All NFL game summaries for 12/18/1971:
Duane Thomas tied a club record by scoring four touchdowns -- three rushing including a 53-yard gallop, and one receiving -- as the Cowboys won a club-record seventh straight game and won the NFC Eastern Division title for the sixth year in a row.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 110.9 (21) | 180.3 (5) | 291.2 (13) | 43 |
| DEFENSE | 136.9 (16) | 174.0 (23) | 310.9 (20) | 29 | |
 | OFFENSE | 157.2 (6) | 205.2 (2) | 362.5 (1) | 31 |
| DEFENSE | 81.2 (2) | 169.0 (20) | 250.2 (3) | 48 |
Line: Cowboys by 14
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals (4-9-1) | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 12 |
| Dallas Cowboys (11-3-0) | 7 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
( 0- 7) DAL Duane Thomas 53 yard rush (Mike Clark kick)
( 0-14) DAL Duane Thomas 3 yard rush (Mike Clark kick)
( 3-14) STL Jim Bakken 33 yard field goal
( 3-21) DAL Duane Thomas 34 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Mike Clark kick)
( 6-21) STL Jim Bakken 29 yard field goal
( 9-21) STL Jim Bakken 23 yard field goal
(12-21) STL Jim Bakken 35 yard field goal
(12-24) DAL Mike Clark 24 yard field goal
(12-31) DAL Duane Thomas 3 yard rush (Mike Clark kick)
STL DAL
First Downs: 14 18
Rushes-yards: 26-88 38-205
Yards/rush: 3.4 5.4
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 12-43-143-2 10-16-147-1
Sacked-yards: 2-16 3-29
Net pass yards: 127 118
Net yards/pass: 2.8 6.2
Total net yards: 215 323
Total plays: 71 (36% run) 57 (66% run)
Yards/play: 3.0 5.7
Fumbles-lost: 5-1 4-3
Turnovers: 3 4
Penalties-yards: 2-20 8-60
Attendance: 66,672
Passing:
STL: Jim Hart, 11 of 36 for 141 yards (1 int); Pete Beathard, 1 of 7 for 2 yards (1 int) DAL: Roger Staubach, 10 of 16 for 147 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
STL: Cid Edwards, 20 for 65 yards; Johnny Roland, 5 for 11 yards; John Gilliam, 1 for 12 yards DAL: Duane Thomas, 18 for 83 yards and 3 TDs; Walt Garrison, 11 for 53 yards; Calvin Hill, 6 for 34 yards; Roger Staubach, 2 for 24 yards; Mike Ditka, 1 for 11 yards
Receiving:
STL: John Gilliam, 4 for 49 yards; Mel Gray, 2 for 49 yards; Fred Hyatt, 2 for 24 yards; Johnny Roland, 2 for 11 yards; Cid Edwards, 2 for 10 yards DAL: Duane Thomas, 3 for 61 yards and 1 TD; Bob Hayes, 3 for 46 yards; Lance Alworth, 1 for 25 yards; Mike Ditka, 1 for 6 yards; Walt Garrison, 1 for 5 yards; Calvin Hill, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
STL: Mel Gray, 4 for 113 yards; George Hoey, 1 for 19 yards DAL: Cliff Harris, 3 for 114 yards; Mike Ditka, 1 for 20 yards; Ike Thomas, 1 for 19 yards
Punt returns:
STL: John Gilliam, 1 for 21 yards DAL: Cliff Harris, 2 for 10 yards
Interceptions:
STL: Dale Hackbart, 1 for 11 yards DAL: Dave Edwards, 1 for 0 yards; Cliff Harris, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
STL: Chuck Latourette, 5 for 182 yards DAL: Ron Widby, 4 for 154 yards
Field Goals:
STL: Jim Bakken, 4/6 DAL: Mike Clark, 1/1
STL: Jim Hart, 11 of 36 for 141 yards (1 int); Pete Beathard, 1 of 7 for 2 yards (1 int) DAL: Roger Staubach, 10 of 16 for 147 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
STL: Cid Edwards, 20 for 65 yards; Johnny Roland, 5 for 11 yards; John Gilliam, 1 for 12 yards DAL: Duane Thomas, 18 for 83 yards and 3 TDs; Walt Garrison, 11 for 53 yards; Calvin Hill, 6 for 34 yards; Roger Staubach, 2 for 24 yards; Mike Ditka, 1 for 11 yards
Receiving:
STL: John Gilliam, 4 for 49 yards; Mel Gray, 2 for 49 yards; Fred Hyatt, 2 for 24 yards; Johnny Roland, 2 for 11 yards; Cid Edwards, 2 for 10 yards DAL: Duane Thomas, 3 for 61 yards and 1 TD; Bob Hayes, 3 for 46 yards; Lance Alworth, 1 for 25 yards; Mike Ditka, 1 for 6 yards; Walt Garrison, 1 for 5 yards; Calvin Hill, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
STL: Mel Gray, 4 for 113 yards; George Hoey, 1 for 19 yards DAL: Cliff Harris, 3 for 114 yards; Mike Ditka, 1 for 20 yards; Ike Thomas, 1 for 19 yards
Punt returns:
STL: John Gilliam, 1 for 21 yards DAL: Cliff Harris, 2 for 10 yards
Interceptions:
STL: Dale Hackbart, 1 for 11 yards DAL: Dave Edwards, 1 for 0 yards; Cliff Harris, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
STL: Chuck Latourette, 5 for 182 yards DAL: Ron Widby, 4 for 154 yards
Field Goals:
STL: Jim Bakken, 4/6 DAL: Mike Clark, 1/1