NFL game summary for 09/18/1972:

Reserve wide receiver and special teams player Bill Malinchak blocked a Minnesota punt at the conclusion of the Vikings' first offensive series, picked up the ball and ran 16 yards for a touchdown to give Washington a 7-0 lead. Minnesota rebounded to take a 14-10 advantage, but the Redskins scored a pair of touchdowns within 85 seconds at the outset of the final period to achieve the victory. Washington running back Larry Brown ran for 105 yards. It marked the seventh straight opening-game win for George Allen, whose teams never have lost an inaugural.

Line: Vikings by 4

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Washington Redskins (1-0-0)	7	3	0	14	24
Minnesota Vikings (0-1-0)	0	7	7	7	21

( 7- 0) WAS Bill Malinchak 16 yard return of blocked punt (Curt Knight kick)
( 7- 7) MIN Clint Jones 1 yard rush (Fred Cox kick)
(10- 7) WAS Curt Knight 30 yard field goal
(10-14) MIN John Gilliam 11 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick)
(17-14) WAS Larry Brown 3 yard rush (Curt Knight kick)
(24-14) WAS Charlie Harraway 9 yard rush (Curt Knight kick)
(24-21) MIN Bill Brown 4 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick)

                     WAS             MIN
First Downs:         11              26
Rushes-yards:        31-146          43-182
Yards/rush:          4.7             4.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     7-17-57-1       18-31-233-0
Sacked-yards:        0-0             4-33
Net pass yards:      57              200
Net yards/pass:      3.4             5.7
Total net yards:     203             382
Total plays:         48 (64% run)    78 (55% run)  
Yards/play:          4.2             4.9
Fumbles-lost:        1-0             3-2
Turnovers:           1               2
Penalties-yards:     5-41            4-34

Attendance: 47,900

Passing:
WAS: Billy Kilmer, 7 of 17 for 57 yards (1 int)
MIN: Fran Tarkenton, 18 of 31 for 233 yards and 2 TDs

Rushing:
WAS: Larry Brown, 21 for 105 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Harraway, 9 for 42 yards and 1 TD; Billy Kilmer, 1 for -1 yards
MIN: Clint Jones, 21 for 66 yards and 1 TD; Oscar Reed, 12 for 68 yards; Bill Brown, 5 for 22 yards; Fran Tarkenton, 3 for 35 yards; Dave Osborn, 1 for 4 yards; John Gilliam, 1 for -13 yards

Receiving:
WAS: Roy Jefferson, 4 for 38 yards; Charley Taylor, 2 for 9 yards; Larry Brown, 1 for 10 yards
MIN: Bill Brown, 5 for 47 yards and 1 TD; John Gilliam, 4 for 53 yards and 1 TD; Gene Washington, 3 for 70 yards; John Beasley, 3 for 28 yards; Clint Jones, 2 for 14 yards; Oscar Reed, 1 for 21 yards

Kick returns:
WAS: Speedy Duncan, 3 for 63 yards; Rusty Tillman, 1 for 0 yards
MIN: Clint Jones, 2 for 37 yards; Charlie West, 1 for 14 yards

Punt returns:
WAS: Ted Vactor, 2 for 12 yards; Speedy Duncan, 1 for 11 yards
MIN: Charlie West, 2 for 2 yards

Interceptions:
MIN: Karl Kassulke, 1 for 3 yards

Punting:
WAS: Mike Bragg, 4 for 158 yards
MIN: Mike Eischeid, 4 for 123 yards

Field Goals:
WAS: Curt Knight, 1/2
MIN: Fred Cox, 0/2

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