1983 Miami Dolphins season

Last updated

1983 Miami Dolphins season
Owner Joe Robbie
Head coach Don Shula
Home stadium Orange Bowl
Results
Record12–4
Division place1st AFC East
PlayoffsLost Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Seahawks) 20–27
Pro Bowlers 7
QB Dan Marino
WR Mark Duper
G Bob Kuechenberg
C Dwight Stephenson
G Ed Newman
DE Doug Betters
DT Bob Baumhower

The 1983 Miami Dolphins season was the 18th season in football for the Miami Dolphins and they sought to return to the Super Bowl after losing to the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVII. It was also a turning point in the team's history, as in the 1983 NFL draft a young quarterback slipped to deep in the opening round, being passed over by such teams as division rivals New York who drafted Ken O'Brien and New England who drafted Tony Eason. With the 27th pick, the Dolphins decided to take a chance on Dan Marino. In the draft's eighth round the Dolphins also selected receiver Mark Clayton.

Contents

Season summary

David Woodley started the team's first five games but despite wins over Buffalo, New England and Kansas City the offense did not move to Don Shula's liking. So in Week Six, with the Dolphins hosting the Bills the rookie Marino started. Marino had completed two touchdown passes in relief of Woodley in a 27–14 loss to the Raiders and then replaced Woodley during a 17–7 loss to the Saints with a touchdown and an interception, so the game against Buffalo was the third game of his career but his first start. The game proved to be a wild affair as Robb Riddick of the Bills fumbled the opening kickoff at his own 17 but Marino was intercepted by Steve Freeman on the next play. The Bills clawed to a 14–7 halftime lead but the Dolphins behind Marino stayed toe to toe as Marino threw for 322 yards and four touchdowns while handing off to Mark Clayton on an option pass for a touchdown to Mark Duper. The Bills tied the game in the final seconds and two Uwe von Schamann field goal attempts missed before Joe Danelo ended the game in a 38–35 Bills win.

Despite the loss Marino's performance cemented his role as the team's starter, and the Dolphins raced to win nine of their last ten games. Marino finished with 2,210 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. With the division wrapped up following a 26–17 win over the Oilers at the Astrodome Marino sat for the final two games of the season as Don Strock quarterbacked the Dolphins to wins over the Falcons and New York Jets. Despite a very successful season, the Dolphins were eliminated in the Divisional round of the playoffs by the underdog Seattle Seahawks, 27–20.

Offseason

NFL draft

1983 Miami Dolphins draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
127 Dan Marino *   Quarterback Pittsburgh
255 Mike Charles   Defensive tackle Syracuse
376Charles Benson  Defensive end Baylor
6167 Reggie Roby *  Punter Iowa
7195Keith Woetzel  Linebacker Rutgers
8223 Mark Clayton *  Wide receiver Louisville
9250 Mark Brown  Linebacker Purdue
10278Anthony Reed  Running back South Carolina State
11306Joe Lukens  Guard Ohio State
12334 Anthony Carter * Wide receiver Michigan
      Made roster        Pro Football Hall of Fame     *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

[2]

Personnel

Coaches / Staff

1983 Miami Dolphins staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches
  • Defense – Bill Arnsparger
  • Defensive line/run defense – Mike Scarry
  • Defensive backs – Tom Keane

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and flexibility – Junior Wade

Roster

1983 Miami Dolphins roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams (ST)

Reserve

Rookies in italics

[3]

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1September 4at Buffalo Bills W 12–01–0 Rich Stadium 78,715
2September 11 New England Patriots W 34–242–0 Miami Orange Bowl 59,343
3September 19at Los Angeles Raiders L 14–272–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 57,796
4September 25 Kansas City Chiefs W 14–63-1Miami Orange Bowl50,785
5October 2at New Orleans Saints L 7–173-2 Louisiana Superdome 66,489
6October 9 Buffalo Bills L 35–38 (OT)3-3Miami Orange Bowl59,948
7October 16at New York Jets W 32–144-3 Shea Stadium 58,615
8October 23at Baltimore Colts W 21–75-3 Memorial Stadium 32,343
9October 30 Los Angeles Rams W 30–146-3Miami Orange Bowl72,175
10November 6at San Francisco 49ers W 20–177-3 Candlestick Park 57,832
11November 13at New England Patriots L 6–177-4 Sullivan Stadium 60,771
12November 20 Baltimore Colts W 37–08-4Miami Orange Bowl54,482
13November 28 Cincinnati Bengals W 38–149-4Miami Orange Bowl74,506
14December 4at Houston Oilers W 24–1710-4 Houston Astrodome 39,434
15December 10 Atlanta Falcons W 31–2411-4Miami Orange Bowl56,725
16December 16 New York Jets W 34–1412-4Miami Orange Bowl59,975

Game summaries

Week 1

Team1234Total
Dolphins063312
Bills00000

[4]

Week 6

Dan Marino first start in NFL
Team1234OTTotal
Bills77714338
Dolphins071414035

Standings

AFC East
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
Miami Dolphins (2)1240.7506–29–3389250W5
New England Patriots 880.5004–46–6274289L1
Buffalo Bills 880.5004–47–5283351L2
Baltimore Colts 790.4383–55–9264354W1
New York Jets 790.4383–54–8313331L2

Player stats

Passing

PlayerAttCompYdsTDINTRating
Dan Marino296173221020696.0

Postseason

AFC Divisional Playoff

Seattle Seahawks 27, Miami Dolphins 20
Quarter1234Total
Seahawks0771327
Dolphins0130720

at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

The Seahawks converted three turnovers in the second half into 13 points, while running back Curt Warner rushed for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter: A 19-yard pass to Johnson and a 32-yard pass to wide receiver Mark Duper. Seattle's only score in the first half was quarterback Dave Krieg's 6-yard touchdown pass to running back Cullen Bryant. In the third quarter, a fumble led to Warner's 1-yard touchdown. A fourth quarter interception from Marino then led to Norm Johnson's 27-yard field goal to give Seattle a 17–13 lead. After the Dolphins regained the lead off running back Woody Bennett's 3-yard touchdown, Seattle responded with Warner's 2-yard touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, Miami returner Fulton Walker fumbled, setting up Norm Johnson's 37-yard field goal. Barely enough time remained for the Dolphins to tie the game, but Fulton Walker fumbled the next kickoff as well, which sealed the game for the Seahawks.

References

  1. 100 Things Dolphins Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Armando Salguero, Triumph Books, Chicago, 2020, ISBN 978-1-62937-722-3, p.185
  2. "1983 Miami Dolphins draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  3. "1983 Miami Dolphins starters and roster". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  4. Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-Jan-16.