Running to Win Super Bowl 6 (Dallas Cowboys vs. Miami Dolphins)

Prior to 1978, pro football was regarded as primarily a running game. The objective of the forward pass was still not as refined and as perfected as it would become in the years after 1978. In 1972, with the advent of the hash marks moving closer to the middle of the field, the largest number of runners to ever eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in a season (10) would make NFL history.

But to close out the 1971 season, one team used a Super Bowl to show off their multi-back backfield’s avenue of setting records and of the ultimate success…victory in the ultimate game of the year.

The 1971 Dallas Cowboys had won nine straight games going into their Super Bowl VI matchup with the youthful and exuberant Miami Dolphins at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Dolphins were a more emotional team than the Cowboys, but somehow, they found themselves playing for the world championship, in head coach Don Shula’s second year at the helm down in southern Florida.

Dallas head coach Tom Landry had tasted many defeats over the previous handful of years, as his team got closer and closer to the NFL title.

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A Similar Attack

Both the Cowboys and the Dolphins had a unique similarity in those days. Both geared their offense into stressing the running game. Both teams had a trio of great running backs. Dallas had Duane Thomas, Calvin Hill, and Walt Garrison in their backfield.

Carrying the ball for Miami was Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Mercury Morris. Each of these six players were adept at their own set of talents. For example, Garrison was a pounding fullback, Thomas was a smooth and graceful tailback, and Hill was a combination of the two. Csonka was probably the best fullback in pro football, Kiick was a dependable short-yardage runner and pass receiver, and Morris was one of the most fluid and shifty runners in the game.

So it would come as no surprise that Super Bowl VI would showcase the running abilities of both of these teams.

Neither had won a world championship before, so this game would produce a new league champion. And both the winner and the loser would prove that throwing the ball would not be used anywhere near as much as running the ball would be. Miami quarterback Bob Griese would throw for 134 yards on 12 completions in 23 attempts.

Griese also threw an interception.

Cowboys signal-caller Roger Staubach also completed 12 passes, but he only attempted 19 throws. Staubach’s 119 yards passing and his two touchdown tosses enabled him to garner the game’s Most Valuable Player award.

Such meager passing statistics were indication enough that both teams were going to be running with the ball on practically down after down. After all, it was both teams’ strength. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, the Dallas Doomsday Defense played one of its best games against Csonka, Kiick, and Morris. That trio would be held to a total of just 80 yards rushing all game long.

The Successful Rushing Attack

In contrast, Thomas, Hill, and Garrison would fair much better for Dallas. Landry noticed that Miami’s defense was so energetic, and their pursuit of opposing running backs was very pronounced. So Landry instilled in his runners the use of cutback running in Super Bowl VI.

The Dallas running backs would take a handoff from Staubach (who was an actual runner in his own right), run a step or two in one direction, then sharply stop on a dime and immediately run in the opposite direction. When the opposing defenders noticed this, it was too late, for the Cowboys’ offensive linemen were bearing down on them, and pushing them in their initial direction, which was away from where the ball carrier was eventually going.

It was a foolproof strategy against the overreactive Dolphin’s No-Name Defense. Landry also included a couple of reverse runs from wide receiver Bob Hayes and from tight end Mike Ditka, both of which gained positive first down yardage.

Running with the ball gave Dallas a new Super Bowl rushing record as a team…a total of 252 yards. The Cowboys averaged 5.3 yards per rush on 48 carries against Miami.

And they accounted for 23 first downs, 15 of which came on the ground. The Dolphins, in comparison, could only earn 10 first downs in Super Bowl VI. Thomas would go on to lead all rushers in the game with 95 yards and a touchdown.

Garrison added an extra 74 yards rushing, while Hill contributed an additional 25 yards. Four other Dallas players carried the ball at least once for positive yardage. As a result, the Cowboys’ success on the Poly Turf at old Tulane Stadium would point the way to their first-ever world championship, a 24-3 triumph over Miami in Super Bowl VI. It was a victory brought about by keeping the ball on the ground.

Host and Author of Pro Football in the 1970s - Joe Zagorski

Throughout his days, Joe spent some time as a sportswriter and has been a member of the Pro Football Researchers Association since the mid-1980s. Joe is also a proud member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

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