All NFL game summaries for 12/11/1971:
John Unitas called a near-perfect game in directing the Colts to a victory over Miami which sent Baltimore into a half-game lead in the AFC East with one game to play. Unitas completed 12 of 13 attempts in the first half in which drives which consumed 9½ minutes each were climaxed by scoring rushes by Tom Matte. Garo Yepremian's FG prevented Baltimore from registering a club-record fourth shutout. Linebackers Ted Hendricks and Ray May picked off passes by Bob Griese.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 181.5 (1) | 145.2 (17) | 326.7 (5) | 20 |
| DEFENSE | 118.3 (8) | 149.4 (10) | 267.8 (7) | 28 | |
 | OFFENSE | 162.1 (5) | 137.9 (20) | 300.0 (10) | 34 |
| DEFENSE | 77.2 (1) | 119.7 (2) | 196.8 (1) | 37 |
Line: n/a
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins (9-3-1) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Baltimore Colts (10-3-0) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
( 0- 7) BAL Tom Matte 7 yard rush (Jim O'Brien kick) ( 0-14) BAL Tom Matte 1 yard rush (Jim O'Brien kick) ( 3-14) MIA Garo Yepremian 17 yard field goal
MIA BAL
First Downs: 14 19
Rushes-yards: 23-96 37-104
Yards/rush: 4.2 2.8
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 17-30-151-2 16-19-142-0
Sacked-yards: 0-0 1-21
Net pass yards: 151 121
Net yards/pass: 5.0 6.0
Total net yards: 247 225
Total plays: 53 (43% run) 57 (64% run)
Yards/play: 4.7 3.9
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 2-0
Turnovers: 2 0
Penalties-yards: 2-30 3-25
Attendance: 60,238
Passing:
MIA: Bob Griese, 17 of 30 for 151 yards (2 int) BAL: Johnny Unitas, 16 of 19 for 142 yards
Rushing:
MIA: Larry Csonka, 11 for 44 yards; Jim Kiick, 9 for 44 yards; Mercury Morris, 1 for 11 yards; Paul Warfield, 1 for 2 yards; Bob Griese, 1 for -5 yards BAL: Norm Bulaich, 16 for 50 yards; Tom Matte, 12 for 26 yards and 2 TDs; Don Nottingham, 7 for 28 yards; Johnny Unitas, 2 for 0 yards
Receiving:
MIA: Jim Kiick, 7 for 57 yards; Marv Fleming, 3 for 42 yards; Paul Warfield, 3 for 28 yards; Howard Twilley, 2 for 20 yards; Karl Noonan, 1 for 5 yards; Mercury Morris, 1 for -1 yards BAL: Norm Bulaich, 4 for 23 yards; Eddie Hinton, 3 for 42 yards; Don Nottingham, 3 for 31 yards; Ray Perkins, 2 for 19 yards; Tom Matte, 2 for 16 yards; Tom Mitchell, 2 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
MIA: Mercury Morris, 2 for 40 yards; Bob Matheson, 1 for 16 yards BAL: Charlie Pittman, 2 for 55 yards
Punt returns:
MIA: Dick Anderson, 1 for 9 yards; Jake Scott, 1 for 9 yards BAL: Rick Volk, 2 for 3 yards
Interceptions:
BAL: Ray May, 1 for 46 yards; Ted Hendricks, 1 for 7 yards
Punting:
MIA: Larry Seiple, 3 for 126 yards BAL: David Lee, 4 for 155 yards
Field Goals:
MIA: Garo Yepremian, 1/2
MIA: Bob Griese, 17 of 30 for 151 yards (2 int) BAL: Johnny Unitas, 16 of 19 for 142 yards
Rushing:
MIA: Larry Csonka, 11 for 44 yards; Jim Kiick, 9 for 44 yards; Mercury Morris, 1 for 11 yards; Paul Warfield, 1 for 2 yards; Bob Griese, 1 for -5 yards BAL: Norm Bulaich, 16 for 50 yards; Tom Matte, 12 for 26 yards and 2 TDs; Don Nottingham, 7 for 28 yards; Johnny Unitas, 2 for 0 yards
Receiving:
MIA: Jim Kiick, 7 for 57 yards; Marv Fleming, 3 for 42 yards; Paul Warfield, 3 for 28 yards; Howard Twilley, 2 for 20 yards; Karl Noonan, 1 for 5 yards; Mercury Morris, 1 for -1 yards BAL: Norm Bulaich, 4 for 23 yards; Eddie Hinton, 3 for 42 yards; Don Nottingham, 3 for 31 yards; Ray Perkins, 2 for 19 yards; Tom Matte, 2 for 16 yards; Tom Mitchell, 2 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
MIA: Mercury Morris, 2 for 40 yards; Bob Matheson, 1 for 16 yards BAL: Charlie Pittman, 2 for 55 yards
Punt returns:
MIA: Dick Anderson, 1 for 9 yards; Jake Scott, 1 for 9 yards BAL: Rick Volk, 2 for 3 yards
Interceptions:
BAL: Ray May, 1 for 46 yards; Ted Hendricks, 1 for 7 yards
Punting:
MIA: Larry Seiple, 3 for 126 yards BAL: David Lee, 4 for 155 yards
Field Goals:
MIA: Garo Yepremian, 1/2
Vikings linebacker Roy Winston intercepted a Greg Landry pass on the third play from scrimmage and raced 29 yards for a touchdown that ignited a superior defensive effort as Minnesota clinched its fourth consecutive NFC Central Division title. Minnesota had three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and blocked a Detroit punt for a safety.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 177.9 (2) | 158.0 (10) | 335.9 (3) | 27 |
| DEFENSE | 129.8 (15) | 150.8 (12) | 280.7 (12) | 30 | |
 | OFFENSE | 122.1 (16) | 116.8 (25) | 238.9 (22) | 25 |
| DEFENSE | 115.8 (6) | 122.6 (3) | 238.3 (2) | 40 |
Line: n/a
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions (7-5-1) | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Minnesota Vikings (10-3-0) | 7 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 29 |
( 0- 7) MIN Roy Winston 29 yard interception return (Fred Cox kick) ( 3- 7) DET Errol Mann 35 yard field goal ( 3-14) MIN Clint Jones 3 yard rush (Fred Cox kick) ( 3-17) MIN Fred Cox 10 yard field goal (10-17) DET Larry Walton 4 yard pass from Bill Munson (Errol Mann kick) (10-19) MIN Safety, Alan Page blocked punt through end zone (10-22) MIN Fred Cox 32 yard field goal (10-29) MIN Jim Lindsey 0 yard fumble return (Fred Cox kick)
DET MIN
First Downs: 17 7
Rushes-yards: 32-107 32-113
Yards/rush: 3.3 3.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 15-32-149-3 4-15-21-2
Sacked-yards: 2-20 0-0
Net pass yards: 129 21
Net yards/pass: 3.8 1.4
Total net yards: 236 134
Total plays: 66 (48% run) 47 (68% run)
Yards/play: 3.6 2.9
Fumbles-lost: 5-2 1-0
Turnovers: 5 2
Penalties-yards: 4-59 13-105
Attendance: 49,784
Passing:
DET: Bill Munson, 9 of 16 for 107 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Greg Landry, 6 of 16 for 42 yards (2 int) MIN: Gary Cuozzo, 4 of 15 for 21 yards (2 int)
Rushing:
DET: Steve Owens, 17 for 65 yards; Altie Taylor, 11 for 34 yards; Greg Landry, 4 for 8 yards MIN: Clint Jones, 16 for 53 yards and 1 TD; Dave Osborn, 7 for 20 yards; Oscar Reed, 6 for 28 yards; Bill Brown, 2 for 0 yards; Bob Grim, 1 for 12 yards
Receiving:
DET: Craig Cotton, 5 for 79 yards; Steve Owens, 4 for 22 yards; Altie Taylor, 3 for 24 yards; Larry Walton, 3 for 24 yards and 1 TD MIN: Oscar Reed, 2 for 10 yards; Gene Washington, 1 for 9 yards; Bill Brown, 1 for 2 yards
Kick returns:
DET: Ron Jessie, 3 for 57 yards; Lem Barney, 2 for 39 yards; Bill Triplett, 1 for 13 yards MIN: Charlie West, 3 for 63 yards; Clint Jones, 1 for 16 yards
Punt returns:
DET: Lem Barney, 3 for 7 yards MIN: Charlie West, 1 for 1 yard
Interceptions:
DET: Lem Barney, 1 for 27 yards; Wayne Rasmussen, 1 for 2 yards MIN: Ed Sharockman, 1 for 33 yards; Roy Winston, 1 for 29 yards and 1 TD; Wally Hilgenberg, 1 for 6 yards
Punting:
DET: Herman Weaver, 5 for 144 yards MIN: Bob Lee, 6 for 245 yards
Field Goals:
DET: Errol Mann, 1/2 MIN: Fred Cox, 2/3
DET: Bill Munson, 9 of 16 for 107 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Greg Landry, 6 of 16 for 42 yards (2 int) MIN: Gary Cuozzo, 4 of 15 for 21 yards (2 int)
Rushing:
DET: Steve Owens, 17 for 65 yards; Altie Taylor, 11 for 34 yards; Greg Landry, 4 for 8 yards MIN: Clint Jones, 16 for 53 yards and 1 TD; Dave Osborn, 7 for 20 yards; Oscar Reed, 6 for 28 yards; Bill Brown, 2 for 0 yards; Bob Grim, 1 for 12 yards
Receiving:
DET: Craig Cotton, 5 for 79 yards; Steve Owens, 4 for 22 yards; Altie Taylor, 3 for 24 yards; Larry Walton, 3 for 24 yards and 1 TD MIN: Oscar Reed, 2 for 10 yards; Gene Washington, 1 for 9 yards; Bill Brown, 1 for 2 yards
Kick returns:
DET: Ron Jessie, 3 for 57 yards; Lem Barney, 2 for 39 yards; Bill Triplett, 1 for 13 yards MIN: Charlie West, 3 for 63 yards; Clint Jones, 1 for 16 yards
Punt returns:
DET: Lem Barney, 3 for 7 yards MIN: Charlie West, 1 for 1 yard
Interceptions:
DET: Lem Barney, 1 for 27 yards; Wayne Rasmussen, 1 for 2 yards MIN: Ed Sharockman, 1 for 33 yards; Roy Winston, 1 for 29 yards and 1 TD; Wally Hilgenberg, 1 for 6 yards
Punting:
DET: Herman Weaver, 5 for 144 yards MIN: Bob Lee, 6 for 245 yards
Field Goals:
DET: Errol Mann, 1/2 MIN: Fred Cox, 2/3