NFL playoffs, 1970-71

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The NFL playoffs following the 1970 NFL season led up to Super Bowl V.

This was the first playoff tournament after the AFL-NFL Merger. An eight-team playoff tournament was designed, with four clubs from each conference qualifying. Along with the three division winners in each conference, one wild card team, the second place team with the best record from each conference, was added to the tournament. The first round was named the Divisional Playoffs, while the Conference Championship games were moved to the second playoff round and the Super Bowl became the league's championship game.

However, the home teams in the playoffs were still decided based on a yearly divisional rotation, excluding the wild card teams, who would always play on the road. Also, a rule was made that two teams from the same division could not meet in the Divisional Playoffs.

Contents

[edit] Divisional playoffs

[edit] December 26, 1970

[edit] AFC: Baltimore Colts 17, Cincinnati Bengals 0

1 2 3 4 Total
Bengals 0 0 0 0 0
Colts 7 3 0 7 17

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

The Colts defense limited the Bengals to 139 total yards of offense. Meanwhile, Baltimore quarterback Johnny Unitas threw two touchdown passes: a 45-yard completion to Roy Jefferson in the first quarter and a 53-yard reception to Eddie Hinton in the fourth period. Rookie kicker Jim O'Brien contributed a 44-yard field goal in the second quarter.

  • Scoring
    • BAL - Jefferson 45 pass from Unitas (O'Brien kick)
    • BAL - FG O'Brien 44
    • BAL - Hinton 53 pass from Unitas (O'Brien kick)

[edit] NFC: Dallas Cowboys 5, Detroit Lions 0

1 2 3 4 Total
Lions 0 0 0 0 0
Cowboys 3 0 0 2 5

at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

Although they recorded 209 rushing yards, the Cowboys could only manage a field goal and a safety, but managed to shut out the Lions. In the first quarter, Detroit quarterback Greg Landry's fumble set up Dallas kicker Mike Clark's 26-yard field goal to give the Cowboys a 3-0 lead. Then in the final period, Dallas marched 76 yards in 15 plays to advance to the Detroit one-yard line. Rather than kick a field goal on fourth down, the Cowboys elected to give the ball to running back Duane Thomas, and was stopped short of the goal line. But three plays later, Dallas defensive end George Andrie sacked Landry for a safety. The Cowboys then clinched the victory in the final moments with defensive back Mel Renfro's interception at their own 29-yard line.

  • Scoring
    • DAL - FG Clark 26
    • DAL - Safety, Andrie tackled Landry in end zone

[edit] December 27, 1970

[edit] AFC: Oakland Raiders 21, Miami Dolphins 14

1 2 3 4 Total
Dolphins 0 7 0 7 14
Raiders 0 7 7 7 21

at Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California

Quarterback Daryle Lamonica threw two touchdown passes and the Raiders scored 14-points in the second half to defeat the Dolphins, 21-14. In the second quarter, Oakland running back Charlie Smith's fumble set up Miami quarterback Bob Griese's 16-yard touchdown pass to Paul Warfield. The Raiders then tied the game later in the period with Fred Biletnikoff's 22-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Daryle Lamonica. In the third quarter, Oakland cornerback Willie Brown intercepted a Griese pass and returned it 50-yards to the end zone. Later in the final period, Oakland receiver Rod Sherman made an 82-yard touchdown reception to seal the victory.

  • Scoring
    • MIA - Warfield 16 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick)
    • OAK - Biletnikoff 22 pass from Lamonica (Blanda kick)
    • OAK - Brown 50 interception return (Blanda kick)
    • OAK - Sherman 82 pass from Lamonica (Blanda kick)
    • MIA - Richardson 7 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick)

[edit] NFC: San Francisco 49ers 17, Minnesota Vikings 14

1 2 3 4 Total
49ers 7 3 0 7 17
Vikings 7 0 0 7 14

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Quarterback John Brodie lead the 49ers to their first NFL playoff victory by throwing a touchdown and rushing for another. The Vikings scored first when Minnesota defensive back Paul Krause picked San Francisco running back Ken Willard's fumble in midair and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown. But the 49ers scored 17 unanswered points, first with Brodie's 24-yard touchdown pass to Dick Witcher. Then in the second quarter, San Francisco converted a Vikings fumble into Bruce Gossett's 40-yard field goal. Brodie scored the clinching touchdown, a 1-yard run, with 1:20 left.

  • Scoring
    • MIN - Krause 22 fumble return (Cox kick)
    • SF - Witcher 24 pass from Brodie (Gossett kick)
    • SF - FG Gossett 40
    • SF - Brodie 1 run (Gossett kick)
    • MIN - Washington 24 pass from Cuozzo (Cox kick)

[edit] Conference Championships

[edit] January 3, 1971

[edit] AFC: Baltimore Colts 27, Oakland Raiders 17

1 2 3 4 Total
Raiders 0 3 7 7 17
Colts 3 7 10 7 27

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

The Colts sealed the victory in the fourth quarter by intercepting Raiders backup quarterback George Blanda twice, and Baltimore quarterback Johnny Unitas throwing a 68-yard touchdown pass to Ray Perkins. The Colts jumped to a 10-0 lead with kicker Jim O'Brien's 16-yard field goal and Norm Bulaich's 2-yard touchdown run. Then, Oakland starting quarterback Daryle Lamonica was knocked out of the game after suffering a thigh injury in the second quarter. But the Raiders tied the game in the third quarter with Fred Biletnikoff's 38-yard touchdown recepetion. The Colts then took the lead again with another O'Brien field goal and another Bulaich touchdown. Early in the fourth period, Blanda threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Warren Wells, but then threw two interceptions, each in the Baltimore end zone. Unitas' 68-yard touchdown pass to Perkins in the game's final minutes sealed the Colts' victory.

Blanda finished the game with 17 of 32 completions for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 2 interceptions. At 43 years old, he was the oldest quarterback ever to play in a championship game.

  • Scoring
    • BAL - FG O'Brien 16
    • BAL - Bulaich 2 run (O'Brien kick)
    • OAK - FG Blanda 48
    • OAK - Biletnikoff 38 pass from Blanda (Blanda kick)
    • BAL - FG O'Brien 23
    • BAL - Bulaich 11 run (O'Brien kick)
    • OAK - Wells 15 pass from Blanda (Blanda kick)
    • BAL - Perkins 68 pass from Unitas (O'Brien kick)

[edit] NFC: Dallas Cowboys 17, San Francisco 49ers 10

1 2 3 4 Total
Cowboys 0 3 14 0 17
49ers 3 0 7 0 10

at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco

Although Dallas quarterback Craig Morton only completed 7 out of 22 passes for 101 yards, rookie halfback Duane Thomas rushed for 143 yards and Dallas converted two third quarter interceptions into 14 points to defeat the 49ers. After a 3-3 halftime score, Cowboys linebacker Lee Roy Jordan's interception led to Thomas' 13-yard touchdown run. Then Dallas converted Mel Renfro's interception into fullback Walt Garrison's 5-yard touchdown reception. The 49ers cut the lead to 17-10 with quarterback John Brodie's 26-yard touchdown pass to Dick Witcher, but were shut out for the rest of the game.

  • Scoring
    • SF - FG Gossett 16
    • DAL - FG Clark 21
    • DAL - Thomas 13 run (Clark kick)
    • DAL - Garrison 15 pass from Morton (Clark kick)
    • SF - Witcher 26 pass from Brodie (Gossett kick)

[edit] Super Bowl

Further information: Super Bowl V

Baltimore Colts (AFC) 16, Dallas Cowboys (NFC) 13, at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

[edit] Bracket

  Divisional Playoffs Conf. Championships Super Bowl V
                           
  WC  Dolphins 14  
W  Raiders 21  
  W  Raiders 17  
AFC
  E  Colts 27  
C  Bengals 0
  E  Colts 17  
    A  Colts 16
  N  Cowboys 13
  WC  Lions 0  
E  Cowboys 5  
  E  Cowboys 17
NFC
  W  49ers 10  
W  49ers 17
  C  Vikings 14  

[edit] References

Preceded by
AFL playoffs, 1969		 NFL playoffs
1970-71		 Succeeded by
NFL playoffs, 1971-72
Preceded by
NFL playoffs, 1969
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