1971 Minnesota Vikings season
| 1971 Minnesota Vikings season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Bud Grant |
| General manager | Jim Finks |
| Home field | Metropolitan Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 11–3 |
| Division place | 1st NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) 20–12 |
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| Scoring summary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MIN | Dave Osborn 2 yard run (Fred Cox kick) | Vikings 7–0 | |
| 3 | MIN | Fred Cox 32 yard field goal | Vikings 10–0 | |
| 4 | BAL | Jim O'Brien 40 yard field goal | Vikings 10–3 | |
The 1971 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchise's 11th season in the National Football League. The Vikings won the NFC Central title as they finished with a record of 11 wins and three losses, before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys at home, 20–12, in the NFC Divisional Playoff game.
In 2007, ESPN.com ranked the 1971 Vikings as the fourth-greatest defense in NFL history, saying, "[c]onsidering 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."
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
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Wikipedia