The One and Only 1972 Miami Dolphins

The 1972 Miami Dolphins went 17-0 and remain the only NFL team to go undefeated and win the Super Bowl.
That happened 40 years ago and here is a tribute to that team.

 

 

NFL - Week Fourteen Preview

With the 2012 NFL season coming down to the final four games, there aren't too many key matchups this weekend. (Shame on the schedule makers)

Four teams have clinched playoff spots already ... In the AFC, the New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos are in while the Atlanta Falcons are the lone NFC team with it's post-season ticket punched.
Teams vying for the remaining spots will need to win to keep pace of course, and it should be interesting to see how the spoilers will do to keep things interesting.

Here's a breakdown (capsule form) for the weekend's action around the NFL.

Chicago (8-4) at Minnesota (6-6) - Bears up in Minnesota without linebacker Brian Urlacher. Wait, that's where he was injured last season.

St. Louis (5-6-1) at Buffalo (5-7) - Two teams with a wish and a prayer for the post-season.

Dallas (6-6) at Cincinnati (7-5) - This could be the "Game of the Week" between two teams in contention for "wild card" playoff spots.

Kansas City (2-10) at Cleveland (4-8) - Who cares?

Tennessee (4-8) at Indianapolis (8-4) - One of the season's bigger disappointments travels to face the NFL's biggest surprise in this one.

Baltimore (9-3) at Washington (6-6) - The Ravens travel 40 miles to face the Redskins in what should be a good game.

New York Jets (5-7) at Jacksonville (2-10) - Can the Jags ground the Jets?

Miami (5-7) at San Francisco (8-3-1) - Will the real 49ers team please stand up?

Philadelphia (3-9) at Tampa Bay (6-6) - A decade ago, these two teams faced each other in the NFC title game ... that was then, this is now!

Atlanta (11-1) at Carolina (3-9) - Panthers looking to make it two wins in three weeks ... not against the Falcons they won't.

San Diego (4-8) at Pittsburgh (7-5) - The countdown is on to show Chargers' Head Coach Norv Turner the door. Not to mention the Steelers will have Big Ben back at QB this week ... Steelers roll!

New Orleans (5-7) at New York Giants (7-5) - This one should be a shootout.

Arizona (4-8) at Seattle (7-5) - The Cardinals travel up to face the Seahawks while trying to snap an eight game losing streak.

Detroit (4-8) at Green Bay (8-4) - The Packers are on in "prime time" for the second time in three weeks. This time they WILL NOT be embarrassed they way they were two weeks ago.

Houston (11-1) at New England (9-3) - The Patriots at home ... on Monday Night Football ... against the AFC leading Houston Texans? Wow! There is ONE great matchup this week after all. (Take the Patriots)

Here are the Heftyinfo picks for this week . . .        (Home teams are listed in BOLD)

Denver over Oakland
Chicago over Minnesota
Buffalo over St. Louis
Cincinnati over Dallas
Cleveland over Kansas City
Indianapolis over Tennessee
Washington over Baltimore
Tampa Bay over Philadelphia
Atlanta over Carolina
Pittsburgh over San Diego
Jacksonville over New York Jets
San Francisco over Miami
New York Giants over New Orleans
Seattle over Arizona
Green Bay over Detroit
New England over Houston

Last Week's Record:  9-7

SEASON RECORD:  117-74-1

Dave Brubeck - Take Five

Legendary jazz musician and pianist Dave Brubeck passed away today at the age of 91.
Here is the classic Take Five clip (from 1961) ...

Quiz Time

Just for the fun of it, with all the hoopla surrounding Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Andrew Luck . . . Can you name the former Colts quarterback in the picture below?

UPDATE: Thursday, December 6, 2012 - Well, since no one knew the answer, here it is ... BERT JONES (He played for the Baltimore Colts from 1973-1981)

NFL - Week Thirteen Review

There seems to be something magical happening in Indianapolis this season.

Colts players celebrate their game winning touchdown on the final play of the game.

The Colts won on the road at Detroit, 35-33 on the last play of the game when quarterback Andrew Luck tossed a 14-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Donnie Avery.
Luck finished with 391 passing yards to go with three touchdowns and three interceptions as the Colts overcame a 12-point deficit in the final three minutes of the game to improve to 8-4 and remain a surprise contender for a wild card playoff spot with four games remaining in the season.

Speaking of wild come from behind wins, how about the Seattle Seahawks topping the host Chicago Bears 23-17 in overtime?
The 'Hawks were behind 14-10 before mounting a  twelve play, 97-yard touchdown drive to take a 17-14 lead with only 24 seconds left in regulation.
Seattle QB Russell Wilson hit WR Golden Tate on a 14-yard touchdown pass to give them the lead.
But the Bears fought back as Jay Cutler connected with Brandon Marshall for 56 yards on a pass to set up a game tying 46-yard field goal by kicker Robbie Gould as time expired to force the OT.
In the overtime, Seattle drove 80 yards right down the field and scored when Wilson hit WR Sidney Rice on a 13-yard scoring pass to end the game and propel the 'Hawks to a 7-5 record. The Bears lost for the third time in four games and are now 8-4 in the NFC North.
The Green Bay Packers bounced back from a spanking last week to beat the Minnesota Vikings, 23-14 at Lambeau Field.
The win improved the Packers to 8-4 and a first place tie with Chicago as QB Aaron Rodgers had a TD pass and running back James Starks scored a rushing TD to go with three field goals from the much maligned kicker Mason Crosby. Vikings RB Adrian Peterson ran for 210 yards and scored on a 82-yard run in the loss.
Three teams clinched playoff spots in the AFC as the New England Patriots (9-3) wrapped up yet another AFC East division title with a 23-16 road win at Miami as QB Tom Brady threw a TD pass to help his team win it's sixth straight game.
The Denver Broncos (9-3) clinched  their second consecutive AFC West division title with a 31-23 home win against stubborn Tampa Bay. Broncos' QB Peyton Manning had three TD passes and linebacker/defensive end Von Miller took an interception back for a score to pace the team's seventh straight win.
The Houston Texans took a step closer to winning a second straight AFC South division title with a 24-10 road win at Tennessee. The Texans (11-1) secured a playoff spot as QB Matt Schaub threw two TD passes and the defense forced SIX turnovers to provide the difference.
The Atlanta Falcons (11-1) won the NFC South by virtue of their 23-13 home win last Thursday night against the New Orleans Saints, coupled with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss at Denver. The Falcons defense was the key to the win by intercepting Saints' QB Drew Brees five times.

Other games of note included  . . .
The Pittsburgh Steelers keeping pace with Cincinnati and Indianapolis in the AFC Wild Card chase with a 23-20 road win at Baltimore.
The Steelers were once again without starting QB Ben Roethlisberger, but reserve QB Charlie Batch helped rally the team with a fourth quarter TD pass to tight end Heath Miller to tie the game 20-20. The defense held the Ravens and then kicker Shaun Suisham was money from 42 yards out as the clock ran out to improve Pittsburgh to 7-5 for the season. Baltimore fell to 9-3, but still has a firm hold on first place in the AFC North.
The Cincinnati Bengals also improved to 7-5 with their fourth straight victory, a 20-13 verdict over the host San Diego Chargers, who lost for the seventh time in eight games. Bengals' QB Andy Dalton threw for a score and also ran for one to pace the win.
The St. Louis Rams edged the San Francisco 49ers, 16-13 in overtime as kicker Greg Zuerlein nailed a 54-yard field goal in OT to win it. Zuerlein also made a 53-yard kick at the end of regulation to force the overtime, which was the second time these two played against each other in OT this season.
The 49ers gave the Rams their first ten points on a safety for intentional grounding in the end zone by QB Colin Kaepernick and a fumble recovery by the Rams' defense for a touchdown to tie the game at 10-10 with three minutes left in  regulation.
The Dallas Cowboys (6-6) stayed in the playoff hunt with a come-from-behind  38-33 home win against the Philadelphia Eagles, who lost for the eighth consecutive time. Cowboys' QB Tony Romo (303 yards passing and three TD passes as well) helped to lead the way to victory.
The Monday Night Football game saw the host Washington Redskins beat the New York Giants, 17-16 to tighten things up in the NFC East.

Washington QB Robert Griffin III (pictured right) hooked up with WR Pierre Garcon for the game winning touchdown pass and the Redskins defense held the Giants the rest of the fourth quarter to provide the final outcome.
Redskins' RB Alfred Morris rushed for 124 yards while RG3 had 72 yards on the ground. New York QB Eli Manning threw for 280 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
The Giants lead the NFC East at 7-5 while the Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys, both 6-6, are right there in the division chase.
Two teams nowhere near the playoffs this season played each other on Sunday in Kansas City where the host Chiefs beat the Carolina Panthers, 27-21.
Kansas City QB Brady Quinn was 19-for-23 passing with two TD passes in the win, which snapped an eight game losing streak and improved the Chiefs to 2-10 this year.
 But above all the action on the field was the fact that the day before, Kansas City linebacker Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend, shooting her multiple times at a residence near Arrowhead Stadium and then went to the team's practice facilties, where he killed himself with the gun as Chiefs' Head Coach Romeo Crennel and team general manager Scott Pioli watched.



                                                       Heftyinfo NFL co-Players of the Week

Colts QB Andrew Luck led yet another late comeback win.

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson rushed for 210 yards.

                                   

College Football Top Ten

Heftyinfo College Football Top Ten  (Week ending December 2)      

1. Notre Dame  (12-0)
2. Alabama (12-1)
3. Oregon (11-1)
4. Florida (11-1)
5. Texas A & M (10-2)
6. Georgia (11-2)
7. LSU (10-2)
8. Stanford (11-2)
9. Kansas State (11-1)
10. Florida State (11-2)

It's December

Just a little something different here as the Holiday Season approaches . . .