1968 Game 14 — JETS 31, Dolphins 7

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Randy's Radar

1968 Game 14 — JETS 31, Dolphins 7

Published: Sat, October 25, 2008 - 6:04pm EDT
Randy Lange

By Randy Lange

Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J.


File Under: matt, Miami, bob, Season, Larry, jim, Frank, Rick, Turner,, 1968, Emerson, Boozer,, Dolphins,, Snell,, Ramos,, Griese,, Norton,, Csonka,, Kiick,

10/25 — This is the 14th in a series of Radar entries on the 16 games of the Jets' 1968 Super Bowl III season:   

Sunday, Dec. 15, 1968    

Orange Bowl, Miami, Fla. (32,843)

Jim Turner booted a field goal and three extra points to boost his league-leading point total to 145, fifth-best single season in pro history, as the Jets registered an easy final victory over the Dolphins. Miami QB Bob Griese sat out with a knee injury as the Dolphins scored only once on rookie Larry Csonka's second-quarter touchdown plunge. (Rookie in CAPS below.)

  1 2   3   4 Tot
 JETS (11-3) 10   7   7   7 31
 Miami Dolphins (5-8-1) 0   7   0   0 7
Qtr Team Scoring Play
1 NYJ Matt Snell 6 run (Jim Turner kick)
1 NYJ Turner 49 FG
2 NYJ Emerson Boozer 1 run (Turner kick)
2 MIA LARRY CSONKA 1 run (Doug Moreau kick)
3 NYJ Pete Lammons 3 pass from Babe Parilli (Turner kick)
4 NYJ Bill Mathis 2 run (Turner kick)

Game Trivia

■ Regular season complete. Fewest losses ever (discounting 6-3 of the 1982 strike season), most wins until 11 in 1985 and 12 in 1998. Thus, best winning percentage in franchise history (.786).

■ Namath got the win and Rick Norton took the loss. Norton, the Kentucky QB picked second overall  in the 1966 AFL draft, started and lost one game each year to Namath from 1966-69, with all four games played at Miami.

■ The Jets defense allowed a season-low 137 yards. Two Dolphins rookie RBs contributed: Jim Kiick was the leading rusher (22 yards on 12 carries) and Larry Csonka scored their only TD.

Quote Now

Public relations director Frank Ramos: “We clinched the AFL East title on Thanksgiving Day when Houston lost. The last three games of the season, Weeb played the regulars mainly in the first half. And the last three games of the season, Namath didn’t play at all in the second half. What we were trying do was get people healthy. You only had 40 men on a team at that time, so it was an opportunity for reserves to get experience and for us to rest people going into the playoffs.”

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mike ex jet fan Said:

Sat, October 25, 2008 - 7:18pm EDT

" Cont . Mickey MC You were in such a rush to criticize me you didn't get the true meaning of the message .. Take deep breath read it slow then analyze it take your time .. Cause I do understand u rather be mad at me then whats truly going on...... Tick tock tick tock ... Get back 2 me K... "

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scjoe Said:

Sat, October 25, 2008 - 9:23pm EDT

"Randy, the Jets scored a lot of points that year, but I don't think they lead the league in scoring, but if I remember correctly didn't they lead the league in total defense?"

Offensive Comment?

Sun, October 26, 2008 - 8:54am EDT

Randy Lange Said:

"The Jets were second in the AFL regular season with 419 points to the Raiders 453, scjoe. And you are correct that they had the league's No. 1 defense. They allowed 3,363 yards that season to nose out the Houston Oilers at 3,375."

mike ex jet fan Said:

Sun, October 26, 2008 - 12:41pm EDT

"Cont, On off topic... Reason for being so critical of the team is ... Only consistency they have shown is 1 disappointment after the other. Last week was just another in the annals of the jets debacles ... "

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