WHAT HAPPENED AT THE 1973 SUPER BOWL?

Following an owner’s meeting that was held on March 21, 1972, Super Bowl VII was awarded to Los Angeles.

Super Bowl VII was played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles between the Miami Dolphins (AFC) and the Washington Redskins (NFL) on January 14, 1973.

In the games running up to the Super Bowl, the Miami Dolphins had remained undefeated throughout the NFL season. However, despite this impressive performance, they were still expected to lose the Super Bowl due to the weakness of their regular schedule.

However, contrary to predictions, the AFC team emerged triumphant with a score of 14-7. The Dolphins dominated the match and successfully shut Washington out until just over two minutes remained in the fourth quarter.
Notable for:

  • The Miami Dolphins became the only team in the history of NFL to remain undefeated throughout the season. They are also the only team in Super Bowl history to win the game despite being shut out in the second half.
  • The temperature at the time of the kickoff was 29°C, making Super Bowl VII the warmest Super Bowl ever to be played.
  • Super Bowl VII was characterized by the longest time in a Super Bowl that one team has failed to score, with Washington being held scoreless until just 2:07 of the fourth quarter remained.

From the outset, the Dolphins commanded the game, scoring on the first two occasions they gained possession, limiting the Vikings to just seven plays in total during the first quarter. Csonka scored a five-yard touchdown at 5.27 and Kiick a one-yard at 13:38.

The strong attack was equally matched by the Dolphin’s rushing game, which restricted Bob Griese, the Dolphin’s quarterback, to just seven passes, of which six were completed, in the whole game.

The only drama in the entire game came at the very end of the game when a blocked Garo Yepremian kick allowed Redskin’s Mike Bass to grasp the ball and run 49 yards to score.

Jake Scott was voted MVP for his impressive performance, which included two interceptions, one of which killed a Redskins’ drive in the end zone.

Final Score: Miami Dolphins (AFC) – 14 Vs. Washington Redskins (NFC) – 7
Date: January 14, 1973
Stadium: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
MVP: Jake Scott, Safety
Favorite: Redskins by 1
Referee: Tom Bell
Attendance: 90,182

National anthem: Little Angels of Holy Angels Church, Chicago
Coin toss: Tom Bell
Halftime show: Woody Herman, Andy Williams and the Michigan Marching Band