Quarter 1

• As expected, defense dominated the first period, with neither team making a 1st down until the eighth possession.
  Dallas won the toss and chose to receive.
  Jim O'Brien kicked against the wind to RB Calvin Hill, who returned 14y to the 24. Tom Landry used messenger TEs, Pettis Norman and Mike Ditka, to send in each play. After a 2y run by Walt Garrison, QB Craig Morton flipped a swing pass to RB Duane Thomas for 6y. But Morton underthrew a long 3rd-and-2 pass to WR Bob Hayes to force a punt. Bubba Smith dumped the QB hard right after he released the ball. Ron Widby punted to the 26, where Ron Gardin made a fair catch.
  Morton said afterwards that the pass to Hayes took a chunk off my finger on somebody's helmet. And it wouldn't stop bleeding. Then the ball kept sailing.
  Bubba Smith had started the season at 295 but was done to a "mere" 265 by Super Bowl V.
  Johnny Unitas started with two handoffs to Norm Bulaich. The first gained 4 over LT, but on the second CB Herb Adderley closed strong and threw Norm for a 5y loss as he tried to sweep RE. On 3rd-and-11, Unitas dumped the ball to TE John Mackey over the middle, but MLB Leroy Jordan tackled the TE immediately for a gained of only 5. David Lee punted to Hayes who was smothered after a gain of 2 at the Dallas 37.
  On first down, the entire front four of the Colts swarmed to Thomas and held him to no gain at LT. Then Morton handed to Duane on a draw play that gained 3. Facing 3rd-and-long again, Morton tried to pass, pumping twice, before being pulled down by DE Roy Hilton at the 37. Widby squibbed his punt to Jerry Logan who returned 8y to the 32. But a personal foul on Cliff Harris tacked on 15 to the 47.
  Harris, the backup safety who made his mark on special teams, was known as "Captain Crash." He came from one of those never-heard-of-'em colleges - Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia, AK. We discovered Harris watching film, said Cowboys personnel director Gil Brandt. He ran back two punts for touchdowns in a game and that got our attention. He played hard but still, the chances of making the NFL from a school that small are pretty slim. Cliff was signed as a free agent before the 1970 season. He started five games that year and ended up teaming with Charlie Waters, another unheralded player the Cowboys discovered, as perhaps the best safety combo in the NFL through the 1970s.
  Unitas tried to pass on 1st down, but LB Chuck Howley intercepted at the 32, got up, and returned 22y to the Colt 46, where Johnny himself made the tackle, then left the field holding his passing hand.
  Once again, Dallas tried Thomas on 1st down but gained only 2. Morton tried to set up a screen on the left side but, under pressure from Bubba Smith, underthrew Garrison. On still another 3rd-and-long, Craig tried to hit Hayes but again the ball fell short as a flag was thrown. The Colts decided to take the 15y holding penalty against Ralph Neely. What do you call on 3rd-and-33? Landry chose a draw to Garrison, who gained 11. So Widby launched his third punt to Gardin, who fumbled the ball, Harris recovering at the 9.
  Gardin: There was nowhere to hide. All I could think of was what my mother would think. She doesn't know that much about football, but she would know I had done something stupid.
  
  Thomas ran on 1st down again, gaining 4 to the 5. LB Ted Hendricks stuffed Thomas's next carry for a loss of 2. On 3rd down, Morton spotted Reggie Rucker open in the right corner of the EZ but overthrew him. Landry jumped in the air with clenched fists on the sideline in frustration. So Mike Clark came in and booted a 14y FG from a severe angle to the left. Cowboys 3 Colts 0 (5:32)
  
  Duane Thomas protects Craig Morton.
  Clark's kickoff came down short to Jim Duncan, who broke free for 21y to the 36. Bob Lilly stopped Bulaich for no gain. FB Tom Nowatzke took a handoff on a draw over RG to the 36, where DE George Andrie made the stop. Sticking to the ground, Unitas handed to Bulaich, who gained only 1. Lee hung a high punt that bounced into the EZ as Tom Maxwell just missed downing it at the 2.
  Landry told Morton to concentrate on the running game. Garrison, not showing any ill effects from his injuries, broke through the right side, bounced off several tacklers, and gained 6y to the 26. Thomas went in motion, and Garrison took a delayed handoff for the initial 1st down of the game at the 31. Then it was Duane's turn again, sweeping RE for 3. On the next snap, Morton completed his first pass, connecting with RB Dan Reeves on a swing pass to the 47. Then Craig went long to Hayes who snagged the ball over Charlie Stukes and just in front of Jerry Logan, who pulled him down at the 12. A tussle ensued at that point but was broken up. A roughing the passer infraction on the play against DT Fred Miller moved the ball half the distance to the 6. Morton tried another swing pass. Thomas was open with a blocker in front of him, but DE Roy Hinton tipped the pass away. On the next snap, Duane tried to get outside on the left but Hilton and LB Ted Hendricks spun him down after a gain of a single yard.
  END OF Q1: Cowboys 3 Colts 0

• On 3rd-and-goal from the 8, Morton threw as he went to the ground from the tackle of Billy Ray Smith. The ball landed on the 7 with no eligible receiver near it. Referee Norm Schacter threw his flag for intentional grounding. After the 15y penalty, Clark kicked a 30y FG. The Colts were offsides, but Landry decided not to take the points off the board. Cowboys 6 Colts 0 (14:52)
  
  Morton escapes pocket.
  
  
  Mike Clark boots his second FG.
  Duncan got another good return, 22y to the 25. Unitas decided to pass on 1st down but threw to WR Eddie Hinton in a crowd. LB Dave Edwards almost intercepted at the 35. Johnny's next toss was low, and WR Roy Jefferson couldn't hold on at his shoe tops.
  
  Unitas prepares to pass as Jordan starts to rush.
  Then lightning struck the Cowboys on the first of several controversial plays. Unitas sent Mackey deep down the left seam to clear the short area for Hinton. But Johnny U. threw too high for Eddie who leaped and got only his fingers on the ball. The pigskin bounced forward over a leaping Ray Renfro, who made a swipe at it, and fell into the hands of Mackey, who ran untouched into the EZ for a 75y TD. S Charlie Waters was the closest to Mackey when he caught the ball and might have run down the ball carrier if he hadn't been screaming at the officials that it was an illegal catch after the ball touched two straight offensive receivers. However, the officials let the play stand because Renfro (presumably) deflected the ball after it hit Hinton's hands, thereby making Mackey's catch legal. The play gave the Colts their initial first down as well as six points. Mark Washington blocked the extra point with his chest. Cowboys 6 Colts 6 (14:10)

Mackey catches pass tipped by Hinton and Renfro.

Mackey afterwards: That play was not in my game plan. The ball was thrown to Hinton, and I actually thought it was going to be intercepted. But then it was tipped around. I don't know by whom, and it landed right in my arms, and I did my 9.1 to the end zone.
Jordan: I thought Mel was going to intercept the ball until I saw Hinton tip it over his head. I saw Mackey run on into the end zone, but I didn't think anything about it. I figured it was all illegal. Then I saw the official signalling a touchdown. ...
CB Adderley: Hinton deflected the ball, there's no question about it. ... I kept complaining to the official, but he told me to shut up. He just said Blue (Dallas) touched the ball, but he never said who did it.
After the game, three different secondary men denied touching the ball after Hinton deflected it. Not me, said S Charlie Waters. I touched Mackey but not the ball, I'm sure of that. A play like that happens so fast that it's hard to tell what happened. But in my mind, I don't think I hit the ball. I was 10 yards away, offered Cornell Green, the other S. I don't know, said Renfro. I didn't think I did. Maybe my fingernail. ... Somebody did, but I don't know who. Years later, Renfro talked further about the play. The refs said the ball touched me. Which it could have, I suppose. But I had no sensation of touching the ball. That was my right hand, the hand that was messed up when I punched the mirror back at Oregon. That was the hand I have no feeling in those three fingers. I have no feeling in that finger, and if it hit my finger, that's the finger that it hit.

NFL Films' highlights of Super Bowl V shows the TD pass twice, once in slow motion. The announcer says to look closely and you can see the ball change direction slightly after hitting Renfro's hand.

After the touchback on the kickoff, LLB Ray May dumped Thomas for a loss of 2. With RT Ralph Neely having trouble with big Bubba, Morton then threw two short incompletions in a row, the first underthrown to Ditka and the second lofted over Smith but dropped by Garrison. So Widby launched his fourth punt to Gardin at the 38. Washington dropped him in his tracks.
Before the first snap, LT Bob Vogel moved into pass block position too quickly. Bulaich carried twice for 2y each time. On 3rd-and-11, Unitas overthrew Hinton. So Lee punted for the third time, Hayes taking it back 7y to the Dallas 33.

Unitas hands to Bulaich.

The Cowboys continued their habit of running on 1st down and not gaining much. This time it was Thomas off LT for 2. After underthrowing Hayes who was in the clear just across midfield, Morton flipped to Reeves in the flat, but May dropped the player-coach for no gain. Widby's first punt was nullified by an offsides penalty against Dallas. So he kicked again, Gardin making a fair catch 49y downfield at the 21.
Unitas's 1st down pass went through Bulaich's hands. Then Norm ran left but gained nothing. Geared for the pass, the Cowboys pressured Unitas out of the pocket. When hit by Jordan, Johnny fumbled, DT Jethro Pugh recovering at the 28.
Thomas swept right, and Bubba caught him after a gain of 4. Then Morton hit Reeves in the flat again as WR Reggie Rucker took defenders with him inside. Dan sped down the sideline to the 7. Then Craig hit Thomas with a quick screen to the right and, behind blocking by Norman and T Rayfield Wright, Duane fell into the EZ. Clark converted. Cowboys 13 Colts 6 (7:53)

Thomas takes quick screen pass and scores.

Duncan carried the kick back 30y to the 38. Unitas's pass to Mackey was incomplete, but Adderley was flagged for interference to give the Colts a 1st down at the Dallas 49. John then threw his patented down and out that he perfected with Raymond Berry. This time it was Jefferson who caught it and stepped out at the 41. Bulaich then pushed straight ahead for 4 to move the chains. Unitas faked a handoff and threw down the left sideline. But Renfro cut in front of Hinton and picked it off just before stepping out of bounds at the 15. Unitas was hit by Andrie as he threw and left the game holding his side, never to return, with what turned out to be a torn rib cartilage.

Unitas explained his injury after the game: With my right arm up, my ribs were open. He got me with his helmet or his shoulder. I don't know which.

Howley tackles Bulaich.

Two runs by Thomas gained 2 and 6. On the 3rd down snap, Baltimore jumped offside to give Dallas a first down at the 28. Morton used Thomas on a quick screen to Smith's side for 5y. Then Rucker caught a pass and ran for 10y. But the play was called back, and Dallas penalized 15y for pass interference. Morton got 11 of the 20 needed for a first down on a pass to Reeves as Jerry Logan, playing a great game, made another tackle. On 3rd down, the two ends, Smith and Hilton, converged on Morton for a loss of 11. Gardin then managed to get a return on Widby's punt but for only 2y to the Baltimore 48, where he was clothes-lined by kamikaze defender Harris.

Thomas runs behind John Niland's block as Volk waits to make the tackle.

Earl Morrall came out with the offensive unit as Unitas sat on the bench in pain.

Morrall recalled: Johnny had to come out. Suddenly the whole thing was in my lap. I didn't think about what had happened before (Super Bowl III). I didn't have a chance to. My mind was filled with formations and plays we could use to beat the Dallas defense.

The new QB passed immediately, hitting Hinton to the Dallas 26 where Renfro made the stop.

Morrall: I called a pass on the first play because I figured the Cowboys wouldn't be expecting it. And they weren't. Eddie Hinton got open and I whipped the ball to him for a 26y gain. It gave the team a lift. You could feel it.

Earl tried Eddie again, but this time Mel broke it up. Morrall threw again, Jefferson caught it, got up, and ran to the 6 where Waters decked him. Jordan was flagged for unnecessary roughness to move the ball to the 2 at the two-minute warning. Despite the Cowboys jamming the line of scrimmage, Morrall handed to Bulaich three straight times but he gained zilch the first two times, then lost one.

Morrall: Time was running out in the half. I called a pass to Roy Jefferson. It got us 21y and first down on the Dallas 2. The clock was running, close to two minutes were left, plenty of time to get some points. On first down I called a HB slant, handing off to rookie Norm Bulaich, who hit the left side behind the blocking of FB Tom Nowatzke. Bulaich had a good reputation for running over people, but the Cowboys clogged up the middle and Bulaich got nothing. Because the Cowboys were jamming up the middle so well, I decided to send Bulaich around an end to get the two yards we needed. Nowatzke and Mackey would block. I handed to Bulaich and watched him pound to the right, then make his turn, and I saw MLB Lee Roy Jordan move with him. All Bulaich had to do was cut back, cut to his left, and knife his way past Jordan. But instead Norm put his head down and tried to bowl over Jordan. That's what the Dallas veteran was hoping, I guess, because he slammed into Bulaich, hitting him low, very low, and driving him back as he struck. I called the play again. "Cut back," I told Bulaich. "Don't try to run over that guy." But this time Bulaich never got to the outside and when he tried the middle he was stopped dead. Three plays and we had gotten nothing - no yards, no points.

McCaffrey decided to go for it on 4th down. Morrall faked to Nowatzke and threw over the middle to TE Tom Mitchell but too high.

Morrall: On our last try, I decided to go to the air, callling a play that's listed as "119 weakside end delay" in the Colt playbook, a pass with Tom Mitchell as the primary receiver. Mitchell threw a block at LB Chuck Howley, but as he tried to slide off, Howley stayed with him. Mitchell, in trying to struggle free, got his feet tangled with T Jethro Pugh's and half stumbled. The Dallas front four was pressing me now and I had to throw. I purposely lofted the ball to give Mitchell an extra second to regain his momentum, but he never did. The pass went incomplete.
Waters felt that Unitas's injury might have been a blessing in disguise for the Colts. For the last two weeks, all I've done is look at films of Unitas. When Earl Morrall came in, it was the first time I had seen him, and I had to check with other guys on what he might do.

Dallas ran one play, Garrison off RT for 2 before time expired.
END OF Q2: Cowboys 13 Colts 6

Morrall: As I went off the field, I got a sickening flashback of our first Super Bowl game, a sort of taped replay of the last minute or so. We hadn't scored now. I figured I was in for a lot of sleepless nights during the coming year.

The Southeast Missouri State College band entertained at halftime, and Anita Bryant sang the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Landry told reporters after the game that the Cowboys felt very confident at halftime.
According to Bubba Smith, McCafferty told the Colts: The defense has played great ball. It has hung in there and done a job. Continue to hang in there, and the breaks will start to go our way. No ranting or raving. No discouragement. No fight talk. Just plain sense.