POLL: Which team was better: ’72 & ’73 Miami or ’77 & ’78 Dallas

As you can see by the primary players on their rosters that contributed those seasons, each team had a Hall-of-Fame head coach, quarterback and running back and both lineups were loaded with All-Pros.

Miami ’72 & ’73 Dallas ’77 & ‘78

Coach Don Shula Tom Landry
QB Bob Griese Roger Staubach
QB Earl Morrall Danny White
RB Larry Csonka Tony Dorsett
RB Mercury Morris Robert Newhouse
RB Jim Kiick Preston Pearson
WR Paul Warfield Tony Hill
WR Howard Twilley Drew Pearson
WR Marlin Briscoe Butch Johnson
WR Golden Richards, Dallas
TE Marv Fleming Billy Joe Dupree
TE Jim Mandich Jay Saldi
OG Larry Little Herbert Scott
OG Bob Kuechenberg Tom Rafferty
OC Jim Langer John Fitzgerald
OT Norm Evans Rayfield Wright
OT Doug Crusan Ralph Neely
OT Wayne Moore Pat Donovan
OT Andy Frederick, Dallas

DT Manny Fernandez Randy White
DT Bob Heinz Jethro Pugh
DE Vern Den Herder Ed Too Tall Jones
DE Bill Stanfill Harvey Martin
DE Larry Cole, Dallas
LB Nick Buoniconti Hollywood Henderson
LB Bob Mathewson Bob Bruenig
LB Mike Kolen Mike Hegman
LB Doug Swift D.D. Lewis
CB Tim Foley Mel Renfro
CB Curtis Johnson Mark Washington
CB Lloyd Mumphord Benny Barnes
S Jake Scott Charlie Waters
S Dick Anderson Cliff Harris

K Garo Yepremian Efren Herrera
P Larry Seiple Danny White


Miami's playoff games: Dallas' playoff games:

20-14 over Cleveland 37-7 over Chicago
21-17 over Pittsburgh 23-6 over Minnesota
14-7 over Washington 27-10 over Denver
34-16 over Cincinnati 27-20 over Atlanta
27-10 over Oakland 28-0 over LA Rams
24-7 over Minnesota 35-31 loss to Pittsburgh

Thoughts?

 

The '73 Dolphins running game was dominant. Bob Griese only needed 6 completions for 73 yards in Super Bowl VIII. Had the World League not lured away Czonka, Kiick and Warfield, the Steelers would have had a harder time getting those 4 Super Bowl wins in the 70's.

 

There's always someone better than Dallas, just the way it is.