NFL Films

It was a dilemma no other NFL team had ever faced: How do you improve on perfection? The 1972 Miami Dolphins became the first team in pro football history to finish a season unbeaten, going 17-0 with a Super Bowl title. That kind of success could make anyone complacent. But head coach Don Shula was not going to allow it. He believed his Dolphins could perform even better. Still, the 1973 Dolphins did not match the same level of success as the season prior. They exceeded it, according to Shula....

Vincent Thomas Lombardi knew how to make a good first impression. One hour into Lombardi's first mini-camp as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, quarterback Bart Starr took a break, ran to the nearest pay phone in the team office, and called his wife. "Honey, we're going to begin to win," Starr said excitedly. That was in 1959. Eight seasons later, Lombardi had transformed the Packers into four-time NFL champions. Still, in January of 1967, there was one more team to play after the NFL title...

The Washington Redskins always possessed a terrific offensive line under coach Joe Gibbs. Era after era, from one Super Bowl to the next, Gibbs' line was a huge, run-blocking, pass-protecting force. Nicknamed "The Hogs," the unit was probably at its best in 1991, allowing Mark Rypien ample time to become the premier long-range passer in the NFL. Over time, Gibbs noticed that Rypien threw an accurate deep ball, so the coach had the quarterback throw less, but go deep more to wide receivers Gary...

They entered Super Bowl IV as 13-point underdogs. But the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs' decisive victory over the Minnesota Vikings put to rest any questions as to whether the fledgling American Football League could compete against the established NFL. It also validated the careers of five future Hall of Fame players and their flamboyant head coach Hank Stram. To become world champions, Kansas City had to overcome more than its share of adversity. Quarterback Len Dawson missed nearly half the...

America's Game uses the insight of Kurt Warner, Dick Vermeil and D'Marco Farr to tell the story of the 1999 Rams. With the humble Warner at the controls, the team's high-powered offense including: Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Marshall Faulk, became known as "The Greatest Show on Turf." Warner saved his best for the game's ultimate stage, throwing for 414 yards and two touchdowns to win.

By the fall of 1979, Pittsburgh was known as the "City of Champions." That October, the Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series, their second championship of the decade. Meanwhile, the Steelers had constructed a dynasty, boasting three world titles over the past five years. The fan base no longer hoped for victories. Now they expected them. So the standards were high for the '79 Steelers. But every player on the team was confident it could meet them. "Once you have the...

Bill Belichick admitted it was one of the toughest coaching decisions he'd ever had to make. Less than a week before the start of the 2003 season, his New England Patriots released Pro Bowl safety and team captain Lawyer Milloy. It was the kind of move that might ruin most teams. But the Patriots weren't like most teams. Plus, New England had a capable replacement at safety in Rodney Harrison. Despite his newcomer status, Harrison won over teammates with his aggressive play, and was voted a...

By 1997, there was little else for John Elway to prove. Entering his 15th NFL season, the Denver quarterback was in third place in most major passing categories, behind only Dan Marino and Fran Tarkenton, and had made the two-minute offense into his own personal playground. But something was missing from Elway's resume: a Super Bowl ring. The Broncos no longer relied on Elway to win games by himself. Terrell Davis, a former sixth-round draft choice, led the AFC in rushing with 1,750 yards and...

In 1976, the Oakland Raiders reached the summit of professional football by defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. It was the culmination of more than a decade of excellence under the leadership of Raiders owner/coach, Al Davis. The 1976 Raiders suffered some early setbacks, losing several defensive linemen to injury. Head coach John Madden found a quick solution, dropping his 4-3 scheme in favor of a 3-4. Offensively, the Raiders had an embarrassment of riches. Four starters --...

The 1985 Chicago Bears were larger than life. They had in-your-face personalities. They boasted Hall of Fame-caliber players. But most importantly, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. Chicago dominated opponents like few others. The Bears offense was a reflection of their hard-nosed head coach, Mike Ditka. First and foremost, Ditka liked to establish the run, with Walter Payton rushing for 1,551 yards on 324 carries. Still, the coach could be creative, too. He occasionally used a...

What's the best way to replace a coaching legend? Quietly. When Bill Walsh retired from the San Francisco 49ers following the 1988 season, the team opted not to sign a big name as his successor. Instead, the organization stayed in-house, hiring defensive coordinator George Seifert. It was perfect casting. The stoic Seifert promptly led the team to new heights in his first year on the job. The 49ers were already a dynasty, winning three Super Bowls over the decade, so Seifert wasn't pressed to...

The 1982 NFL season wasn't a marathon, it was a sprint. A players' strike reduced a 16-week schedule to nine that season, leaving teams scrambling to reach the playoffs. Most clubs appeared frantic and rusty after the layoff. But the Washington Redskins dominated all comers under head coach Joe Gibbs. Washington hired Gibbs in 1981, and just one season later, had molded the team in his hardnosed image. The offensive line, nicknamed "The Hogs," was equally adept at blasting holes for fullback...