NFL Old School Game of the Week: Seahawks Shock Dolphins in AFC Divisional Playoff

 A Seattle defender tackles Dolphins running back Tony Nathan during the 1983 AFC Divisional Playoff between the Seahawks and the Dolphins.

 When the Seattle Seahawks traveled to the Orange Bowl to take on the Miami Dolphins for their 1983 AFC Divisional Playoff game, many excepted Miami to roll over Seattle.

The Dolphins were the defending AFC Champions and had finished with a 12-4 record, but had complied a 9-2 record ever since head coach Don Shula replaced quarterback David Woodley with rookie Dan Marino to lead Miami to the AFC East Division title and the entered the playoffs as the #2 seed in the AFC.

As the Dolphins were back in the playoffs, the Seahawks were making their first trip to the postseason since the team's inception in 1976.

Seattle was led by head coach Chuck Knox, who was in his first year in the Pacific Northwest, but  had spent the last 10 years coaching the Los Angeles Rams(1973-77) and Buffalo Bills(1978-82), leading them to seven playoff appearances with his "Ground Chuck" attack, an offense that relied primarily on the run.

And Knox had a stud at running back to execute his "Ground Chuck" offense in the form of rookie running back Curt Warner, who ran for 1,449 yards and 13 touchdowns during the season to help lead Seattle to a 9-7 record and a spot in the AFC Wild Card Game.

While Warner would run for 99 yards on 23 carries, it would be quarterback Dave Krieg who would lead the way as he completed 12 of 13 passes for 200 yards and threw three touchdowns to lead Seattle to a 31-7 rout of the Denver Broncos to give the Seahawks their first playoff victory and a trip to Miami to take on the Dolphins.

Seattle entered the game as a touchdown underdog but caught a break in the weather as the temperature at kickoff was only 51 degrees and it was rainy with a 20 miles per hour wind from the north.

These weather conditions seemed to favor Seattle more than Miami as the Dolphins would have to rely on the right arm of Marino while Seattle could feed it as much as possible to Warner to win the game.

The Dolphins got the ball to start the game and drove from their 16-yard-line to the Seahawks' 33-yard-line primarily because of Marino who did not show any nerves for his first NFL playoff start as he hit his first four passes for 34 yards.

However, the drive would stall at the Seattle 33, forcing Shula to either try to a long field goal against a 20 miles per hour wind or punt it away.

Shula played it safe and punted the ball to the Seahawks, who took over at their four-yard-line and drove to their 37-yard-line before punting the ball back to the Dolphins, who would begin their next possession at their own 20-yard-line.

This time the Dolphins drove down the field primarily on the running game as Woody Bennett, Audra Franklin, and David Overstreet combined to run the ball eight times for 43 yards on a 12-play, 80-yard drive that culminated with Marino's first career postseason touchdown pass, a 15-yard strike to tight end Dan Johnson.

The Dolphins would fail to convert the extra point as holder Don Strock mishandled the snap, keeping it a 6-0 game with 12:37 left in the second quarter.

In his first career NFL playoff game, Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino completed 15 of 25 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

The Seahawks would respond immediately as Zachary Dixon returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards to the Miami 38-yard-line to set up a six-play, 38-yard drive that ended with a Seattle touchdown as Krieg hit running back Cullen Bryant for a six-yard touchdown that with Norm Johnson's extra point gave Seattle a 7-6 lead with 9:19 left in the first half.

The Dolphins would get the ball back at their 26-yard-line and would drive 74 yards in seven plays to retake the lead as Marino connected with Duper for a 32-yard touchdown to give Miami a 13-7 lead with 5:43 left before halftime.

Following the ensuing kickoff, the Seahawks took over at their 34-yard-line and went to Warner to help them drive down the field as the rookie running back would carry the ball four times for 20 yards and catch one pass for 10 yards to lead Seattle to the Miami 31-yard-line with a chance to put some points on the board.

However, the Seahawks would go away from Warner and back to the air as Krieg would throw three straight incomplete passes, forcing Johnson to come and attempt a 48-yard field goal.

But the kick wouldn't get off the ground as Dolphins cornerback William Judson would block the kick, giving Miami possession at their 31-yard-line with 48 seconds left in the half.

Miami would drive down to the Seattle 42-yard-line until Marino was intercepted by Seahawks free safety John Harris to allow for Seattle to take a knee and go into the locker room down 13-7.

After the Seahawks punted on their opening possession of the second half, the Dolphins would take over at their 34-yard-line and would be at exactly midfield after Marino hit Duper for 16 yards on the first play of the drive.

But on the very next play, Overstreet would be hit by Seahawks linebacker Greg Gaines to knock the ball loose which was recovered by Harris to give the ball back to Seattle at the Seattle 45-yard-line.

On this drive, Krieg would come up huge as he completed two key passes on two 3rd down situations first hitting Paul Johns for 28 yards on a 3rd & 8 from the Miami 42-yard-line, then connected with fullback Dan Doornick for 10 yards on another 3rd & 8 at the Miami 11-yard-line, leading directly to an one-yard touchdown run by Warner to give Seattle a 14-13 lead midway through the third quarter.

Following an exchange of punts, the Dolphins were pinned back at their three-yard-line as they drove to their 29-yard-line when Marino was picked off the second time in the game, this time by Seahawks cornerback Kerry Justin on the final play of the third quarter.

The Seahawks would begin the fourth quarter at the Miami 49-yard-line and drive 40 yards in seven plays before having to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Johnson, which increased Seattle's lead to 17-13 with 10:42 left in the fourth quarter.

Seahawks running back Curt Warner carried the ball 29 times for 113 yards and scored two touchdowns. 

Seattle still had a 17-13 lead with 4:44 left in the fourth quarter when the Seahawks committed thier first turnover as Krieg was intercepted by Dolphins cornerback Gerald Small, whose 18-yard return set up shop for the Dolphins at the Seattle 16-yard-line.

Three plays later, the Dolphins were in the end zone as Bennett ran it in from three yards out to give Miami a 20-17 lead with 3:43 left in regulation.

Now the pressure was on the underdog Seahawks to see if they could respond with either a field goal to tie the game or a touchdown to retake the lead as they begin their ensuing possession at their 34-yard-line.

That is when all-pro wide receiver Steve Largent, who had not caught a pass all day, made his presence felt as he caught a 16-yard pass from Krieg on 3rd & 2 from the Seattle 42-yard-line to give the Seahawks a 1st down at the Miami 42-yard-line, then caught a 40-yard bomb on the very next play to give Seattle a 1st & goal at the Dolphins' two-yard-line.

Krieg would then pitch the ball out to Warner, who took it around the right side to give the lead back to Seattle at 24-20 with 1:48 left on the clock.

It seemed like the situation was set up for Marino to try and lead the Dolphins down the field for the winning score, but the Dolphins would not get the ball as kick returner Fulton Walker fumbled the football after he was hit by Seahawks special teamer Mark Hicks.

The fumble was recovered by linebacker Sam Merriman to give Seattle the ball at the Miami 27-yard-line with a chance to pick up a 1st down to ice the game with 1:39 left.

However, Warner picked up only eight yards on three straight runs, forcing the Seahawks to settle for a 37-yard field goal by Johnson which increased Seattle's lead to 27-20 with 1:19 left.

Seeking redemption for his fumble on the previous kickoff, Walker tried to make something happen on the ensuing kickoff but would fumble the ball for the second straight time, this time after a hit by Eric Lane, which was recovered by Doornick at the Miami 22-yard-line, allowing for Krieg to take a couple of knees and ran out the clock to complete the stunning 27-20 victory for the Seahawks.

Seattle would advance to their first and only AFC Championship Game(they moved to the NFC in 2002 where they have since played in three NFC Championship Games) where they would lose to the Los Angeles Raiders 30-14 to end their Cinderella run.

The following year, the two teams would meet again in the Divisional Round, this time with the Dolphins winning 31-10 as Marino would three touchdown passes in the game.

Seahawks head coach Chuck Knox is carried off the field after Seattle beat Miami in the 1983 Playoffs.