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.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:92%; text-align:center;"
! Away team !! Score !! Home team !! Date !! Kickoff<br>(ET / UTC–5) !! TV
|-
! colspan="6"|Divisional playoffs
|-
| 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
|-
! colspan="6"|Conference Championships
|-
| San Francisco 49ers || 3–14 || Dallas Cowboys || January 2, 1972 || 1:30 p.m. || CBS
|-
| Baltimore Colts || 0–21 || Miami Dolphins || January 2, 1972 || 4:30 p.m. || NBC
|-
! colspan="6"|Super Bowl VI<br><small>Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana</small>
|-
| Dallas Cowboys || 24–3 || Miami Dolphins || January 16, 1972 || 2:30 p.m. || CBS
|}
Divisional playoffs
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.
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. This was the only score of the game until the middle of<!--6:52 remained in--> the third quarter, when Brodie's 24-yard completion to tight end Ted Kwalick set up Bruce Gossett's 28-yard field goal.
Following a missed 47-yard field goal by Gossett on San Francisco's next drive, Dallas QB Roger Staubach finished the quarter with a 17-yard completion to halfback Dan Reeves. Then he started off the fourth with a 23-yard pass to tight end Billy Truax. Duane Thomas completed the 14-play, 80-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run for a 14–3 lead, and the final score.
With nine minutes left in regulation, the Dallas defense took over the rest of the game, forcing turnovers on San Francisco's last three drives. First, linebacker Chuck Howley broke up a 4th down pass. Then on San Francisco's next possession, Brodie was intercepted by linebacker Lee Roy Jordan. Finally, after Mike Clark's 24-yard field goal attempt was blocked by 49ers linebacker Frank Nunley, safety Cliff Harris picked off a pass from Brodie that enabled Dallas to run out the clock.
After the game, Dallas received a visit in the locker room from former President Lyndon Johnson, who told Staubach, "You're the best. They should rename this place Staubach stadium."
This was the second postseason meeting between the 49ers and Cowboys, with Dallas winning both.