1991: Bills Overcome Dolphins in AFC Divisional Playoff Game

The AFC Divisional playoff game in Orchard Park, NY on January 12, 1991 featured two AFC East rivals, the Buffalo Bills, who had topped the division in 1990 with the conference’s best record at 13-3, against the Miami Dolphins, the second-place team that compiled a 12-4 tally to qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card entry.

The Bills were in the postseason for the third straight year under Head Coach Marv Levy. They featured a quick-striking offense led by QB Jim Kelly (pictured above), who had fine targets in WRs Andre Reed and James Lofton, plus an excellent all-purpose back in RB Thurman Thomas. The defensive line was anchored by DE Bruce Smith and the corps of linebackers was solid with Cornelius Bennett, Shane Conlan, and Darryl Talley. If there was a concern, it was that Kelly was returning to action after missing 2 ½ games with a sprained left knee, and he had been listed as questionable in the week leading up to the game.

Miami was coached by Don Shula for the 21^st season and had put together its best record in five years. The offense still featured the brilliant passing of QB Dan Marino, but had gained an added element in the running of RB Sammie Smith, who came on late in the season. The veteran wide receiver tandem of Mark Duper and Mark Clayton was still in place, although Clayton was showing signs of wear. But the offensive line was revitalized by OT Richmond Webb and G Keith Sims, both rookies. The defense also was improved, although the unit’s best player, LB John Offerdahl, was out for the playoff game against the Bills with an injury. Marino rallied the Dolphins to a Wild Card playoff win the previous week against the Chiefs, thus reaching the Divisional round and a matchup with a team against which they had split the season series.

There were 77,067 fans in attendance at Rich Stadium for the Saturday afternoon game. The temperature was in the thirties and there was a light mist that turned to a steady snow, which caused the artificial surface to become slippery as the game progressed.

The Bills took the opening kickoff and moved in typically brisk fashion to a score in a five-play drive that covered 76 yards. Jim Kelly threw to Thurman Thomas for 20 yards, Thomas ran for 14 and, two plays later, a pass to Andre Reed covered the last 40 yards for a touchdown. Scott Norwood added the extra point and, with less than two minutes elapsed, the home team held a 7-0 lead.

The Dolphins responded by going 40 yards in ten plays in a series that was punctuated by five penalties, three of them on the Bills. Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 49-yard field goal that narrowed the score to 7-3.

Once again Buffalo moved swiftly on offense. Kelly threw to Thomas for seven yards and then to James Lofton for 44 yards to the Miami 12. The Bills were able to pick up six more yards on a pass to TE Keith McKeller, and that was it, but they added a 24-yard Norwood field goal that made the score 10-3.

On the next series, a Marino pass was tipped by Darryl Talley and intercepted by CB Nate Odomes. Starting with favorable field position at the Miami 38, the Bills converted a third-and-eight play when Kelly ran out of the pocket for a first down, and although he fumbled, C Kent Hull recovered at the 18. The nine-play, 33-yard possession ended with Norwood kicking another field goal, this time from 22 yards. The score remained 13-3 heading into the second quarter.

Following a punt by the Dolphins, the Bills advanced 67 yards in five plays. Thomas (pictured at left) ran twice for eight yards and then caught a pass for another 11 before Kelly threw to Reed for 43 yards to the Miami five. From there, Thomas ran up the middle for a touchdown and, adding Norwood’s extra point, it was a 20-3 lead for the home team.

With the game slipping away, it was Miami’s turn to strike quickly. In a third-and-five situation, Marino connected with Mark Duper for 11 yards and then went back to Duper again, this time for a 64-yard TD. Having gone 80 yards in four plays, Stoyanovich added the PAT and Buffalo’s lead was narrowed to 20-10.

The Bills responded by driving 68 yards in 11 plays. Kelly immediately threw to Lofton for 19 yards and, two plays later, ran for nine yards. Reaching the Miami 32, Buffalo converted a fourth-and-three play as Kelly connected with Reed for 13 yards. The series ended with a seven-yard Kelly-to-Lofton touchdown pass and, adding the extra point, the home team again enjoyed a 17-point lead of 27-10 with five minutes remaining in the first half.

The Dolphins reached midfield before an intentional grounding penalty backed them up and they were forced to punt. However, after returning the kick 17 yards, WR Al Edwards fumbled and the punter, Reggie Roby, recovered at the Buffalo 47. A five-yard carry was followed by two incomplete passes, but then, on fourth-and-five, Marino threw to Duper for 38 yards to the four. Marino ran for a two-yard touchdown with 27 seconds left on the clock and Stoyanovich added the extra point. Buffalo’s lead was 27-17 at halftime.

Miami narrowed the lead further with a 62-yard drive in eight plays to start the third quarter. The big play was a 17-yard run by Sammie Smith in a third-and-two situation that got the ball to the Buffalo 12. Stoyanovich finished off the series with a 22-yard field goal that made it a seven-point game at 27-20.

The Bills stormed back as Thomas had back-to-back eight yard runs and Kelly threw to Lofton for 31 yards to the Miami 27. However, two plays later Kelly was picked off by SS Jarvis Williams. The Dolphins were deep in their own territory, starting at the two, and on a third-down play from their 12, Marino went long and was intercepted by FS Mark Kelso.

With the ball at the Miami 48, the Bills used two carries by Thomas and a pass to McKeller to reach the 33. Facing third-and-seven, Kelly completed a pass to Lofton for 13 yards and, after Thomas gained nine yards on three straight runs, Norwood kicked a 28-yard field goal to make it 30-20.

RB Marc Logan returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards to give the Dolphins good starting field position at their 43, and Marino immediately threw to Mark Clayton for 23 yards. Smith ran twice for 18 yards to finish off the period at the Buffalo 13, and three plays into the fourth quarter, Marino (pictured below) tossed a pass to G Roy Foster, an eligible receiver in short yardage, for a two-yard TD. Stoyanovich added the extra point and Buffalo’s once-formidable lead was down to three points at 30-27.

The Bills drove 63 yards in ten plays in response. Kelly completed four passes, including one of five yards to McKeller to convert a fourth-and-two situation, and had a key eight-yard scramble along that way. A 12-yard completion to Edwards advanced the ball to the Miami 17 and a defensive holding penalty on CB Tim McKyer on a third-and-eight play gave the Bills a first down and Thomas ran for a five-yard touchdown to cap the possession. Norwood’s successful conversion put Buffalo in front by ten.

The key turnover of the game occurred on the ensuing kickoff when Logan fumbled when hit by LB Hal Garner and Norwood recovered for the Bills at the Miami 29. Two plays later, Kelly connected with Reed for a 26-yard TD. Norwood added the extra point once again and Buffalo’s lead was 44-27 with 9:42 remaining in the game.

The Dolphins fought back, with Marino throwing to Clayton for 21 yards and to TE Ferrell Edmunds for eight, and Smith running for 12 yards on a third-and-two play. But the drive stalled at the Buffalo 35 as Marino threw four straight incomplete passes, the last while facing fourth-and-ten.

The Bills ran the clock down to under five minutes before punting, and Miami put together a scoring drive of 91 yards in 15 plays. Marino completed eight passes along the way, the last one of eight yards to WR Tony Martin for a touchdown. Stoyanovich added the extra point, but it was a ten-point game with 1:15 left on the clock. When the Bills recovered the ensuing onside kick, Miami’s fate was sealed. The Bills came away winners by a score of 44-34.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (493 to 430) while the teams were even with 24 first downs apiece. The Dolphins turned the ball over three times, the last time with devastating results, to two suffered by the Bills.

Jim Kelly completed 19 of 29 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns while giving up one interception. Thurman Thomas ran for 117 yards and two TDs on 32 carries and also caught three passes for 38 yards. James Lofton had 7 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown and Andre Reed had four receptions for 122 yards and two TDs.

For the Dolphins, Dan Marino was successful on 23 of 49 throws for 323 yards and three TDs while tossing two interceptions. Mark Duper (pictured below) gained 113 yards on his three catches that included a score while Mark Clayton had four pass receptions for 82 yards. Tony Martin and RB/WR Jim Jensen also had four catches, for 44 and 38 yards, respectively, and one of Martin’s was good for a touchdown. Sammie Smith rushed for 99 yards on 21 attempts.

“We have so many weapons, it’s tough to double-cover anybody,” said Jim Kelly. “We put it all together today and we’re tough when we do that.”

“I thought we were going to make it interesting when we got to within three,” said Don Shula. “Then we didn’t stop them defensively and fumbled the kickoff, and they scored again to build the lead that eventually won the game for them.”

“They moved the ball well all day,” added Dan Marino. “We did, too. But they played mistake-free football.”

Buffalo went on to rout the Raiders for the AFC Championship but lost a close Super Bowl contest to the New York Giants. The Bills won the AFC title in each of the next three seasons, but fell each time in the Super Bowl. The Dolphins dropped back to 8-8 in 1991, but returned to the postseason in ’92 at 11-5.

1983: Ferguson Passes for 419 Yards & 5 TDs as Bills Beat Dolphins in OT

The Buffalo Bills were 3-2 under new Head Coach Kay Stephenson as they took on the Miami Dolphins on October 9, 1983. To be sure, the Bills had lost badly to the Jets the previous Monday night, but had run the ball effectively with RB Joe Cribbs in the three preceding wins. 33-year-old QB Joe Ferguson (pictured above), coming off of a poor year in a tumultuous ’82 season for the whole organization, was playing well.

On the other hand, the Dolphins seemed to be in trouble. The defending AFC Champions were also 3-2 (including a 12-0 win at Buffalo in the opening game), but Head Coach/GM Don Shula was concerned about the offense. QB David Woodley had performed badly in the second half of the previous year’s Super Bowl loss against Washington and was having difficulty in ’83, especially after a knee injury removed WR Jimmy Cefalo. Rookie first draft pick Dan Marino out of Pittsburgh had relieved Woodley in the previous two games and was now drawing his first starting assignment against the Bills.

There were 59,948 fans present at the Orange Bowl, and they saw the home team get a break on the opening kickoff when Buffalo RB Robb Riddick fumbled and LB Rodell Thomas recovered for the Dolphins. Miami had the ball at the Buffalo 17, but two plays later a pass by Marino was tipped and intercepted by FS Steve Freeman to snuff out the threat.

The teams traded punts back and forth as neither offense was able to move the ball until the Bills took over at their 16 with 5:14 remaining in the opening period. Ferguson connected on back-to-back passes covering 18 and 11 yards to WR Frank Lewis and then 18 yards to Cribbs to advance to the Miami 37. Buffalo continued to methodically move down the field, finishing off the 11-play drive with a 10-yard Ferguson pass to WR Byron Franklin in the end zone for a touchdown. The score was 7-0 after a quarter of play.


Following another Miami punt, the Bills took possession with good field position at their 48 yard line. They scored again in five plays, highlighted by a 21-yard Ferguson pass to Lewis and a second TD throw to Franklin, this time covering 30 yards.

Marino was again intercepted, but following a Buffalo punt the Dolphins put together a long scoring drive. The rookie quarterback completed three passes as the team moved from its 14 yard line to the Bills’ six. On a third-and-five play, Marino’s pass to WR Mark Duper was broken up, but an interference call gave the Dolphins a first down at the one (it also removed Buffalo CB Charles Romes from the game, who was ejected when he argued the call). FB Woody Bennett powered in for a TD and the Buffalo lead was cut to 14-7.

With just under five minutes remaining in the first half, Ferguson came out passing and completed a 25-yard throw to WR Jerry Butler, who made a diving catch, and then followed up with a 14-yard gain to the Miami 27. However, the drive came up empty when Joe Danelo’s 27-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright. Buffalo’s seven-point margin stood at halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter. On Miami’s second possession, Marino threw to Duper (pictured below), who took off down the sideline, eluded two Buffalo defenders at the 15, and continued on to the end zone for a 63-yard touchdown.


With the score tied at 14-14, RB Van Williams returned the kickoff 40 yards to give the Bills good field position at their 47 yard line. Helped along by a 37-yard pass interference penalty, Ferguson capped the 53-yard drive with an 11-yard scoring pass to FB Booker Moore that again put Buffalo in the lead at 21-14.

Miami responded with an 80-yard, six-play drive that culminated in a trick play when Clayton, taking the ball on a reverse, fired a pass to Duper who caught it at the Buffalo 23 and ran the rest of the way for a 48-yard touchdown. Uwe van Schamann’s extra point again tied the score at 21-21.

The Bills came right back on a 63-yard drive that extended into the early fourth quarter and was highlighted by a Ferguson pass to Cribbs that gained 26 yards to the Miami 25. The veteran quarterback found Cribbs again in the middle of the end zone for a four-yard TD on a third-and-goal play, and Buffalo was once again in front by a touchdown. But both offenses were seemingly unstoppable. The Dolphins drove down the field, with Marino throwing to Clayton for a 39-yard gain to the Bills’ 13, and while the rookie quarterback fumbled the snap on two successive plays, he finished off the possession with a one-yard scoring pass to WR Nat Moore on a rollout. With the successful PAT, the score was once more tied at 28-28 with 7:35 left in regulation.

The back-and-forth scoring barrage was interrupted on Buffalo’s next possession when Ferguson was intercepted by CB Fulton Walker near midfield. Seven plays later, Marino passed to Clayton for a 14-yard touchdown (his first in the NFL), and it was the Dolphins taking the lead at 35-28 with just over three minutes to go.

Taking over at their 20, the Bills advanced as Ferguson completed his first two passes, to Cribbs for ten yards and TE Mark Brammer for six. However, following a sack by safety Mike Kozlowski, Buffalo faced a third-and-16 situation. Ferguson kept the drive alive with a completion to Franklin for 20 yards and then followed up with a 19-yard throw to WR Perry Tuttle that put the ball at the Miami 37 at the two minute warning.

Forced to scramble, Ferguson completed a pass to Butler for a 12-yard gain. Two pass completions later, the Bills had a first-and-goal at the Miami 8. A first pass was thrown away to stop the clock, and a second intended for Cribbs was underthrown and incomplete. On third down, Ferguson completed a throw to Butler who was stopped short at the one, forcing the Bills to use their last time out with 28 seconds on the clock. On the fourth-and-goal play, Ferguson threw his fifth touchdown pass to Cribbs, and with Danelo’s successful extra point, the game was tied once more at 35-35 and went into overtime.

The Dolphins got the first possession of the extra period and Marino immediately completed a pass to Duper for a 31-yard gain. However, the drive stalled at the Buffalo 35 and von Schamann’s 52-yard field goal attempt was wide to the left.

The Bills went three-and-out and punted. Greg Cater’s kick bounced over Clayton’s head at the 13 and, forced to chase it down, he lost 11 yards on the return which caused the Dolphins to have to take over at their two yard line. Still, Miami’s offense moved the ball effectively, and in 14 plays got to the Buffalo 25. But once again, von Schamann was wide on his field goal attempt, this time from 43 yards.

The Bills took over with 5:15 to go in the overtime period, and on a critical third-and-ten play Ferguson connected with WR Mike Mosley for a 35-yard gain to the Miami 29. Following three running plays, it was time for Danelo to attempt a game-winning field goal, and he was successful from 36 yards. Buffalo came away with a dramatic 38-35 win.

Both teams rolled up plenty of yards, with the Dolphins holding a slight edge (488 to 483) as they also did in first downs (31 to 28). Miami was more effective on the ground (153 yards on 43 running plays to 76 yards on 23 carries for the Bills) while Buffalo had the advantage in net passing yards (407 to 335). Each club turned the ball over twice. The Bills were flagged a whopping 15 times, compared to four penalties called on Miami.

Joe Ferguson had an outstanding performance, completing 38 of 55 passes for a career-high 419 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. Joe Cribbs (pictured below) led the Bills in both rushing, with 49 yards on 11 carries, and pass receiving, with 9 catches for 93 yards and two TDs. Jerry Butler also caught 9 passes, for 89 yards.


Dan Marino, giving a hint of things to come, was successful on 19 of his 29 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns, against two that were picked off. Mark Duper gained 202 yards on his 7 catches that included two scores. RB Andra Franklin led the running attack with 65 yards on 17 attempts.

Buffalo topped out at 5-2 with a win the next week, but went 3-6 the rest of the way to finish third in the AFC East with an 8-8 record. Miami, on the other hand, lost only once more and won the division with a 12-4 tally. The Dolphins were beaten by Seattle in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Dan Marino was a big part of Miami’s surge as he completed 173 passes (58.4 %) for 2210 yards with 20 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. Mark Duper had a Pro Bowl year, catching 51 passes for 1003 yards and 10 TDs. Mark Clayton’s scoring reception against the Bills was his only one of the season as he caught just six passes and was used primarily as a punt returner (his touchdown pass was the only one of his 11-year NFL career). All three would rise to greater heights in 1984.

Joe Ferguson’s season reflected his team’s overall inconsistency. He was in the league’s top ten in pass attempts (508) and completions (281) and ranked fourth in TD passes (26, along with Joe Montana of the 49ers and Cleveland’s Brian Sipe) but third in interceptions (25). He averaged only 5.9 yards per attempt in throwing for 2995 yards, and his career descended thereafter. But in a dramatic game at the Orange Bowl, he turned in a memorable performance.

1986: O’Brien Outduels Marino as Jets Defeat Dolphins in Overtime Thriller

The September 21, 1986 game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands featured two first-round quarterbacks from the highly-touted 1983 draft field. After three seasons, Miami’s Dan Marino had already established himself as one of the top passers in the game. He had put together an astounding season in 1984 as the Dolphins advanced to the AFC Championship, and even after getting a late start due to a training camp holdout in ’85, still threw for 4746 yards and 44 touchdown passes. The Dolphins went 12-4 but lacked a meaningful running attack and didn’t stop the run very well, either. After nearly being upset by the 8-8 Cleveland Browns in the Divisional playoff, they were beaten by the Patriots in the AFC title game. Coming into the contest against the Jets, they were 1-1, having given up 50 points in a loss to the Chargers in the season-opening game but then having comfortably beaten the Colts in Week 2.

Ken O’Brien of the Jets had taken longer to develop, having not played at all during his rookie season in ’83. He took over as the starting quarterback in the last five games of the 1984 season (after getting caught up in a trial pertaining to a brawl at the Studio 54 night club in New York City). Still, he had broken out with a Pro Bowl year in ’85, throwing for 3888 yards and 25 TDs against just 8 interceptions. The Jets, having put together back-to-back 7-9 seasons under Head Coach Joe Walton, improved to 11-5 and were viewed as a team on the rise. An ’86 opening-day win at Buffalo had been followed by a dismal 20-6 loss to the Patriots the next week. Such was the stage set for the matchup with division-rival Miami.

The game started off quietly enough, with the teams trading punts until Jets WR Kurt Sohn returned one 27 yards to give New York excellent starting field position at the Miami 23 yard line. While the offense failed to move the ball, Pat Leahy kicked a 32-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

The Dolphins promptly came alive on their next possession as Marino threw back-to-back completions to WR Mark Duper of 22 and 21 yards. The six-play, 67-yard drive ended with a six-yard scoring pass to WR James Pruitt and Miami held a 7-3 lead after a quarter of play.

As the game moved into the second quarter, O’Brien moved the Jets along with four pass completions and RB Johnny Hector scored on a one-yard touchdown run to put New York back in the lead at 10-7. Two plays into Miami’s ensuing possession, safety Lester Lyles intercepted a Marino pass and returned it to the Dolphins’ 19 yard line. Three snaps later, Hector ran eight yards up the middle and it was a 17-7 game.


Miami came right back with big plays through the air. Marino threw to WR Mark Clayton for a 42-yard gain, went to Clayton again for 13 more, and then to Duper for 21 yards down to the New York one. On a play-action pass, Marino threw to TE Dan Johnson for a TD and, with the successful PAT, a three-point game.

Shortly thereafter, it was Miami’s turn to benefit from a turnover as CB Don McNeal intercepted a pass that was bobbled by Jets WR JoJo Townsell. With a 17-yard return, the Dolphins took over at the New York 13 and, two plays later, Marino found Duper in the corner of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown and 21-17 lead.

It didn’t take long for the Jets to strike back as O’Brien threw long to a wide-open WR Wesley Walker who went all the way for a 65-yard touchdown. Following a Miami punt, New York got the ball back but had to kick it away with under a minute to go in the first half. However, Pruitt and safety Reyna Thompson collided, the ball hit Thompson, and LB Matt Monger recovered for the Jets at midfield. O’Brien immediately went long for Walker, who gathered it in for a 50-yard touchdown, and the Jets took a 31-21 lead into halftime.

Already, both quarterbacks had thrown for over 200 yards (Marino with 245, O’Brien 203), and things did not slow down in the third quarter. After a three-and-out series by the Jets, Marino connected with Duper for a 46-yard touchdown that cut New York’s margin to 31-28. The Jets turned the ball over on the next possession when O’Brien was sacked by LB Mark Brown, fumbled, and NT George Little recovered for the Dolphins at the New York 47. Six plays later, and after Clayton dropped a long pass at the five yard line, Fuad Reveiz kicked a 44-yard field goal and the score was tied at 31-31.

The Jets again turned the ball over on a fumble two plays into the next possession, and again Miami capitalized six plays after that on a one-yard Marino pass to TE Bruce Hardy that put the Dolphins back in front at 38-31.

Nearing the midpoint of the fourth quarter, the Jets tied the score following an 80-yard drive in 11 plays that featured a pass from O’Brien to WR Al Toon for 36 yards and a one-yard carry by RB Tony Paige on a fourth-and-one play at the Miami eight. RB Dennis Bligen ran for a seven-yard TD and Leahy’s extra point made it 38-38 with 8:32 to go in regulation.

Following a Miami punt, Walker fumbled after catching a short pass from O’Brien and LB Jackie Shipp gave the Dolphins possession at the New York 27. Helped along by an unnecessary roughness penalty, Miami again made the Jets pay when Marino threw to Clayton for a four-yard touchdown. The Dolphins were again in front at 45-38.

With the clock down to under two minutes, Miami got the ball back but was unable to get a clinching first down on a third-and-seven play and had to punt. Starting from their 20 and with only one timeout left, the Jets moved down the field. A pass from O’Brien to TE Mickey Shuler turned into a big gain when the tight end, after gaining seven yards, lateraled to Hector, who went another 21 yards to the Dolphins’ 39. Following the final timeout and two completions to Shuler, O’Brien threw to Walker and, with no time remaining, the wide receiver gathered in the pass at the two yard line and dove into the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown. Leahy’s all-important extra point was good, and with the score tied at 45-45, the contest went into overtime.

The Jets won the toss to start the extra period and, following a 19-yard kickoff return, they took possession at their 22 yard line. O’Brien threw to Toon for back-to-back completions that totaled 25 yards and, following two running plays, he went deep once more to Walker. Walker grabbed the ball at the goal line for a 43-yard touchdown and the Jets came away with a stunning 51-45 win at 2:35 into overtime.

The teams combined for 1066 total yards of offense, with the Jets holding the edge at 581 to 485. The total of 884 yards through the air set a league record. New York also accumulated 32 first downs, to 27 for the Dolphins, but also turned the ball over four times, to three turnovers suffered by Miami.

Ken O’Brien completed 29 of 43 passes for 479 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. While Al Toon had the most catches for the Jets, with 7 for 111 yards, Wesley Walker (pictured below) had the more noteworthy performance with 6 receptions for 194 yards and four TDs – made even more impressive because he had been dealing with a groin injury coming into the game. Johnny Hector led the running game with 82 yards on 22 carries and two scores.



For Miami, Dan Marino went to the air 50 times and had 30 completions for 448 yards and six touchdowns; he was picked off twice. Mark Clayton caught 8 passes for 174 yards and a TD and Mark Duper was right behind with 7 receptions for 154 yards and two scores. RB Tony Nathan was the leading ground-gainer with 36 yards on four carries (the Dolphins had just 50 yards of rushing offense).

“I was down on myself because I fumbled the ball. I thought I lost the game for the team,” said Wesley Walker afterward. “I was just grateful I was given the opportunity to make it up.”

“It's a shame to waste a performance like this by Marino,” said a disappointed Coach Don Shula of the Dolphins. “We let it go down the drain.”

The Jets went on to win their next eight straight games, but then lost the final five (starting with a 45-3 whipping by the Dolphins in Miami) to end up at 10-6, good enough for second place in the AFC East and a wild card playoff spot. They defeated the Chiefs in the first round but lost to Cleveland in overtime in the Divisional playoff game. Miami continued to be plagued by inconsistency and finished in third place in the division with an 8-8 record.

Ken O’Brien went on to throw for 3690 yards and ranked second in the league with 25 touchdowns. As was the case against the Dolphins, Al Toon was the team’s top receiver with 85 catches for 1176 yards and eight TDs and earned consensus first-team All-Pro honors. Wesley Walker had 49 receptions for 1016 yards to average 20.7 yards-per-catch (tied for second best in the NFL with Green Bay’s Walter Stanley) and scored 12 touchdowns.

Dan Marino led the league in pass attempts (623), completions (378), yards (4746), TD passes (44), and percentage of TD passes (7.1). He ranked second in passing (92.5 rating) but also in interceptions (23, tied with Randy Wright of the Packers). Mark Duper caught 67 passes for a career-high 1313 yards and 11 touchdowns and Mark Clayton had 60 receptions for 1150 yards and 10 scores; both joined Marino in being selected to the Pro Bowl.

1985: Dolphins Hand Bears Only Loss of Season

The December 2, 1985 showdown at Miami’s Orange Bowl between the Dolphins (8-4) and Chicago Bears (12-0) may have been a regular season contest, but had all the feel of a playoff game. The game was scheduled for a Monday night, thereby increasing the exposure and hype (it remains the highest rated telecast in the history of Monday Night Football).

Under Head Coach Mike Ditka, the Bears not only had a perfect record coming into the game, but had typically dominated opponents throughout the season. The offense was solid, but the defense was what made the team special; utilizing defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan’s attacking 46 Defense, the team rolled up scores of 45-10 over Washington and 26-10 over the defending champion 49ers. They had recorded dominating back-to-back shutouts of the Dallas Cowboys (44-0) and Atlanta Falcons (36-0) in the previous two games.

The Dolphins, reigning AFC champs, weren’t in the same class defensively but featured an excellent passing game guided by third-year QB Dan Marino, who was coming off a record-setting year in 1984. Miami also was the only NFL franchise to have a team go undefeated throughout a season and continue on to win a championship, in 1972, a fact of which Head Coach Don Shula made sure his players were well aware. The frenzied crowd of 75,000 in attendance certainly was.

The Bears hadn’t allowed a touchdown in 13 quarters going into the game, but Marino ended that streak four minutes into the first quarter by firing a 33-yard TD pass to WR Nat Moore. Bears QB Steve Fuller, making his fourth consecutive start in place of injured starter Jim McMahon, hit WR Willie Gault on a 69-yard pass play down to the Miami 11 yard line and then tied the game with a one-yard TD on a quarterback sneak that tied the score at 7-7. However, when Fuad Reveiz responded with a 47-yard field goal, the Dolphins took the lead and never relinquished it.

Miami effectively put the game away in the second quarter. RB Ron Davenport scored twice from a yard out, with a 30-yard Kevin Butler field goal for the Bears sandwiched in between. The second Davenport score had been set up when the Dolphins converted two third downs – first, a 52-yard gain on a pass from Marino to WR Mark Duper on third and 12, and then 26 yards from Marino to WR Mark Clayton to the one yard line on third and 7. Shortly after the second Davenport TD, CB William Judson blocked a Maury Buford punt to give the Dolphins the ball at the Chicago six yard line. This set up Marino’s second TD pass to Moore to make the score 31-10 at halftime. Miami had scored on each of its first five possessions.

The Bears scored twice in the third quarter, but any possible comeback was negated by a poor kickoff by Kevin Butler after the first TD, giving the Dolphins good field position at the Chicago 46. Three plays later, Clayton scored on a 42-yard pass play from Marino (the ball was actually tipped by DE Dan Hampton) for a 38-17 lead. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter, and in the end it was a stunning Miami victory at 38-24.

In the statistical battle, the Bears outgained the Dolphins with 343 total yards to 335 and accumulated more first downs as well (23-17). But Chicago turned the ball over four times, three on interceptions, and Miami capitalized on the opportunities. They also out-sacked the Bears, 6 to 3.

Dan Marino completed just 14 of 27 passes, but they were good for 270 yards with three touchdowns against one interception. All of the receptions were made by wide receivers – Mark Duper and Mark Clayton each caught five passes, with Duper leading in yards with 107 to Clayton’s 88, and Nat Moore contributed 4 receptions for 75 yards, including two TDs. Miami gained 90 rushing yards on the tough Bears defense, with RB Tony Nathan leading the way with 74 yards on 15 carries. Chicago’s great RB Walter Payton had a typically solid performance in a losing cause, gaining 121 yards on 23 attempts; it was his record-setting eighth consecutive hundred-yard rushing game.

For the season, Marino didn’t match his awe-inspiring statistics of 1984, but all the same led the NFL in pass completions (336), passing yards (4137), and TD passes (30). Clayton caught 70 passes for 996 yards and four TDs while Duper, injured for half the season, hauled in 35 passes for 650 yards and three scores. The 34-year-old Moore had 51 catches for 701 yards – his highest totals since 1977 – and led all Miami receivers with 7 touchdown catches.

The Bears went undefeated the rest of the way, finishing at 15-1 and winning the NFC Championship. Miami also won its remaining regular season games, closing out at 12-4 atop the AFC East, but the anticipated Super Bowl rematch between the teams was derailed when New England upset the Dolphins in the AFC Championship game. Chicago easily won the ensuing Super Bowl over the Patriots by a 46-10 margin.