Super Bowl VIII
Miami Dolphins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7
If the Miami Dolphins were underdogs the previous year in their Super Bowl showdown with the Washington Redskins, they were firm favorites entering the eighth Super Sunday and played like it from start to finish.
In a fog-shrouded Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas, bruising rushing touchdowns of five yards and one yard from Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick respectively gave the Dolphins a 14-0 first quarter lead. A field goal in the second period stretched the advantage to 17-0 at the end of the first half.
The contest was one-sided throughout the first thirty minutes, and while they only added one more touchdown in the second half, the Minnesota Vikings were rarely a threat the defending champions.
The aforementioned Csonka would scoop the MVP award as he rushed for 145 yards on 33 carries and two scores, and while fellow running backs, Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick would carry the ball 11 and 7 times respectively, it was Csonka's bruising running that hammered the eventually frustrated and worn down Purple People Eater defense.
The contest was one-sided throughout the first thirty minutes, and while they only added one more touchdown in the second half, the Minnesota Vikings were rarely a threat the defending champions.
The aforementioned Csonka would scoop the MVP award as he rushed for 145 yards on 33 carries and two scores, and while fellow running backs, Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick would carry the ball 11 and 7 times respectively, it was Csonka's bruising running that hammered the eventually frustrated and worn down Purple People Eater defense.
First |
Second |
Third |
Fourth |
Total |
|
Dolphins |
14 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
24 |
Vikings |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
Scoring Record
First Quarter
Dolphins 7, Vikings 0
TD: Larry Csonka 5-yard touchdown run (Garo Yepremian extra point)
Dolphins 14, Vikings 0
TD: Jim Kiick 1-yard touchdown run (Garo Yepremian extra point)
Second Quarter
Dolphins 17, Redskins 0
FG: Garo Yepremian 28-yard kick
Third Quarter
Dolphins 24, Vikings 0
TD: Larry Csonka 2-yard touchdown run (Garo Yepremian extra point)
Fourth Quarter
Dolphins 24, Vikings 7
TD: Fran Tarkenton 4-yard touchdown run (Fred Cox extra point)
First Quarter
Dolphins 7, Vikings 0
TD: Larry Csonka 5-yard touchdown run (Garo Yepremian extra point)
Dolphins 14, Vikings 0
TD: Jim Kiick 1-yard touchdown run (Garo Yepremian extra point)
Second Quarter
Dolphins 17, Redskins 0
FG: Garo Yepremian 28-yard kick
Third Quarter
Dolphins 24, Vikings 0
TD: Larry Csonka 2-yard touchdown run (Garo Yepremian extra point)
Fourth Quarter
Dolphins 24, Vikings 7
TD: Fran Tarkenton 4-yard touchdown run (Fred Cox extra point)
The players shake hands before the contest begins.
Larry Csonka on one of this two touchdown runs on his way to a MVP performance
Game Facts and Stats
Date: Sunday 13th January 1974
Stadium: Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas
Attendance: 71,882
MVP: Larry Csonka, FB, Miami Dolphins
TV Broadcast: CBS (Ray Scott, Pat Summerall and Bart Starr)
Referee: Ben Dreith
National Anthem: Charlie Pride
Halftime Show: The University of Texas Longhorns Marching Band
Stadium: Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas
Attendance: 71,882
MVP: Larry Csonka, FB, Miami Dolphins
TV Broadcast: CBS (Ray Scott, Pat Summerall and Bart Starr)
Referee: Ben Dreith
National Anthem: Charlie Pride
Halftime Show: The University of Texas Longhorns Marching Band
Rice Stadium - the venue for the eighth Super Bowl.
Other Notable Game Notes
Super Bowl VIII was the first contest in which an original AFL franchise entered the contest as the favored team.
The contest was played at Rice Stadium and was the first time a stadium was used that didn't belong to a team from either the NFL or the AFL (the Houston Oilers played their home games at the Astrodome).
Super Bowl III MVP, Joe Namath, would make another big game prediction that proved to be accurate when he stated during the build-up to the game that, "If Miami gets the kickoff and scores on the opening drive, the game (will be) is over!" They did, they did, and it was.
Super Bowl VIII was played with a striped football - the only time a striped football has been used in a Super Bowl game.
Bizarrely, the Miami Dolphins had players wearing two separate logos on their helmets. Although the difference was minimal, some adorned the logo used from 1969-1973, while others had the new, updated logo that was introduced prior to the 1974 regular season.
Super Bowl VIII was the first contest in which an original AFL franchise entered the contest as the favored team.
The contest was played at Rice Stadium and was the first time a stadium was used that didn't belong to a team from either the NFL or the AFL (the Houston Oilers played their home games at the Astrodome).
Super Bowl III MVP, Joe Namath, would make another big game prediction that proved to be accurate when he stated during the build-up to the game that, "If Miami gets the kickoff and scores on the opening drive, the game (will be) is over!" They did, they did, and it was.
Super Bowl VIII was played with a striped football - the only time a striped football has been used in a Super Bowl game.
Bizarrely, the Miami Dolphins had players wearing two separate logos on their helmets. Although the difference was minimal, some adorned the logo used from 1969-1973, while others had the new, updated logo that was introduced prior to the 1974 regular season.
Mercury Morris was a more elusive runner than the bruising Larry Csonka.
Dolphins' head coach, Don Shula, waits in the tunnel to take the field for Super Bowl VIII
SUPER BOWL IX
In what many expected to be a defensive struggle, the ninth Super Sunday was exactly that. By halftime, the score was 2-0 in the Steelers' favour thanks to a safety by Dwight White. Then Franco Harris took over.....
In what many expected to be a defensive struggle, the ninth Super Sunday was exactly that....
In what many expected to be a defensive struggle, the ninth Super Sunday was exactly that....