The National Football League playoffs for the 1971 season began on December 25, 1971. The postseason tournament concluded with the Dallas Cowboys defeating the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI, 24–3, on January 16, 1972, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Like the previous NFL seasons, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly divisional rotation, excluding the wild card teams which 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.
Participants
Bracket
Schedule In the United States, NBC broadcast the AFC playoff games, while CBS televised the NFC games and Super Bowl VI.
Round Away team Score Home team Date Kickoff(ET / UTC−5) TV Divisional round Dallas Cowboys 20–12 Minnesota Vikings December 25, 1971 1:00 p.m. CBS Miami Dolphins 27–24 Kansas City Chiefs December 25, 1971 4:00 p.m. NBC Baltimore Colts 20–3 Cleveland Browns December 26, 1971 1:00 p.m. NBC Washington Redskins 20–24 San Francisco 49ers December 26, 1971 4:00 p.m. CBS Conference championships San Francisco 49ers 3–14 Dallas Cowboys January 2, 1972 1:30 p.m. CBS Baltimore Colts 0–21 Miami Dolphins 4:30 p.m. NBC Super Bowl VI Dallas Cowboys 24–3 Miami Dolphins January 16, 1972 1:00 p.m. CBS
Divisional round
Saturday, December 25, 1971
NFC: Dallas Cowboys 20, Minnesota Vikings 12
Although the Vikings outgained the Cowboys in total yards 311–183, Dallas forced 5 turnovers and converted some of them into 13 points en route to a 20–12 win.
Early in the first quarter, Larry Cole forced a fumble from Dave Osborn that was recovered by fellow lineman Jethro Pugh on the Vikings 36-yard line. Dallas then drove to the Minnesota 19, mainly on the strength of an 18-yard completion from Roger Staubach to Bob Hayes, before defensive tackle Alan Page's 3rd down sack forced them to settle for Mike Clark's 26-yard field goal that gave them a 3–0 lead. The Vikings responded with a 27-yard field goal by Fred Cox that tied the score.
In the second quarter, the Vikings got a big chance to take the lead when quarterback Bob Lee completed a 49-yard pass to Bob Grim on the Dallas 29-yard line. But linebacker Chuck Howley ended the drive with an interception, returning the ball 26 yards to the Vikings 37, and the Cowboys drove to a 44-yard Clark field goal that put them up 6–3. Minnesota had another chance to score as Clint Jones returned the kickoff 61 yards, but all this would result in was 3 incomplete passes and a missed 41-yard field goal attempt by Cox.
Early in the second half, Cliff Harris intercepted a pass from Lee and returned it 30 yards to the Vikings 13-yard line, setting up Duane Thomas' 13-yard touchdown run to give Dallas a 13–3 lead. Minnesota had a big chance to get back in the game when Charlie West returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards, but this merely resulted in another missed field goal try by Cox, this one a 46-yard attempt. Late the third quarter, Dallas safety Charlie Waters returned a punt 24 yards to the Cowboys 48, sparking their only sustained drive of the second half. Moving the ball 52 yards, including a 30-yard completion from Staubach to Lance Alworth on 3rd and 15, Dallas went up 20–3 on Staubach's 9-yard touchdown pass to Hayes.
Still, Minnesota was not quite out of the game. Early in the 4th quarter, Paige sacked Staubach in the end zone for a safety. Then Vikings coach Bud Grant replaced Lee with Gary Cuozzo, who led the team to the Dallas 19 after the free kick. But Cowboys linebacker Lee Roy Jordan made a clutch interception that essentially put the game away. Cuozzo did manage to lead the team to a touchdown on a 6-yard pass to tight end Stu Voigt, making the score 20–12, but by then barely more than 2 minutes remained on the clock.
This was the first postseason meeting between the Cowboys and Vikings.
AFC: Miami Dolphins 27, Kansas City Chiefs 24 (2OT)
In the longest NFL game played to date at 82 minutes, 40 seconds (in game time) (and the Chiefs' last game at Municipal Stadium), Miami kicker Garo Yepremian kicked the winning 37-yard field goal after 7:40 of the second overtime period.
The Chiefs opened up the scoring with Jan Stenerud's 24-yard field goal. 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, 10–10.
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 linebacker 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 Fleming, 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 32 yards wide right, and Miami regained the ball for their final possession in regulation. The Dolphins were unable to move the ball, and Larry Seiple punted back to the Chiefs. Podolak signaled for a fair catch, but Dennis Homan caught the punt as time expired in regulation. Chiefs Coach Hank Stram mistakenly thought his team had an opportunity for a free kick from 68 yards, which, if good, would have resulted in a game-winning field goal (according to the rules, there is no option for a free kick if the player signaling for a fair catch does not catch the ball). Fearing a return by Miami speedster Mercury Morris if Stenerud's kick fell short, Kansas City declined, and the game went to 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's 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked. Yepremian also attempted a 52-yard field goal later in the period, but it was short. As the first overtime period came to an end, Dolphins safety Jake Scott intercepted a pass from Dawson on the Chiefs 46. But the team was unable to move the ball and had to punt. Following a Kansas City punt, Csonka's 29-yard run set up Yepremian's game-winning score.
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 one yard) 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 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 Csonka rushed 24 times for 86 yards and linebacker Nick Buoniconti racked up 20 tackles. Kansas City would not reach the playoffs again until 1986 nor reach the Divisional Round until 1991.
This was the first postseason meeting between the Dolphins and Chiefs.
Sunday, December 26, 1971
AFC: Baltimore Colts 20, Cleveland Browns 3
Don Nottingham scored two touchdowns for the Colts, while their defense limited the Browns to only 165 yards, 11 first downs, and 3 points.
However, the Browns had plenty of scoring chances early in the game. On their first series, quarterback Bill Nelsen completed a 39-yard pass to Fair Hooker, but Rex Kern forced and recovered a fumble from him on the Colts 12-yard line. Baltimore had to punt on their ensuing drive, and Leroy Kelly's 48-yard return gave the Browns a first down on the Colts 4. All the Browns got from this field position though, was a 16-yard field goal attempt from Don Cockroft that was blocked by defensive tackle Bubba Smith (who would also block another field goal later on.)
After the blocked field goal, the Colts drove 93 yards in 17 plays, including a 7-yard run by Nottingham on 4th and inches, to score on Nottingham's 1-yard touchdown run. Later in the second quarter, Baltimore safety Rick Volk intercepted a pass from Nelsen and returned it 37 yards to the Browns 15-yard line, setting up Nottingham's second touchdown run on a 7-yard burst.
After three consecutive drives in the third quarter ended in turnovers, Cleveland finally got on the board with a 14-yard field goal by Cockroft. But Baltimore stormed right back on 74-yard drive to go up 17–3 on a field goal by Jim O'Brien. O'Brien added a 14-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to finish off the scoring.
Nottingham was the sole offensive star for either team with 92 rushing yards, 5 receiving yards, and two scores.
This would be the Colts' last postseason win representing Baltimore. The franchise moved to Indianapolis in 1984 and did not win a playoff game in their new home until 1995.
This was third postseason meeting between the Colts and Browns, all of which were in Cleveland. The teams split their previous two meetings. +Tied 1–1 in all-time playoff games
NFC: San Francisco 49ers 24, Washington Redskins 20
The 49ers defense made key plays to lead San Francisco to a 24–20 victory over the Redskins after trailing 10–3 at the end of the half.
Washington scored first after Jon Jaqua blocked a punt from Steve Spurrier, enabling his team to take over on the 49ers 28. This set up quarterback Billy Kilmer's 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jerry Smith. San Francisco responded with a 23-yard field goal from Bruce Gossett, but Speedy Duncan returned the ensuing kickoff 37 yards to set up a field goal for the Redskins, a 40-yard kick by Curt Knight. With the score at 10–3 and time running out in the half, Ted Vactor returned a punt 48 yards to the 49ers 11-yard line. But with 32 seconds left, receiver Roy Jefferson was dropped for a 13-yard loss by defensive end Cedrick Hardman on an end around play, and Knight's ensuing field goal attempt was blocked by linebacker Frank Nunley
Duncan returned the second half kickoff 66 yards to the San Francisco 34, but the 49ers made a key defensive stand, stopping Washington on the 12 when Nunley tackled Larry Brown for a 2-yard loss on 4th and inches. Three plays later, facing 3rd down and 1, quarterback John Brodie threw a deep pass that went just over the outstretched arms of defensive back Pat Fischer and into the arms of receiver Gene Washington, who caught the ball in stride at the 40 and took off for a 78-yard touchdown reception. Then on the next series, Roosevelt Taylor's interception set up Bob Windsor's 2-yard touchdown reception to give San Francisco a 17–10 lead.