The Biggest NFL Rivalry You Aren't Keeping Up With: Patriots-Dolphins

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Bill Parcells may be the man in Miami now, but 15 years ago he was the man in New England. We all know what he does in his second season with a team; he takes them to the playoffs. During his second season with the Patriots, he took his team, and a young Drew Bledsoe, to Miami to open the 1994 season.

Marino was playing his first game since he ruptured his Achilles’ tendon, and the field, which contained the Florida Marlins infield along the 35 yard line, was muddied by torrential downpours from previous days.

Despite the conditions, Bledsoe and Marino put on a clinic; the two quarterbacks combining for 894 yards through the air. The lead changed several times in the last minutes before Miami secured the win on a Ben Coates fumble.

Oh Snow You Didn’t !

From mud to snow, conditions directly played a hand in Foxboro on a game played in December, 1982. In a heavy snowstorm where neither team could so much as to keep their footing, several field goals had been attempted to no avail.

With the game still scoreless deep into the fourth quarter, a convicted felon on work release with access to a snow plow, made his way onto the filed and cleared a path for New England place kicker John Smith to kick the winning field goal, giving New England a 3-0 win.

Needless to say, Miami Dolphins’ coach Don Shula’s protests went unheard.

To this day, these two teams are still the little kids you have to separate in the department store to keep them from fighting.

Miami always boasted that they were the only team to go 17-0 until New England went 18-0 before ultimately losing in the Super Bowl to the N.Y. Giants.

That snickering you hear is from the Dolphins that still can brag about being the only undefeated team ever.

Cat Fight

Ironically the same year, that New England made their run to perfection, Miami was making a run at a less dubious form of perfection. The Dolphins were fighting to keep from going winless and managed to do so by winning in overtime against the Baltimore Ravens. It didn’t save them however from a couple of meetings behind the woodshed with the Patriots.

Those beatings were likely the source of revenge the following year when the Patriots played host to a team that had lost 17 out of its last 18 games.

Unfortunately for the Patriots, Miami brought a “cat” to a dogfight.

The Dolphins unveiled their Wildcat package to the tune of a 38-13 drubbing of the Pats, running Ronnie Brown for four touchdowns against a defense that looked outcoached for once.

Recently the Patriots hold the advantage over the Dolphins, but the Dolphins own the all-time record 49-37.

It’s Tom Brady’s world now where it once was Dan Marino’s.

Regardless of what part of the country you live in, if these two teams are playing, you are almost forced to pick a side. Isn’t that what makes a rivalry so interesting?

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