[Izulde]

Super Bowl XIII Preview

Miami Dolphins vs. Atlanta Falcons

Quarterback
The Dolphins feature Ken Stabler as their starting QB, who's thrown for over 3,000 yards and more than 20 TDs the last three seasons. Although he's been sharply criticized for his increased interceptions this season, particularly in the postseason, the fact remains that he's the one of the top QBs in the game in just his 5th season. This despite the pressures of being a #1 overall pick and having to replace the legendary Johnny Unitas, who's as revered in South Florida as he is in Indiana. This is Stabler's first Super Bowl and he's hungry to prove his critics wrong.

Atlanta counters with 13th year vet Norman McNeil, who carried the Tucson Titans to their first ever Super Bowl title last season with some dazzling postseason heroics. McNeil has again displayed incredible grit and phenomenal leadership in helping guide this Falcons franchise to its first ever Super Bowl game and he's got the moxie and the experience to pull off the victory here, in spite of not having Stabler's talent.

Advantage: Slight edge Dolphins

Running Backs
Miami has a two-back attack in Calvin Hill and Charlie Pittman. Hill is a two-threat back, able to both run the ball and be a dangerous receiver out of the backfield. He's rushed for over 1,000 yards each of his last three seasons and is a critical component of the Dolphins' passing game. Pittman is one of the best reserve RBs in the game, able to spell Hill effectively enough to run for around 700 yards each of the past two years. Larry Csonka is bar none, the best FB in the NFL today.

There's no two back system for the Falcons, which relies solely on the incredible Mercury Morris, a 4th year back who's never run for less than 1,100 yards in a season. This year, he's been practically the whole offense for Atlanta, with 398 rushes, the 6th highest total in league history. In those attempts, he's amassed 1,746 yards and 19 TDs, good for 6th highest season total and 4th highest season total respectively in the history of the NFL. Those are MVP numbers! Joe Burgess is only a body at FB, making Morris's accomplishments all the more impressive.

Advantage: Falcons

Wide Receivers
In Paul Warfield, a 4-time 1st Team All-Pro, and Roy Jefferson, the Dolphins have two of the most talented starting receivers in the league. Jefferson struggled his first few seasons in Miami, but had his best year in the aqua and orange during the regular season, finally breaking the 1,000 yard receiving mark with more TDs (8) than drops (3). Warfield is slowing down with age, but he's still a force to be reckoned with. TE Tom Mitchell, Miami's 1966 3rd round pick, returned to the Dolphins this year after stints in Minnesota and Seattle and is an adequate athlete. Reserve WR Gary Ballman, a careerlong Dolphin, continues to be a significant presence and Jack Clancy, an emergency pickup after Dick Gordon went down with a season-ending injury, surprised by far exceeding expectations.

Ben Hawkins and Gary Garrison, in counterpoint, have talent, but neither one has ever been able to put it together, despite the high 1st round picks spent on them. TE Ted Kwalick is a superb blocker who should be used more in the passing game than he is. Bubba Thornton is the lone Falcons backup wideout who's more than a warm body.

Advantage: Dolphins

Offensive Line
When starting C John Schmitt was lost for the year in preseason, Miami counted itself very fortunate to have re-signed Frank Marchlewski, the league's best backup center and the team's offensive line leader. With Marchlewski in, the Dolphins' line needed little time to gel together. Mo Moorman and Gene Upshaw are the best pair of starting guards in the NFL. Far less impressive are tackles Bob Vogel and Joe Taffoni, who combined to give up 24 sacks in the regular season.

Undrafted rookie free agent C Eugene Kinard shocked everyone by not only making the team, but winning the starting job in preseason. He then stunned watchers further by putting together a surprisingly adequate season. Kinard was one of two rookie starters on the line, the other 4th round pick Ralph Miller at RG. Much of the success of the young line can be attributed to superlative LT Glen Ray Hines, who held mandatory meetings after practice to meet with his linemates and mentor them. RT Tony Liscio is a good run-blocker, but suffers in pass protection.

Advantage: Dolphins

Defensive Line
L.C. Greenwood is a sack maestro, with at least 11 sacks in each of the past three seasons. He credits a lot of his results to fellow DE Aaron Brown, who also has double-digit sacks each of the last three years, all of them with the Dolphins. Between the two, Miami has arguably the most feared pair of ends in the league. DT is ugly in comparison, as Gary Pettigrew and Ron East are little more than filler.

3rd year DE Dennis Wirgowski is slowly putting it together, but he's not quite there yet. 2nd year DE Mike Walker is a body. Bill Nelson is an average DT and 2nd year DT Mike Lewis has the type of talent that should make him one of the best in the league at the position, but he hasn't achieved the mental ability yet, for he's worse than Nelson in terms of performance.

Advantage: Dolphins

Linebackers
Miami's linebacking corps rests almost entirely on incredible MLB Willie Lanier, although WLB George Webster is a tackle machine. SLB Mike Stratton scares no one and neither do the Dolphins' reserve backers.

The Falcons have a good MLB in Jimmy Carter and one of the league's brightest young linebackers in rookie SLB Stan White, who suffered a hamstring injury that limited him to 6 starts, but who played well in that time and who's been a major, major reason why Atlanta's in the Super Bowl, tackling people at will in the postseason. WLB Dick Blanchard is better-suited to the strong side and has looked extremely uncomfortable playing weakside.

Advantage: Falcons

Secondary
The Dolphins made it a mission to overhaul their secondary last offseason and they did, bringing in Randy Beverly and Goldie Sellers as new starters at cornerback. Both played brilliantly in the preseason, but Beverly's looked lost in the playoffs. Sellers, on the other hand, not only set a franchise record with 7 interceptions in the regular season, but has continued his torrid play in the postseason, making him a free agency steal. Miami also completed its quest to find the next Ross Fichtner and Don Fleming by adding Chuck Crist in the 1st round of the draft to team up with already accomplished second year SS Glen Edwards. Crist and Edwards both had sterling regular seasons and look to have Miami set with the best pair of safeties in the league for years to come.

Atlanta lost its best CB in Week 15 when Ken Reaves went down with a torn knee ligament, but Pat Fischer has played adequately in his stead. The other corner, 2nd year CB Rich Sowells, has turned this playoffs into his coming out party, with an incredible 90.4% pass defense after not even breaking 80% his first two regular seasons. SS Kenny Graham is a beast, a four-time All-Pro who's the leader of the secondary both on and off the field. FS Terry Brown is average.

Advantage: Dolphins

Special Teams
Paul Maguire may be a 13th year vet, but he's a three-time All-Pro punter, including a 2nd Team nod last season and he's shown no signs of slowing down this year. K Tim Webster was brilliant as a rookie, but struggled this season with more opportunities. That said, he's quite dependable at the longer distances.

The Falcons have two rookies at their kicking spots. P Dave Green is league average, while 3rd round pick K Toni Linhart has a boomer leg and an accurate one, as he was 8/12 from 50+ range.

Advantage: Draw

Synopsis
Atlanta's only hope in this game is to force it into one of long drives that eat up a lot of time on the clock and allow the Falcons to continue ramming Mercury Morris down the weak middle of the Dolphins' defensive line.

Unfortunately, the Falcons don't have the pass-rushers needed to get to Ken Stabler and throw him off-stride, even given Miami's problems at tackle and ultimately, the simple fact of the matter is that the Dolphins just have far too much talent for Atlanta to be able to cope with.

Look for a banner day from Paul Warfield as he uses his vast talent advantage to abuse the overachieving Pat Fischer and Ken Stabler uses the time the Dolphins' line will give him to throw to Warfield. Miami's aerial firepower will be too fast and too furious for the Falcons to counter with the points they need.

Prediction: Miami by 9