Watch Marino Passing Record, all 36 Attempts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjOwGg-tsJs
76,000 at the Orange Bowl watched the Miami Dolphins cruise by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Marino threw four touchdown passes for what was then an AFC championship game record. His 421 yards passing was also a record.
Marino was helped by the Steelers who committed four turnovers. On the Pittsuburgh’s first possession, which lasted five minutes, quarterback Mark Malone attempted to connect with John Stallworth in the end zone, but the pass was intercepted by William Judson for the Dolphins. He returned the ball to the 33 yard line.
Four plays later, Marino took the snap at the Steelers 40. Pittsburgh blitzed, but Marino was able to get his pass off to Mark Clayton in the end zone.
In the second quarter Miami’s Mark Duper scored on a 41 yard pass from Marino. As the first half ended, the Steelers had controlled the ball four minutes longer than the Dolphins, but trailed 24-14.
Early in the third quarter Marino escaped another Pittsburgh blitz and found Duper again in the end zone for a 36 yard touchdown.
Statistically, Malone didn’t have bad game either. He was 20-36 and picked up 312 passing yards, but they were mostly “gimme” passes as the Dolphins were willing to allow passes forshort yardage, protecting against long gains. Miami also intercepted two more of Malone’s throws.
Marino’s record came in the fourth quarter when he threw 6 yards to Nat Moore. For the game, the Dolphin’s quarterback completed 21 of 32 passes attempted, including 8 passes that running back Tony Nathan caught for 114 yards. Nathan also scored a touchdown on a 2 yard run.
Two weeks later, the Dolphins lost to the San Francisco Forty-niners in the Super Bowl. It was Marino’s only appearance in the big game.