On the bright side, the Dolphins today secured their continued place in NFL history by remaining the only franchise to have a team go undefeated.
That is because the Colts lost 29-15 to the New York Jets today.
The Colts entered the game with a 14-0 record.
"While the Jets win today ended Indianapolis' streak and showed onced again how difficult it is to go undefeated, I want to congratulate the Colts on a great run," coach Don Shula said. "Peyton Manning proved once against this season why he is one of the best quarterback in the history of the NFL and it was certainly no surprise to see him lead the Colts to an NFL record 23 straight victories.
I have the utmost respect for Peyton and his teammates, Bill Polian, and the entire Colts organization, who have once again put together an outstanding season."
Outstanding yes. But perfect?
Nope.
Only the 1972-73 Dolphins have done that.
As for the 2009-10 Dolphins, this is whatmust happen for Miami to get in the playoffs:
Dolphins beat Pittsburgh.
Oakland beats Baltimore.
Cincinnati beats the Jets.
New England beats Houston.
Cleveland beats Jacksonville.
That is it. That is the only way Miami gets in the playoffs.
it took like seven weeks for the jet fans to come back under different names of course you have no back bone just like your fat ass coach and your pathetic team
Posted by: phinfan1975 | December 28, 2009 at 09:23 AM
As much as I would like to see the Dolphin organization hold on the the undefeated season, the Colts are stupid for not going for it. I think the Colt coaches are scared of the ridicule they would receive if someone of importance gets hurt. No balls!
Posted by: Craven Morehead | December 28, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Are the Jets still in the NFL? They are such a non-factor - when is the last time they won a playoff game, 1969?
Better yet, when is the last time they made the playoffs? The Dolphins suck but they were good enough to beat the Jets twice - right? Jets are a non-factor - have been for 40 years and will be for the next 40 years.
Posted by: jimbo | December 28, 2009 at 11:52 AM
About 2 1/2 years ago, the rumor that surfaced about Bill Cowler taking a year or 2 off then coming back to coach the Dolphins was a far-fetched prediction. Now news has it that Coach Cowler is hanging up his hat as an announcer and returning to coaching. And just ironically, the Dolphins' self-destructive season hopefully has Bill Parcels wondering if Sparano is the right coach. Ultimately I predict and hopefully, a prophetic insight gives me this idea correctly, y'all can put this happy ending to what it really is..Coach Bill Cowler belongs in Miami!!! It's a perfect situation. Fire Sparano and he goes to Tampa Bay out of the Dolphin picture and bring Coach Bill Cowler in. That makes sense!!! Twitter this to the Dolphin executives please!!! Get Bill Cowler down to Miami!!! That's the answer to the puzzle.
Posted by: Cheflee2009@ymail.com | December 28, 2009 at 01:42 PM
to the person above me, you are an embarassment to dolphin fans. A) it's Cowher, not Cowler and B) they are not firing Sparano. He turned a 1-15 team into AFC East Champs the 1st year and a team that played hard and contended in every game.. just missing some pieces still. Rome wasn't built over night.
With the playoffs essentially out of the picture, I'm just glad that the Colts didn't go undefeated, '72 Lives On.
Posted by: H..H..Henne Beat the Jets (Twice!) | December 28, 2009 at 01:57 PM
The person who had the final say in letting Goodman go should get a swift kick in the nuts and then shot.
Posted by: Dolfanken | December 28, 2009 at 02:50 PM
72' Starting QB Bob Griese breaks his leg early in the 4th game of the season, on the road against San Diego..They rested that "starter" for 11 games and still won em all! Their "backup" 40 year old Earl Morall reeled off 11 straight and he called his own plays which had a totally different style than Griese...guess what their team was so good it did not matter they still dominated..and back then they were undefeated and still had to play their playoff games on the road.. One of their 17 straight wins was a road playoff game against the 70's Pittsburgh Steelers..nowadays the Colts get to play all their playoff games inside..no snow..no rain..no mud.. no road playoff game at Oakland with oily greased down footballs..different era and 37 years ago..Still the NFL is the top league of football and the Best Team in the History of the NFL is the 1972 Miami Dolphins-Ultimate Beer Talk Trivia Point which is really what it's all about..bragging rights..and 72 still has them
Posted by: Nik P | December 28, 2009 at 05:03 PM
Playoffs? Playoffs???? You're talking about playoffs???
Posted by: AZphinatic | December 28, 2009 at 06:42 PM
Funny how everybody says it's "no big deal" to go Undefeated...If it's no big deal how come your favortite-Steeler team or Raider team or Cowboy-49er/whatever team never did it? I hate to break it to you know-it-alls but saying it's not that big of a deal ends as soon as you do it then it becomes what it is -The only deal..when the Patriots got close it became a very big deal to them and they did not close the deal. Close but no banana..so close but yet so far away..just saying your team is much better means nothing until you accomplish it all-Perfection..anything less is still that ..less. Cry on that a while ..I got to go... I hear the champagne cork POPPING LOL!
Posted by: Nik P | December 28, 2009 at 10:45 PM
I am so tired of hearing that "they control their own destiny" garbage. If the Jets destiny is to lose, no amount of "controling" is going to stop them from losing. Personally, I am happy that the Jets beat the Colts. Does that make them the better team? Absolutely not, we beat the Jets BOTH times we played them this year. And even IF they don't lose next week and make the playoffs, they cannot claim to be the better team. The Jets only have that opportunity because we did not beat the Texans. Maybe the Texans are a better team, or maybe it was bad calls, bad luck, bad pass coverage, or whatever, but the fact remains that the Dolphins were a better team than the Jets this year as well as last year.
Trust me, the Jets only beat the Colts' scrubs and the whole league saw that Peyton Manning had them beaten. Nobody but the most clueless of the "never-have-a-clue" Jets fans could possibly believe otherwise, and the Jets aren't getting anywhere near the superbowl.
Frankly, I would much rather watch the Jets fans be sick all week in the knowledge that it was them who helped preserve the greatest feat in all of football's glorious history for their most hated enemies, the PERFECT season of the Miami Dolphins.
Posted by: Kevin11c | December 28, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Every colts fan deserves a refund
Posted by: Bigwillystyle | December 28, 2009 at 11:20 PM
to congratulate the colts for THROWING and FIXING the game and even more so when it all but eliminates the Dolphins is ludicrous.
i am also a fan, not of denver or houston BUT i would be enraged right now at what nfl phony commissioner did allowing caldwell and polian to FIX the indy/jets game costing their teams a playoff spot.
BUT goodell allowed indy and tennessee to FIX the outcomes the same way the last 2 years so there is no surprise.
2007
Week 17 Tennessee at Indianapolis
Indianapolis had already clinched #2 AFC Seed and bye going into Week 17
Tennesse needed to win to make the playoffs and eliminate Cleveland on Division Record tiebreaker
Indianapolis used Sorgi as QB as well as other backups for most of the game
Tennessee won 16-10 and makes the playoffs beating out Cleveland by the tiebreaker win they earned that day
2008
Week 17 Tennessee at Indianapolis
Tennessee had already clinched #1 AFC Seed, a bye and homefield going into Week 17
Indianapolis needed to win make the playoffs and also clinch the #5 AFC seed
Tennessee uses 3 different QBs including Chris Simms, Quinton Ganther is Titans leading rusher with 27 yards that game
Indianapolis won 23-0 that day
--
AND NOW CINCI IS IN THE TANK!
Posted by: Bill Carlson | December 29, 2009 at 10:34 AM
"That is it. That is the only way Miami gets in the playoffs."
Not so my good man, try this scenario: Iran shoots a nuclear warhead at New York, then the U.S. retaliates with missiles into Iran, some of which hit close to Russia. Russia responds with a full battery of missiles aimed at the U.S. The only two cities that are not wiped out are Miami and Minnesota. Pick the super bowl winner from those two.
Posted by: Rick | December 29, 2009 at 02:57 PM
these scenarios are sort of like looking for a thin needle in a huge haystack. Fins are playing for pride and hopefully they'll show up Sunday.
Posted by: tzey | December 29, 2009 at 07:59 PM
LOL @ Rick...I'd pick the Vikes...begrudgingly, of course
Posted by: Marc | December 29, 2009 at 11:06 PM
great.. Henne has an eye injury. goodbye 09-10.
Posted by: usnavydolfaninva | January 03, 2010 at 02:43 PM
one thing that is clear looking at this game is we really cant tackle one on one...i know the players that actually bring thier arms after the hit are few in this league, but we dont even get solids hits so that along with not using arms makes for LOTS of broken tackles...
Posted by: dagaNJ | January 03, 2010 at 03:00 PM
and we dont even have anyone that is fast enough to catch Big Ben...lol......lots of rebuilding to do folks....
Posted by: dagaNJ | January 03, 2010 at 03:01 PM