1971 Cleveland Browns

1971 Cleveland Browns season
Head Coach	Nick Skorich
Home Field	Cleveland Stadium
Results
Record	9–5–0
Place	1st AFC Central
Playoff Finish	Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
Timeline
Previous Season	Next Season
1970	1972

The 1971 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 22nd season with the National Football League.

After missing the playoffs the previous year, the Browns got off to a good start at 4–1 only to stumble losing 4 straight to fall to 4–5. However, the Browns would rebound to win the final 4 games of the season and a Central Division title. Just as the 1967 Browns returned to the playoffs following a one-year absence, so, too, did the '71 club, which was in its first season under new head coach Nick Skorich after Blanton Collier's final team in 1970 had finished just 7-7, ending a string of three consecutive postseason berths.

As was the case in 1967, the '71 Browns went 9-5 and won a division crown. They captured the AFC Central for the first time, finishing three games in front of the soon-to-emerge Pittsburgh Steelers (6-8). Running back Leroy Kelly was on the downside of his Pro Football Hall of Fame career, but he did still manage to rush for 865 yards and 10 touchdowns -- still good for a 14-game season, Wide receiver Fair Hooker led the team in receptions with 45.In the playoffs the Browns would fall in the first round 20–3 to the Baltimore Colts.

Personnel

Staff/Coaches

1971 Cleveland Browns final staff
	Front Office Owner - Art Modell General Manager - Harold Sauerbrei Head Coaches Head Coach – Nick Skorich Offensive Coaches Offensive Coordinator - Nick Skorich Offensive Line - Ray Prochaska Offensive Backs - Jerry Williams Wide Receivers - Bob Nussbaumer			Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator - Howard Brinker Defensive Line - Dick Modzelewski Linebackers/Film Coordinator - Ed Ulinski Secondary - Richie McCabe Special Teams Coaches Equipment Manager - Morrie Kono Assistant Equipment Manager - Bob Glenn Strength and Conditioning Trainer - Leo Murphy Equipment Manager - Morris Kono Team Physician - Vic Ippolito

Roster

1971 Cleveland Browns roster
	Quarterbacks 16 Bill Nelsen 15 Mike Phipps Running backs 30 Ken Brown 44 Leroy Kelly 35 Bo Scott FB Wide receivers 86 Gary Collins 41 Dave Jones 43 Fair Hooker 25 Frank Pitts Tight ends 83 Chip Glass 89 Milt Morin		Offensive linemen 64 Jim Copeland G 65 John Demarie G 54 Fred Hoaglin C 66 Gene Hickerson G 74 Mitch Johnson T 78 Bob McKay T 77 Dick Schafrath T 63 Mike Sikich G Defensive linemen 84 Bob Briggs DE 81 Jack Gregory DE 71 Walter Johnson DT 80 Joe Jones DE 72 Jerry Sherk DT 88 Ron Snidow DE		Linebackers 52 Billy Andrews OLB 50 John Garlington OLB 59 Charlie Hall OLB 82 Jim Houston OLB 58 Rick Kingrea MLB 51 Dale Lindsey MLB Defensive backs 40 Erich Barnes S 28 Ben Davis CB 34 Mike Howell S 24 Ernie Kellerman S 22 Clarence Scott CB 29 Walt Sumner CB Special teams 12 Don Cockroft K/P		Reserve lists Practice/Taxi Squad Rookies in italics

Exhibition schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	August 8, 1971	at San Francisco 49ers	L 38–24	40,000
2	August 13, 1971	vs. Los Angeles Rams	L 17–5	52,503
3	August 20, 1971	at Dallas Cowboys	L 16–15	69,099
4	August 28, 1971	vs. Chicago Bears at South Bend, Indiana	L 20–19	43,568
5	September 4, 1971	New York Giants	W 30–7	82,710
6	September 10, 1971	at St. Louis Cardinals	L 27–13	46,171

Regular season schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 19, 1971	Houston Oilers	W 31–0	73,387
2	September 26, 1971	at Baltimore Colts	W 14–13	56,837
3	October 4, 1971	Oakland Raiders	L 34–20	84,285
4	October 10, 1971	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 27–17	83,391
5	October 17, 1971	at Cincinnati Bengals	W 27–24	60,284
6	October 24, 1971	Denver Broncos	L 27–0	75,674
7	October 31, 1971	Atlanta Falcons	L 31–14	76,825
8	November 7, 1971	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 26–9	50,202
9	November 14, 1971	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 13–7	50,388
10	November 21, 1971	New England Patriots	W 27–7	65,238
11	November 28, 1971	at Houston Oilers	W 37–24	37,921
12	December 5, 1971	Cincinnati Bengals	W 31–27	82,705
13	December 12, 1971	at New Orleans Saints	W 21–17	72,794
14	December 19, 1971	at Washington Redskins	W 20–13	53,041

Playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
Divisional	December 26, 1971	Baltimore Colts	L 20–3	74,082

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
Cleveland Browns	9	5	0	.643	285	273	W-5
Pittsburgh Steelers	6	8	0	.429	246	292	L-1
Houston Oilers	4	9	1	.308	251	330	W-3
Cincinnati Bengals	4	10	0	.286	284	265	L-3

External links

• 1971 Cleveland Browns season article at Wikipedia
• 1971 Cleveland Browns Statistics at jt-sw.com
• 1971 Cleveland Browns Schedule at jt-sw.com
• 1971 Cleveland Browns at DatabaseFootball.com