NFL game summary for 10/10/1971:
Gale Sayers returned to action for the first time since the fourth game of the 1970 season and ran eight times for 30 yards as the Bears rushed for 202 yards and Kent Nix produced 15 completions for 242 yards and two touchdowns to keep Chicago in a first-place tie in the NFC Central Division.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 132.0 (10) | 135.3 (18) | 267.3 (18) | 5 |
| DEFENSE | 139.7 (18) | 141.7 (9) | 281.3 (14) | 6 | |
 | OFFENSE | 63.0 (24) | 126.7 (21) | 189.7 (26) | 11 |
| DEFENSE | 190.0 (23) | 144.7 (11) | 334.7 (21) | 12 |
Line: Bears by 8
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints (1-2-1) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Chicago Bears (3-1-0) | 7 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
( 0- 7) CHI Bob Wallace 25 yard pass from Kent Nix (Mac Percival kick) ( 7- 7) NO James Ford 1 yard rush (Charlie Durkee kick) ( 7-14) CHI Dick Gordon 35 yard pass from Kent Nix (Mac Percival kick) ( 7-21) CHI George Farmer 23 yard pass from Don Shy (Mac Percival kick) ( 7-28) CHI Don Shy 1 yard rush (Mac Percival kick) ( 7-35) CHI George Seals 0 yard fumble return (Mac Percival kick) (14-35) NO Hoyle Granger 11 yard rush (Charlie Durkee kick)
NO CHI
First Downs: 18 26
Rushes-yards: 20-75 47-202
Yards/rush: 3.8 4.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 16-33-224-2 16-28-265-1
Sacked-yards: 4-36 4-40
Net pass yards: 188 225
Net yards/pass: 5.1 7.0
Total net yards: 263 427
Total plays: 57 (35% run) 79 (59% run)
Yards/play: 4.6 5.4
Fumbles-lost: 4-2 4-2
Turnovers: 4 3
Penalties-yards: 3-35 6-47
Attendance: 55,049
Passing:
NO: Edd Hargett, 14 of 25 for 179 yards (1 int); Archie Manning, 2 of 8 for 45 yards (1 int) CHI: Kent Nix, 15 of 27 for 242 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Don Shy, 1 of 1 for 23 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
NO: James Ford, 8 for 36 yards and 1 TD; Tony Baker, 5 for 8 yards; Hoyle Granger, 4 for 14 yards and 1 TD; Archie Manning, 3 for 17 yards CHI: Cyril Pinder, 11 for 65 yards; Don Shy, 11 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Gale Sayers, 8 for 30 yards; Jim Grabowski, 7 for 20 yards; Bill Tucker, 5 for 23 yards; Kent Nix, 3 for 0 yards; Doug Buffone, 1 for 19 yards; George Farmer, 1 for 11 yards
Receiving:
NO: Dave Parks, 4 for 78 yards; Hoyle Granger, 4 for 24 yards; Al Dodd, 3 for 71 yards; Bob Gresham, 2 for 16 yards; Danny Abramowicz, 1 for 18 yards; Bob Newland, 1 for 11 yards; Don Burchfield, 1 for 6 yards CHI: Dick Gordon, 8 for 139 yards and 1 TD; George Farmer, 3 for 74 yards and 1 TD; Bob Wallace, 3 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Cyril Pinder, 1 for 9 yards; Jim Grabowski, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
NO: Al Dodd, 3 for 66 yards CHI: Ron Smith, 1 for 16 yards; Cecil Turner, 1 for 13 yards
Punt returns:
CHI: Ron Smith, 2 for 9 yards; Cecil Turner, 1 for 4 yards
Interceptions:
NO: Wayne Colman, 1 for 0 yards CHI: Joe Taylor, 1 for 17 yards; Charlie Ford, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
NO: Julian Fagan, 3 for 139 yards CHI: Bobby Joe Green, 1 for 26 yards
Field Goals:
NO: Charlie Durkee, 0/1 CHI: Mac Percival, 0/1
NO: Edd Hargett, 14 of 25 for 179 yards (1 int); Archie Manning, 2 of 8 for 45 yards (1 int) CHI: Kent Nix, 15 of 27 for 242 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Don Shy, 1 of 1 for 23 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
NO: James Ford, 8 for 36 yards and 1 TD; Tony Baker, 5 for 8 yards; Hoyle Granger, 4 for 14 yards and 1 TD; Archie Manning, 3 for 17 yards CHI: Cyril Pinder, 11 for 65 yards; Don Shy, 11 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Gale Sayers, 8 for 30 yards; Jim Grabowski, 7 for 20 yards; Bill Tucker, 5 for 23 yards; Kent Nix, 3 for 0 yards; Doug Buffone, 1 for 19 yards; George Farmer, 1 for 11 yards
Receiving:
NO: Dave Parks, 4 for 78 yards; Hoyle Granger, 4 for 24 yards; Al Dodd, 3 for 71 yards; Bob Gresham, 2 for 16 yards; Danny Abramowicz, 1 for 18 yards; Bob Newland, 1 for 11 yards; Don Burchfield, 1 for 6 yards CHI: Dick Gordon, 8 for 139 yards and 1 TD; George Farmer, 3 for 74 yards and 1 TD; Bob Wallace, 3 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Cyril Pinder, 1 for 9 yards; Jim Grabowski, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
NO: Al Dodd, 3 for 66 yards CHI: Ron Smith, 1 for 16 yards; Cecil Turner, 1 for 13 yards
Punt returns:
CHI: Ron Smith, 2 for 9 yards; Cecil Turner, 1 for 4 yards
Interceptions:
NO: Wayne Colman, 1 for 0 yards CHI: Joe Taylor, 1 for 17 yards; Charlie Ford, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
NO: Julian Fagan, 3 for 139 yards CHI: Bobby Joe Green, 1 for 26 yards
Field Goals:
NO: Charlie Durkee, 0/1 CHI: Mac Percival, 0/1