12. 1974 MIAMI DOLPHINS at 5. 2011 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
5. 2011 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Record: 13-3
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 2nd
Def: 13th
1st NFC South
d. Lions WC 45-28
lost Niners Div Rnd 36-32
HC Sean Payton OC Pete Carmichael DC Gregg Williams
Superdome
Jim Henderson/Hokie Gajan
Offense
QB Drew Brees 32 Purdue
RB Pierre Thomas 27 Illinois
RB Mark Ingram 22 R Alabama
WR Marques Colston 28 Hofstra
WR Robert Meachem 27 Tenn
TE Jimmy Graham 25 Miami
LT Jermon Bushrod 27 Towson
LG Carl Nicks 26 All Pro Nebraska
C Brian de la Puente 26 R Cal
RG Jahri Evans 28 All pro Bloomsburg
RT Zach Strief 28 Nwestern
Defense
LDE Cameron Jordan 22 R Cal
NT Aubrayo Franklin 31 Tenn
RDE Sedrick Ellis 26 USC
LOLB Will Smith 30 Ohio St
LILB Jo-Lonn Dunbar 26 B College
RILB Jonathan Vilma 29 Miami
ROLB Scott Shanle 32 Nebraska
LCB Jabari Greer 29 Tenn
RCB Tracy Porter 25 Indiana
SS Roman Harper 25 Alabama
FS Malcolm Jenkins 24 Ohio St
K John Kasay 42 UGA
P Thomas Morstead 25 SMU
KR/PR Darren Sproles 28 K St
New Orleans tries to place its 3rd team into Rnd 2 with the 5th seed in the region, the '11 squad with the second best offense in football. Drew Brees is 32, 47 scores and 14 picks, 25 year old Jimmy Graham caught 99 balls for over 1300 yards and 11 scores. Both guards, 26 year old Carl Nicks and 28 year old Jahri Evans, were All Pro. On defense, 30 year old Will Smith and 29 year old Roman Harper combined for 14 sacks.
12. 1974 MIAMI DOLPHINS
Record: 11-3
Pythag: 10-4
Off: 3rd
Def: 6th
1st AFC East
lost Raiders Div Rnd 28-26
HC Don Shula OC Monte Clark DC Vince Costello
Offense
QB Bob Griese 29 Purdue
RB Jim Kiick 28 Wyoming
RB Larry Csonka 28 Syracuse
WR Nat Moore 23 R Florida
WR Paul Warfield 32 Ohio St
TE Jim Mandich 26 Mich
LT Tom Funchess 20 Jack St
LG Bob Kuechenberg 27 N Dame
C Jim Langer 26 All Pro S Dakota St
RG Larry Little All pro 29 Beth Cook
RT Norm Evans 32 TCU
Defense
LDE Vern Den Herder 26 C College
LDT Manny Fernandez 28 Utah
RDT Bob Heinz 27 Pacific
RDE Bill Stanfill 27 UGA
LLB Bob Matheson 30 Duke
MLB Nick Buoniconti 34 N Dame
RLB Mike Kolen 26 Auburn
LCB Tim Foley 26 Purdue
RCB Curtis Johnson 26 Toledo
SS Dick Anderson 28 Colorado
FS Jack Scott All Pro 29 UGA
K Garo Yepremian 30 None
P Larry Seiple 29 Kentucky
KR/PR Nat Moore 23 Florida
4 Dolphins teams have advanced, but the big story is the one that didn't, the Perfect Dolphins got knocked out in region 13 and the '74 squad looks to right the ship. 3rd best offense in football, in 13 starts, 29 year old Bob Griese had 17 scores and 15 picks. 26 year old Jim Langer and 29 year old Larry Little were All Pros. 8 picks for 32 year old All Pro Jake Scott.
We're off to the Superdome - the Dolphins, likely to run - the Saints, likely to throw - here's the kick.
1st Qtr
Dolphins start at the 30.
3 and out. Saints at the 41.
1/10 - Pierre Thomas stopped at the line.
2/10 - Thomas again, he gets 14.
1/10 - Mark Ingram, 12 yards, Saints come out running and are at the Miami 33.
1/10 - Drew Brees' first attempt is 8 yards to Robert Meachem
2/2 - Brees to Jimmy Graham, first down to the 21.
1/10 - Brees to Marques Colston, 4 yards.
2/6 - Pitch to Darren Sproles - Sproles scooting all the way to the Miami 3 yard line!
1/goal - Thomas is stuffed
2/goal - Incomplete
3/goal - Brees flips to Thomas and he barrels into the endzone --- TOUCHDOWN SAINTS - 59 yard drive in 5 and a half minutes culminates in the 4 yard TD pass to Pierre Thomas.
Miami at the 15. 3 and out.
Saints at the 39.
1/10 - 8 yards, Brees to Meachem.
2/2 - Ingram picks it up.
1/10. - Brees finds Devery Henderson, 15 yards to the Miami 36 yard line.
The drive stops here - Kasay hits the FG and the Saints lead is 10-0.
Dolphins at the 34.
1/10 - Jim Kiick gets Miami's first first down, 23 yard run.
1/10 - Larry Csonka gets 3
2/7 - Incomplete
3/7 - Griese picks it up, 19 yards to Nat Moore, Dolphins at the 21 as the quarter ends.
2nd Qtr: Saints 10 Dolphins 0
New Orleans having its way so far, Miami in business now with a first down at the 21.
1/10 - Kiick loses a yard.
2/11 - Csonka stopped at the line.
3/11 - Marlin Briscoe with the big 16 yard reception - Miami first and goal at the Saints 6.
1/goal - nothing for Csonka
2/goal - Griese - End Zone - Kiick ---- TOUCHDOWN DOLPHINS -- Griese with the 66 yard scoring drive and Miami cuts the deficit to 3.
Saints at the 32. 3 and out.
Miami at the 37.
They get a first down, Griese 17 to Paul Warfield - but the drive ends on a Jonathan Vilma sack.
Saints at the 16. Less than 7 minutes to play in the half.
They get a first down, the biggest gainer a 6 yard Ingram run - but then punt, Miami ball at the 28, 2 and half to go in the half.
1/10 - Jim Kiick runs for 9 yards
2/1 - Incomplete
3/1 - Mercury Morris picks it up and it is the 2 minute warning, Miami at their own 40.
1/10 - Griese finds Nat Moore, 16 yards to the Saints 44, Miami stops the clock.
But the drive ends - and with 75 seconds to go, the Saints take over at their own 7.
1/10 - Brees - Colston, 21 yards and out of bounds.
1/10 - Brees - Colston, 14 yards, the Saints stop the clock with a minute left at their own 42.
1/10 - Brees - Graham - 11 yards, clock running.
1/10 - Brees - Thomas - 18 yards, the Saints are at the 29 yard line, they stop the clock with 30 seconds left.
1/10 - Brees -- End Zone -- Henderson --- TOUCHDOWN SAINTS --- Drew Brees goes 93 yards in less than a minute -- 5 plays, 5 completions - a 29 yard TD strike to Devery Henderson and the Saints will go into the locker room up 17-7.
3rd Qtr: Saints 17 Dolphins 7
A 93 yard TD drive in the last minute plus of the half gives NO the 10 pt lead.
Saints at the 31.
1/10 - Thomas gets 3
2/7 -Ingram gets 10
1/10 - Brees 4 yards to Colston
2/6 - Brees scrambles for a couple
3/4 - Brees -- Brees looking for the home run -- Brees Finds Jimmy Graham! And Graham is Going to Stroll Into the End Zone -- TOUCHDOWN SAINTS - 50 yard bomb from Brees to Graham - the Saints go up 24-7, Drew Breees just a beautiful ball to Jimmy Graham and the Saints are taking it to the Dolphins.
Miami at the 39.
3 and out.
Saints at the 16.
The Saints take the next 8 minutes to just dink and dunk their way down the field, 5 yards here, 7 yards there - a Mark Ingram 13 yard run the biggest play - the drive ends in a Kasay FG and with 90 seconds left in the third, this game looks salted away, 27-7.
Miami at the 31. Three runs gain 25 yards and the qtr ends.
4th Qtr: Saints 27 Dolphins 7
New Orleans rolling, 20 point lead, Miami has a second and 6 at the Saint 44.
A Defensive holding call gives Miami the first down and they'll get another on a 27 yard Griese to Mandich connection - but Yepremian misses a FG and with 12 minutes left it's still 27-7.
New Orleans runs the next 7 minutes off the clock, another long game killing, clock killing drive, tha 15 yard Brees to Lance Moore pass the biggest play - the drive ends with a missed John Kasay kick.
It's still 27-7 but now less than 5 minutes to play.
2 first downs for Miami - 17 yard Kiick run, 16 yards from Griese to Mandich - but Roman Harper ends the drive with a pick. Less than 3 minutes left,
Saints go 3 and out - Miami now out of timeouts and the 2 minute warning has passed - the game ends with Miami in Saints territory.
Final: Saints 27 Dolphins 7
Easy pickings for the Saints today - they roll into round 2.
Brees: 23 for 28, 264 yds, 3 TD
Griese: 9 for 24, 149 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Ingram: 15 carries, 67 yds
Kiick: 10 carries, 88 yds, 1 catch, 6 yds TD
Graham: 4 catches, 65 yds 1 TD
Warfield: 3 catches, 39 yds
Player of the Game: Drew Brees
