Do you have a blog? ". 14. Then Benirschke missed a 50-yard field goal try on the next play. One week after their victory over the Dolphins in Florida's scorching heat, the Chargers traveled to Cincinnati to face the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game in the coldest game in NFL history based on the wind chill. One of the playoff wins was a 3413 divisional win against the Chargers, avenging their loss from the previous season. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. In National Football League lore, the Freezer Bowl is the nickname given to the 1981 AFC Championship Game between the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals. It looked like the outcome of the game was already decided. [11]", "A great gameMaybe the greatest "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 teams in NFL history, and the 1962 Green Bay Packers, who finished with a 13-1 record and defeated the New York Giants in the NFL Championship Game, land at No. To this day it still prompts anger from the losing side. The "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 games in NFL history, and the San Diego Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins clash in the 1981 AFC Divisional Round lands at No. Von Schamann had another chance to complete the Dolphins comeback later in the period but again had his kick blocked. The Bengals offensive line featured future Hall of Fame left tackle Anthony Muoz, who was selected by NFL coaches as the NFL Lineman of the Year Award winner during the season.[2]. Nevertheless, the Bengals stormed right back on a drive set up by David Versers 40-yard kickoff return to the 46-yard line. On Miamis ensuing drive, he blocked Uwe von Schamanns 43-yard field goal attempt in the dying seconds, forcing sudden death. Copyright: ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Do you have a sports website? 15. Seattle will not pick up the fifth-year option on starting inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks ahead of Tuesday's deadline, a source said. 5. After a slow recovery, Bernischke had returned to San Diego that season. Both teams were coming off extremely narrow wins in the divisional playoffs. Gamecast; Box Score; Play-by-Play; Team Stats; Los Angeles Passing. Join our linker program. Fouts completed 33-of-53 passes for 433 yards and three touchdowns. Miami Dolphins lead series 19-17- LA Chargers vs Miami However, once again this amounted to nothing as Fouts was intercepted in the end zone by rookie safety Bobby Kemp. Woodley was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1984 and spent the rest of his career as a backup before retiring after the 1985 season. Brooks had been assigned to stay in the backfield as a blocker, but with no Miami players coming at him from his side of the field, he decided to run a pass route into the end zone, and by simply running in the same direction as Fouts, he just happened to end up in the right spot to catch the pass intended for Winslow.[8]. Game summary of the Miami Dolphins vs. Los Angeles Chargers NFL game, final score 17-23, from December 11, 2022 on ESPN. Then, with the Dolphins at San Diegos 40-yard line and six seconds until halftime, Miami shocked a nation. Said Chargers coach Don Coryell after the game: "I have coached for 31 or 32 years and this is tremendousThere has never been a game like this. He ran the base line of the end zone. ", Miami linebacker Kim Bokamper said, "Every time I see it you wonder whether he should have gotten an Academy Award for the performance. Several plays later, Strock converted the turnover into points with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Joe Rose, cutting the deficit to 2410. They did not cover, so people who took the Chargers won. Hardy caught five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. [4] Defensive back Willie Buchanon led the team with five interceptions. Find out more. "NFL 100 Greatest" counts down the top 100 characters in NFL history, and Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton lands at No. INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Brandon Staley knew it was going to take a complete game for his Los Angeles Chargers squad to have a chance at beating the Miami Dolphins. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. This ended up being another famous game in NFL lore,[16] and has since become known as the Freezer Bowl. Do you have a blog? The game, won by the Bengals, 277, was played in the coldest temperature in NFL history in terms of wind chill. "The great football games are like pieces of theater. The team has reached the Super Bowl a total of seven times, losing in its last two appearances in the 2019 and 2012 seasons. How many were played in a historical venue and include a 24-0 lead, a late comeback by the team which blew said advantage, and goes almost a full five periods in sweltering heat? The only significant contributors in the Epic in Miami who did go to a Super Bowl were Brooks, who made it to Super Bowl XXIII as a member of the Bengals, guard Ed White, who was a Minnesota Viking for four Super Bowls and Gary "Big Hands" Johnson, who joined former Chargers, and fellow "Bruise Brothers" Louie Kelcher and Fred Dean (who had been traded to eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco after Week 5, also due to contract problems) winning Super Bowl XIX with the San Francisco 49ers. I will always think of that game as the greatest game ever in the NFL. Hill became the only player in the Super Bowl era to score TDs via receiving, rushing, kick return, punt return and fumble return. "I thought the defense played well enough for us to win. Brooks returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to the 43-yard line. San Diego responded with a drive to the Bengals 33-yard line, but came up empty when defensive back Louis Breeden intercepted a deep pass intended for Charlie Joiner at the 5-yard line. On second-and-4 from the Miami 41, Wilson fumbled while tackled by Chargers safety Alohi Gilman during a 6-yard gain. Box Score; Play-by-Play; Team Stats; Herbert, short-handed defense lead . Cincinnati won the game, 27-7, advancing to Super Bowl XVI. 4. Two drives later, Fouts led the Chargers 60 yards in six plays, scoring on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow to regain the lead. Early in the third quarter, Strock led the Dolphins 74 yards down the field and finished the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Rose, tying the game at 24. Then on the ensuing kickoff, the Chargers caught a break when the high, short kick surprisingly bounced back in their direction and was recovered by San Diego. On their next drive, Anderson's five completions moved the ball deep into Chargers territory, but defensive back Willie Buchanon put an end to it when he recovered a fumble from Ross that had been forced by Woodrow Lowe. 1981 AFC divisional round: Chargers 41, Dolphins 38 (OT) Dan Fouts and the "Charger Power" offense sprinted out to a 24-0 lead before Miami took a 38-31 lead on a series of crazy plays. The game was a showcase for Winslow, who in his third Charger season had already twice led the league in receptions. 21. The "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 games in NFL history, and the San Diego Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins clash in the 1981 AFC Divisional Round lands at No. Join our linker program. Get box score updates on the Los Angeles Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins football game. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. The loss to Miami in the playoffs after the 1982 season was the last postseason game that Fouts, Winslow, Joiner, and coach Coryell would ever participate in, as the Chargers did not return to the postseason again until 1992. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 2:31PM. Miami's Jason Sanders booted a 55-yard field goal with 1:10 remaining, but Los Angeles recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock. Miami's defense ranked fifth in the NFL in fewest points allowed (275). The NFL has existed for 101 years and produced hundreds of memorable games. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. NFL 100 Greatest Games rated this game as the 4th greatest game. Free shipping for many products! With less than a minute left in the third quarter, San Diego receiver Charlie Joiner slipped while running a deep post route, causing Fouts' pass to go right into the arms of Miami's Lyle Blackwood. Tight end Dan Ross, running back Pete Johnson, and rookie receiver Cris Collinsworth were widely considered to be among the best players in the NFL at their positions. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. San Diego would score their only touchdown in the second, but gave up another score to the Bengals and trailed 177 at halftime. Safety, R. Davis tackled Parmalee in end zone. "There was no way that Kellen Winslow was so winded that he had to be continually helped off the football field," said Dolphins wide receiver Jimmy Cefalo. "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 teams in NFL history, and the 1950 Cleveland Browns -- who finished with a 10-2 record, led by head coach Paul Brown, quarterback Otto Graham, kicker Lou Groza and fullback Marion Motley -- land at No. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Get box score updates on the Miami Dolphins vs. Los Angeles Chargers football game. In many cases, great games are defined by their endings. And he was on the winning team. This time, Woodley was a key contributor for his team, completing 17 of 22 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception, while also rushing for 14 yards and a touchdown on the ground. We present them here for purely educational purposes. The Chargers recovered and furiously drove downfield, culminating in the absurd. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The following year, the Chargers reached the AFC title game, but lost to the visiting Oakland Raiders. The Chargers' victory in this game would be the last time that they defeated the Dolphins in Miami until 2019, by which time the Chargers had moved to Los Angeles. It became legendary. The ball sailed over his head. Following three incompletions and a fake field goal touchdown run by Steve Kreider called back by a holding penalty, Breech's 38-yard field goal made the score 207. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. But this time, it did not end well for the Chargers, they were defeated 277 by the Bengals, ending the Chargers season one game short of the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. ever. After recovering a Chuck Muncie fumble, they moved into position for von Schamann to try a 34-yard field goal. Its pretty hard to believe that a guy would bite on that with six seconds to go, Strock told FOX Sports of 87 Circle Curl Lateral, but when it worked, it made every high school coach in the world happy because every high school has that play.. Several plays later, Chuck Muncie scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Don Strock's incredible performance in the Epic in Miami ended up being the main highlight of his career. For the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins, their 1981 AFC Divisional playoff was supposed to be a good game. There were a lot of good things from all three phases. The two teams have met each other 36 times (including 4 postseason games), with the Los Angeles Chargers winning 17 games and the Miami Dolphins winning 19 games. James Brooks made the smartest football play I have ever been associated with. [15], "I've never felt so close to death before," Winslow said afterward. After playing in brutally hot conditions, San Diego was subjected to the coldest game in NFL history, with a wind chill of -32 degrees (at the time, the temperature was calculated at -57 degrees). San Diego won their 3rd straight AFC West title in 1981 with a 10-6 record, based on a better division record over Denver, who also finished 10-6. View the Box Score for the NFL football game between the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins on January 2, 1982. '[11], "If you didn't like this football game, you didn't [sic] like football. The first chance for the game to be decided in overtime came when San Diego kicker Rolf Bernischke lined up for a 27-yard field goal. Air temperature was 9F (23C), but the wind chill, factoring in a sustained wind of 27 miles per hour (43km/h), was reported as 59F or 51C under the calculation method then in use. A future Hall of Fame tight end, Winslow had his capstone performance that humid Florida night. Almost 40 years later, its memory endures. San Diego then drove 55 yards and cut their deficit to 107 when Fouts, desperately trying to avoid a hit from lineman Eddie Edwards, managed to fire a pass to Kellen Winslow, who subsequently raced from the line of scrimmage 33 yards down the right sideline for a score. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onAll NFL and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. The second half was a see-saw affair which saw Miami take a late 38-31 lead. The "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 games in NFL history, and the 1982 AFC Championship Game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins lands at No. However, Miami stormed right back with Strock completing numerous passes, the last one a 50-yard scoring strike to tight end Bruce Hardy, tying the game again at 31. Fouts finished the game completing 33 of 53 passing attempts for a franchise record 433 yards and three touchdowns. In a furious rally, the Dolphins got to within a touchdown of the lead at the end of the first half, a 17-point run punctuated by the famous "hook and ladder" play: Strock to Duriel Harris to Tony Nathan for the score on the last play of the first half. The following is a list of all regular season and postseason games played between the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins. Entering the second day of 1982, the Dolphins were home at the Orange Bowl hosting the favored Chargers, who were giving 2.5 points that afternoon. Miami took over on its own 40-yard line following Benirschke's squib kick, needing only a field goal to win. The Pro Football Hall of Fame named it the "NFL's Game of the '80s.". [citation needed] The Dolphins had allowed just 27 points in their last three games prior to their playoff matchup against San Diego. San Diego won the coin toss and marched down the field, driving inside the Dolphins 10-yard line. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bob Baumhower anchored the line, while linebackers A. J. Duhe and Earnie Rhone excelled at blitzing and pass coverage,[citation needed] combining for four interceptions. A picture of an exhausted Winslow being helped off the field by two teammates after the game is an enduring image in NFL lore and has been replayed constantly ever since. Seattle will not pick up the fifth-year option on starting inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks ahead of Tuesday's deadline, a source said. [1], Despite the Bengals dominating 4017 win over the Chargers during the season, their meeting in the championship was expected to be a thrilling, hard-fought game. The Dolphins finished the 1981 regular season by winning the AFC East with an 1141 record. Cameron Dicker kicked three field goals, including one from 29-yards that gave the Chargers a 23-14 advantage with 2:40 remaining. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. ET. The AFC semifinal playoff game between San Diego and Miami was a wild roller-coaster ride, will be profiled on Thursday, October 20 at 4 p.m. Dolphins: At Buffalo next Saturday night. Accordingly, San Diego used its option at the beginning of the second half to receive the kickoff, resulting in Cincinnati kicking off to begin both halvesand in the same direction both times, using their second half option to again begin the half with the wind at their backs. Join our linker program. Aided by an 18-yard completion from Anderson to tight end Dan Ross, Cincinnati scored first with a 31-yard field goal from kicker Jim Breech. For the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins, their 1981 AFC Divisional playoff was supposed to be a good game. The Bengals completely took over the game from that point on. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. After Miami's next drive resulted in an incompletion, two sacks, and a fumble (which Miami recovered), coach Don Shula replaced Woodley with Don Strock early in the second quarter to see whether he could spark the Dolphins offense, and that's precisely what he did, completing a 17-yard pass to Duriel Harris on his first play and leading them down the field to score their first points of the game on a 34-yard field goal by Uwe von Schamann. Receivers Jimmy Cefalo (29 receptions, 631 yards, three touchdowns) and Duriel Harris (53 receptions, 911 yards, two touchdowns) provided the main deep threat on the team. The Dolphins had a chance to win the game with four seconds left, but San Diego tight end Kellen Winslow blocked Uwe von Schamann's 43-yard field goal attempt, forcing overtime. Hill broke Mark Clayton's 38-year old Miami mark for receiving yards in a season. Theres a lot of investment, and its not good enough, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. The playoffs had been a cruel mistress to San Diego, with head coach Don Coryells group knocked off as heavy favorite in the 1979 Divisionals by the Houston Oilers. Cincinnati won the toss and instead of receiving, elected to have the brutally cold wind at their backs to start the game, believing it would neutralize San Diego's passing game and help the Bengals to build an early lead. My ball was intended for Kellen; Kellen was exhausted and really, out of nowhere flashes JB to make the catch for the score. "I just don't buy it. The game was played on January 10, 1982, at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium, and televised by NBC, with announcers Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen. Cincinnati also had several stars on offense. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The Epic in Miami was the National Football League AFC divisional playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins that took place on January 2, 1982 in the Miami Orange Bowl. Again, the Chargers blocked the kick. 1981 AFC Championship Game: NFL Full Game, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Here's a look at the coldest games ever in NFL history", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freezer_Bowl&oldid=1149622764, CIN Harris 8 yard pass from Anderson (Breech kick), SD Winslow 33 yard pass from Fouts (Benirschke kick), CIN Bass 3 yard pass from Anderson (Breech kick), This page was last edited on 13 April 2023, at 11:19. In the strike shortened 1982 NFL season, David Woodley led Miami to a 72 record and 3 playoff wins to lead the Miami Dolphins to an NFL championship appearance in Super Bowl XVII. The Chargers decided to send in Benirschke to attempt a 55-yard field goal, but he missed, giving the ball back to the Dolphins near midfield. Woodley had a rather mediocre year, throwing for only 2,470 yards (6.7 yards per throw) and 12 touchdowns, with 13 interceptions and a passer rating of only 69.8, but he was a good scrambler, gaining 272 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. And Jerry Magee, who covered the game for the San Diego Union-Tribune, said. "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 teams in NFL history, and the 1999 St. Louis Rams, who defeated the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV and were dubbed "The Greatest Show on Turf," land at the No. Miami then drove deep into Chargers territory, setting up a 35-yard field goal attempt for von Schamann, but his kick was low, and defensive lineman Leroy Jones managed to leap in the air and block it. San Diego also had an outstanding rushing attack, led by Pro Bowl running back Chuck Muncie, who rushed for 1,144 yards and a league-leading 19 touchdowns, while also catching 43 passes for 362 yards. The NFL has existed for over a hundred years, spanned numerous generations, and logged thousands of games. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Woodley recovered from his poor performance in the Epic in Miami and regained his position as the Dolphins starting quarterback in the following season. "NFL 100 Greatest" ranks the top 100 teams in NFL history, and the 1986 New York Giants, who defeated the Denver Broncos 39-20 in Super Bowl XXI, land at the No.
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