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1971 Dallas Cowboys season
NFL team season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 1971 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League (NFL), the first at the new Texas Stadium in suburban Irving, Texas, and the 12th season under head coach Tom Landry. The Cowboys led the NFL with 406 points scored. Their defense allowed 222 points.
For the sixth consecutive season, the Cowboys had a first-place finish. They won their second-consecutive NFC championship, then defeated the Miami Dolphins 24–3 in Super Bowl VI to capture their first Super Bowl championship. They were the first team from the NFC to win a Super Bowl since the 1970 merger of the NFL and the American Football League (AFL), and subsequently, the first team from the NFC East division to win the title.
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NFL draft
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The 1971 NFL draft was one of the worst in the history of the franchise, although the Cowboys recovered draft choices by trading Tody Smith and Ike Thomas to other teams. Third-round selection Bill Gregory played seven seasons with the Cowboys, winning two Super Bowl rings. Eighth-round selection Ron Jessie was cut after the Cowboys acquired San Diego Chargers All-Pro Lance Alworth, but went on to enjoy a long and successful NFL career with the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams.
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Preseason
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Season recap
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The Cowboys opened the new Texas Stadium with a 44–21 win over the New England Patriots on Oct. 24. Duane Thomas scored the first touchdown, a 56-yard run two minutes and 16 seconds after the start of the game. Attendance was 65,708 persons.
The team entered the season still having the reputation of "not being able to win the big games" and "next year's champion". The Super Bowl V loss added more fuel to that widely held view. As in the previous season, Dallas had a quarterback controversy as Roger Staubach and Craig Morton alternated as starting quarterback (in a loss to the Bears in game 7, Morton and Staubach alternated plays).[2] The Cowboys were 4–3 at the season midpoint. But after head coach Tom Landry settled on Staubach, the Cowboys won their last seven regular season games to finish with an 11–3 record.

Staubach finished the regular season as the NFL's top rated passer (101.8) by throwing for 1,882 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions. He was also a terrific rusher, gaining 343 yards and 2 touchdowns on 41 carries. Said Cold Hard Football Facts of Staubach's 1971 season, "Staubach finally out-jockeyed Craig Morton for the starting gig with the Cowboys in 1971 and instantly produced one of the greatest passing seasons in history. The numbers are not big and gaudy, but they were ruthlessly efficient –- the 104.8 passer rating truly amazing in a season in which the average rating was 62.2. His 8.9 [yards-per-attempt] in the regular season is phenomenal in any era of the NFL, as was his 18 [touchdowns] against a meager 4 [interceptions] (including postseason). The Cowboys did not lose a single one of Staubach's 13 starts in 1971 and –- most impressively –- he lifted the proverbial "team that couldn't win the big game" to its long-awaited first NFL championship.[...]"[3]
Dallas also had an outstanding trio of running backs, Walt Garrison, Duane Thomas, and Calvin Hill, who rushed for a combined total of 1,690 yards and 14 touchdowns during the season. Garrison led the team in receptions during the season. (Thomas, upset that the Cowboys would not renegotiate his contract after his excellent rookie year, had stopped talking to the press and to almost everyone on the team). Wide receivers Bob Hayes and Lance Alworth also provided a deep threat, catching a combined total of 69 passes for 1,327 yards and 10 touchdowns. The offensive line, anchored by all-pro tackle Rayfield Wright, Pro Bowlers John Niland and Ralph Neely, and #64 Tony Liscio who was coaxed out of retirement by Tom Landry after Ralph Neely got injured off the field, was also a primary reason for their success on offense. (Neely had broken his leg in November in a dirt-bike accident, and was replaced first by Gregg and then by Tony Liscio, who came out of retirement.)
The Dallas defense (nicknamed the "Doomsday Defense") had given up only one touchdown in the last 25 quarters prior to the Super Bowl. Their defensive line was anchored by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bob Lilly, who excelled at pressuring quarterbacks and breaking up running plays. Dallas also had an outstanding trio of linebackers: Pro Bowler Chuck Howley, who recorded 5 interceptions and returned them for 122 yards; Dave Edwards 2 interceptions; and Lee Roy Jordan, who recorded 2 interceptions. The Cowboys secondary was led by 2 future hall of fame cornerbacks Herb Adderley (6 interceptions for 182 return yards) and Mel Renfro (4 interceptions for 11 yards). Safeties Cliff Harris and Pro Bowler Cornell Green also combined for 4 interceptions. After the 1971 season, Bob Lilly would play in the last of his last Pro Bowl games, despite being selected after the 1972 and 1973 seasons. Lilly would also score his final career touchdown in a 42–7 smashing of The Philadelphia Eagles. Lilly retired with the NFL record for scoring the most TDs by a defensive lineman with 4.
- September 26, 1971 – Herb Adderley became the first Cowboy to have three interceptions in one game.
- October 11, 1971 – The Cowboys earned their first win on Monday Night Football by defeating the New York Giants 20–13, which was also the last game the Cowboys played in the Cotton Bowl.
Schedule
Division opponents are in bold text
Standings
- Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Game summaries
Week 1
Week One: Dallas Cowboys (0–0) at Buffalo Bills (0–0)
at War Memorial Stadium • Buffalo, New York
- Date: September 19
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C) • Wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)
- Referee: Fred Swearingen
- TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and Eddie LeBaron
- Box Score
Week 2
- Date: September 26
- Location: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C); wind 7 mph (11 km/h)
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and Eddie LeBaron
Q2 | DAL | Hill 1 yard run (Clark kick) | DAL 7–0 | |
Q2 | DAL | Lilly 7 yard fumble return (Clark kick) | DAL 14–0 | |
Q2 | DAL | Garrison 4 yard pass from Morton (Clark kick) | DAL 21–0 | |
Q3 | DAL | Richardson 16 yard pass from Morton (Clark kick) | DAL 28–0 | |
Q4 | DAL | Morton 2 yard run (Clark kick) | DAL 35–0 | |
Q4 | DAL | Welch 2 yard run (Clark kick) | DAL 42–0 | |
Q4 | PHI | Nelson 102 yard field goal return (Feller kick) | DAL 42–7 |
Week 3
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Week 4
- Date: October 11
- Location: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
- Game start: 8:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C) • Wind 7 mph (11 km/h)
- Referee: Tommy Bell
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell, and Don Meredith
1 | DAL | Mike Clark 42-yard field goal | Cowboys 3–0 | |
1 | NYG | Pete Gogolak 35-yard field goal | Tie 3–3 | |
2 | DAL | Mike Clark 41-yard field goal | Cowboys 6–3 | |
2 | NYG | Pete Gogolak 20-yard field goal | Tie 6–6 | |
2 | DAL | Billy Truax 4-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Mike Clark kick) | Cowboys 13–6 | |
3 | DAL | Bob Hayes 48-yard pass from Craig Morton (Mike Clark kick) | Cowboys 20–6 | |
4 | NYG | Clifton McNeil 24-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Pete Gogolak kick) | Cowboys 20–13 |
Last game at the Cotton Bowl
Week 6
- Date: October 24
- Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C) • Wind 6 mph (9.7 km/h)
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph and Dave Kocourek
1 | DAL | Duane Thomas 56-yard run (Mike Clark kick) | Cowboys 7–0 | |
1 | DAL | Mike Clark 16-yard field goal | Cowboys 10–0 | |
1 | NE | Jim Nance 1-yard run (Charlie Gogolak kick) | Cowboys 10–7 | |
2 | DAL | Roger Staubach 2-yard run (Mike Clark kick) | Cowboys 17–7 | |
2 | DAL | Mike Clark 17-yard field goal | Cowboys 20–7 | |
2 | DAL | Bob Hayes 35-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Mike Clark kick) | Cowboys 27–7 | |
2 | DAL | Bob Hayes 28-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Mike Clark kick) | Cowboys 34–7 | |
4 | DAL | Mike Clark 12-yard field goal | Cowboys 37–7 | |
4 | NE | Randy Vataha 33-yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Charlie Gogolak kick) | Cowboys 37–14 | |
4 | DAL | Joe Williams 2-yard run (Mike Clark kick) | Cowboys 44–14 | |
4 | NE | Tom Beer 31-yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Charlie Gogolak kick) | Cowboys 44–21 |
Dallas' first game at Texas Stadium.
Week 7
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (July 2014) |
Week 8
- Date: November 7
- Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 29 °F (−2 °C); wind 11 mph (18 km/h)
- Referee: Fred Swearingen
Q1 | DAL | Fritsch 27 yard field goal | DAL 3–0 | |
Q2 | STL | Bakken 41 yard field goal | Tie 3–3 | |
Q2 | STL | Williams 11 yard pass from Hart (Bakken kick) | STL 10–3 | |
Q3 | DAL | Fritsch 14 yard field goal | STL 10–6 | |
Q4 | DAL | Ditka 4 yard pass from Staubach (Reeves run) | DAL 13–10 | |
Q4 | STL | Bakken 36 yard field goal | TIE 13–13 | |
Q4 | DAL | Fritsch 26 yard field goal | DAL 16–13 |
Week 9
- Date: November 14
- Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C); wind 17 mph (27 km/h)
- Referee: Jim Tunney
Q1 | DAL | Fritsch 23 yard field goal | DAL 3–0 | |
Q2 | DAL | Thomas 1 yard run (Fritsch kick) | DAL 10–0 | |
Q3 | DAL | Thomas 13 yard run (Fritsch kick) | DAL 17–0 | |
Q4 | DAL | Fritsch 46 yard field goal | DAL 20–0 | |
Q4 | PHI | Liske 1 yard run (Feller kick) | DAL 20–7 |
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Playoffs
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NFC Divisional Playoff
Dallas Cowboys 20, Minnesota Vikings 12
at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota
- Date: December 25, 1971
- 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
NFC Championship Game
Dallas Cowboys 14, San Francisco 49ers 3
at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
- Date: January 2, 1972
- 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
Super Bowl VI
Dallas Cowboys 24, Miami Dolphins 3
at Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Date: January 16, 1972
- Game time: 2:30 p.m. EST/1:30 p.m. CST
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (CBS): Ray Scott and Pat Summerall
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Roster
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Awards and records
- Led NFC, Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed, 1,144 yards
- Led NFL, 401 Points Scored
- Led NFL, 5,035 Total Yards Gained
- Herb Adderley, Three Interceptions in One Game, Club Record
- Roger Staubach, MVP, Super Bowl VI
- Roger Staubach, NFL Passing Leader
- Roger Staubach, Led NFL, 2,786 pass yards
- Roger Staubach, Bert Bell Award[9]
- Roger Staubach, NFC Pro Bowl
- Roger Staubach, All-Pro Quarterback
- Duane Thomas, NFL Touchdown Leader (13 – 11 Rushing, 2 Receiving)
- Chuck Howley, NFC Pro Bowl
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References
External links
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