Phin Phanatic
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40-year Phiniversary: Dolphins roll past Patriots in Wild Card game

By Mike Ferguson

MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 16: Andra Franklin #37 of the Miami Dolphins carries the ball against the San Diego Chargers during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game January 16, 1983 at The Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. Franklin played for the Dolphins from 1981-84. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 16: Andra Franklin #37 of the Miami Dolphins carries the ball against the San Diego Chargers during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game January 16, 1983 at The Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. Franklin played for the Dolphins from 1981-84. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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The Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots are among the three teams vying for the final AFC Wild Card spot on Sunday. Miami has yet to make the playoffs since the field expanded to 14 teams, but on this day 40 years, the Dolphins and Patriots met in the AFC Wild Card Game with the postseason field expanded to 16 teams.

Following a lockout-shortened regular season, it was the Dolphins who reigned supreme in the Orange Bowl, 28-13. Miami put up nearly 450 yards of offense while the defense kept New England out of the end zone until the game’s final minutes.

Miami finished the regular season with a 7-2 record while New England had gone 5-4. As the teams met on Jan. 8, 1982, however, the Patriots stood as one of only two teams the Dolphins that year. A late field goal had accounted for all the scoring less than a month earlier in a controversial 3-0 New England victory that came to be known as the “Snowplow Game.”

By the middle parts of the second quarter, the scoreboard again read 3-0 in the Patriots’ favor. From there on, it was all Dolphins.

Miami quarterback David Woodley was an uber-efficient 16-for-19 passing for 246 yards and two touchdowns. His first of two two-yard touchdown toss to tight Bruce Hardy put the Dolphins ahead for good with less than seven minutes remaining in the first half.

The Dolphins’ ground attack added another 234 yards. Andra Franklin led the way with 112 yards rushing; his short touchdown run late in the first half gave Miami a 14-3 lead at the break.

John Smith’s second field goal early in the third quarter cut the deficit to eight, but Woody Bennett’s two-yard touchdown run gave Miami a commanding three-score lead, 21-6. Woodley’s second touchdown toss to Hardy midway through the final period capped the scoring for the Dolphins. Just 6:22 remained when Steve Grogan found Don Hasselbeck for New England’s lone touchdown of the day.

Both teams committed three turnovers, but Woodley was interception-free. Don McNeal and Gerald Small each came away with interceptions of Grogan while the Dolphins added four sacks in the victory.

Box score:
Pro Football Reference

Highlights:

Miami would go on to reach Super Bowl XVII while New England’s drought without a playoff victory hit 19 years. The Patriots and Dolphins have twice since met in the playoffs with both resulting in lopsided victories for New England. The lone Miami postseason win over the Patriots came on this day four decades ago.

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