Super Bowl VI

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Super Bowl VI
Quarter 1 2 3 4 Tot
Cowboys 3 7 7 7 24
Dolphins 0 3 0 0 3
Date January 16, 1972
Stadium Tulane Stadium
City New Orleans, Louisiana
MVP Roger Staubach, Quarterback
Favorite Cowboys by 6
National anthem U.S. Air Force Academy Chorale
Coin toss Jim Tunney
Referee Jim Tunney
Halftime show "Salute to Louis Armstrong" with Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Channing, Al Hirt and the U.S. Marine Corps Drill Team
Attendance 81,023
TV in the United States
Network CBS
Announcers Ray Scott and Pat Summerall
Nielsen Ratings 44.2
Market share 74
Cost of 30-second commercial US$86,000

Super Bowl VI was the sixth Super Bowl, the championship game of the National Football League (NFL). The game was played on January 16, 1972, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana following the 1971 regular season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins, 24–3.

The Cowboys dominated the game, setting Super Bowl records for the most rushing yards (252), the most first downs (23), the least total yards allowed (185), and the least points allowed (3). The Cowboys are currently the only team ever to prevent their opponent from scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

Cowboys Quarterback Roger Staubach, who completed 12 out of 19 passes for 119 yards, threw 2 touchdown passes, and rushed 5 times for 18 yards, was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player.

Contents

[edit] Background

[edit] Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys entered the season still having the reputation of "not being able to win the big games". The Super Bowl V loss added more fuel to that widely held view. And like the previous season, Dallas had a quarterback controversy as Staubach and Craig Morton alternated as starting quarterback. But after head coach Tom Landry settled on Staubach, the Cowboys won their last 6 regular season games to finish with an 11-3 record.

Staubach finished the regular season as the NFL's top rated passer (101.8) by throwing for 1,882 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions. He was also a terrific rusher, gaining 343 yards and 2 touchdowns on 41 carries. Dallas also had an outstanding trio of running backs, Walt Garrison, Duane Thomas, and Calvin Hill, who rushed for a combined total of 1,690 yards and 14 touchdowns during the season. Wide Receivers Bob Hayes and Lance Alworth also provided a deep threat, catching a combined total of 69 passes for 1,327 yards and 10 touchdowns. The offensive line, anchored by all-pro tackle Rayfield Wright, Pro Bowler John Niland, and future hall of famer Forrest Gregg, was also a primary reason for their success on offense.

The Dallas defense (nicknamed the "Doomsday Defense") had given up only one touchdown in the last 25 quarters prior to the Super Bowl. Their defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bob Lilly, who excelled at pressuring quarterbacks and breaking up running plays. Dallas also had an outstanding trio of linebackers: Pro Bowler Chuck Howley, who recorded 5 interceptions and returned them for 122 yards; Dave Edwards 2 interceptions; and Lee Roy Jordan, who recorded 2 interceptions. The Cowboys secondary was led by 2 future hall of fame cornerbacks Herb Adderley (6 interceptions for 182 return yards) and Mel Renfro (4 interceptions for 11 yards). Safeties Cliff Harris and Pro Bowler Cornell Green also combined for 4 interceptions.

[edit] Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins were based primarily around the running attack, led by running backs Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick, who rushed for a combined total of 1,789 yards, 10 touchdowns, and lost just 1 fumble during the regular season. But Miami also had a threatening passing game. Quarterback Bob Griese put up an impressive performance during the season, completing 145 passes for 2,089 yards and 19 touchdowns with only 9 interceptions. Griese's major weapon was wide receiver Paul Warfield, who caught 43 passes for 996 yards (a 23.2 yards per catch average) and 11 touchdowns. The Dolphins also had an excellent offensive line to open up holes for their running backs and protect Griese on pass plays, lead by 2 future hall of famers, center Jim Langer and guard Larry Little.

Miami's defense was a major reason why the team built a 10-3-1 regular season record, including eight consecutive wins. Future hall of fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti was a major force reading and stopping plays, while defensive back Jake Scott recorded 7 interceptions.

[edit] Playoffs

For more details on this topic, see NFL playoffs, 1971-72.

Before this season, the Dolphins had never won a playoff game in franchise history, but they surprised the entire NFL by advancing to the Super Bowl with wins against league's 2 previous champions.

First Miami defeated the Kansas City Chiefs (winners of Super Bowl IV), 27-24, in the longest game in NFL history with kicker Garo Yepremian's game winning field goal after 22 minutes and 40 seconds of overtime play. Later, Miami shutout the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Colts, 21-0, in the AFC Championship Game, aided by defensive back Dick Anderson who intercepted 3 passes from Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas and returned one of them for a 62-yard touchdown.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys marched to the Super Bowl with playoff wins over the Minnesota Vikings, 20-12 in the NFC Divisional Playoffs, and the San Francisco 49ers, 14-3 in the NFC Championship Game, only giving up one touchdown in the two games.

[edit] Super Bowl pregame news and notes

When asked about the Dolphins' defensive team prior to Super Bowl VI, Landry said that he could not recall any of the players' names, but they were a big concern to him. This remark immediately led to the nickname "No-Name Defense".

[edit] Television and entertainment

The game was broadcast in the United States by CBS with play-by-play announcer Ray Scott and color commentator Pat Summerall. Although Tulane Stadium was sold out for the game, unconditional blackout rules in the NFL prohibited the live telecast from being shown in the New Orleans area.

The Kilgore College Rangerettes drill team performed during the pregame festivities. Later, the United States Air Force Academy Chorale sang the national anthem.

The halftime show was a "Salute to Louis Armstrong" featuring jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, actress and singer Carol Channing, trumpeter Al Hirt and the U.S. Marine Corps Drill Team.

[edit] Game summary

On the Dolphins second possession of the game, Larry Csonka committed his first fumble of the season, and it was recovered by linebacker Chuck Howley at the Cowboys 48-yard line. Twelve plays later, Dallas kicker Mike Clark kicked a 9-yard field goal to give the Cowboys a 3-0 lead. Early in the second quarter, Miami drove to the Cowboys 42-yard line with the aid of a 20-yard reception by receiver Howard Twilley, but the drive stalled and ended with no points after kicker Garo Yepremian missed a 49-yard field goal attempt.

Later in the period, Dallas drove 76 yards in 8 plays, and scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Roger Staubach to receiver Lance Alworth to increase their lead, 10-0. Miami started the ensuing drive with just 1:15 left in the half, and quarterback Bob Griese completed 3 consecutive passes, 2 to receiver Paul Warfield and 1 to running back Jim Kiick, for 44 total yards to set up Yepremian's 31-yard field goal to cut the Dolphins deficit to 10-3 going into halftime.

But Dallas dominated the second half, preventing any chance of a Miami comeback. The Cowboys opened the third period with a 71-yard, 8-play drive, scoring on running back Duane Thomas' 3-yard touchdown run to make the score 17-3. This seemed to fire up the Dallas defense, who managed to prevent Miami from getting a single first down in the entire third quarter. Miami did manage to advance to midfield early in the final period, but Howley ended the drive by intercepting a pass from Griese. During the interception return, Howley tripped and fell at the Dolphins 9-yard line with nobody near him. But 3 plays later, Staubach threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mike Ditka, increasing the Dallas lead to 24-3 and putting the game out of reach.

Griese completed the same amount of passes as Staubach (12), and threw for 15 more yards (134), but threw no touchdown passes and was intercepted once. Csonka and Kiick, were held to just 80 combined rushing yards, no touchdowns, and lost 1 fumble on 19 carries. Warfield was limited to just 4 receptions for 39 yards. Thomas was the top rusher of the game with 19 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown. He also caught 3 passes for 17 yards. Dallas running back Walt Garrison added 74 rushing yards and caught 2 passes for 11 yards.

[edit] Scoring summary

  • DAL- FG Clark 9
  • DAL- Alworth 7 pass from Staubach (Clark kick)
  • MIA- FG Yepremian 31
  • DAL- D. Thomas 3 run (Clark kick)
  • DAL- Ditka 7 pass from Staubach (Clark kick)

[edit] Trivia

  • The temperature at kickoff was 39 °F, the lowest recorded temperature for a Super Bowl game to date.
  • Staubach became the first Heisman Trophy winner to be named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player.
  • Dallas running back Duane Thomas became the first player to score touchdowns in back-to-back Super Bowls. Thomas had a receiving touchdown a year earlier in Super Bowl V.
  • Staubach's 119 passing yards is the lowest total for a quarterback who was named the game's MVP.
  • Staubach became the first quaterback of a winning team in the Super Bowl to play the entire game. Bart Starr was relieved by Zeke Bratkowski in the first two Super Bowls when the Packers had the game safely in hand; Joe Namath was relieved briefly by Babe Parilli in Super Bowl III; Len Dawson gave way to Mike Livingston late in Super Bowl IV when the Chiefs had clinched the game; Earl Morrall came in for an injured Johnny Unitas late in the first half of Super Bowl V and led the Baltimore Colts to a come-from-behind victory over the Cowboys.
  • Mike Clark's 9-yard field goal tied the New York Jets Jim Turner's 9-yard three pointer in Super Bowl III for the shortest field goal in Super Bowl history. At the time, the goal posts were on goal lines instead of at the back of the end zones. Thus, this shared record will stand indefinitely until the league decides to move the goal posts back to the goal lines.
  • Despite being the second Super Bowl after the AFL-NFL merger, Super Bowl VI was the first one to have the NFL logo painted at the 50-yard line. The NFL would do this for all but one Super Bowl after this until Super Bowl XXXI.
  • This was the last Super Bowl to be blacked out in the host city. The next year, the NFL allowed Super Bowl VII to be televised live in the host city (Los Angeles) when all tickets were sold. In 1973, the NFL changed its blackout policy to allow games to be broadcast in the home team's market if sold out 72 hours in advance.

[edit] Officials

  • Referee: Jim Tunney
  • Umpire: Joe Connell
  • Head Linesman: Al Sabato
  • Line Judge: Art Hoist
  • Field Judge: Bob Wortman
  • Back Judge: Ralph Vandenberg

Note: A seven-official system was not used until 1978

[edit] See also

[edit] References

The Super Bowl
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