If you love the running game, you had to have loved Super Bowl VIII.
Forty-one years ago Tuesday, the Vikings and Dolphins met at Rice Stadium in Houston with the NFL title on the line. The teams combined for 53 rushes, second-most in game history. And the 35 combined passes were the least ever thrown in a Super Bowl.
The game itself was one-sided. The Dolphins scored first and never looked back, rolling to a 24-7 victory. Miami’s Larry Csonka earned game MVP honors, rushing for 145 yards and two TDs on 33 carries. In the end, Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese would attempt just seven passes, a record-low for a Super Bowl that still stands. He attempted just one pass after halftime — a 27-yard completion to a diving Paul Warfield, who was dealing with a hamstring ailment.
The Dolphins’ victory was their second straight Super Bowl triumph, something that’s only been accomplished eight times in game history. They have not won a Super Bowl since.
