Miami Dolphins
Vs.
Atlanta Falcons
August 19, 1967
FALCONS DEFEAT DOLPHINS, 27-17
Interception Sets Up Key Score in Last Period
TOMMY FITZGERALD
Maimi Press
MIAMI- The Miami Dolphins blew a 17-10 lead in the last quarter to lose to the Atlanta Falcons 27-17 before a record Dolphin crowd of 50,822 in the first game ever played by the American League Dolphins with a National League rival. It was a meeting of pro football’s one year old expansion teams.
For the third time in four exhibition games, John Stofa took over after another quarterback candidate had failed to move the team. As he had done in second half appearances against Denver and Buffalo, Stofa directed the Dolphins into the lead.
When he assumed command in the middle of the second quarter Saturday night the Dolphins perked up and Stofa maneuvered them into a 17-10 advantage going into the final period.
Behind rookie Bob Griese (one completion and two interceptions in six tosses), who was making his first start, the Dolphins lost the ball twice on fumbles, twice on pass interceptions and got no further than their 40-yard line.
Stofa replaced Griese halfway through the second quarter with the Falcons leading 10-0. He completed nine of 17, five of his first seven. With the help of a pass-interference call, he set up two touchdowns sneaking across one himself from the one. In all, Stofa led Miami to scores three out of the first four times they had the ball and turned the contest around.
Atlanta, with Terry Nofsinger taking over for quarterback Randy Johnson,
closed to within four points on a 35 yard field goal by Wade Traynham
with 3:09 gone in the fourth quarter.
On the second play after the ensuing kickoff, Stofa dropped back to
pass, hesitated and then threw the ball. It
was intercepted at the Miami 25 by 6-7 rookie end Leo Carroll who was
downed on the 20. Five plays later, Junior Coffey went over from the
five for the score that put
the Falcons ahead, 19-17, with 8:14 left.
Atlanta added another score when the Dolphins electing to gamble to retain possession of the ball and passed on fourth down with 2:35 to go from their own 10 instead of kicking. This gave Atlanta the ball on the 10 and, three plays later, Terry Nofsinger flipped an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Taz Anderson.
Expansion team mistakes. Atlanta's Preston Ridlehuber fumbles above and Bill Delaney (68) below.
Atlanta's Tommy Nobis gets after Miami Quarterback John Stofa.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Falcons | 7 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 27 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 17 |
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
ATL- Wheelwright 22 yard pass from Johnson (Traynham kick)
Second Quarter
ATL- FG Traynham 25
MIA- Price 2 run (Mingo kick)
Third Quarter
MIA- Stofa 1 run
MIA- FG 42 Mingo
Fourth Quarter
ATL- FG Traynham 35
ATL- Coffey 5 run (Parker kick)
ATL- Anderson 8 yard pass from Nofsinger (Parker kick)
Att- 50,822
