1971 Minnesota Vikings season

The 1971 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 11th in the National Football League (NFL). They finished with an 11–3 record to win the NFC Central title and return to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season; however, they lost 20–12 at home to the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round.

1971 Minnesota Vikings season
General manager	Jim Finks
Head coach	Bud Grant
Home stadium	Metropolitan Stadium
Results
Record	11–3
Division place	1st NFC Central
Playoffs	Lost Divisional Playoffs (vs. Cowboys) 12–20
Pro Bowlers	DE Carl Eller WR Bob Grim S Paul Krause DT Alan Page T Ron Yary
All-Pros	DE Carl Eller (1st team) DT Alan Page (1st team) T Ron Yary (1st team)
Uniform
← 1970 Vikings seasons 1972 →

In 2007, ESPN.com ranked the 1971 Vikings as the fourth-greatest defense in NFL history,^[1] saying, "Considering that their motto was 'Meet at the quarterback,' it's no surprise that the Purple People Eaters held opposing QBs to a 40.4 rating, one of the lowest ever." ESPN also noted that the 1971 Vikings "shut out three opponents, and only one team scored more than 20 points against them. As a result, Alan Page became the first defensive player to ever be named NFL MVP. Carl Eller, Jim Marshall and safety Paul Krause joined Page on the All-Pro team."

Offseason

1971 draft

Main article: 1971 NFL draft

1971 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order		Player name	Position	College	Notes
Round	Selection
1	24	Leo Hayden	Running back	Ohio State
2	50	Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles[A]
3	76	Eddie Hackett	Wide receiver	Alcorn A&M
4	102	Vince Clements	Running back	Connecticut
5	128	Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers[B]
6	154	Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles[A]
7	180	Gene Mack	Linebacker	UTEP
8	208	John Farley	Defensive end	Johnson C. Smith	Originally Colts pick[a]
9	232	Tim Sullivan	Running back	Iowa
10	258	Chris Morris	Guard	Indiana
11	284	Mike Walker	Linebacker	Tulane
12	310	Reggie Holmes	Defensive back	Stout State
13	336	Benny Fry	Center	Houston
14	362	Jim Gallagher	Linebacker	Yale
15	388	Jeff Wright	Safety	Minnesota
16	413	Greg Edmonds	Wide receiver	Penn State	Originally 49ers pick[b]
17	439	Ken Duncan	Punter	Tulsa	Originally 49ers pick[c]

Notes

1. The Vikings traded their second- and sixth-round selections (50th and 154th overall), a 1972 third-round selection (76th overall) and OT Steve Smith to the Eagles in exchange for QB Norm Snead.
2. The Vikings traded their fifth-round selection (128th overall) to the Steelers in exchange for QB Kent Nix.

1. The Vikings originally had 206th overall but passed, allowing the Cowboys and Colts to move up before the Vikings eventually selected in the 208th overall pick.
2. The Vikings originally had 414th overall, but moved up to the 413th overall selection when the 49ers passed.
3. The Vikings originally had 440th overall, but moved up to the 439th overall selection when the Raiders passed on the 435th overall pick and allowed several teams to move up.

Roster

1971 Minnesota Vikings roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 15 Gary Cuozzo 16 Norm Snead Running backs (RB) 30 Bill Brown FB 26 Clinton Jones 21 Jim Lindsey 41 Dave Osborn 32 Oscar Reed Wide receivers (WR) 86 Al Denson 27 Bob Grim 84 Gene Washington Tight ends (TE) 87 John Beasley 89 Robert Brown 83 Stu Voigt

Offensive linemen (OL) 67 Grady Alderman T 71 Doug Davis T 68 Pete Perreault 64 Milt Sunde G 53 Mick Tingelhoff C 72 John Ward G 62 Ed White G 73 Ron Yary T 51 Godfrey Zaunbrecher C Defensive linemen (DL) 81 Carl Eller DE 77 Gary Larsen DT 70 Jim Marshall DE 88 Alan Page DT 78 Jerry Patton DT 69 Doug Sutherland DT

Linebackers (LB) 58 Wally Hilgenberg 56 Carl Gersbach 52 Noel Jenke 36 Chuck Winfrey 60 Roy Winston Defensive backs (DB) 20 Bobby Bryant CB 49 Dale Hackbart FS 29 Karl Kassulke SS 22 Paul Krause FS 45 Ed Sharockman CB 40 Charlie West CB 23 Jeff Wright SS 43 Nate Wright CB Special teams (ST) 14 Fred Cox K 19 Bob Lee

Reserve -- Vince Clements RB (IR) 80 John Henderson WR (IR) 63 Jim Vellone G (IR) 59 Lonnie Warwick LB (IR) Rookies in italics 54 active, 4 reserve, 0 practice squad

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance[2]
1	August 8	New England Patriots	W 17–10	1–0	Memorial Stadium (Minneapolis)	31,813
2	August 14	at San Diego Chargers	W 34–7	2–0	San Diego Stadium	49,267
3	August 21	Chicago Bears	W 34–14	3–0	Metropolitan Stadium	47,900
4	August 28	at Pittsburgh Steelers	W 26–21	4–0	Three Rivers Stadium	46,276
5	September 4	at Denver Broncos	L 7–14	4–1	Mile High Stadium	43,000
6	September 11	Miami Dolphins	W 24–0	5–1	Metropolitan Stadium	47,990

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 20	at Detroit Lions	W 16–13	1–0	Tiger Stadium	54,418
2	September 26	Chicago Bears	L 17–20	1–1	Metropolitan Stadium	47,900
3	October 3	Buffalo Bills	W 19–0	2–1	Metropolitan Stadium	47,900
4	October 10	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 13–0	3–1	Veterans Stadium	65,358
5	October 17	at Green Bay Packers	W 24–13	4–1	Lambeau Field	56,263
6	October 25	Baltimore Colts	W 10–3	5–1	Metropolitan Stadium	49,784
7	October 31	at New York Giants	W 17–10	6–1	Yankee Stadium	62,829
8	November 7	San Francisco 49ers	L 9–13	6–2	Metropolitan Stadium	49,784
9	November 14	Green Bay Packers	W 3–0	7–2	Metropolitan Stadium	49,784
10	November 21	at New Orleans Saints	W 23–10	8–2	Tulane Stadium	83,130
11	November 28	Atlanta Falcons	W 24–7	9–2	Metropolitan Stadium	49,784
12	December 5	at San Diego Chargers	L 14–30	9–3	San Diego Stadium	54,505
13	December 11	Detroit Lions	W 29–10	10–3	Metropolitan Stadium	49,784
14	December 19	at Chicago Bears	W 27–10	11–3	Soldier Field	55,049

Game summaries

Week 6: vs. Baltimore Colts

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	0	0	0	3	3
Vikings	7	0	3	0	10

Game information

First quarter MIN – Dave Osborn 2-yard run (Fred Cox kick). Vikings 7–0. Second quarter No scoring plays. Third quarter MIN – Fred Cox 32-yard field goal. Vikings 10–0. Fourth quarter BAL – Jim O'Brien 40-yard field goal. Vikings 10–3. Top passers BAL – Earl Morrall – 16/27, 148 yards, 3 INT MIN – Gary Cuozzo – 7/15, 110 yards, INT Top rushers BAL – Norm Bulaich – 18 rushes, 83 yards MIN – Dave Osborn – 13 rushes, 42 yards, TD Top receivers BAL – Norm Bulaich – 6 receptions, 62 yards MIN – Stu Voigt – 3 receptions, 60 yards

Week 6: Baltimore Colts at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

• Date: October 25
• Game time: 8:00 p.m.
• Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C)
• Game attendance: 49,784
• TV: ABC
• Pro-Football-Reference.com

Standings

NFC Central
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings	11	3	0	.786	5–1	9–2	245	139	W2
Detroit Lions	7	6	1	.538	2–3–1	3–6–1	341	286	L2
Chicago Bears	6	8	0	.429	2–4	5–6	185	276	L5
Green Bay Packers	4	8	2	.333	2–3–1	2–7–2	274	298	L1

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Postseason

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue	Attendance
Divisional	December 25	Dallas Cowboys	L 12–20	Metropolitan Stadium	47,307

Awards, records, and honors

All-Pros

First team

• OT Ron Yary (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW)
• DE Carl Eller (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW)
• DT Alan Page (AP, NEA, PFWA, PFW)
• S Paul Krause (NEA)

Pro Bowlers

• WR Bob Grim
• OT Ron Yary
• DE Carl Eller
• DT Alan Page
• S Paul Krause

League leaders

• Bob Lee – Most punts (89), most punting yards (3515)
• Charlie West – Longest interception return (89 yards)
• Alan Page – Most safeties (2)

Statistics

Team leaders

Category	Player(s)	Value
Passing yards	Gary Cuozzo	842
Passing touchdowns	Gary Cuozzo	6
Rushing yards	Clint Jones	675
Rushing touchdowns	Dave Osborn	5
Receiving yards	Bob Grim	691
Receiving touchdowns	Bob Grim	7
Points	Fred Cox	91
Kickoff return yards	Charlie West	556
Punt return yards	Charlie West	94
Interceptions	Charlie West	7

League rankings

Category	Total yards	Yards per game	NFL rank (out of 26)
Passing offense	1,655	118.2	25th
Rushing offense	1,695	121.1	17th
Total offense	3,350	239.3	23rd
Passing defense	1,806	129.0	3rd
Rushing defense	1,600	114.3	6th
Total defense	3,406	243.3	2nd