1971 Washington Redskins season

1971 Washington Redskins season
Head coach	George Allen
Home field	RFK Stadium
Results
Record	9–4–1
Division place	2nd NFC East
Playoff finish	Lost in Divisional Playoffs (49ers) 24–20
← 1970 Redskins seasons 1972 →

Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys

1 2 3 4 Total • Redskins 7 7 3 3 20 Cowboys 0 9 0 7 16 Date: Sunday, October 3 Location: Cotton Bowl Game start: 1:00 p.m. CST Game weather: 70°F, wind 10 mph Referee: Jack Reader TV announcers (CBS): Ray Scott, Pat Summerall Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scoring summary 1 Redskins Charlie Harraway 57 yard run (Curtis Knight kick) Redskins 7–0 2 Cowboys Mike Clark 22 yard field goal Redskins 7–3 2 Redskins Roy Jefferson 50 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curtis Knight kick) Redskins 14–3 2 Cowboys Mike Clark 9 yard field goal Redskins 14–6 2 Cowboys Mike Clark 27 yard field goal Redskins 14–9 3 Redskins Curtis Knight 25 yard field goal Redskins 17–9 4 Redskins Curtis Knight 32 yard field goal Redskins 20–9 4 Cowboys Calvin Hill 1 yard run (Mike Clark kick) Redskins 20–16

Scoring summary
1		Redskins	Charlie Harraway 57 yard run (Curtis Knight kick)	Redskins 7–0
2		Cowboys	Mike Clark 22 yard field goal	Redskins 7–3
2		Redskins	Roy Jefferson 50 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curtis Knight kick)	Redskins 14–3
2		Cowboys	Mike Clark 9 yard field goal	Redskins 14–6
2		Cowboys	Mike Clark 27 yard field goal	Redskins 14–9
3		Redskins	Curtis Knight 25 yard field goal	Redskins 17–9
4		Redskins	Curtis Knight 32 yard field goal	Redskins 20–9
4		Cowboys	Calvin Hill 1 yard run (Mike Clark kick)	Redskins 20–16

1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 0 0 7 0 7 Redskins 0 0 0 7 7 Date: November 7 Location: RFK Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game weather: 47°F • Wind 17 Referee: Fred Silva

Scoring summary 3 PHI Ronnie Bull 12 yard pass from Pete Liske (Happy Feller kick) Eagles 7–0 4 WSH Clifton McNeil 32 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curt Knight kick) Tie 7–7

Scoring summary
3		PHI	Ronnie Bull 12 yard pass from Pete Liske (Happy Feller kick)	Eagles 7–0
4		WSH	Clifton McNeil 32 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curt Knight kick)	Tie 7–7

The 1971 Washington Redskins was the team's 40th in the National Football League, and their 35th in Washington, D.C.. The 1971 was the first with the Redskins for coach George Allen, who had been the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams for the previous five seasons.

Coming into the 1971 season, the team had not made it to the post-season for 26 seasons. The Redskins had had only four winning seasons since their last playoff berth in 1945.

The Redskins went 9–4–1, good for second place in the NFC East, and a wild card berth, where they would ultimately fall to San Francisco, 24–20.

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

Rumor has it 37th President Richard Nixon called a key play which caused the Redskins to lose to the 49ers. This was just a rumor, although Nixon was friends with George Allen and attended a practice game once where he tried the same play to much better results.

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