NFL game summary for 10/24/1971:
Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach threw a pair of touchdown passes to Bob Hayes and scored another himself as the Cowboys opened their new stadium in suburban Irving, Texas. Among the spectators were former President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson and Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower, widow of the late President Eisenhower.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 122.0 (11) | 100.4 (25) | 222.4 (24) | 12 |
| DEFENSE | 166.6 (21) | 149.8 (12) | 316.4 (22) | 8 | |
 | OFFENSE | 142.0 (10) | 199.6 (4) | 341.6 (3) | 18 |
| DEFENSE | 94.6 (7) | 174.4 (18) | 269.0 (10) | 22 |
Line: Cowboys by 19
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots (2-4-0) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| Dallas Cowboys (4-2-0) | 10 | 24 | 0 | 10 | 44 |
( 0- 7) DAL Duane Thomas 56 yard rush (Mike Clark kick) ( 0-10) DAL Mike Clark 16 yard field goal ( 7-10) NE Jim Nance 1 yard rush (Charlie Gogolak kick) ( 7-17) DAL Roger Staubach 2 yard rush (Mike Clark kick) ( 7-20) DAL Mike Clark 17 yard field goal ( 7-27) DAL Bob Hayes 35 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Mike Clark kick) ( 7-34) DAL Bob Hayes 28 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Mike Clark kick) ( 7-37) DAL Mike Clark 12 yard field goal (14-37) NE Randy Vataha 33 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Charlie Gogolak kick) (14-44) DAL Joe Williams 2 yard rush (Mike Clark kick) (21-44) NE Tom Beer 31 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Charlie Gogolak kick)
NE DAL
First Downs: 17 20
Rushes-yards: 24-76 34-168
Yards/rush: 3.2 4.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 16-29-228-1 16-25-241-0
Sacked-yards: 5-45 1-3
Net pass yards: 183 238
Net yards/pass: 5.4 9.2
Total net yards: 259 406
Total plays: 58 (41% run) 60 (56% run)
Yards/play: 4.5 6.8
Fumbles-lost: 2-2 2-0
Turnovers: 3 0
Penalties-yards: 4-59 5-58
Attendance: 65,708
Passing:
NE: Jim Plunkett, 16 of 29 for 228 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) DAL: Roger Staubach, 13 of 21 for 197 yards and 2 TDs; Craig Morton, 3 of 4 for 44 yards
Rushing:
NE: Jim Nance, 9 for 27 yards and 1 TD; Carl Garrett, 7 for 22 yards; Jack Maitland, 4 for 11 yards; Jim Plunkett, 2 for 15 yards; Bob Gladieux, 2 for 1 yard DAL: Walt Garrison, 15 for 70 yards; Duane Thomas, 7 for 61 yards and 1 TD; Dan Reeves, 4 for 7 yards; Joe Williams, 3 for 7 yards and 1 TD; Roger Staubach, 2 for 15 yards and 1 TD; Claxton Welch, 2 for 12 yards; Lance Alworth, 1 for -4 yards
Receiving:
NE: Randy Vataha, 7 for 107 yards and 1 TD; Roland Moss, 2 for 24 yards; Tom Beer, 1 for 31 yards and 1 TD; Bob Gladieux, 1 for 25 yards; Alfred Sykes, 1 for 15 yards; Ron Sellers, 1 for 12 yards; Hubie Bryant, 1 for 11 yards; Carl Garrett, 1 for 6 yards; Jim Nance, 1 for -3 yards DAL: Bob Hayes, 3 for 83 yards and 2 TDs; Joe Williams, 2 for 45 yards; Lance Alworth, 2 for 38 yards; Margene Adkins, 2 for 24 yards; Mike Ditka, 2 for 20 yards; Walt Garrison, 2 for 1 yard; Billy Truax, 1 for 19 yards; Duane Thomas, 1 for 12 yards; Claxton Welch, 1 for -1 yards
Kick returns:
NE: Carl Garrett, 6 for 172 yards; Ron Gardin, 2 for 45 yards; Hubie Bryant, 1 for 28 yards DAL: Cliff Harris, 2 for 66 yards; Claxton Welch, 1 for 39 yards
Punt returns:
NE: Hubie Bryant, 1 for 4 yards; Ron Gardin, 1 for 4 yards DAL: Charlie Waters, 1 for 6 yards; Margene Adkins, 1 for 2 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Chuck Howley, 1 for 18 yards
Punting:
NE: Tom Janik, 6 for 249 yards DAL: Ron Widby, 3 for 141 yards
Field Goals:
DAL: Mike Clark, 3/4
NE: Jim Plunkett, 16 of 29 for 228 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) DAL: Roger Staubach, 13 of 21 for 197 yards and 2 TDs; Craig Morton, 3 of 4 for 44 yards
Rushing:
NE: Jim Nance, 9 for 27 yards and 1 TD; Carl Garrett, 7 for 22 yards; Jack Maitland, 4 for 11 yards; Jim Plunkett, 2 for 15 yards; Bob Gladieux, 2 for 1 yard DAL: Walt Garrison, 15 for 70 yards; Duane Thomas, 7 for 61 yards and 1 TD; Dan Reeves, 4 for 7 yards; Joe Williams, 3 for 7 yards and 1 TD; Roger Staubach, 2 for 15 yards and 1 TD; Claxton Welch, 2 for 12 yards; Lance Alworth, 1 for -4 yards
Receiving:
NE: Randy Vataha, 7 for 107 yards and 1 TD; Roland Moss, 2 for 24 yards; Tom Beer, 1 for 31 yards and 1 TD; Bob Gladieux, 1 for 25 yards; Alfred Sykes, 1 for 15 yards; Ron Sellers, 1 for 12 yards; Hubie Bryant, 1 for 11 yards; Carl Garrett, 1 for 6 yards; Jim Nance, 1 for -3 yards DAL: Bob Hayes, 3 for 83 yards and 2 TDs; Joe Williams, 2 for 45 yards; Lance Alworth, 2 for 38 yards; Margene Adkins, 2 for 24 yards; Mike Ditka, 2 for 20 yards; Walt Garrison, 2 for 1 yard; Billy Truax, 1 for 19 yards; Duane Thomas, 1 for 12 yards; Claxton Welch, 1 for -1 yards
Kick returns:
NE: Carl Garrett, 6 for 172 yards; Ron Gardin, 2 for 45 yards; Hubie Bryant, 1 for 28 yards DAL: Cliff Harris, 2 for 66 yards; Claxton Welch, 1 for 39 yards
Punt returns:
NE: Hubie Bryant, 1 for 4 yards; Ron Gardin, 1 for 4 yards DAL: Charlie Waters, 1 for 6 yards; Margene Adkins, 1 for 2 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Chuck Howley, 1 for 18 yards
Punting:
NE: Tom Janik, 6 for 249 yards DAL: Ron Widby, 3 for 141 yards
Field Goals:
DAL: Mike Clark, 3/4