NFL game summary for 12/05/1971:
Baltimore equaled its club record of three shutouts in a season with a second-half surge which downed Buffalo. DE Billy Newsome made his second interception in as many games and this one was good for a 19-yard TD return. John Unitas threw his first TD pass of the season, to Ray Perkins.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 97.6 (24) | 138.0 (21) | 235.6 (23) | 36 |
| DEFENSE | 189.7 (26) | 153.1 (13) | 342.8 (26) | 19 | |
 | OFFENSE | 160.5 (4) | 138.6 (20) | 299.1 (8) | 32 |
| DEFENSE | 77.3 (1) | 120.9 (3) | 198.2 (1) | 31 |
Line: Colts by 17
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills (1-11-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Baltimore Colts (9-3-0) | 0 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 24 |
( 0- 7) BAL Norm Bulaich 1 yard rush (Jim O'Brien kick)
( 0-14) BAL Ray Perkins 5 yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Jim O'Brien kick)
( 0-17) BAL Jim O'Brien 13 yard field goal
( 0-24) BAL Billy Newsome 19 yard interception return (Jim O'Brien kick)
BUF BAL
First Downs: 8 16
Rushes-yards: 21-76 43-180
Yards/rush: 3.6 4.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 16-34-120-4 11-21-134-1
Sacked-yards: 2-14 1-4
Net pass yards: 106 130
Net yards/pass: 2.9 5.9
Total net yards: 182 310
Total plays: 57 (36% run) 65 (66% run)
Yards/play: 3.2 4.8
Fumbles-lost: 2-2 2-1
Turnovers: 6 2
Penalties-yards: 7-70 5-75
Attendance: 58,476
Passing:
BUF: Dennis Shaw, 14 of 29 for 101 yards (4 int); James Harris, 2 of 3 for 19 yards; O.J. Simpson, 0 of 1 for 0 yards; Marlin Briscoe, 0 of 1 for 0 yards BAL: Johnny Unitas, 11 of 21 for 134 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 9 for 26 yards; Wayne Patrick, 6 for 19 yards; Jim Braxton, 4 for 12 yards; Dennis Shaw, 2 for 19 yards BAL: Tom Matte, 14 for 57 yards; Norm Bulaich, 13 for 43 yards and 1 TD; Don Nottingham, 5 for 47 yards; Don McCauley, 5 for 22 yards; Charlie Pittman, 2 for 3 yards; Eddie Hinton, 1 for 11 yards; John Mackey, 1 for 1 yard; Johnny Unitas, 1 for 0 yards; Tom Mitchell, 1 for -4 yards
Receiving:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 5 for 26 yards; Marlin Briscoe, 4 for 35 yards; J.D. Hill, 2 for 18 yards; Wayne Patrick, 2 for 17 yards; Ted Koy, 1 for 22 yards; Greg Jones, 1 for 6 yards; Jim Braxton, 1 for -4 yards BAL: Norm Bulaich, 4 for 26 yards; Eddie Hinton, 3 for 62 yards; Ray Perkins, 2 for 14 yards and 1 TD; John Mackey, 1 for 28 yards; Tom Mitchell, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Alvin Wyatt, 3 for 52 yards; Ike Hill, 1 for 10 yards; O.J. Simpson, 1 for 7 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Alvin Wyatt, 3 for 29 yards; Ike Hill, 2 for 9 yards BAL: Rick Volk, 4 for 33 yards; Jerry Logan, 1 for 12 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Paul Guidry, 1 for 13 yards BAL: Charlie Stukes, 1 for 21 yards; Billy Newsome, 1 for 19 yards and 1 TD; Rick Volk, 1 for 3 yards; Jerry Logan, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
BUF: Spike Jones, 7 for 294 yards BAL: David Lee, 6 for 266 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: John Leypoldt, 0/2 BAL: Jim O'Brien, 1/4
BUF: Dennis Shaw, 14 of 29 for 101 yards (4 int); James Harris, 2 of 3 for 19 yards; O.J. Simpson, 0 of 1 for 0 yards; Marlin Briscoe, 0 of 1 for 0 yards BAL: Johnny Unitas, 11 of 21 for 134 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 9 for 26 yards; Wayne Patrick, 6 for 19 yards; Jim Braxton, 4 for 12 yards; Dennis Shaw, 2 for 19 yards BAL: Tom Matte, 14 for 57 yards; Norm Bulaich, 13 for 43 yards and 1 TD; Don Nottingham, 5 for 47 yards; Don McCauley, 5 for 22 yards; Charlie Pittman, 2 for 3 yards; Eddie Hinton, 1 for 11 yards; John Mackey, 1 for 1 yard; Johnny Unitas, 1 for 0 yards; Tom Mitchell, 1 for -4 yards
Receiving:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 5 for 26 yards; Marlin Briscoe, 4 for 35 yards; J.D. Hill, 2 for 18 yards; Wayne Patrick, 2 for 17 yards; Ted Koy, 1 for 22 yards; Greg Jones, 1 for 6 yards; Jim Braxton, 1 for -4 yards BAL: Norm Bulaich, 4 for 26 yards; Eddie Hinton, 3 for 62 yards; Ray Perkins, 2 for 14 yards and 1 TD; John Mackey, 1 for 28 yards; Tom Mitchell, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Alvin Wyatt, 3 for 52 yards; Ike Hill, 1 for 10 yards; O.J. Simpson, 1 for 7 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Alvin Wyatt, 3 for 29 yards; Ike Hill, 2 for 9 yards BAL: Rick Volk, 4 for 33 yards; Jerry Logan, 1 for 12 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Paul Guidry, 1 for 13 yards BAL: Charlie Stukes, 1 for 21 yards; Billy Newsome, 1 for 19 yards and 1 TD; Rick Volk, 1 for 3 yards; Jerry Logan, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
BUF: Spike Jones, 7 for 294 yards BAL: David Lee, 6 for 266 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: John Leypoldt, 0/2 BAL: Jim O'Brien, 1/4