NFL game summary for 01/17/1971:

The merger between the NFL and the American Football League had been completed in 1970 with Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Baltimore moving from their old haunts to the AFC. The Colts promptly took to their new surroundings by winning the conference. Even though the old AFL had two Super Bowl victories in a row, NFL partisans could take consolation in the fact that one of their old teams was bound to win the rubber game.

Defense and mistakes dominated the first quarter, but Dallas managed to put three points on the board with a 14-yard Mike Clark field goal. Early in the second quarter, Clark added a 30-yarder to bring the score to 6-0 Cowboys.

A few moments later came the play that most typified the afternoon. Colts quarterback John Unitas launched a long pass down the center meant for receiver Eddie Hinton. Hinton reached for it and then showed the crowd what could happen if his hands were made of cast iron. Dallas defender Mel Renfro took a turn at the deflected football but only succeeded in changing its direction slightly. Like a fat pigeon coming to roost, the ball fell tenderly into the hands of Colts tight end John Mackey who suppressed his surprise in time to run the remaining distance into the end zone and complete a 75-yard comedy act. The coda came when Jim O'Brien's placekick was blocked to leave the score knotted at six.

The next time Baltimore got the ball, Unitas received a sound thwacking to the ribs from Cowboy George Andrie. The blow was sufficient to separate Johnny U. from the football at the 29-yard line and to send him to the sideline for the remainder of the day. Craig Morton, suffering through a 12-for26, three interception passing day, moved his team to the seven where, despite a sore arm, he was able to lay a touchdown pass into the hands of Duane Thomas. After the reliable Clark did his duty, the score stood 13-6 at the half.

Those hoping for more stylish play in the second half were abashed to see Baltimore's Jim Duncan fumble away the kickoff. Dallas then drove to the shadow of the goal line where Thomas fumbled the ball back at the one. After that, things settled into a pattern of futility, with neither Morton nor Earl Morrall, subbing for Unitas, able to move his team. But with about eight minutes to go, Morton passed to Walt Garrison who batted the ball to Baltimore's Rich Volk at the Dallas twenty. Volk ran it back to the three, from where Tom Nowatzke bulled his way over for a touchdown. O'Brien's kick tied the game, making the prospect of overtime ineptitude a frightening possibility.

But Morton was up to the challenge. With only 1:09 left he threw a pass to Mike Curtis at the Dallas 41, perhaps not suspecting that Curtis played for the Colts. Curtis waltzed to the 28. Two running plays did nothing but collect seconds from the clock. Then, with five precious ticks remaining, O'Brien kicked a 32-yard field goal to settle the game in favor of the Colts, 16-13.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Team		Rush Yds/Gm	Pass Yds/Gm	Tot Yds/Gm	Turnovers
	OFFENSE	164.3  (1)	153.5  (16)	317.8  (4)	28
	DEFENSE	118.3  (10)	136.6  (3)	254.9  (4)	39
	OFFENSE	95.4  (23)	199.9  (3)	295.3  (8)	36
	DEFENSE	102.8  (6)	171.9  (21)	274.6  (9)	34

Line: Colts by 2½

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Dallas Cowboys (12-5-0)	3	10	0	0	13
Baltimore Colts (14-2-1)	0	6	0	10	16

                     DAL             BAL
First Downs:         10              14
Rushes-yards:        31-102          13-69
Yards/rush:          3.3             5.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     12-26-127-3     11-25-260-3
Sacked-yards:        2-14            0-0
Net pass yards:      113             260
Net yards/pass:      4.0             10.4
Total net yards:     215             329
Total plays:         59 (52% run)    38 (34% run)  
Yards/play:          3.6             8.7
Fumbles-lost:        1-1             5-3
Turnovers:           4               6
Penalties-yards:     10-133          4-31

Attendance: 79,204