y ▁throughout ▁the ▁season ▁and ▁an ▁emer ging ▁John ▁R igg ins ▁in ▁the ▁running ▁game . ▁Miami ▁also ▁caught ▁a ▁sched uling ▁break ▁by ▁facing ▁an ▁O ilers ▁squad ▁in ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁back - to - back ▁ 1 – 1 3 ▁seasons , ▁a ▁Ch arg ers ▁squad ▁beginning ▁a ▁run ▁of ▁four ▁consecutive ▁seasons ▁in ▁the ▁A FC ▁West ▁cell ar , ▁and ▁a ▁Card inals ▁squad ▁which ▁appeared ▁to ▁lack ▁direction ▁by ▁rot ating ▁its ▁starting ▁quarter back s ▁instead ▁of ▁giving ▁the ▁job ▁full - time ▁to ▁Jim ▁Hart . ▁Also , ▁the ▁Dol ph ins ▁caught ▁the ▁Vik ings ▁in ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁a ▁massive ▁transformation ▁following ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁Fran ▁T ark ent on . ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁saw ▁Minnesota ▁miss ▁the ▁play offs ▁for ▁the ▁only ▁time ▁between ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁going ▁ 7 – 7 . ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁NFL ’ s ▁rules ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁also ▁forced ▁the ▁und efe ated ▁Dol ph ins ▁( 1 4 – 0 ) ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁Ste el ers ▁( 1 1 – 3 ) ▁in ▁Pitts burgh ▁for ▁the ▁A FC ▁Championship ▁Game , ▁a ▁game ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁Dol ph ins ▁won ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁Super ▁Bowl . ▁Sub sequ ent ▁rule ▁changes ▁have ▁since ▁changed ▁the ▁play off ▁structure ▁so ▁that ▁this ▁would ▁never ▁happen ▁again . ▁Since ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁season , ▁teams