On This Date in Sports December 10, 1972: Perfection in the Bronx (50 Years of Perfection Week 13)
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Dolphins, in collaboration with Sportsecyclopedia.com.
Bob Griese was cleared to play but remained on the bench as the Miami Dolphins faced the New York Giants in the regular season's penultimate game. The Dolphins' defense frustrated the Giants all day, forcing six turnovers as Miami improved to 13-0 with a 23-13 win. Earl Morrall, who once played for the Giants, struggled to pass for 171 yards while completing less than half his pass attempts. Morrall had a touchdown and an interception on a chilly and damp, muddy day in New York. Mercury Morris rushed for 98 yards with a touchdown as Miami again topped 200 rushing yards.
It was a dark time for the New York Giants. Since 1964, they had been one of the worst teams in the NFL, as they had just one winning season since playing in three consecutive NFL Championship Games. Prior to the season, the Giants had traded quarterback Fran Tarkenton back to the Vikings, receiving Norm Snead in return. After losing their first two games, the Giants played well and were on the fringe of the playoff hunt by winning seven of their next nine games. However, a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals ended their postseason hopes, as they entered the game against the unbeaten Dolphins at 7-5 for coach Alex Webster.
Looking for an upset, the Giants got off to a fast start, as they took the opening drive into the end zone, with Norm Snead making a 34-yard pass to Don Hermann that set up a one-yard touchdown plunge by Ron Johnson. Miami blocked the PAT by Pete Gogolak, as New York held a 6-0 lead. The Dolphins responded with a message ten-play 82-yard drive that was competed by a 12-yard touchdown run by Mercury Morris, which gave Miami the lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Rocky Thompson fumbled the return for the Giants to set up a 37-yard field goal by Garo Yepremian.
The Dolphins extended the lead to 17-6 in the second quarter as Paul Warfield reeled in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Earl Morrall. However, the Giants would not go down without a fight, as they responded with a long touchdown drive that saw Ron Johnson score from the one-yard line again, as the Giants were down 17-13 at the half.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, as the Giants defense kept themselves in the game, despite turning the ball over six times. Eventually, two turnovers in the fourth quarter led to a pair of Garo Yepremian field goals as the Dolphins won 23-13 and stood 13-0 on the doorstep of history.
The Giants would defeat the Dallas Cowboys in the season's final game and finished 8-6. It would take nine years before the Giants had another winning season. The game against the Dolphins was the Giants' final home game in 1972. They would play two more games in 1973 at Yankee Stadium before beginning a three-year nomadic journey that was brought on by a massive renovation that would close down the stadium in the Bronx for two years. The Giants would make a deal to build their own stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands. However, Giants Stadium would not open until 1976, as the Giants played two seasons in New Haven at the Yale Bowl. In 1975, the Giants would play their home games at Shea Stadium, along with the Jets, Mets, and Yankees, in a historic four-team soiree at Shea.