1971–72 NFL playoffs

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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, a decision that drew considerable criticism.

Bracket

Note: Prior to the 1975 season, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly rotation of division winners.

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

Divisional playoffs

December 25, 1971

AFC: Miami Dolphins 27, Kansas City Chiefs 24 (2OT)

Game summary

	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	Total
Dolphins	0	10	7	7	0	3	27
Chiefs	10	0	7	7	0	0	24

at Municipal Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/3:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C), partly cloudy
Game attendance: 45,822
Referee: John McDonough
TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis

Game information
Scoring KC – field goal Stenerud 24 KC 3–0 KC – Podolak 7 pass from Dawson (Stenerud kick) KC 10–0 MIA – Csonka 1 run (Yepremian kick) KC 10–7 MIA – field goal Yepremian 14 10–10 KC – Otis 1 run (Stenerud kick) KC 17–10 MIA – Kick 1 run (Yepremian kick) 17–17 KC – Podolak 3 run (Stenerud kick) KC 24–17 MIA – Fleming 5 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) 24–24 MIA – field goal Yepremian 37 MIA 27–24

Game information

Scoring
- KC – field goal Stenerud 24 KC 3–0
- KC – Podolak 7 pass from Dawson (Stenerud kick) KC 10–0
- MIA – Csonka 1 run (Yepremian kick) KC 10–7
- MIA – field goal Yepremian 14 10–10
- KC – Otis 1 run (Stenerud kick) KC 17–10
- MIA – Kick 1 run (Yepremian kick) 17–17
- KC – Podolak 3 run (Stenerud kick) KC 24–17
- MIA – Fleming 5 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) 24–24
- MIA – field goal Yepremian 37 MIA 27–24

In the longest NFL game played to date at 82 minutes, 40 seconds^[1] (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 opened up the scoring with Jan Stenerud's 24-yard field goal. Then Chiefs defensive back Willie Lanier intercepted a pass from Bob Griese and returned it 17 yards to set up Len Dawson's 7-yard touchdown pass to Ed Podolak, increasing the lead to 10–0. However, Griese rallied the Dolphins back on their next drive, completing a 23-yard pass to Paul Warfield and a 16-yarder to tight end Marv Fleming on the way to Larry Csonka's 1-yard touchdown run. Shortly before halftime, the Dolphins defense recovered a fumble from Podolak deep in Chiefs territory, enabling Garo Yepremian to kick a 14-yard field goal to tie the game.

Kansas City retook the lead in the third quarter, on a 15-play, 75-yard drive that took 10 minutes off the clock and ended with Jim Otis' 1-yard score. Miami responded quickly though, storming right back to tie the game with a 1-yard touchdown run from Jim Kiick.

In the fourth quarter, Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti recovered a fumble to give his team a big scoring opportunity. But Kansas City took the ball right back when safety Jim Lynch intercepted Griese's pass on the Chiefs 9-yard line. Kansas City then stormed 91 yards, including a 63-yard completion from Dawson to rookie receiver Elmo Wright to retake the lead, 24–17, with Podolak's 3-yard touchdown run. Miami struck right back as Griese completed passes to Warfield for gains of 17 and 26 yards before finishing the 71-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Flemming, tying the game at 24 with 1:25 left in regulation. Podolak returned the ensuing kickoff 78 yards to the Dolphins 22-yard line before being shoved out of bounds by Miami's Curtis Johnson, giving Stenerud a chance to win the game for the Chiefs in the final minute of regulation. But he missed the field goal attempt from 31 yards and the game went into overtime.

Kansas City took the opening kickoff of the first overtime period, and Podolak returned it to the 46-yard line. Kansas City then drove into scoring range, but Stenerud 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked. Yepremian also attempted a 52-yard field goal later in the period, but missed. Csonka's 29-yard run in the second overtime period set up Yepremian's game-winning score.^[2]

Podolak's 350 all-purpose yards (8 receptions for 110 yards, 17 carries for 85 yards, 3 kickoff returns for 154 yards, two punt returns for two yards) in this game remain an NFL playoff record, and is still the fourth highest total in NFL history. "I don't think any one player in a big game, a monumental game like that, had a day like Eddie Podolak had," said Chiefs coach Hank Stram after the game. Chiefs running back Wendell Hayes added 100 rushing yards, while Wright caught 3 passes for 104 yards. Dolphins receiver Paul Warfield finished with 7 receptions for a career postseason high 140 yards, while Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti racked up 20 tackles.

NFC: Dallas Cowboys 20, Minnesota Vikings 12

Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	3	3	14	0	20
Vikings	0	3	0	9	12

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: 31 °F (−1 °C), mostly cloudy
Game attendance: 47,307
Referee: Norm Schachter
TV announcers (CBS): Jack Whitaker and Irv Cross

Game information
Scoring DAL – field goal Clark 26 DAL 3–0 MIN – field goal Cox 27 3–3 DAL – field goal Clark 44 DAL 6–3 DAL – D. Thomas 13 run (Clark kick) DAL 13–3 DAL – Hayes 9 pass from Staubach (Clark kick) DAL 20–3 MIN – Safety, Page tackled Staubach in end zone DAL 20–5 MIN – Voigt 6 pass from Cuozzo (Cox kick) DAL 20–12

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 interception 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.

December 26, 1971

AFC: Baltimore Colts 20, Cleveland Browns 3

Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	0	14	3	3	20
Browns	0	0	3	0	3

at Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
Game attendance: 70,734
Referee: Jack Reader
TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and Kyle Rote

Game information
Scoring BAL – Nottingham 1 run (O'Brien kick) BAL 7–0 BAL – Nottingham 7 run (O'Brien kick) BAL 14–0 CLE – field goal Cockroft 14 BAL 14–3 BAL – field goal O'Brien 42 BAL 17–3 BAL – field goal O'Brien 15 BAL 20–3

Don Nottingham scored two touchdowns as the Colts limited 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.

NFC: San Francisco 49ers 24, Washington Redskins 20

Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Redskins	7	3	3	7	20
49ers	0	3	14	7	24

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco

Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST/1:00 p.m. PST
Game attendance: 45,327
Referee: Pat Haggerty
TV announcers (CBS): Ray Scott and Pat Summerall

Game information
Scoring WAS – Smith 5 pass from Kilmer (Knight kick) WAS 7–0 SF – field goal Gossett 23 WAS 7–3 WAS – field goal Knight 40 WAS 10–3 SF – Washington 78 pass from Brodie (Gossett kick) 10–10 SF – Windsor 2 pass from Brodie (Gossett kick) SF 17–10 WAS – field goal Knight 35 SF 17–13 SF – Hoskins recovered fumble in end zone SF 24–13 WAS – Brown 16 pass from Kilmer (Knight kick) SF 24–20

Game information

Scoring
- WAS – Smith 5 pass from Kilmer (Knight kick) WAS 7–0
- SF – field goal Gossett 23 WAS 7–3
- WAS – field goal Knight 40 WAS 10–3
- SF – Washington 78 pass from Brodie (Gossett kick) 10–10
- SF – Windsor 2 pass from Brodie (Gossett kick) SF 17–10
- WAS – field goal Knight 35 SF 17–13
- SF – Hoskins recovered fumble in end zone SF 24–13
- WAS – Brown 16 pass from Kilmer (Knight kick) SF 24–20

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.

Conference championships

January 2, 1972

AFC Championship: Miami Dolphins 21, Baltimore Colts 0

Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	0	0	0	0	0
Dolphins	7	0	7	7	21

at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

Game time: 4:30 p.m. EST
Game attendance: 76,622
Referee: Jack Vest
TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis

Game information
Scoring MIA – Warfield 75 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick) MIA 7–0 MIA – Anderson 62 interception return (Yepremian kick) MIA 14–0 MIA – Csonka 5 run (Yepremian kick) MIA 21–0

Although Miami quarterback Bob Griese completed only 4 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.

NFC Championship: Dallas Cowboys 14, San Francisco 49ers 3

Game summary

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

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Game time: 1:30 p.m. EST/12:30 p.m. CST
Game attendance: 63,409
Referee: Tommy Bell
TV announcers (CBS): Jack Buck and Pat Summerall

Game information
Scoring DAL – Hill 1 run (Clark kick) DAL 7–0 SF – field goal Gossett 28 DAL 7–3 DAL – Thomas 2 run (Clark kick) DAL 14–3

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.

Box scores

NFC championship game

Super Bowl VI: Dallas Cowboys 24, Miami Dolphins 3

Further information: Super Bowl VI

Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys (NFC)	3	7	7	7	24
Dolphins (AFC)	0	3	0	0	3

at Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana

Date: January 16, 1972
Game attendance: 81,023
Referee: Jim Tunney
TV announcers (CBS): Ray Scott and Pat Summerall

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)

Notes

External links

Article from Sportslifer's Worldpress blog

1971 NFL season

East	Central	West	East	Central	West
Baltimore	Cincinnati	Denver	Dallas	Chicago	Atlanta
Buffalo	Cleveland	Kansas City	NY Giants	Detroit	Los Angeles
Miami	Houston	Oakland	Philadelphia	Green Bay	New Orleans
New England	Pittsburgh	San Diego	St. Louis	Minnesota	San Francisco
NY Jets			Washington

v t e National Football League playoffs

Conference Tiebreakers

1941 1943 1947 1950 1952 1957 1958 1965

NFL Playoff Tournament System

1967 1968 1969

1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80

1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90

1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00

2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10

2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14

American Football League playoffs

Post-season streaks Post-season droughts AFC Wild Card Playoff Game broadcasters AFC Divisional Playoff Game broadcasters AFC Championship Game broadcasters AFL Championship Game broadcasters NFC Wild Card Playoff Game broadcasters NFC Divisional Playoff Game broadcasters NFC Championship Game broadcasters NFL Championship Game broadcasters Playoff Bowl broadcasters Super Bowl broadcasters NFL playoff results NFL starting quarterback playoff records NFL head coach playoff records

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