The following season, Woodley lost his starting spot to rookie Dan Marino. Do you have a sports website? All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 12 spot. Miami Dolphins 21 at San Diego Chargers 22 on January 8th, 1995 - Full team and player stats and box score. Afterwards, San Diego didnt reach the postseason until a decade later before finally reaching Super Sunday in 1994, where it was thrashed by the San Francisco 49ers. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. However, Cincinnati's defense halted the drive at the 18-yard line and it ended with no points when Rolf Benirschke, kicking into the fierce wind, missed a 37-yard field goal attempt. He spent the rest of his career as a backup and retired after 1988 as a backup for the Cleveland Browns. Box score for the Miami Dolphins vs. Los Angeles Chargers NFL game from 12 December 2022 on ESPN. With the players of both teams exhausted and dehydrated, everyone was hoping for a quick end to overtime, but that would not be the case. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The game was one of the few in NFL history in which the same team kicked off to begin both halves. The only significant contributors in the Epic in Miami who did go to a Super Bowl were Brooks, who made it to Super Bowl XXIII as a member of the Bengals, guard Ed White, who was a Minnesota Viking for four Super Bowls and Gary "Big Hands" Johnson, who joined former Chargers, and fellow "Bruise Brothers" Louie Kelcher and Fred Dean (who had been traded to eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco after Week 5, also due to contract problems) winning Super Bowl XIX with the San Francisco 49ers. San Diego responded with a drive to the Bengals 33-yard line, but came up empty when defensive back Louis Breeden intercepted a deep pass intended for Charlie Joiner at the 5-yard line. Thats hard to take. The Chargers decided to send in Benirschke to attempt a 55-yard field goal, but he missed, giving the ball back to the Dolphins near midfield. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. A week earlier, the Bengals won their first ever playoff game by defeating the Buffalo Bills 2821 after forcing Buffalo to turn the ball over on downs during their final drive. Or write about sports? Epic in Miami: 1981 AFC Divisional Round Playoffs: NFL Full Game, Don Strock Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards databaseFootball.com, "Rummaging Through The Attic: A Bee-utiful Poster", "A MATTER OF LIFE AND SUDDEN DEATH THE 1982 PLAYOFF BETWEEN THE CHARGERS AND DOLPHINS WASN'T JUST A FOOTBALL GAME AND WASN'T A WAR, EXACTLY, BUT IT DID CHANGE A FEW PEOPLE'S LIVES", "America's Game: The Missing Rings 1981 San Diego Chargers (Part 6 of 7)", "1/2/82: Chargers 41, Dolphins 38 Ot -- The Greatest Game Ever Played? Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. NFL Scores Dolphins vs. Chargers final score and immediate reactions The Miami Dolphins dropped their second straight game with a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night. It became legendary. Do you have a blog? The "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 games in NFL history, and the 1982 AFC Championship Game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins lands at No. "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 teams in NFL history, and the 1950 Cleveland Browns -- who finished with a 10-2 record, led by head coach Paul Brown, quarterback Otto Graham, kicker Lou Groza and fullback Marion Motley -- land at No. Both teams were coming off extremely narrow wins in the divisional playoffs. Two drives later, Fouts led the Chargers 60 yards in six plays, scoring on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow to regain the lead. Find out more. Ranking 12 greatest NFL playoff games of all-time: Chiefs' epic OT win Brooks recorded 143 all-purpose yards (19 rushing, 31 receiving, 85 kickoff return, eight punt return) and a pair of touchdown catches. This time, his kick was good, giving the Chargers a 4138 win after 13 minutes and 52 seconds of overtime play.[10]. Herbert the sixth overall pick in 2020, one behind Tagovailoa completed a career-high 39 passes on 51 attempts for his 21st 300-yard game. Free shipping for many products! Fullback Andra Franklin provided the team with good blocking, and he was also a good ball carrier, rushing for 711 yards and seven touchdowns; the Dolphins run game in its entirety totaled 2,173 yards (4.06 yards per carry) and 18 touchdowns. "The great football games are like pieces of theater. In 1981, the Dolphins and Chargers waged the Epic in Miami - FanSided The Epic in Miami was the National Football League AFC divisional playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins that took place on January 2, 1982 in the Miami Orange Bowl. Chargers cornerback Michael Davis slipped in coverage at the LA 40, allowing Hill to make an easy catch and saunter untouched to the end zone to get Miami to 17-14. The Dolphins needed to win by more than 3 points to cover the spread. San Diego would score their only touchdown in the second, but gave up another score to the Bengals and trailed 177 at halftime. San Diego also had an outstanding rushing attack, led by Pro Bowl running back Chuck Muncie, who rushed for 1,144 yards and a league-leading 19 touchdowns, while also catching 43 passes for 362 yards. Then on the Dolphins' next drive, David Woodley was intercepted by Chargers safety Glen Edwards, who returned the ball 35 yards, setting up Fouts' 8-yard touchdown pass to James Brooks. The Dolphins' secondary, consisting of Mike Kozlowski, Fulton Walker and brothers Lyle and Glenn Blackwood was also extremely talented. Hill finished with four catches for 81 yards, including a 60-yard TD in the third quarter on Tagovailoa's best throw of the night. For the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins, their 1981 AFC Divisional playoff was supposed to be a good game. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. This happened to be Kellens week to shine, and he did shine, and I think were all grateful for the effort he put forth in that game.. ", Miami linebacker Kim Bokamper said, "Every time I see it you wonder whether he should have gotten an Academy Award for the performance. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Miami then drove deep into Chargers territory, setting up a 35-yard field goal attempt for von Schamann, but his kick was low, and defensive lineman Leroy Jones managed to leap in the air and block it. This time his 29-yard field goal was true, giving the Chargers the victory. Muncie rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown. Dolphins 17-23 Chargers (Dec 11, 2022) Final Score - ESPN "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 teams in NFL history, and the 1966 Green Bay Packers, who defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I behind head coach Vince Lombardi, quarterback Bart Starr and wide receiver Max McGee, land at No. The Bengals completely took over the game from that point on. In a furious rally, the Dolphins got to within a touchdown of the lead at the end of the first half, a 17-point run punctuated by the famous "hook and ladder" play: Strock to Duriel Harris to Tony Nathan for the score on the last play of the first half. Receivers Jimmy Cefalo (29 receptions, 631 yards, three touchdowns) and Duriel Harris (53 receptions, 911 yards, two touchdowns) provided the main deep threat on the team. Miami Dolphins at L.A. Chargers Chargers - NFL Game Summary - Dec 12 Several plays later, Strock converted the turnover into points with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Joe Rose, cutting the deficit to 2410. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. The game aired on NBC with Don Criqui and John Brodie calling the action and Bryant Gumbel serving as the anchor, one of his final assignments for NBC Sports as he began co-hosting Today two days after the game. [4] Defensive back Willie Buchanon led the team with five interceptions. Austin Ekeler, who finished with 104 scrimmage yards, had a 1-yard run off left tackle on fourth-and-goal with 18 seconds left in the quarter to extend the lead to 17-7. "He was gonna try to get Tyreek and Jaylen (Waddle) in on those dagger routes, so we definitely packed the middle a little bit and forced him to try to throw it outside.. But Tagovailoa had his worst game as an NFL starter, completing 10 of 28 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown as the Dolphins (8-5) lost their second straight. Almost 40 years later, its memory endures. Their offense was led by quarterbacks David Woodley and Don Strock. Johnson rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, while also catching a pass for 14 yards. [15], "I've never felt so close to death before," Winslow said afterward. After a slow recovery, Bernischke had returned to San Diego that season. Miami took over on its own 40-yard line following Benirschke's squib kick, needing only a field goal to win. Chandler replaced John Jefferson after Jefferson, following a contract dispute, was traded to Green Bay early in the season). The NFL has existed for 101 years and produced hundreds of memorable games. "I just don't buy it. San Diego won the coin toss and marched down the field, driving inside the Dolphins 10-yard line. But this time, they could not return the AFC Championship Game for the third straight year, as the Dolphins avenged their defeat 3413 in the AFC Second Round playoffs, also in Miami. . "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 teams in NFL history, and the 1992 Dallas Cowboys, who finished the regular season 13-3 and defeated the Buffalo Bills 52-17 in Super Bowl XXVII, land at No. After Miami took the lead in the fourth quarter at 38-31, Fouts marched the Chargers 82 yards on 10 plays, culminating with a nine-yard touchdown strike to James Brooks in the corner of the end zone with 58 seconds remaining. 1981 San Diego Chargers Schedule & Results | The Football Database The following is a list of all regular season and postseason games played between the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers. After recovering a Chuck Muncie fumble, they moved into position for von Schamann to try a 34-yard field goal. They lack pizazz and flair for three quarters, but a field goal as time expires or a touchdown in the final minute leaves the impression of grandeur spanning 60 minutes. 'Epic in Miami': Chargers vs. Dolphins | 1981 AFC Divisional Round Then linebacker Rick Razzano forced a fumble from Chargers rookie kick returner James Brooks, and Don Bass recovered for the Bengals on the San Diego 12-yard line. Rookie running back James Brooks was also a major contributor, rushing for 525 yards, catching 46 passes for 329 yards, and adding another 1,239 yards returning punts and kickoffs. To this day, its the most amazing play Ive ever been associated with..