Party's On!

[RiverDog]

The '72 Dolphins must be popping wheelies on their scooters. The Eagles go down tonight, last undefeated/untied team, and by a team with a losing record.

[Aseahawkfan]

This is why I don't trust the Rams games.

[Hawktawk]

The moral of the story is ….. it’s wide freakin open

[RiverDog]

The moral of the story is ….. it’s wide freakin open

Yep. 3/4 of the league could still win this thing.

[tarlhawk]

You have betting favorites and you got eventual season ending outcomes...timing plays a major role when playing your opponent...are you hitting them when their overconfident or are you hitting them when they respond with wild enthusiasm with their backs against the wall?

As for Miami celebration...you betcha! How many people are aware that their perfect season featured stellar QB play from the Dolphins backup QB Earl Morral for much of that season when Bob Griese got injured?

[RiverDog]

You have betting favorites and you got eventual season ending outcomes...timing plays a major role when playing your opponent...are you hitting them when their overconfident or are you hitting them when they respond with wild enthusiasm with their backs against the wall?

As for Miami celebration...you betcha! How many people are aware that their perfect season featured stellar QB play from the Dolphins backup QB Earl Morral for much of that season when Bob Griese got injured?

Oh, I remember Earl Morrall. The Dolphins were my favorite team back then. Morrall was the losing QB a few years earlier vs. Joe Namath's guaranteed win in SB 3, was the NFL MVP that season in relief of an injured Johnny Unitas. That '72 Dolphins team also featured the only two 1,000 yard running backs, Larry Czonka and Mercury Morris. Morris had beaten out Jim Kiick for the starting halfback job, and busted up the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid combo. I could name about 70% of the starting lineup...Larry Little, Bob Kuchenberg, Paul Warfield, Jim Mandich, Howard Twilley..and the No Name defense, Nick Bounticonti, Bill Stanfill, Manny Fernandez, Jake Scott, Dick Anderson....

I also remember the Super Bowl that capped off that season, the Dolphins Garo Yepreminian (sp) and his perfect spiral of a pass ( ) that turned into the Redskins' only points.

The Commanders got a lot of breaks last night, but you have to consider to that point of the season, everything had bounced the Eagles's way as they had turned the ball over just 3 times in 8 games, which is unheard of. Even a perfectly played game will result in an occasional random turnover, so the Eagles had to have had more than their fair share of luck.

[NorthHawk]

Good luck at the right time can take a team a long way especially if it happens in the playoffs.

[RiverDog]

Good luck at the right time can take a team a long way especially if it happens in the playoffs.

You know the saying: I'd rather be lucky than good.

[Aseahawkfan]

You know the saying: I'd rather be lucky than good.

That saying never holds up. Better to be good. Luck is fleeting. Good wins most of the time.

[RiverDog]

You know the saying: I'd rather be lucky than good.

That saying never holds up. Better to be good. Luck is fleeting. Good wins most of the time.

Oh, I agree. I'm just say'in...

But that really wasn't the point. The point is that in today's NFL, where parity rules and there is not much of a difference between good teams and bad teams, a team would have to be somewhat lucky to win 8 games in a row with no losses. The fact that we have now gone 50 years with no team having gone undefeated speaks to that point. The Eagles' luck ran out Monday night. They got bit by the turnover bug and there were a couple of critical calls that didn't go their way.

[Aseahawkfan]

Oh, I agree. I'm just say'in...

But that really wasn't the point. The point is that in today's NFL, where parity rules and there is not much of a difference between good teams and bad teams, a team would have to be somewhat lucky to win 8 games in a row with no losses. The fact that we have now gone 50 years with no team having gone undefeated speaks to that point. The Eagles' luck ran out Monday night. They got bit by the turnover bug and there were a couple of critical calls that didn't go their way.

We do have a team that went 18 and 1 winning 18 games in a row. But as we all watched and took pleasure in, the one game they most wanted to win they lost by 3 points. 18 games in a row was still incredibly impressive.

[RiverDog]

Oh, I agree. I'm just say'in...

But that really wasn't the point. The point is that in today's NFL, where parity rules and there is not much of a difference between good teams and bad teams, a team would have to be somewhat lucky to win 8 games in a row with no losses. The fact that we have now gone 50 years with no team having gone undefeated speaks to that point. The Eagles' luck ran out Monday night. They got bit by the turnover bug and there were a couple of critical calls that didn't go their way.

We do have a team that went 18 and 1 winning 18 games in a row. But as we all watched and took pleasure in, the one game they most wanted to win they lost by 3 points. 18 games in a row was still incredibly impressive.

Plus it's not really comparable because the 2007 Patriots played more games than the '72 Dolphins. The Patriots played 19 games, the Dolphins 17.

Yes, what the Patriots did was damn impressive. But it wasn't perfect.

Most seasons, the last undefeated/untied team loses their first game around Week 10 or so like it was this season with the Eagles. The Bears once got into December before they lost a game, provoking Dennis Green's legendary meltdown after the Bears beat the Cards in a nationally televised MNF game.

[Hawktawk]

That 18 win Pats team was gifted a win vs the Ravens when a Ravens receiver broke the plane with the winning score and was knocked back in the final seconds . Replay officials determined he had not completed the catch at the time the ball crossed the plane although it never left his possession at any point. I recall Ray Lewis was not happy.
You have to be lucky AND good. You have to get treated fairly by the officials or have them miss fouls. I remember in the critical Dallas game in 2005 we had a defender basically fall on Witten's legs and tackle him as the ball sailed through the endzone while we were pushing for HFA. No call. I couldn't believe it. The Giants jay feely missed 3 kicks. Then there's XL nuff said. Last years super bowl the Rams got some weird calls/non calls in the final seconds but in the end Aaron Donald won the game.
This year its more wide open than ever. Kirk Cousins Vikings are the #1 power ranked team. Add Tampa Bay, and also the Commanders to the list of teams with a chance here. Anyone's ballgame. Whoever is the luckiest and best in January. If we have the team we had the last month before the debacle I fear nobody on a dry fast surface.

[RiverDog]

You have to be lucky AND good.

Correct, especially in today's NFL. I doubt that you or me will live to see the '72 Dolphins record of perfection equaled.

[Hawktawk]

You have to be lucky AND good.

Correct, especially in today's NFL. I doubt that you or me will live to see the '72 Dolphins record of perfection equaled.[/quote]
Not with the level of talent , turnover and todays celebrity officials who relish being part of the story at times it seems . I’d be curious the number of flags over the years , how clean did the dolphins team play ? It’s an incredibly hard thing to win in this league at all . To win 19?

[RiverDog]

Correct, especially in today's NFL. I doubt that you or me will live to see the '72 Dolphins record of perfection equaled.

Not with the level of talent , turnover and todays celebrity officials who relish being part of the story at times it seems . I’d be curious the number of flags over the years , how clean did the dolphins team play ? It’s an incredibly hard thing to win in this league at all . To win 19?

I'm sure that you've watched a lot of football. The Vinny Testaverde helmet TD, the coin flip to start overtime Packers vs. Lions, the Holy Roller, all sorts of bad calls or decisions over the years.

As far as how many penalties called nowadays vs. in 1972, there were 5.1 penalties per team throughout the '72 season. As of this week, there were 1789 accepted penalties in 150 games, or 11.9 per game, or just under 6 per team, roughly a 20% increase. But it's apples vs. oranges as the game has changed with so many more rules, especially personal fouls like roughing the passer, defenseless receivers, pass interference (remember bump and run?) etc, that didn't exist back then. Offenses have become more complicated, play clocks, substitution rules, more men in motion, etc.

Bad calls and poor officiating has been with us so long as I can remember, and likely always will. It's part of the game.

[NorthHawk]

I keep saying they've "lawyered" the rules so much that there is a lot of grey area and interpretation along with the new points of emphasis that are demanded of part time employees.
In many ways it's becoming a thankless task for them.

[RiverDog]

I keep saying they've "lawyered" the rules so much that there is a lot of grey area and interpretation along with the new points of emphasis that are demanded of part time employees.
In many ways it's becoming a thankless task for them.

I agree. They've re-invented the wheel. And instant replay has given fans the ability to act as if they're the experts. Everyone is a critic.

And you're right about refereeing being a thankless task. I used to volunteer to umpire youth baseball games, but I soon decided I didn't want anything to do with it, told the league president that the only way I'd ever go back to volunteering again is if they banned all parents from watching the game.

[Hawktawk]

Not at the NFL level . They are in the show reffing at the highest level and quite well compensated for working 1 day a week . Some like playing with outcomes now and then too . No sympathy for these celebrity prima Donna unnacountable refs .