1982 Miami Dolphins season

Season summary

The Dolphins started out fresh, winning their first 2 games prior to the strike. When season play resumed 2 months later, the Dolphins defeated the Buffalo Bills 9–7 in Buffalo to clinch a 3–0 start. After a loss to Tampa Bay, they defeated the Minnesota Vikings 22–14. The next week, they lost a brisk game against the Patriots 3–0 in a game called the Snowplow Game. The Dolphins would then win 3 straight games to end the season 7–2, tied for second in the AFC with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Dolphins won 2nd place over them by virtue of a series of tiebreakers. In the playoffs, they defeated the Patriots in a rematch by the score of 28–13. They then defeated the Chargers in a rematch of the 1981 Divisional Playoffs by a score of 34–13. In the AFC Championship game, they shutout the Jets, 14–0 to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 1973. In Super Bowl XVII, they lost to the Redskins 27–17 in a rematch of Super Bowl VII which concluded Miami's perfect 1972 season.

Off-season

NFL draft

Main article: 1982 NFL draft

Personnel

Coaches / Staff

• Team Owner / President – Joe Robbie

• Executive vice president/general manager – Mike Robbie

• Vice president – Don Shula

• Director of player personnel – Chuck Connor

• Director of pro scouting – Charley Winner

• Head coach – Don Shula

• Quarterbacks/receivers – Wally English

• Offensive backs – Carl Taseff

• Offensive line/running game – John Sandusky

• Assistant head coach/defense – Bill Arnsparger

• Defensive line/run defense – Mike Scarry

• Defensive backs – Tom Keane

• Special teams – Steve Crosby, Carl Taseff

• Punting – Tom Keane

Roster

Regular season

The Dolphins' main strength was their defense, nicknamed the "Killer Bees" because 6 of their 11 starters had last names that began with the letter "B". The "Killer Bees", anchored by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bob Baumhower, led the league in fewest total yards allowed (2,312) and fewest passing yards allowed (1,027). Linebacker A. J. Duhe was extremely effective at blitzing and in pass coverage. And the Dolphins secondary, consisting of defensive backs Don McNeal, Gerald Small and brothers Lyle and Glenn Blackwood, combined for 11 interceptions.

However, the Dolphins' passing attack, led by quarterback David Woodley, ranked last in the league with 1,401 total yards, 8 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. One of the few bright spots in the Dolphins passing attack was wide receiver Jimmy Cefalo, who gained 356 yards off just 17 receptions, an average of 20.9 yards per catch. Wide receiver Duriel Harris also provided a deep threat with 22 receptions for 331 yards.

But Miami's strength on offense was their running game, ranking 3rd in the league with 1,344 yards. Pro Bowl running back Andra Franklin was the team's top rusher with 701 yards and 7 touchdowns. Running back Tony Nathan rushed for 233 yards, and caught 16 passes for another 114 yards. Woodley himself also recorded 207 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. One reason for the Dolphins' rushing success was the blocking of their offensive line, led by future hall of fame center Dwight Stephenson, along with Pro Bowlers Bob Kuechenberg and Ed Newman.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/mia/1982.htm

Snowplow Game

In National Football League lore, the Snowplow Game refers to a regular-season game played between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots on December 12, 1982.

Playing in a heavy snowstorm at New England's Schaefer Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the two teams remained scoreless late into the fourth quarter. With 4:45 left to go in the game and on-field conditions worsening, Patriots coach Ron Meyer summoned Mark Henderson, who was a convict on a work release program, and was the stadium's snowplow operator that afternoon – and in the face of furious protests from Miami coach Don Shula – was directed to veer off course and clear a spot on the field for placekicker John Smith, with Matt Cavanaugh putting down the hold. The kick was good and the Patriots took a 3–0 lead into the final minutes of the game.

What is often left untold is what happened after John Smith kicked the go-ahead field goal. Despite the snowy conditions, the Dolphins methodically marched down the field on the strength of their running backs Andra Franklin and Tony Nathan and quarterback David Woodley. The Dolphins advanced the ball to just inside the Patriots' 20-yard line, but on a third-down-and-nine play, a pass from Woodley was intercepted by linebacker Don Blackmon. With less than a minute left to play, Miami used their timeouts to stop the clock and forced New England to punt after three rushing attempts, but a Dolphins Hail Mary pass on the game's final play was intercepted by the Patriots' Roland James.

Henderson was released from prison a few years after the game, and later worked in the construction business. Henderson's plow was actually a John Deere Model 314 tractor with a snow sweeper attached. When he was being interviewed by a TV reporter about the controversy, Henderson jokingly replied, "What are they gonna do, throw me in jail?" Weeks after the game, the NFL banned the use of snowplows on the field during a game. The moment became a feature of The Hall at Patriot Place when it opened in 2008 next to Gillette Stadium, with the actual tractor on display there.

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Season summary

Week 1 at Jets

;Dolphins

• David Woodley 14/22, 98 Yds, INT
• Andra Franklin 29 Rush, 103 Yds, 2 TD
• Jimmy Cefalo 2 Rec, 25 Yds ;Jets
• Richard Todd 18/30, 233 Yds, 3 TD, 3 INT
• Freeman McNeil 13 Rush, 116 Yds
• Jerome Barkum 4 Rec, 71 Yds, TD

Week 2

Week 15 vs Jets

The 1972 Miami Dolphins team was honored during the game.

Playoffs

Main article: 1982–83 NFL playoffs

Standings

Postseason

AFC first round

• Miami Dolphins 28, New England Patriots 13

AFC Divisional Playoff

• Miami Dolphins 34, San Diego Chargers 13

AFC Championship Game

• Miami Dolphins 14, New York Jets 0. The Jets were angered by the condition of the Orange Bowl's grass field, which had not been covered and was inundated with a huge amount of rainfall from a series of storms that swept through South Florida the week before the game (it was still overcast on the Sunday of the game but only had a minor drizzle). Don Shula responded by stating that he hadn't checked the weather reports because he was focused on getting the Dolphins ready for the game, and that both teams would face the same conditions in any case. AJ Duhe intercepted Richard Todd 3 times, returning the last pick for a game-clinching touchdown.

Super Bowl XVII

• Miami Dolphins 17, Washington Redskins 27

at Rose Bowl (stadium), Pasadena, California

Scoring summary

• MIA – TD: Jimmy Cefalo 76-yard pass from David Woodley (Uwe von Schamann kick) 7–0 MIA
• WAS – FG: Mark Moseley 31 yards 7–3 MIA
• MIA – FG: Uwe von Schamann 20 yards 10–3 MIA
• WAS – TD: Alvin Garrett 4-yard pass from Joe Theismann (Mark Moseley kick) 10–10 tie
• MIA – TD: Fulton Walker 98-yard kickoff return (Uwe von Schamann kick) 17–10 MIA
• WAS – FG: Mark Moseley 20 yards 17–13 MIA
• WAS – TD: John Riggins 43-yard run (Mark Moseley kick) 20–17 WAS
• WAS – TD: Charlie Brown 6-yard pass from Joe Theismann (Mark Moseley kick) 27–17 WAS

Awards and honors

Pro Bowl players FB Andra Franklin, NT Bob Baumhower

References

1. Yowell, Keith. (2015-12-12). "Today in Pro Football History: 1982: Patriots Beat Dolphins in "Snowplow Game"".
2. "New England Patriots cheating begins 1982 snow plow game.".
3. (December 12, 2007). "A foothold on history: 25 years later, Mark Henderson still remembered for role in Pats’ ’Snowplow Game’".
4. Duffy, Bob. (December 26, 1982). "Snowplow hero's job is rendered obsolete". [[Press & Sun-Bulletin]].
5. McCarthy, Michael. (2010-12-12). "Happy anniversary to NFL's 'Snowplow Game'". [[USA Today]].
6. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198209190mia.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]. Retrieved August 4, 2014.