1997 Miami Dolphins season
The 1997 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 32nd overall and 28th as a member of the National Football League. The Dolphins improved upon their previous season's output of 8–8, winning nine games.[1] Seven of the team's sixteen games were decided by a field goal or less. This was also the season where the Dolphins released a new logo and new uniforms with a darker aqua and dark navy drop shadow in numbers. The uniforms and logo lasted until the 2012 season. During Week 3, the Dolphins were defeated by the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers for the first time in franchise history. This could be argued as the most cursed of all Dolphins seasons because it offered a turn around where the Patriots defeated the Dolphins 3 times in the 1997 season sweeping the dolphins for a comeback win 27-24 after multiple scores in the final two minutes. The Patriots went on to defeat the Dolphins the following week in the AFC wild card game 17-3.
1997 Miami Dolphins season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Jimmy Johnson |
Results | |
Record | 9–7 |
Division place | 2nd AFC East |
Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Patriots) 3–17 |
Pro Bowlers | None |
Offseason
NFL Draft
1997 Miami Dolphins draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 15 | Yatil Green | Wide Receiver | Miami | |
2 | 44 | Sam Madison * | Cornerback | Louisville | |
3 | 73 | Jason Taylor * † | Defensive end | Akron | |
3 | 92 | Derrick Rodgers | Linebacker | Arizona State | |
3 | 93 | Ronnie Ward | Linebacker | Kansas | |
3 | 96 | Brent Smith | Tackle | Mississippi State | |
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Roster
Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | TV Time(ET) | TV Announcers | Attendance | Record |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 31, 1997 | Indianapolis Colts | W 16–10 | NBC 1:00pm | Charlie Jones & Bob Trumpy | 1-0 | |
2 | September 7, 1997 | Tennessee Oilers | W 16–13 (OT) | NBC 1:00pm | Don Criqui & Jim Mora | 2-0 | |
3 | September 14, 1997 | at Green Bay Packers | L 23–18 | NBC 1:00pm | Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire & Phil Simms | 2-1 | |
4 | September 21, 1997 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 31–21 | TNT 8:00pm | Verne Lundquist & Pat Haden | 2-2 | |
5 | Bye | ||||||
6 | October 5, 1997 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 17–14 | NBC 1:00pm | Charlie Jones, Randy Cross & Bob Trumpy | 3-2 | |
7 | October 12, 1997 | at New York Jets | W 31–20 | NBC 1:00pm | Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire & Phil Simms | 4-2 | |
8 | October 19, 1997 | at Baltimore Ravens | W 24–13 | NBC 4:00pm | Don Criqui & Jim Mora | 5-2 | |
9 | October 27, 1997 | Chicago Bears | L 36–33 | ABC 9:00pm | Mike Patrick & Joe Theismann | 5-3 | |
10 | November 2, 1997 | at Buffalo Bills | L 9–6 | NBC 1:00pm | Dan Hicks, Paul Maguire & Jim Kelly | 5-4 | |
11 | November 9, 1997 | New York Jets | W 24–17 | NBC 1:00pm | Charlie Jones, Randy Cross & Bob Trumpy | 6-4 | |
12 | November 17, 1997 | Buffalo Bills | W 30–13 | ABC 9:00pm | Al Michaels, Frank Gifford & Dan Dierdorf | 7-4 | |
13 | November 23, 1997 | at New England Patriots | L 27–24 | NBC 1:00pm | Tom Hammond & Randy Cross | 7-5 | |
14 | November 30, 1997 | at Oakland Raiders | W 34–16 | NBC 4:00pm | Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire & Phil Simms | 8-5 | |
15 | December 7, 1997 | Detroit Lions | W 33–30 | ESPN 8:00pm | Mike Patrick & Joe Theismann | 9-5 | |
16 | December 14, 1997 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 41–0 | NBC 1:00pm | Charlie Jones & Bob Trumpy | 9-6 | |
17 | December 22, 1997 | New England Patriots | L 14–12 | ABC 9:00pm | Al Michaels, Frank Gifford & Dan Dierdorf | 9-7 |
Playoffs
Round | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wild Card | December 28, 1997 | at New England Patriots | L 17–3 |
Standings
AFC East | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
(3) New England Patriots | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 369 | 289 | W1 |
(6) Miami Dolphins | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 339 | 327 | L2 |
New York Jets | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 348 | 287 | L1 |
Buffalo Bills | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 255 | 367 | L3 |
Indianapolis Colts | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 313 | 401 | L1 |