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The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/ZappaOMatic on 2025-08-10 21:24:52+00:00.
Original Title: The Bears’ tie against the Dolphins today was their first preseason draw since 1973, also against Miami. That game technically snapped the Dolphins’ 21-game win streak across all games (preseason, regular season, postseason)
Both teams played to a 9–9 tie on August 18, 1973. Chicago’s Mac Percival and Miami’s Garo Yepremian each made three FGs: Percival from 18, 9, and 17 yards; Yepremian from 25, 53, 16.
However, Percival also missed the go-ahead 35-yard kick with four minutes remaining. The Bears got another chance when Henry Stuckey was called for offsides, but Roger Lawson was picked off at the five on the next play. After getting the ball back, Chicago tried again with rookie kicker Mirro Roder, but his 53-yarder was blocked by Vern Den Herder.[1]
The Dolphins started the drive on the Chicago 47, but holding pushed them back.[1] Facing 3rd and 25 from their own 39, Jim Del Gaizo delivered a backwards pass to Marlin Briscoe, who threw it to a wide-open Bo Rather for 13 yards… only for the ball to hit Rather in the hands and he dropped it.[2][3]
While they didn’t lose, it was the Dolphins’ first game that they didn’t win since August 31, 1972, when they lost 27–24 to Washington in their penultimate preseason game. They beat the Vikings in the preseason finale the week after, then had their undefeated season (14–0 regular season, 3–0 in the playoffs) to enter 1973 on an 18-game win streak.[3]
To begin 1973, they won the College All-Star Game (incidentally held in Chicago). Against NFL competition, they beat the Bengals and Saints in their first two preseason games to bump it up to 21 straight victories of any kind.[1] Funny enough, the Vikings would be the first team to end Miami’s unbeaten streak when they did so in the Dolphins’ second-to-last preseason matchup on August 31. Minny’s Fred Cox made the 25-yard game winner as time expired.[4]
As for the Bears tying them: Don Shula was asked after the game if he felt any pressure about a team that finished dead last in their division coming so close to beating them (even though it was preseason). Of course, he wasn’t.[5]
“We’re not feeling any pressure,” he started.[5] “We’re just lining up and playing. Of course everybody that comes in here is gunning for us. But no pressure.”
Of course, Miami won their second straight Super Bowl later that year.
Meanwhile for Chicago: yes, it was a draw. Yes, it was preseason. Yes, the Dolphins didn’t play their starters (Bob Griese started the game, but was dealing with an elbow infection so he barely played) whereas the Bears did.[3] But Bears HC Abe Gibron thought hanging with the defending champs who won their last 21 games was a sign of good things to come.[6]
“Listen, you tie Green Bay, the best in the National Football Conference’s Central Division, and Miami. You can’t be all bad,” Gibron proclaimed.[6]
The Bears went on to finish the 1973 regular season 3–11.
References
[1] Mac Percival Connects On Three Field Goals As Bears Tie Dolphins 9-9 by John Skinner (AP), Danville Register and Bee, August 19, 1973
[2] Bears, Dolphins Tie; Miami Streak Is Over by Rich Podolsky, The Palm Beach Post, August 19, 1973
[3] Dolphins, Bears Tie at 9-9 by United Press International, Fort Pierce Tribune, August 19, 1973
[4] Vikings Drop Dolphins in 20-17 Battle by the Associated Press, The Marion Star, September 1, 1973
[5] Streak Is Only Half Broken by Ron Smith, The Palm Beach Post, August 19, 1973
[6] ‘Monster’ Bears tie Dolphins, The Journal Herald, August 20, 1973