Photo courtesy of Miami Dolphins
During the decade of the 1980s, no AFC team won more games than the Miami Dolphins. No NFL team lost more than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
On this day 35 years ago however, Tampa Bay gave Miami all it wanted. The Buccaneers erased a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to draw even, but Miami prevailed on Fuad Reviez’s last-second field goal, 41-38.
Setting the Stage
The Miami Dolphins were 4-2 as they prepared for the in-state opponent on Oct. 20, 1985. Miami had reached the Super Bowl the year prior and looked to be far too much for Tampa Bay.
The Buccaneers were 0-6, but had been competitive in most of their losses. That was a trend that would continue.
The Bucs Rally
Through three quarters, Miami enjoyed a 38-21 lead. Quarterback Dan Marino finished the day with 302 yards passing and three touchdowns, but Tampa Bay’s Steve DeBerg showed he had plenty of magic in his right arm as well.
After hooking up for a touchdown in the final seconds of the first half and another in the third quarter, DeBerg threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Jimmie Giles to draw the Buccaneers to within three midway through. Following an interception of Marino by Jeremiah Castille, the Buccaneers appeared destined for overtime as Donald Igwebuike tied the game with a 38-yard field goal with just 43 seconds to play.
That still turned out to be too much time for Marino.
The Final Drive
With the clocking winding down, Miami took over at its own 34-yard-line. Marino needed just three completions to move the Dolphins into field goal range.
After starting the drive with a short completion to Duriel Harris, the third-year quarterback connected with running back Tony Nathan for gains of 15 and 19 yards. With the ball at the 26-yard-line, Reveiz was sent on to try a 43-yard field goal. The rookie from Tennessee split the goal posts to put Miami ahead for good.
Even after the make, the Buccaneers weren’t done. On the game’s final play, DeBerg’s Hail Mary was tipped into the hands of wide receiver Kelvin House, but was brought down inside the 25-yard-line as time expired.
Leading Up
The Dolphins never trailed in the contest, but did let three 17-point leads slip away. Miami led 14-0 after Marino found Nat Moore and Jim Jenson for touchdowns.
After James Wilder scored from 10 yards out for Tampa Bay to cut the lead in half, Miami answered with a Ron Davenport touchdown run and Reveiz field goal. Touchdown tosses from DeBerg to Giles preceded and succeeded a 1-yard touchdown run by Nathan.
DeBerg finished the day with 365 yards passing and the four touchdown tosses to Giles. Giles led all receivers with seven catches for 116 yards. Marino’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Bruce Hardy served as the Dolphins’ final touchdown and gave them a 38-21 lead after three quarters.
In Hindsight
Following the hard-fought victory over Tampa Bay, the Dolphins hit a small slide, losing the next two. They would bounce back to win the final seven games to finish 12-4. Miami was ultimately defeated by the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship.
The Buccaneers fell to 0-7 with the loss and would lose the next two before finishing the year with a 2-14 record. At the time, the contest between the two Florida teams served as the highest scoring game in Tampa Bay history and tied for the highest in Dolphins’ history. It occurred on this day 35 years ago.
References
Pro Football Reference
AP story via Ocala Star-Banner
Mike Ferguson is the managing editor for Fifth Quarter. Be sure to follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeWFerguson. Follow all of Mike’s work by liking his Facebook page.