NFL playoffs, 1971-72
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The NFL playoffs following the 1971 NFL season led up to Super Bowl VI. Like the previous NFL seasons, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly divisional rotation, excluding the wild card teams who would always play on the road. It was the first time that the NFL scheduled games on Christmas Day, eventually leading to an occasional tradition.
Contents |
[edit] Divisional playoffs
[edit] December 25, 1971
[edit] AFC: Miami Dolphins 27, Kansas City Chiefs 24 (2OT)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2OT | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins | 0 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
| Chiefs | 10 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
at Municipal Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- TV: NBC
- Announcers: Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis
- Referee: John McDonough
Starting Quarterbacks:
- Miami Dolphins - Bob Griese 12
- Kansas City Chiefs - Len Dawson 16
In the longest NFL game played to date (and the Chiefs' last-ever game at Municipal Stadium), Miami kicker Garo Yepremian kicked the winning 37-yard field goal after 7:40 of double-overtime. The Chiefs jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter with Jan Stenerud's 24-yard field goal and quarterback Len Dawson's 7-yard touchdown pass to Ed Podolak. But the Dolphins tied the game in the second period with Yepremian's 14-yard field goal and running back Larry Csonka's 1-yard touchdown run. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter before Podolak scored on a 3-yard run in the fourth period. But Miami quarterback Bob Griese threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Marv Fleming to tie the game. Podolak returned the ensuing kickoff 78 yards, giving Stenerud a chance to win the game for the Chiefs in the final minute of regulation, but he missed the field goal attempt and the game went into overtime.
Kansas City took the opening kickoff of the first overtime period, but Stenerud 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked. Yepremian also attempted a 52-yard field goal later in the period but missed.
Podolak's 350 all-purpose yards (8 receptions for 110 yards, 17 carries for 85 yards, 3 kickoff returns for 154 yards) in this game remain an NFL playoff record.
- Scoring
- KC - FG Stenerud 24
- KC - Podolak 7 pass from Dawson (Stenerud kick)
- MIA - Csonka 1 run (Yepremian kick)
- MIA - FG Yepremian 14
- KC - Otis 1 run (Stenerud kick)
- MIA - Kiick 1 run (Yepremian kick)
- KC - Podolak 3 run (Stenerud kick)
- MIA - Fleming 5 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick)
- MIA - FG Yepremian 37
[edit] NFC: Dallas Cowboys 20, Minnesota Vikings 12
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 3 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 20 |
| Vikings | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 12 |
at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota
- TV: CBS
- Referee: Norm Schachter
Starting Quarterbacks:
- Dallas Cowboys - Roger Staubach 12
- Minnesota Vikings - Bob Lee 19
Although the Vikings outgained the Cowboys 311-183, Dallas converted turnovers into 13 points en route to a 20-12 win. The Cowboys jumped to a 6-3 halftime lead after converting a fumble recovery and an intercpetion into field goals. Then, Cliff Harris' 30-yard interception return on the second play of the third quarter set up Duane Thomas' 13-yard touchdown run to give Dallas a 13-3 lead. Quarterback Roger Staubach then extended the lead with his 9-yard touchdown pass to Bob Hayes. The Vikings scored 9 unanswered points in the fourth quarter but it was not enough to make up for the deficit.
- Scoring
- DAL - FG Clark 26
- MIN - FG Cox 27
- DAL - FG Clark 44
- DAL - D. Thomas 13 run (Clark kick)
- DAL - Hayes 9 pass from Staubach (Clark kick)
- MIN - Safety, Page tackled Staubach in end zone
- MIN - Voigt 6 pass from Cuozzo (Cox kick)
[edit] December 26, 1971
[edit] AFC: Baltimore Colts 20, Cleveland Browns 3
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 0 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
| Browns | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
at Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
- TV: NBC
- Referee: Jack Reader
Starting Quarterbacks:
- Baltimore Colts - Johnny Unitas 19
- Cleveland Brows - Bill Nelsen 16
Don Nottingham scoring two touchdowns as the Colts limiting the Browns to only 3 points. Nottingham's first score, a 1-yard touchdown run, was set up after Bubba Smith blocked Cleveland kicker Don Cockroft's 4-yard field goal attempt. Then in the second quarter, Safety Rick Volk's 37-yard interception return set up Nottingham's 7-yard touchdown run. Colts kicker Jim O'Brien also contributed with 2 field goals.
- Scoring
- BAL - Nottingham 1 run (O'Brien kick)
- BAL - Nottingham 7 run (O'Brien kick)
- CLE - FG Cockroft 14
- BAL - FG O'Brien 42
- BAL - FG O'Brien 15
[edit] NFC: San Francisco 49ers 24, Washington Redskins 20
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redskins | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| 49ers | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 24 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco
- TV: CBS
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
Starting Quarterbacks:
- Washington Redskins - Billy Kilmer 17
- San Francisco 49ers - John Brodie 12
The 49ers defense made key plays to lead San Francisco to a 24-20 victory over the Redskins. Washington scored first after Jon Jaqua blocked a punt to set up quarterback Billy Kilmer's 5-yard pass. Then after the teams exchanged field goals, the Redskins took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove to the San Francisco 11-yard line. But on fourth down and inches to go, Frank Nunley tackled Larry Brown for a 2-yard loss. Three plays later, 49ers quarterback John Brodie threw a 78-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Gene Washington to tie the game. Then, Roosevelt Taylor's interception set up Bob Windsor's 2-yard touchdown reception to give San Francisco a 17-10 lead. The 49ers later put the game away in the fourth quarter after defensive tackle Bob Hoskins recovered a bad snap on a Washington punt attempt in the end zone.
- Scoring
- WAS - Smith 5 pass from Kilmer (Knight kick)
- SF - FG Gossett 23
- WAS - FG Knight 40
- SF - Washington 78 pass from Brodie (Gossett kick)
- SF - Windsor 2 pass from Brodie (Gossett kick)
- WAS - FG Knight 35
- SF - Hoskins recovered fumble in end zone
- WAS - Brown 16 pass from Kilmer (Knight kick)
[edit] Conference Championships
[edit] January 2, 1972
[edit] AFC: Miami Dolphins 21, Baltimore Colts 0
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
- TV: NBC
- Referee: Jack Vest
Starting Quarterbacks:
- Baltimore Colts - Johnny Unitas 19
- Miami Dolphins - Bob Griese 12
Although Miami quarterback Bob Griese made only 8 passes, the Dolphins defense shut out the Colts. Defensive back Dick Anderson intercepted 3 passes, returning one of them 62 yards for a touchdown. Paul Warfield recorded a 75-yard touchdown reception midway through the first quarter. Then in the fourth quarter, Griese's 50-yard pass to Warfield set up Larry Csonka's 5-yard touchdown run.
- Scoring
- MIA - Warfield 75 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick)
- MIA - Anderson 62 interception return (Yepremian kick)
- MIA - Csonka 5 run (Yepremian kick)
[edit] NFC: Dallas Cowboys 14, San Francisco 49ers 3
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- TV: CBS
- Referee: Tommy Bell
Starting Quarterbacks:
- San Francisco 49ers - John Brodie 12
- Dallas Cowboys - Roger Staubach 12
In the first playoff game at Texas Stadium, the Cowboys defense dominated the 49ers offense by only allowing 61 rushing yards, 9 first downs, and forcing 3 interceptions. In the second quarter, Dallas defensive end George Andrie intercepted a screen pass at the San Francisco 8-yard line to set up Calvin Hill's 1-yard touchdown run. Then in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys marched 80 yards in 14 plays to score on Duane Thomas' 2-yard touchdown run.
- Scoring
- DAL - Hill 1 run (Clark kick)
- SF - FG Gossett 28
- DAL - Thomas 2 run (Clark kick)
[edit] Super Bowl
[edit] January 16, 1972
- Further information: Super Bowl VI
Dallas Cowboys (NFC) 24, Miami Dolphins (AFC) 3, at Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana
[edit] Bracket
- Note: Prior to the 1975 season, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly rotation.
| Divisional Playoffs | Conf. Championship Games | Super Bowl VI | ||||||||
| December 26 - Candlestick Park | ||||||||||
| Washington Redskins | 20 | |||||||||
| January 2 - Texas Stadium | ||||||||||
| San Francisco 49ers | 24 | |||||||||
| San Francisco 49ers | 3 | |||||||||
| December 25 - Metropolitan Stadium | ||||||||||
| Dallas Cowboys | 14 | |||||||||
| Dallas Cowboys | 20 | |||||||||
| January 16 – Tulane Stadium | ||||||||||
| Minnesota Vikings | 12 | |||||||||
| Dallas Cowboys | 24 | |||||||||
| December 26 - Cleveland Stadium | ||||||||||
| Miami Dolphins | 3 | |||||||||
| Baltimore Colts | 20 | |||||||||
| January 2 - Miami Orange Bowl | ||||||||||
| Cleveland Browns | 3 | |||||||||
| Baltimore Colts | 0 | |||||||||
| December 25 - Municipal Stadium | ||||||||||
| Miami Dolphins | 21 | |||||||||
| Miami Dolphins (2OT) | 27 | |||||||||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 24 | |||||||||
[edit] References
- Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
- The Sporting News Complete Super Bowl Book 1995 (ISBN 0-89204-523-X)
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