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Miami could ruin Pats’ perfect mark
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by Tyler Mason
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Nobody’s perfect. Not even the Patriots.
That’s right. You heard it here first: The Miami Dolphins
will upset the New England Patriots on Christmas Eve's eve, ending the Pats’
perfect season and finally getting themselves a W.
OK, so I might be a bit delusional. This often happens
around finals week. But I’m still convinced it could happen. Listen as I
continue to plead my case in vain.
The Dolphins have absolutely nothing to lose and nothing
else to play for, but this game; this is their Super Bowl. They’ve lost 16
straight dating back to last season and were pretty much eliminated from
playoff contention before the season even started.
But looking at the calendar from last season, you will find
their last win came against — that’s right, the New England Patriots.
Although last year’s Moss-less Patriots roster wasn’t nearly
as impressive as this season’s, it was still a team that made it to the AFC
Championship game and had heartthrob Tom Brady at the helm. The Dolphins limited
Brady to just 78 yards passing, as he completed only 12 of 25 attempts. As a
result, New England laid the big goose egg in the 21-0 drubbing at the hands of
the ‘Fins, the only time they were shut out all season. Oh, and Joey Harrington
was quarterbacking the Dolphins, making this feat all the more amazing.
When you look at it, recent history has been in Miami’s
favor when they’ve played the Patriots. In 2004, the Pats fell 29-28 to the
Dolphins in week 15. Miami would finish the season at 4-12, while the New
England fared only slightly better — they defeated Philadelphia in the Super
Bowl. That defeat was one of only two for Brady’s boys that year.
In 2005, against a slightly better Dolphins team, the
Patriots again lost a close game late in the year to Miami — in the last week
of the season, in fact — 28-26 at home. You have to go back to 2003 to find the
last time New England swept the season series against the Dolphins.
If this year’s crazy college football season has taught us
anything — other than the fact that the BCS is flawed — it’s that perfection is
nearly unattainable. Of all the teams in the major Division I conferences, only
Hawaii managed to make it to the end of the season without a loss on their résumé.
On the flip side of that coin, no team went winless (although 1-11 Duke, Idaho,
Minnesota, Southern Methodist and Florida International tried their hardest
to).
Simply put, the levee is bound to break, for better or
worse.
Perhaps the biggest thing on the line for Miami when these two
teams clash at Gillette Stadium next weekend will be the defense of honor.
Legendary coach Don Shula led his 1972 Dolphins team to the only (for now)
perfect season in the NFL, finishing the regular season 14-0. And if you
include the playoffs, capped by a victory over the Redskins in Super Bowl VII,
they went 17-0.
Every time a team comes close to a perfect season, the
nation can hear Bob Griese, Larry Csonka and other members of that historical
1972 team hold their collective breaths as they watch their record come
dangerously close to falling. And every year up until now, they have been able
to pop the corks on the champagne and sip the sweet nectar of victory as they
have remained the only perfect team.
Fear not, Griese and company. Your team is here to save you
35 years later. With the fearless Cleo Lemon at the wheel and running back
Jesse Chatman backing him up, the Fish are ready.
Preposterous, you say? Probably. But everyone loves the underdog story. You know, that little team that could. And with this game played just two days before Christmas, there’s no gift I’d like better than irony, wrapped in a bow.
Tyler is a junior majoring in journalism. If you also
think the Dolphins have a chance, let him know he’s not the only crazy one at tmason@badgerherald.com.
See you all next semester, and have a great holiday break.
Anonymous (December 13, 2007 @ 5:17am):
Never say Never! I happen to agree with you,I've been saying the same thing in the office. The Pats will not pay aatention to the game until it could be out of hand. Miami has nothing to play for except the fact that the Pats are undefeated till then so what better way for the Fins to go out that to beat the Pats on the 23rd but i still think that Cameron should be fired anyway Go Dolphins!!!!
Anonymous (December 13, 2007 @ 7:37am):
Miami is one of the greatest spoiler teams there ever was. We have done numerous times and I love it every time.last year we started the Chargers losing record, we beat the Pats and 85 we beat the bears oh yeah and they beat the bears 2 yrs ago to also start their losses for the season.. GO FINS!!!!
Anonymous (December 13, 2007 @ 12:32pm):
remember Chicago last year and in 1985 it very well could happen Go Miami Ill still be fan none the less
Anonymous (December 13, 2007 @ 2:05pm):
I too have been saying the same thing, but I'll go you one further. The scenario I envision is: Miami is 0-14 and New England 14-0 when they meet, Miami will beat them by 14 points! This will be the ultimate irony, they (New England) will be TIED for regular season wins at 14-0 (with the Dolphins no less) and Miami UPSETS them by 14 points in their own stadium, denying them the chance to continue on to a PERFECT season. BUT if the football undergods are truly on the underdog's side, Miami will defeat New England 14-0!!! Now that's IRONY!!!!
Anonymous (December 13, 2007 @ 6:39pm):
Didn't people say that both the Steelers and the Bills were going to upset the Patriots? Looks like THAT worked out so well for both of those teams...
Anonymous (December 13, 2007 @ 9:51pm):
Ask my friends - I've been saying this since the bye week...our first win and the Pats only lose (until the conference round in the playoffs to the Colts) will come at the hands of the Dolphins.
Anonymous (December 14, 2007 @ 10:26am):
If the Patriots are smart, they'll be resting guys for the entire second half of that game. However, that doesn't mean the Patriots shouldn't put up like 50 on Miami in the first half. I'd love to see the Miami win, but it won't happen.
Anonymous (December 21, 2007 @ 10:34am):
not a chance
Anonymous (December 24, 2007 @ 11:56pm):
Yeah.... Your idiotic ideas finally got proved idiotic.
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