Actual Result: Miami Dolphins 14 Washington Redskins 7
Simulation: This is the year of the Perfect Dolphins, they remain the first unbeaten to enter the postseason in the SB era. The Vikings have gone back to back - "threepeat" isn't a word in any vernacular in 1972, and Minnesota finished 7-7 and did not make the playoffs, so it won't be heard this season. The Chiefs lost last year's SB and have appeared in half the SBs to date, but they also did not make the playoffs.
NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND
Dec 23, 1972
Dallas Cowboys (10-4) at San Francisco (8-5-1)
51 degrees
Pick 'em
Dallas 30 San Francisco 28
COWBOYS 25 49ERS 24
The Cowboys have to win on the road to make the Super Bowl, they will travel to either Washington or Green Bay next week for the NFC Championship.
1st: Bob Hayes 56 yard reception (Morton, Dall 7-0)
Vic Washington 9 yd run (7-7)
2nd: Toni Fritsch 24 yd FG (Dall 10-7)
3rd: Ted Kwalick 24 yd reception (Brodie, SF 14-10)
4th: Preston Riley 19 yd reception (Brodie 21-10)
Walt Garrison 10 yd run (Garrison 2 pt conversion 21-18)
Bruce Gossett 46 yd FG (24-18)
With less than a minute to play:
Calvin Hill 27 yd run (25-24)
MVP: Charlie Waters 2 INT
AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND
Dec 23, 1972
Oakland Raiders (10-3-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3)
42 degrees
Steelers -2
Pittsburgh 13 Oakland 7
STEELERS 13 RAIDERS 3
The Steelers head to their first AFC Championship game.
1st: Roy Gerela 28 yd FG (Pit 3-0)
George Blanda 35 yd FG (3-3)
2nd: Roy Gerela 45 yd FG (Pit 6-3)
4th: Dave Smith 9 yd reception (Bradshaw, 13-3)
MVP: Mean Joe Greene, 2 sacks
AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND
Dec 24, 1972
Cleveland Browns (10-4) at Miami Dolphins (14-0)
62 degrees
Miami -12.5
Miami 20 Cleveland 14
DOLPHINS 23 BROWNS 3
As was the case in the real world, the Dolphins will face the Steelers in the '72 AFC Championship.
1st: Marlin Briscoe 5 yd reception (Mia 7-0)
2nd Don Cockroft 29 yd FG (7-3)
Garo Yepremian 37 yd FG (10-3)
Gary Yepremian 41 yd FG (13-3)
3rd: Garo Yepremian 32 yd FG (16-3)
4th: Jim Kiick 2 yd run (23-3)
MVP: Jake Scott 2 INT
NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND
Green Bay Packers (10-4) at Washington Redskins (11-3)
Dec 24, 1972
39 degrees
Washington -5
Washington 16 Green Bay 3
PACKERS 24 REDSKINS 17
It won't be the Redskins heading to Super Bowl 7 - instead, they are knocked off by the Packers, and the Cowboys will travel to Green Bay next week for the NFC Championship.
1st: Chester Marcol 29 yd FG (GB 3-0)
Curt Knight 22 yd FG (3-3)
2nd: John Brockington 26 yd run (GB 10-3)
3rd: Larry Brown 14 yd run (10-10)
MacArthur Lane 7rd run (GB 17-10)
Larry Brown 38 yd run (17-17)
4th: Leland Glass 3 yd reception (Tagge, GB 24-17)
MVP: Larry Brown, 156 scrimmage yards, 2 TDs
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP
Dec 31, 1972
Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers
COWBOYS 14 PACKERS 13
Subzero Sunday in Green Bay, Dallas comes in and wins the NFC Championship, they return to the SB three years after wining SB4.
1st: Chester Marcol 31 yd FG (GB 3-0)
John Brockington 20 yd run (10-0)
3rd: Chester Marcol 40 yd FG (13-0)
Walt Garrison 19 yd run (13-7)
4th: Walt Garrison 24 yd run (Dall 14-13)
MVP Walt Garrison 2 TDs
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP
Dec 31, 1972
Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers
58 degrees
Miami -3
STEELERS 27 DOLPHINS 10
There will be no Perfect Dolphins, the 70s Steelers run starts now, they head to SB 7 to face the Dallas Cowboys. Bradshaw v. Staubach in SB7.
1st: Dave Smith 6 yd reception (Bradshaw Pit 7-0)
Otto Stowe 6 yd reception (Morrall 7-7)
2nd: Garo Yepremian 30 yd FG (Mia 10-7)
Roy Gerela 27 yd FG (10-10)
3rd: Franco Harris 5 yd run (Pitt 17-10)
Frenchy Fuqua 51 yd run (Pitt 24-10)
4th: Roy Gerela 37 yd FG (27-10)
MVP: Franco Harris, 16 carries, 199 yards, TD
The greatest postseason performance in the SB era, it's this one - Franco hits the Perfect Dolphins for 199 on the ground.
SUPER BOWL VII
Jan 14, 1973
Pittsburgh Steelers v. Dallas Cowboys
Los Angeles
64 degrees
STEELERS 20 COWBOYS 6
First time a team has been held to single digits, the Steel Curtain comes down on Dallas.
1st: Roy Gerela 45 yd FG (Pitt 3-0)
2nd: Roy Gerela 44 yd FG (6-0)
Toni Fritsch 25 yd FG (6-3)
3rd: Toni Fritsch 30 yd FG (6-6)
Bradshaw gets knocked out of the game with a concussion.
Ron Shanklin 8 yd reception (Gilliam, Pitt 13-6)
4th: Franco Harris 1 yd run (20-6)
MVP: Jack Ham, sack, INT
Super Bowl History
SB1: PACKERS 17 BILLS 10 MVP-J.Taylor QB-Starr HC-Lombardi
SB2: RAIDERS 28 COWBOYS 14 MVP-W.Wells QB-Lamonica HC-Rauch
SB3: CHIEFS 19 COLTS 16 MVP-R.Holmes QB-Dawson HC-Stram
SB4: COWBOYS 21 CHIEFS 13 MVP: L.Rentzel QB-Morton HC-Landry
SB5: VIKINGS 20 BENGALS 10 MVP: A.Page QB-Cuozzo HC-Grant
SB6: VIKINGS 27 CHIEFS 16 MVP G.Cuozzo QB-Cuozzo HC-Grant
SB7: STEELERS 20 COWBOYS 6 MVP J.Ham QB-Bradshaw HC-Noll
