke the game wide open. Kilmer completed a 45-yard touchdown bomb to Taylor, beating backup cornerback Mark Washington after an injury earlier in the half to starter Charlie Waters, increasing Washington’s advantage to 17-3. The Redskins then dominated the remainder of the game, with Knight kicking field goals of 39, 46, and 45 yards, to make the final score 26-3. Knight scored 14 points total (four field goals and two extra points).

Miami was again poised to win an NFL Championship, this time against Washington in Super Bowl VII. One more victory and the Dolphins would be immortalized as the only team in league history to go an entire season undefeated and untied. Miami was also strongly motivated to win Super Bowl VII after having been humiliated by the Cowboys one year earlier. Wrote linebacker Nick Buoniconti, “There was no way we were going to lose the Super Bowl; there was no way.” Still, the Redskins were favored to win the game because of their group of “Over the Hill Gang” veterans, and the belief that the Dolphins had a rather easy schedule, playing only two teams with a winning record.

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 win. In addition to Miami’s loss last season to Dallas, Shula’s Baltimore Colts lost to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III, a game that established the American Football League as an equal to the NFL after suffering two lopsided losses to the Green Bay Packers.

After a second Super Bowl loss in five years, Shula was determined to win it all in 1972. Early in the season, the Dolphins looked like the team to beat, starting 4-0. But Miami’s road to Super Bowl VII soon took a turn for the worse. Starting quarterback Bob Griese, in his sixth year, was lost for the season in the first quarter of their victory over the San Diego Chargers. But Shula had an ace up his sleeve. The future Hall of Fame coach picked up his long-time backup quarterback at Baltimore, Earl Morrall, off waivers prior to the season. As he had in 1968, when Morrall replaced an injured Johnny Unitas, the seventeen-year veteran kept the Dolphins undefeated during season’s last nine weeks.

The 1972 Comeback Player of the Year completed 83 of 150 (55.3%) for 1,360 yards, 11 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a league leading QBR of 91.0. Meanwhile, Griese finished his injury shortened season completing just 53 of 97 (54.6%) for 638 yards, 4 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and a 71.6 QBR. Six-time Pro Bowler Paul Warfield led the Dolphins in receiving with 29 catches for 606 yards (20.9 yards per reception, 4th overall) and 3 touchdowns. Fellow wide receiver Howard Twilley, in his seventh season, was second in receiving yards with 364 on 20 catches (18.2 yards per reception) and 3 touchdowns. Overall, the Miami offense finished 16th in passing yards with 2,076.

But the Dolphins league leading offense, with 385 points scored, was powered by its running game. Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris became the first teammates to each rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Csonka, a two-time Pro Bowler, carried 213 times for 1,117 yards (5.2 yards per rush) and 6 touchdowns while Morris ran for 1,000 yards on 190 carries (5.3 yards per rush) and a league leading 12 touchdowns. Overall, the pair finished 4th and 10th in rushing yards as well as second and third in yards per carry. Jim Kiick added 521 yards on 137 carries (3.8 yards per rush) and 6 total touchdowns. The two-time Pro Bowler also finished second on the team in receptions with 21.

In total, Miami set a league record with 2,960 rushing yards in a season. Meanwhile, their “No-Name Defense” was led by end Bill Stanfill, safety Dick Anderson, and future Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti. The five time All-Pro was the only defensive starter over 30. Because of injuries to linemen early in the season, coordinator Bill Arnsparger created what he called the “53” defense. Versatile Bob Matheson (Number 53) would play as either an end or a fourth linebacker. As a linebacker, Matheson could either rush or drop into coverage. This unique defense led the NFL in points allowed (171) while finishing 3rd in rushing (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. The franchise owner, George Preston Marshall, moved to the nation’s capital because he felt that Boston showed a lack of interest in professional football. Prior to the move, the Redskins played in their first title game, losing to the Green Bay Packers in 1936. The next season, the now Washington Redskins won their first NFL Championship, beating the Chicago Bears. This was also the first year for future Hall of Fame quarterback Sammy Baugh. Known as “Slinging Sammy”, Baugh would be the Redskins starting signal caller for the next 16 years.

Baugh was named Player of the Year in 1947 and 48, leading the NFL in completions, attempts, completion percentage, and yards. He also led the league in passer rating, passing touchdowns, and interception percentage during 1947. Over his long career, Baugh led the league in completion percentage a record eight times, passing yards four times, and three times in passer rating. Also known for his versatility, the four-time All-Pro led the NFL in punting average five times and his 51.4 yards per punt in 1940 stood as the single season record for 82 years. On defense, he led the league in interceptions in 1943. Ultimately, Baugh was inducted into the Hall of Fame’s charter class of 1963.

After winning their first championship in 1937, Washington’s next appearance in the title game produced 1940’s infamous 73-0 loss to Chicago, the worst defeat in NFL history. They returned again in 1942, this time defeating the Bears for a second championship. Another trip to the title game in 1943 saw Washington play Chicago for a fourth time in seven years. But the Redskins lost to the Bears and subsequently lost again in 1945, this time to the Cleveland Rams. After playing in six championship games in ten years, Washington began a long decline, with no playoff appearances over the next 25 years while burning through ten head coaches, including Packers founder “Curly” Lambeau.

However, in the decade prior to 1971, the franchise was rebuilt from the top down. In 1962, Edward Bennett Williams acquired a 5% share in the Redskins, the same year that Washington became the final NFL team to integrate, something Marshall had spent years opposing. After a debilitating stroke, the long-time owner appointed Williams to run daily operations in 1965 and named him team president the following year. Williams acquired Marshall’s shares after his death, becoming Washington’s new owner in 1969. That same year, the new owner hired another Packers legend, Vince Lombardi, giving him 5% ownership and full control over football operations as executive vice president.

Also during this time, the Redskins acquired a solid core of players, drafting wideout Charley Taylor, safety Paul Krause, and linebacker Chris Hanburger, all future Hall of Famers, as well as center Len Hauss, tight end Jerry Smith, and running back Larry Brown. Via trade, Washington obtained future Hall of Famers Bobby Mitchell from the Cleveland Browns, Sonny Jurgensen from the Philadelphia Eagles, and Sam Huff from the New York Giants. All that remained was to find the right leader to put together the pieces and once more field a winning team. Lombardi was to be that man until cancer tragically limited him to one season. It would fall to George Allen to pick up the baton.

The 1967 NFL Coach of the Year spent five seasons as the Los Angeles Rams head man, compiling a record of 49-17-4, a franchise best. However, a falling out with Owner Dan Reeves resulted in Allen’s departure at the end of the 1970 season. In January of 1971, he was hired by the Redskins to replace interim head coach Bill Austin, who filled in for one season after Lombardi’s death in September 1970. Allen’s first move was to acquire journeyman quarterback Bill Kilmer from the New Orleans Saints. But that was only the beginning. He next traded for seven Los Angeles players, including the starting linebacker corps of Maxie Baughan, Myron Pottios, and 14-year veteran Jack Pardee.

All the changes paid immediate dividends, with Washington making the playoffs, losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round, 24-20. The following year, the “Over the Hill Gang”, nicknamed due to Allen’s preference for experienced players, won more games than any Redskins team ever. The 33-year-old Kilmer started the season’s first three games, was replaced in the fourth week by 38-year-old Jurgensen, then replaced Jurgensen in the seventh week when the veteran quarterback was lost for the season with an achilles tendon injury. Kilmer completed 120 of 225 passes (53.3%) for 1,648 yards, an NFL leading 19 touchdowns, 11 picks, and an 84.8 QBR, second to Morrall.

Jurgensen, in his 16th season and his ninth with the Redskins, went 4-0 as a starter, completing 39 of 59 (66.1%) for 633 yards, 2 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and an 84.9 QBR. Charlie Taylor led team in receiving with 49 receptions for 673 yards (13.7 yards per catch) and 7 touchdowns while fellow starter Roy Jefferson finished with 35 catches for 550 yards (15.7 yards per reception) and 3 touchdowns. Another Allen acquisition, the three-time Pro Bowler was obtained from the Baltimore Colts in exchange for rookie wide receiver Cotton Speyrer and a 1973 first round draft pick prior to the season. Jerry Smith added 21 receptions for 353 yards (16.8 yards per catch) and 7 touchdowns.

Like Miami, Washington had a strong rushing attack, featuring Larry Brown. The NFL’s MVP gained 1,216 yards on 285 carries (4.3 yards per attempt), finishing third overall in attempts and second in yards, best in the NFC and behind only the Buffalo Bill’s O.J. Simpson. Brown also finished third on the team in receiving with 32 receptions for 473 yards and totaled 12 touchdowns, fourth in the NFL. Fullback Charlie Harraway finished second with 567 yards on 148 attempts (3.8 yards per carry) and 6 touchdowns. Curt Knight led the Redskins in scoring with 82 points and the team finished seventh in the NFL in scoring (336), tenth in rushing yards (2,082), and 12th in passing yards (2,193).

Also like Miami, Washington leaned heavily on one of the league’s best defenses. They led the NFC in points allowed (218), third best in the NFL, behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami in the AFC, finishing 6th overall in passing yards allowed (1,862) and 7th overall in rushing yards allowed (1,733). The Redskins were led by eighth year linebacker Chris Hanburger. A five-time Pro Bowler and first time All-Pro, Hanburger tied with 12th year cornerback Pat Fischer for the team lead in interceptions with four. In total, seven of Washington’s defensive starters were acquired by Allen, including ends Ron McDole and Verlon Biggs, tackle Diron Talbert, and safety Rosey Taylor.

According to Shula, Miami’s priority on defense was to stop the prolific Brown and force Kilmer to beat them through the air. Ultimately, the strategy proved successful, limiting the four-time Pro Bowler to less than four yards a carry. The Redskins offensive line also had trouble handling Dolphins’ defensive tackle 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 the Dallas Cowboys had used to destroy the Dolphins in Super Bowl VI. Meanwhile, for Washington, the priority was to disrupt Miami’s ball control offense by stopping Csonka.

The first quarter was a defensive battle, until Miami got the ball on their own 37-yard line with 2:55 left in the period. Bob Griese, starting his first game since October 15, completed an 18-yard pass to Paul Warfield, in his third season with the Dolphins and ninth overall, to reach the Washington 34. On 3rd and 4, the four-time Pro Bowler 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 Pro Bowl safety Jake Scott intercepted tenth year veteran Billy Kilmer’s pass intended for Charlie Taylor, like Warfield in his ninth season, and returned it to the Washington 47.

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 with less than two minutes left in the half. But, on 3rd and 3, Nick Buoniconti intercepted another Kilmer pass at the Dolphin 41-yard line and returned it 32 yards to the Washington 27. From there, Griese completed a 19-yard pass to tight end Jim Mandich, advancing the ball down to Miami’s 2-yard line. Two plays later, 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 dominated the Redskins, limiting them to just 23 passing and 49 rushing yards.

Washington had more success in the second half. They took the kickoff and advanced across midfield for only the second time in the game, driving from their own 30-yard line to the Dolphin 17, in a seven-play drive that featured just two runs. But 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, Miami drove 78 yards to the Redskin 5, featuring a 49-yard run by Larry Csonka, the second longest run in Super Bowl history at the time. Washington’s defense stiffened, and safety Brig Owens intercepted a Griese pass in the end zone for a touchback, ending the 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 in 12 plays. On second down, Kilmer threw to Jerry Smith in the end zone. Smith was wide open, but the ball hit the crossbar of the goalpost, which was still positioned at the front rather than the back of the end zone. The pass fell incomplete. On third down, Scott picked off a third Kilmer pass in the end zone, returning it 55 yards to the Redskins 48-yard line, resulting in another missed opportunity with 5:08 left in the game. Once more, a Washington drive had ended with no points. Miami then moved the ball down to the 34 in five plays.

On 4th and 4 with only 2:38 remaining in the game, Shula called on the team’s leading scorer, Garo Yepremian, to attempt a 42-yard field goal. However, instead of being the culmination of an undefeated season, the play would be 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. The ball bounced to his right and he reached it before holder Earl Morrall. But instead of falling on the ball, the fifth-year kicker picked it up and, with Bill 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 the Redskins Mike Bass, who returned it 49 yards for a touchdown, making the score 14-7. Incredibly, Washington was just a single score away from a tie, despite not having scored an offensive touchdown. Five plays after the kickoff, Washington forced Miami to punt from its own 36-yard line with 1:14 remaining, giving themselves one final chance to tie the score. But the Dolphins defense rose to the occasion, forcing two incompletions, a 4-yard loss on a swing pass, and a 9-yard sack by end Vern Den Herder on fourth down as time expired, preserving the victory.

Jake Scott was named Super Bowl MVP with 2 interceptions for 63 yards, becoming only the second defensive player in Super Bowl history to earn the award, the other being Dallas linebacker Chuck Howley in Super Bowl V. Csonka was the offensive star, with 112 yards on just 15 carries (7.5 yards per attempt). Shula finally had his Super Bowl victory, accomplishing it in the most extraordinary fashion imaginable. Miami was also just the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl after losing it the previous year. Of note, with a game time kickoff temperature of 84 degrees, this Super Bowl was the warmest to date, coming only a year after the coldest Super Bowl (39 at kickoff).

To this day, Miami remains the only team in league history to go undefeated and untied in the regular and post-season. Critics can argue that the Dolphins were the beneficiary of a soft schedule during the regular season (none of their opponents advanced to the playoffs) and only narrowly defeated their playoff foes. On the other hand, nine players; Csonka, Morris, Warfield, Anderson, Scott, Stanfill, and Buoniconti as well as offensive tackle Norm Evans and guard Larry Little, were Pro Bowlers. In addition, Little, Morrall, Stanfill, and Anderson were named first-team All-Pro. In the final analysis, no one can argue that Miami accomplished something in 1972 that may never again be repeated.

The Perfect Season.

Conclusion: For the Green Bay Packers, while not the perfect season, a 10-4 record and an NFC Central Division title were totally unexpected after losing 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 such as Ken Bowman and Dave Robinson. Green Bay’s coaching staff was stellar, with Head Coach Dan Devine delegating responsibility to offensive and defensive coordinators Bart Starr and Dave Hanner respectively. Over and over, the players talked about the teamwork that held them together during the 1972 season.

However, unbeknownst to both the fans and the media, divisions between Devine and the players were causing cracks in the veneer that winning often hides. At mid-season, the Packers were coming off consecutive losses. In his book, Joe Zagorski describes the situation. “Green Bay Head Coach Dan Devine was both inwardly and outwardly sickened by the close losses to the [Atlanta] Falcons and the [Minnesota] Vikings, and he seemed to have reached the limit of his patience and restraint following those two games. Conversely and somewhat identically, the Packer players had reached the limit of their patience and understanding with Devine.” A breakdown appeared imminent.

According to players like two-time All-Pro Dave Robinson, “We [the players] were not really happy with Dan. Around mid-season, … Dan Devine came into the meeting room and said, ‘I’m done with this team, and I want nothing to do with them.’ He told Bart, ‘You and the other coaches take this team. I don’t want nothing to do with them.’ … Bart and Hog Hanner really coached the ’72 team.” Fifth year guard Bill Lueck confirmed, “That’s exactly the way I remember it.” According to Zagorski, “Robinson felt that this was a critical time in the season, for it really tested the players resolve. It also displayed to the men what kind of head coach they had.” Devine was losing the locker room.

Yet, despite their playoff loss, Green Bay had had a successful season, whether in spite of or because of their head coach. Could that success be carried over into 1973? Starr had decided to return to Alabama after just one season as the team’s defacto offensive coordinator. Devine had clearly lost confidence in his quarterback. The passing game in general, particularly the wide receivers, was weak. And many players were wary of, or outright disliked, their head coach. Would the team be able to overcome their problems and continue the progress made during the past year? The answers would ultimately determine if Devine’s Packers were to be a team of destiny, or a team destined to fail.

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 favorite NFL Films videos, the 1972 Washington Redskins Highlight film. I remember watching it 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!