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A 32-yard field goal by rookie kicker Jim O'Brien gave the Baltimore Colts a 16-13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the final five seconds of Super Bowl V.

This was the first Super Bowl played after the merger between the AFL and the NFL. Ironically, it featured two teams from the old NFL, as the Baltimore Colts were one of three teams (Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns) shifted over to the American Football Conference (AFC) along with the ten AFL teams at the time.

The Dallas Cowboys led 13-6 at the end of a scoreless third quarter. However, interceptions by Rick Volk and Mike Curtis set up a Baltimore Colts touchdown and O'Brien's decisive field goal in the fourth period.

Earl Morrall relieved an injured Johnny Unitas late in the first half, although Unitas completed the Colts' only scoring pass. It caromed off receiver Eddie Hinton's fingertips, off Dallas defensive back Mel Renfro, and finally settled into the grasp of John Mackey, who went 45 yards to score on a 75-yard play.

The game between the champions of the AFC and NFC was played on artificial turf for the first time.

Super Bowl V is often referred to as the "Blunder Bowl" and at times the "Stupor Bowl" as the game was filled with poor play, penalties, turnovers, and officiating miscues.

The Colts and Cowboys committed a Super Bowl record 11 combined turnovers in the game, and the Colts 7 turnovers are currently the most ever committed by a winning team in a Super Bowl. Dallas also set a Super Bowl record with 10 penalties, costing them 133 yards.

However, for the Colts, Super Bowl V represented redemption for their humiliating 16-7 loss to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III.

Even though the Dallas Cowboys had finally made it to the "big game," they stilled carried the stigma of not being able to win the big games. Over the past 5 seasons, the Cowboys had won more games (52 of 68) than any other NFL team. However, the Cowboys had never won a championship.

The Cowboys had the opportunity to play in the first two Super Bowls, but lost to the Green Bay Packers by narrow margins in both the 1966 and 1967 NFL Championships.

In the 1966 NFL Championship game, the Cowboys lost to the Packers in Dallas, 34-27. The Cowboys had and opportunity to win the game, but were unable to score on a 1st-and-goal from the Packers 2-yard line. In the 1967 NFL Championship Game, commonly referred to as the "Ice Bowl," the Cowboys lost to the Packers in Green Bay by a final score of 21-17 as the Cowboys allowed Bart Starr to score on a 1-yard dive with 16 seconds remaininging in the game.

They would finally shed their "losing" stigma the following season when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins 24-3 in Super Bowl VI.

SUPER BOWL V MVP : Chuck Howley LB Dallas Cowboys

Howley intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble to win the honor, although his effort was overshadowed by Baltimore's eventual win.

Dallas linebacker Chuck Howley became the first defensive player to be named Most Valuable Player in a Super Bowl. But the honor had a hollow ring for Howley, who also became the first player from a losing team to be named MVP.

To date, Chuck Howley is the only player from a losing team ever to win a Super Bowl MVP award.

Super Bowl V was also the first time a quarterback did not win the MVP award.

 

Super Bowl V

 

SUPER BOWL V SCORING	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Baltimore Colts	0	6	0	10	16
Dallas Cowboys	3	10	0	0	13

 

1st Quarter

DAL FG Clark 14, 9:28

2nd Quarter

DAL FG Clark 30, 0:08

BAL Mackey 75 pass from Unitas (kick blocked), 0:50

DAL Thomas 7 pass from Morton (Clark kick), 7:07

4th Quarter

BAL Nowatzke 2 run (O'Brien kick), 7:25

BAL FG O'Brien 32, 14:55

 

TEAM STATISTICS	Colts	Cowboys
Total First Downs	14	10
Rushing	4	4
Passing	6	5
Penalty	4	1
Total Net Yardage	329	215
Total Offensive Plays	56	59
Avg. Gain Per Offensive Play	5.9	3.6
Rushes	31	31
Yards Gained Rushing (Net)	69	102
Avg. Yards per Rush	2.2	3.3
Passes Attempted	25	26
Passes Completed	11	12
Had Intercepted	3	3
Tackled Attempting to Pass	0	2
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass	0	14
Yards Gained Passing (Net)	260	113
Punts	4	9
Avg. Distance	41.5	41.9
Punt Returns	5	3
Punt Return Yardage	12	9
Kickoff Returns	4	3
Kickoff Return Yardage	90	34
Interception Return Yardage	57	22
Fumbles	5	1
Own Fumbles Recovered	1	0
Opponent Fumbles Recovered	1	4
Penalties	4	10
Yards Penalized	31	133
Field Goals	1	2
Field Goals Attempted	2	2
Third-Down Efficiency	3 / 11	1 / 13
Fourth-Down Efficiency	0 / 0	0 / 0
Time of Possession	28:37	31:23

 

Baltimore Colts Player Statistics

Passing	CP/AT	YDS	TD	INT
Morrall	7/15	147	0	1
Unitas	3/9	88	1	2
Havrilak	1/1	25	0	0
Rushing	NO	YDS	TD	LG
Nowatzke	10	33	1	9
Bulaich	18	28	0	8
Unitas	1	4	0	4
Havrilak	1	3	0	3
Morrall	1	1	0	1
Receiving	REC	YDS	TD	LG
Jefferson	3	52	0	23
Mackey	2	80	1	75t
Hinton	2	51	0	26
Havrilak	2	27	0	25
Nowatzke	1	45	0	45
Bulaich	1	5	0	5
Interceptions	INT	YDS	LG	TD
Volk	1	30	30	0
Logan	1	14	14	0
J.Curtis	1	13	13	0
Punting	NO	AVG	LG	BLK
Lee	4	41.5	56	0
Punt Returns	NO/FC	YDS	LG	TD
Gardin	4/3	4	2	0
Logan	1/0	8	8	0
Kickoff Returns	NO	YDS	LG	TD
Duncan	4	90	30	0

 

Dallas Cowboys Player Statistics

Passing	CP/AT	YDS	TD	INT
Morton	12/26	127	1	3
Rushing	NO	YDS	TD	LG
Garrison	12	65	0	19
Thomas	18	35	0	7
Morton	1	2	0	2
Receiving	REC	YDS	TD	LG
Reeves	5	46	0	17
Thomas	4	21	1	7t
Garrison	2	19	0	14
Hayes	1	41	0	41
Interceptions	INT	YDS	LG	TD
Howley	2	22	22	0
Renfro	1	0	0	0
Punting	NO	AVG	LG	BLK
Widby	9	41.9	49	0
Punt Returns	NO/FC	YDS	LG	TD
D. Anderson	3/0	9	7	0
Kickoff Returns	NO	YDS	LG	TD
Harris	1	18	18	0
Hill	1	14	14	0
Kiner	1	2	2	0

 

January 17, 1971
Orange Bowl (Miami, FL)
Attendance: 79,204

 

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