The defending NFL champion Dolphins, representing the AFC for the third straight year, scored the first two times they had possession on marches of 62 and 56 yards while the Miami defense limited the Vikings to only seven plays in the first period.
Larry Csonka climaxed the initial 10-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown bolt through right guard after 5:27 had elapsed. Four plays later, Miami began another 10-play scoring drive, which ended with Jim Kiick bursting one yard through the middle for another touchdown after 13:38 of the period.
Garo Yepremian added a 28-yard field goal midway in the second period for a 17-0 Miami lead.
Minnesota then drove from its 20 to a second-and-2 situation on the Miami seven yard line with 1:18 left in the half. But on two plays, Miami limited Oscar Reed to 1 yard.
On fourth-and-1 from the 6, Reed went over right tackle, but Dolphins middle linebacker Nick Buoniconti jarred the ball loose and Jake Scott recovered for Miami to halt the Minnesota threat.
The Vikings were unable to muster enough offense in the second half to threaten the Dolphins.
Csonka rushed 33 times for a Super Bowl-record 145 yards.
Bob Griese of Miami completed 6 of 7 passes for 73 yards.
SCORING
Minnesota 0 0 0 7 -- 7
Miami 14 3 7 0 -- 24
MIA- Csonka 5 run (Yepremian kick), 5:27 1st
MIA- Kiick 1 run (Yepremian kick), 13:38 1st
MIA- FG Yepremian 28, 8:58 2nd
MIA- Csonka 2 run (Yepremian kick), 6:16 3rd
MIN- Tarkenton 4 run (Cox kick), 1:35 4th
TEAM STATISTICS Minn. Miami
Total First Downs 14 21
Rushing 5 13
Passing 8 4
Penalty 1 4
Total Net Yardage 238 259
Total Offensive Plays 54 61
Average Gain per Offensive Play 4.4 4.2
Rushes 24 53
Yards Gained Rushing (Net) 72 196
Average Yards per Rush 3.0 3.7
Passes Attempted 28 7
Passes Completed 18 6
Had Intercepted 1 0
Tackled Attempting to Pass 2 1
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass 16 10
Yards Gained Passing (Net) 166 63
Punts 5 3
Average Distance 42.2 39.7
Punt Returns 0 3
Punt Return Yardage 0 20
Kickoff Returns 4 2
Kickoff Return Yardage 69 47
Interception Return Yardage 0 10
Fumbles 2 1
Own Fumbles Recovered 1 1
Opponent Fumbles Recovered 0 1
Penalties 7 1
Yards Penalized 65 4
Total Points Scored 7 24
Touchdowns 1 3
Rushing 1 3
Passing 0 0
Returns 0 0
Extra Points 1 3
Field Goals 0 1
Field Goals Attempted 0 1
Safeties 0 0
Third-Down Efficiency 8/15 4/11
Fourth-Down Efficiency 0/1 1/1
Time of Possession 26:15 33:45
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Minnesota No. Yds. LG TD
Reed 11 32 9 0
Foreman 7 18 5 0
Tarkenton 4 17 8 1
Marinaro 1 3 3 0
B. Brown 1 2 2 0
Miami No. Yds. LG TD
Csonka 33 145 16 2
Morris 11 34 14 0
Kiick 7 10 5 1
Griese 2 7 5 0
Passing
Minnesota Att. Comp. Yds. TD Int.
Tarkenton 28 18 182 0 1
Miami Att. Comp. Yds. TD Int.
Griese 7 6 73 0 0
Receiving
Minnesota No. Yds. LG TD
Foreman 5 27 10 0
Gilliam 4 44 30 0
Voigt 3 46 17 0
Marinaro 2 39 27 0
B. Brown 1 9 9 0
Kingsriter 1 9 9 0
Lash 1 9 9 0
Reed 1 -1 1 0
Miami No. Yds. LG TD
Warfield 2 33 27 0
Mandich 2 21 13 0
Briscoe 2 19 13 0
Interceptions
Minnesota No. Yds. LG TD
None -- -- -- --
Miami No. Yds. LG TD
Johnson 1 10 10 0
Punting
Minnesota No. Avg. LG Blk.
Eischeid 5 42.2 48 0
Miami No. Avg. LG Blk.
Seiple 3 39.7 57 0
Punt Returns
Minnesota No. FC Yds. LG TD
Bryant 0 1 0 ** 0
Miami No. FC Yds. LG TD
Scott 3 1 20 12 0
Kickoff Returns
Minnesota No. Yds. LG TD
Gilliam 2 41 21 0
West 2 28 15 0
Miami No. Yds. LG TD
Scott 2 47 31 0
Minnesota Vikings Miami Dolphins
== Offense ==
Tingelhoff, Mick C Langer, Jim C
Gallagher, Frank G Kuechenberg, Bob G
White, Ed G Little, Larry G
Alderman, Grady T Evans, Norm T
Yary, Ron T Moore, Wayne T
Voigt, Stu TE Mandich, Jim TE
Dale, Carroll WR Briscoe, Marlin WR
Gilliam, John WR Warfield, Paul WR
Foreman, Chuck RB Csonka, Larry RB
Reed, Oscar RB Morris, Mercury RB
Tarkenton, Fran QB Griese, Bob QB
== Defense ==
Larsen, Gary DT Fernandez, Manny DT
Page, Alan DT Heinz, Bob DT
Eller, Carl DE Den Herder, Vern DE
Marshall, Jim DE Stanfill, Bill DE
Hilgenberg, Wally OLB Kolen, Mike OLB
Winston, Roy OLB Swift, Douglas OLB
Siemon, Jeff MLB Buoniconti, Nick MLB
Bryant, Bobby CB Johnson, Curtis CB
Wright, Nate CB Mumphord, Lloyd CB
Krause, Paul FS Scott, Jake FS
Wright, Jeff SS Anderson, Dick SS
== Substitute ==
Brown, Terry Babb, Charlie
Brown, Bill Ball, Larry
Cox, Fred Bannon, Bruce
Eischeid, Mike Crusan, Doug
Goodrum, Charlie Fleming, Marv
Kingsriter, Doug Foley, Tim
Lash, Jim Goode, Irv
Lurtsema, Bob Kiick, Jim
Marinaro, Ed Matheson, Bob
Martin, Amos Moore, Maulty
Osborn, Dave Morrall, Earl
Porter, Ron Newman, Ed
Sutherland, Doug Nottingham, Don
West, Charlie Seiple, Larry
Stuckey, Henry
Twilley, Howard
Yepremian, Garo
== Did Not Play ==
Ballman, Gary Sellers, Ron
Berry, Bob
Lawson, Steve
Zaunbrecher, Godfrey