Still the standard: on the 30th anniversary of Miami's perfect season in 1972, we revisit a feat that may never be duplicated - 2002 Postseason Preview

Football Digest, Feb, 2003 by Chuck O'Donnell

"I think we had as much confidence in Earl as a leader as Bob," says Csonka. "Now, whether Earl possessed as strong an arm as Bob or was as fast or as quick to jump back from injury at 38 years old, that could have certainly been a question. But it never crossed my mind. Earl, for a backup quarterback, probably had the most qualifications of anyone who had ever been a backup quarterback."

And in a strange sort of way, Griese's injury was a good thing for the Dolphins: "It helped everyone else on the team elevate their game some because we knew we had to play a little harder after Bob got hurt," Little says.

So with everyone blocking a little harder and running a little faster and cutting a little more crisply on routes, the Dolphins wound up beating the Chargers, 24-10. Amazingly, Morrall was named Offensive Player of the Week after completing eight of 10 passes for 86 yards.

Still, the transition from Griese to Morrall wasn't as seamless as it may have appeared. Whereas Griese was young and studious, Morrall was a grizzled veteran who had learned how to survive from the poundings he had taken in the pocket. The rest of the players on offense had to adjust to the change in personality under center.

"The difference between Griese and Morrall," says Csonka, "was that Griese was more sure of himself about what he wanted to accomplish with a play. Earl would sometimes question one or two guys who would be at the center of the play. He would ask you a point-blank question: `Can you make this block? Can you get open on this pattern?' You would answer `yes' or `no,' and that would be the end of the discussion. You felt a little more involved in what was going on with Earl because he wanted to know if you were sure [about the play]."

The team began to get closer, which was no small feat considering all the different types of characters in the locker room. On one side, there was Garo Yepremian, a kicker from Cyprus. On the other, there was Vern Den Herder, a tough farm boy from Iowa. In between, there were first-round draft picks, waiver pickups, blacks, whites, and even one of the league's few Hispanic players in Fernandez.

Anderson remembers the team as a family in which the siblings bicker amongst themselves but defend each other to the bitter end against outsiders. "We fought together and played together, but more importantly, we had great respect for each person," he says. "That respect transcended age, religion, race, and personal views. We had great characters and individuals whose differences evaporated when we stepped onto the field. We were one--we were a true team."

Morrall and the Dolphins eked out a 24-23 win against the Bills in Buffalo the week after the Chargers game, then blasted the Baltimore Colts and Buffalo in successive weeks. In Week 9 Miami ripped the Patriots, 52-0, giving Shula his 100th career victory as a head coach.

But just when Miami seemed to have regained its footing after Griese's injury, calamity almost struck again. It didn't come in the form of another injury. Rather, it stemmed from the realization that the Dolphins were on the cusp of something special.