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 ever started and it was a remarkable feat the Jets were able to finish 6–8–0. Joe Namath was injured in a preseason game against the Detroit Lions and would require 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 would throw 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.

External links

• 1971 statistics