1971 NFC Championship Game

For the game played in January 1971 to determine the NFC champion for the 1970 season, see 1970 NFC Championship Game.

1971 NFC Championship Game

San Francisco 49ers (9-5) Dallas Cowboys (11–3) 3 14 Head coach: Dick Nolan Head coach: Tom Landry
1 2 3 4 Total SF 0 0 3 0 3 DAL 0 7 0 7 14
Date	January 2, 1972
Stadium	Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
Referee	Tommy Bell
Attendance	63,409
TV in the United States
Network	CBS
Announcers	Jack Buck and Pat Summerall

The 1971 NFC Championship Game was the second title game ^{[lower-alpha 1]} of the National Football Conference. Played on January 2, 1972, the game was hosted by the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys who, in a rematch of the inaugural NFC title game played the previous season, played the NFC West champion San Francisco 49ers at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. Along with the 1971 AFC Championship Game played on the same day, this game constituted the penultimate round of the 1971-72 NFL playoffs which had followed the 1971 regular season of the National Football League.

Dallas defeated San Francisco 14-3 ^[1] to repeat as NFC champions and earn the right to represent the conference in Super Bowl VI.

Background

This was a rematch of the first NFC Championship Game played the previous season in San Francisco. At the time, the NFL rotated hosting rights to playoff games between division champions. Under this format, the NFC East champion Cowboys had the right to host the 1971 title game. It was the fourth title game played by the Cowboys, ^{[lower-alpha 2]} and the 49ers' second title game appearance as an NFL team after the preceding season's game. ^{[lower-alpha 3]}

Dallas won the NFC East with an 11–3 regular season record and defeated the NFC Central champion Minnesota Vikings 20–12 at Metropolitan Stadium in the Divisonal Round to advance to the NFC Championship game. San Francisco won the NFC West with a 9–5 regular season record and defeated the NFC East runner-up Washington Redskins 24–20 at Candlestick Park in the Divisonal Round to reach the NFC title game. This was also the Cowboys' first season at the brand new Texas Stadium in the Dallas suburb of Irving, Texas. Since the Cowboys were on the road for the Divisional Round, the title game in San Francisco was the first NFL playoff game at Texas Stadium.

As was the case in 1970, these teams did not play each other the 1971 regular season, thus their most recent meeting was Dallas' win in the 1970 NFC title game. Their most recent regular season game, which was on November 27, 1969, at the Cowboys' former home, the Cotton Bowl, had ended in a 24–24 tie.

Game summary

In the first playoff game at Texas Stadium, the Cowboys defense dominated the 49ers offense by allowing only 61 rushing yards and 9 first downs, and forcing 3 interceptions.

In the second quarter, Dallas defensive end George Andrie intercepted a screen pass from John Brodie and returned it 7 yards to the 49ers 2-yard line to set up Calvin Hill's 1-yard touchdown run. This would be the only score of the game until 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 eventually finished the 14-play, 80-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, making the score 14-3.

With 9 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, the Cowboys received a visit in the locker room from former U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, who told Staubach "You're the best. They should rename this place Staubach stadium." ^[2]

Scoring

• First quarter
  • no scoring
• Second quarter
  • DAL – Hill 1 run (Clark kick) DAL 7–0
• Third quarter
  • SF – field goal Gossett 28 DAL 7–3
• Fourth quarter
  • DAL – Thomas 2 run (Clark kick) DAL 14–3

Aftermath

The NFC champion Cowboys made their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. Dallas defeated the Miami Dolphins of the American Football Conference 24-3 in Super Bowl VI to win their first Super Bowl.

The Cowboys would make two more consecutive appearances in the NFC title game, but would lose both. After a one year absence from the title game, the Cowboys would capture their second NFC championship in 1975.

The 49ers would once again lose to the Cowboys the following year in the playoffs, this time in the Divisional Round. After that, they would not return to the postseason until 1981, when they finally beat Dallas in the NFC title game en route to their first Super Bowl victory.

Notes

1. In this series of articles, title game refers to pre-merger AFL and NFL Championship Games up to and including the 1969 season as well as post-merger AFC and NFC Championship Games from the 1970 season onward.
2. In addition to the 1970 NFC Championship Game, the Cowboys had previously appeared in the first two NFL title games of the Super Bowl era, losing both times to the Green Bay Packers.
3. The San Francisco 49ers appeared in (and lost) the final championship game of the All-America Football Conference, which San Francisco played in from 1946-49 prior to joining the NFL. The NFL does not recognize AAFC records as part of its own.

References

1. "Pro Football Reference".
2. Lyndon B. Johnson

See also

• 1971 AFC Championship Game
• NFC Championship Game
• 1971-72 NFL playoffs
• 1971 NFL season
• National Football Conference
• National Football League