All NFL game summaries for 12/26/1971:
Don Nottingham, playing for the injured Norm Bulaich, scored two touchdowns and rushed for 92 yards, while Baltimore's strong defense dominated play in a 20-3 Colt victory over the Cleveland Browns that sent Baltimore into the AFC finals. Jim O'Brien added two field goals for the Colts and Don Cockroft, who had two kicks blocked by Bubba Smith, produced the Browns' only points. Rick Volk intercepted two of Bill Nelsen's passes and Charlie Stukes picked off a third. John Unitas went all the way, blending the strong running of Nottingham with passes to his favorite target, tight end Tom Mitchell.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 153.5 (5) | 137.3 (21) | 290.8 (12) | 36 |
| DEFENSE | 79.5 (1) | 124.2 (2) | 203.7 (1) | 41 | |
 | OFFENSE | 111.3 (20) | 164.2 (9) | 275.5 (18) | 45 |
| DEFENSE | 159.1 (23) | 140.5 (4) | 299.6 (17) | 40 |
Line: n/a
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Colts (11-4-0) | 0 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
| Cleveland Browns (9-6-0) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
( 7- 0) BAL Don Nottingham 1 yard rush (Jim O'Brien kick) (14- 0) BAL Don Nottingham 7 yard rush (Jim O'Brien kick) (14- 3) CLE Don Cockroft 14 yard field goal (17- 3) BAL Jim O'Brien 42 yard field goal (20- 3) BAL Jim O'Brien 15 yard field goal
BAL CLE
First Downs: 16 11
Rushes-yards: 43-128 24-69
Yards/rush: 3.0 2.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 13-21-143-1 12-27-131-3
Sacked-yards: 0-0 5-35
Net pass yards: 143 96
Net yards/pass: 6.8 3.0
Total net yards: 271 165
Total plays: 64 (67% run) 56 (42% run)
Yards/play: 4.2 2.9
Fumbles-lost: 2-2 6-2
Turnovers: 3 5
Penalties-yards: 5-43 3-16
Attendance: 70,734
Passing:
BAL: Johnny Unitas, 13 of 21 for 143 yards (1 int) CLE: Bill Nelsen, 9 of 21 for 104 yards (3 int); Mike Phipps, 3 of 6 for 27 yards
Rushing:
BAL: Don Nottingham, 23 for 92 yards and 2 TDs; Tom Matte, 16 for 26 yards; Don McCauley, 3 for 9 yards; Tom Nowatzke, 1 for 1 yard CLE: Leroy Kelly, 14 for 49 yards; Bo Scott, 8 for 25 yards; Bill Nelsen, 2 for -5 yards
Receiving:
BAL: Tom Mitchell, 5 for 73 yards; Tom Matte, 3 for 22 yards; Eddie Hinton, 2 for 30 yards; Ray Perkins, 1 for 10 yards; Don Nottingham, 1 for 5 yards; Sam Havrilak, 1 for 3 yards CLE: Bo Scott, 5 for 41 yards; Leroy Kelly, 4 for 24 yards; Fair Hooker, 1 for 39 yards; Milt Morin, 1 for 16 yards; Chip Glass, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
BAL: Charlie Pittman, 1 for 25 yards CLE: Stan Brown, 2 for 34 yards; Bo Scott, 1 for 30 yards; Reece Morrison, 1 for 19 yards; Doug Dieken, 1 for 15 yards
Punt returns:
BAL: Rick Volk, 4 for 27 yards CLE: Leroy Kelly, 3 for 71 yards; Dave Jones, 1 for 3 yards
Interceptions:
BAL: Rick Volk, 2 for 56 yards; Charlie Stukes, 1 for 23 yards CLE: Ron Snidow, 1 for 1 yard
Punting:
BAL: David Lee, 6 for 223 yards CLE: Don Cockroft, 5 for 204 yards
Field Goals:
BAL: Jim O'Brien, 2/2 CLE: Don Cockroft, 1/3
BAL: Johnny Unitas, 13 of 21 for 143 yards (1 int) CLE: Bill Nelsen, 9 of 21 for 104 yards (3 int); Mike Phipps, 3 of 6 for 27 yards
Rushing:
BAL: Don Nottingham, 23 for 92 yards and 2 TDs; Tom Matte, 16 for 26 yards; Don McCauley, 3 for 9 yards; Tom Nowatzke, 1 for 1 yard CLE: Leroy Kelly, 14 for 49 yards; Bo Scott, 8 for 25 yards; Bill Nelsen, 2 for -5 yards
Receiving:
BAL: Tom Mitchell, 5 for 73 yards; Tom Matte, 3 for 22 yards; Eddie Hinton, 2 for 30 yards; Ray Perkins, 1 for 10 yards; Don Nottingham, 1 for 5 yards; Sam Havrilak, 1 for 3 yards CLE: Bo Scott, 5 for 41 yards; Leroy Kelly, 4 for 24 yards; Fair Hooker, 1 for 39 yards; Milt Morin, 1 for 16 yards; Chip Glass, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
BAL: Charlie Pittman, 1 for 25 yards CLE: Stan Brown, 2 for 34 yards; Bo Scott, 1 for 30 yards; Reece Morrison, 1 for 19 yards; Doug Dieken, 1 for 15 yards
Punt returns:
BAL: Rick Volk, 4 for 27 yards CLE: Leroy Kelly, 3 for 71 yards; Dave Jones, 1 for 3 yards
Interceptions:
BAL: Rick Volk, 2 for 56 yards; Charlie Stukes, 1 for 23 yards CLE: Ron Snidow, 1 for 1 yard
Punting:
BAL: David Lee, 6 for 223 yards CLE: Don Cockroft, 5 for 204 yards
Field Goals:
BAL: Jim O'Brien, 2/2 CLE: Don Cockroft, 1/3
Bob Hoskins, a reserve defensive lineman, scored the clinching touchdown for the San Francisco 49ers by recovering a bad pass from center that went through the legs of Washington punter Mike Bragg in a 24-20 victory that put the 49ers in the NFC final. San Francisco came back from a 10-3 halftime deficit with three second-half touchdowns, including a 78-yard pass from John Brodie to Gene Washington that tied the score. Brodie's second touchdown pass to Bob Windsor, following Rosey Taylor's interception, put the 49ers ahead to stay. After a late Redskin touchdown, Cedrick Hardman smeared Billy Kilmer on the final play.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 125.5 (14) | 162.4 (10) | 287.9 (13) | 35 |
| DEFENSE | 99.7 (4) | 151.9 (12) | 251.6 (4) | 41 | |
 | OFFENSE | 152.1 (9) | 184.1 (4) | 336.1 (3) | 42 |
| DEFENSE | 119.1 (9) | 143.6 (7) | 262.8 (6) | 31 |
Line: n/a
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins (9-5-1) | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| San Francisco 49ers (10-5-0) | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 24 |
( 7- 0) WAS Jerry Smith 5 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curt Knight kick) ( 7- 3) SF Bruce Gossett 23 yard field goal (10- 3) WAS Curt Knight 40 yard field goal (10-10) SF Gene Washington 78 yard pass from John Brodie (Bruce Gossett kick) (10-17) SF Bob Windsor 2 yard pass from John Brodie (Bruce Gossett kick) (13-17) WAS Curt Knight 36 yard field goal (13-24) SF Bob Hoskins 0 yard fumble return (Bruce Gossett kick) (20-24) WAS Larry Brown 16 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curt Knight kick)
WAS SF
First Downs: 13 11
Rushes-yards: 39-99 39-112
Yards/rush: 2.5 2.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 11-27-106-1 10-19-176-0
Sacked-yards: 1-13 1-3
Net pass yards: 93 173
Net yards/pass: 3.3 8.7
Total net yards: 192 285
Total plays: 67 (58% run) 59 (66% run)
Yards/play: 2.9 4.8
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 0-0
Turnovers: 3 0
Penalties-yards: 4-55 3-41
Attendance: 45,327
Passing:
WAS: Billy Kilmer, 11 of 27 for 106 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) SF: John Brodie, 10 of 19 for 176 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
WAS: Larry Brown, 27 for 84 yards; Charlie Harraway, 10 for 28 yards; Billy Kilmer, 1 for 0 yards; Roy Jefferson, 1 for -13 yards SF: Ken Willard, 19 for 46 yards; Vic Washington, 16 for 59 yards; Larry Schreiber, 4 for 7 yards
Receiving:
WAS: Larry Brown, 6 for 62 yards and 1 TD; Jerry Smith, 3 for 32 yards and 1 TD; Tommy Mason, 1 for 8 yards; Charlie Harraway, 1 for 4 yards SF: Ted Kwalick, 3 for 26 yards; Dick Witcher, 2 for 28 yards; Gene Washington, 1 for 78 yards and 1 TD; Larry Schreiber, 1 for 22 yards; Vic Washington, 1 for 10 yards; Ken Willard, 1 for 10 yards; Bob Windsor, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
WAS: Speedy Duncan, 3 for 170 yards; Harold McLinton, 1 for 19 yards SF: Vic Washington, 4 for 79 yards; Doug Cunningham, 1 for 0 yards
Punt returns:
WAS: Speedy Duncan, 3 for 11 yards; Ted Vactor, 1 for 47 yards SF: Johnny Fuller, 1 for 8 yards; Mike Simpson, 1 for 4 yards; Bruce Taylor, 1 for 1 yard
Interceptions:
SF: Rosey Taylor, 1 for 17 yards
Punting:
WAS: Mike Bragg, 5 for 231 yards SF: Steve Spurrier, 9 for 337 yards
Field Goals:
WAS: Curt Knight, 2/3 SF: Bruce Gossett, 1/1
WAS: Billy Kilmer, 11 of 27 for 106 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) SF: John Brodie, 10 of 19 for 176 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
WAS: Larry Brown, 27 for 84 yards; Charlie Harraway, 10 for 28 yards; Billy Kilmer, 1 for 0 yards; Roy Jefferson, 1 for -13 yards SF: Ken Willard, 19 for 46 yards; Vic Washington, 16 for 59 yards; Larry Schreiber, 4 for 7 yards
Receiving:
WAS: Larry Brown, 6 for 62 yards and 1 TD; Jerry Smith, 3 for 32 yards and 1 TD; Tommy Mason, 1 for 8 yards; Charlie Harraway, 1 for 4 yards SF: Ted Kwalick, 3 for 26 yards; Dick Witcher, 2 for 28 yards; Gene Washington, 1 for 78 yards and 1 TD; Larry Schreiber, 1 for 22 yards; Vic Washington, 1 for 10 yards; Ken Willard, 1 for 10 yards; Bob Windsor, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
WAS: Speedy Duncan, 3 for 170 yards; Harold McLinton, 1 for 19 yards SF: Vic Washington, 4 for 79 yards; Doug Cunningham, 1 for 0 yards
Punt returns:
WAS: Speedy Duncan, 3 for 11 yards; Ted Vactor, 1 for 47 yards SF: Johnny Fuller, 1 for 8 yards; Mike Simpson, 1 for 4 yards; Bruce Taylor, 1 for 1 yard
Interceptions:
SF: Rosey Taylor, 1 for 17 yards
Punting:
WAS: Mike Bragg, 5 for 231 yards SF: Steve Spurrier, 9 for 337 yards
Field Goals:
WAS: Curt Knight, 2/3 SF: Bruce Gossett, 1/1