▁by ▁the ▁NFL ▁on ▁a ▁rot ating ▁basis . ▁Statist ically , ▁the ▁Dol ph ins ’ ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁regular - season ▁oppon ents ▁had ▁an ▁aggregate ▁winning ▁percentage ▁of ▁. 3 9 7 ▁and ▁only ▁two ▁had ▁winning ▁records ▁for ▁that ▁season ▁( both ▁the ▁Kansas ▁City ▁Chief s ▁and ▁New ▁York ▁Gi ants ▁finished ▁ 8 – 6 ). ▁This ▁does ▁not ▁however ▁const itute ▁any ▁record : ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁Minnesota ▁Vik ings , ▁who ▁began ▁ 1 0 – 0 ▁and ▁finished ▁ 1 2 – 2 , ▁played ▁four teen ▁oppon ents ▁with ▁an ▁average ▁winning ▁percentage ▁of ▁. 3 3 2 ▁and ▁nine ▁of ▁their ▁games ▁were ▁against ▁teams ▁ 4 – 1 0 ▁or ▁worse . ▁ ▁The ▁Dol ph ins ▁were ▁benef ici aries ▁of ▁a ▁weak ▁A FC ▁East ▁which ▁saw ▁the ▁Col ts ▁lap se ▁from ▁a ▁per enn ial ▁cont ender ▁into ▁a ▁three - year ▁stretch ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁would ▁win ▁only ▁ 1 1 ▁games ; ▁a ▁B ills ▁team ▁which ▁had ▁yet ▁to ▁find ▁its ▁legs ▁with ▁O . J . ▁Sim pson ▁and ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁coach ▁Lou ▁S aban ; ▁a ▁d ys function al ▁Patri ots ▁organization ▁which ▁had ▁little ▁to ▁no ▁talent ▁to ▁surr ound ▁former ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁overall ▁draft ▁choice ▁Jim ▁Pl unk ett ; ▁and ▁a ▁J ets ▁squad ▁with ▁a ▁por ous ▁defense , ▁offset ting ▁the ▁benefits ▁of ▁Joe ▁Nam ath ▁remaining ▁health