1971 New York Jets season

1971 New York Jets season
Head coach Weeb Ewbank
Owner Leon Hess
Home field Shea Stadium
Results
Record 6–8
Division place 3rd AFC East
Playoff finish did not qualify

The 1971 New York Jets season was the 12th season for the team and the second in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 4–10 record from 1970 under head coach Weeb Ewbank.

Disaster struck before the regular season started and the Jets finished 6–8–0. Joe Namath was injured in a preseason game against the Detroit Lions and required knee surgery, All-Pro WR George Sauer unexpectedly retired at the peak of his career, and All-Pro defensive end Verlon Biggs exercised his option and signed with the Washington Redskins.

After missing 19 straight games in 1970 and 1971, Namath returned to action against the San Francisco 49ers in the third quarter (November 28, 1971) and threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, but was intercepted by Johnny Fuller in the end zone on the final play of a 24–21 loss. He then started the final three games, and the Jets won the last two after suffering a 52–10 loss in a nationally televised game to the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys

Offseason

NFL Draft

1971 New York Jets Draft
Round Pick # Overall Name Position College
1 6 6 John Riggins Running back Kansas
2 6 32 John Mooring Tackle Tampa
3 6 58 Chris Farasopoulos Defensive back BYU
4 6 84 Bill Zapalac Linebacker Texas
6 6 136 Phil Wise Tight end Nebraska-Omaha
7 6 162 Scott Palmer Defensive tackle Texas
8 6 188 Roy Kirksey Guard Maryland State
9 6 214 John Curtis Tight end Springfield
10 6 240 Jim Bettis Defensive back Michigan
11 6 266 Vernon Studdard Wide receiver Mississippi
12 6 292 Rich Sowells Defensive back Alcorn
13 6 318 John Eggold Defensive end Arizona
14 6 344 John Harpring Guard Michigan
15 6 370 Dan Dyches Center South Carolina
16 6 396 Steve Harkey Running back Georgia Tech
17 6 422 Greg Flaska Defensive end Western Michigan

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Game site Attendance
1 1971-09-19 at Baltimore Colts L 22–0 Memorial Stadium
56,458
2 1971-09-27 at St. Louis Cardinals L 17–10 Busch Memorial Stadium
50,358
3 1971-10-03 at Miami Dolphins W 14–10 Miami Orange Bowl
70,670
4 1971-10-10 at New England Patriots L 20–0 Schaefer Stadium
61,357
5 1971-10-17 Buffalo Bills W 28–17 Shea Stadium
61,948
6 1971-10-24 Miami Dolphins L 30–14 Shea Stadium
62,130
7 1971-10-31 at San Diego Chargers L 49–21 San Diego Stadium
44,786
8 1971-11-07 Kansas City Chiefs W 13–10 Shea Stadium
62,812
9 1971-11-14 Baltimore Colts L 14–13 Shea Stadium
63,947
10 1971-11-21 at Buffalo Bills W 20–7 War Memorial Stadium
41,577
11 1971-11-28 San Francisco 49ers L 24–21 Shea Stadium
63,936
12 1971-12-04 at Dallas Cowboys L 52–10 Texas Stadium
66,689
13 1971-12-12 New England Patriots W 13–6 Shea Stadium
63,175
14 1971-12-19 Cincinnati Bengals W 35–21 Shea Stadium
63,151

Standings

AFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Miami Dolphins 10 3 1 .769 5–3 7–3–1 315 174 W1
Baltimore Colts 10 4 0 .714 6–2 8–3 313 140 L1
New England Patriots 6 8 0 .429 4–4 6–5 238 325 W1
New York Jets 6 8 0 .429 4–4 6–5 212 299 W2
Buffalo Bills 1 13 0 .071 1–7 1–10 184 394 L3

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972. [1]

References

  1. ↑ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 297

External links

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