Super Bowl V is best remembered as the NFL’s strangest championship win: the Baltimore Colts beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-13, yet the game was so messy that a Cowboys linebacker, Chuck Howley, became MVP. Played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, it was the first Super Bowl after the AFL-NFL merger and the first title game between the new AFC and NFC champions.
TLDR: Super Bowl V was a sloppy but historic 16-13 Colts victory over the Cowboys, decided by Jim O’Brien’s 32-yard field goal with five seconds left. The game featured 11 turnovers, including seven by Baltimore, which made the Colts’ win feel almost impossible. For example, a fan studying championship games could use Super Bowl V as a case where the team that lost the turnover battle by three still won by executing late. Chuck Howley remains the only Super Bowl MVP chosen from the losing team.
The Setting: A New NFL Era
Super Bowl V arrived at a strange time. The NFL and AFL had just completed their merger, and the league was trying to prove its new structure worked. The Colts, once part of the old NFL, had moved into the AFC with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cowboys represented the NFC and carried the label of a team that was great, but not yet great enough.
Baltimore was coached by Don McCafferty. Dallas was led by Tom Landry, whose cold precision shaped the Cowboys’ identity. The Colts had veterans, including quarterback Johnny Unitas, defensive tackle Bubba Smith, and linebacker Mike Curtis. Dallas had quarterback Craig Morton, running back Duane Thomas, and the brilliant linebacker Chuck Howley.
How the Game Unfolded
Dallas struck first. Mike Clark kicked a short field goal in the first quarter, giving the Cowboys a 3-0 lead. Baltimore answered in wild fashion during the second quarter. Unitas threw a pass that bounced through chaos before tight end John Mackey grabbed it and raced 75 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was blocked, leaving Baltimore ahead 6-3.
The Cowboys responded with the steadier football. Duane Thomas scored on a 7-yard run, then Clark added another field goal. Dallas led 13-6 at halftime, and the Colts looked battered. Unitas was injured and left the game. Earl Morrall, who had replaced him, did not make the offense look much cleaner.
The third quarter was brutal. Baltimore pushed deep into Dallas territory but wasted chances through fumbles and mistakes. The Cowboys also failed to put the game away. Honestly, it feels like both teams kept opening the door, then tripping over the threshold.
In the fourth quarter, Baltimore finally tied it. Fullback Tom Nowatzke scored from the 2-yard line, and O’Brien’s extra point made it 13-13. Then came the decisive sequence. With less than a minute left, Mike Curtis intercepted Morton and returned the ball into field goal range. O’Brien, a rookie kicker, made a 32-yard field goal with five seconds left. Baltimore had survived, 16-13.
Image not found in postmetaWhy It Was Called the “Blunder Bowl”
Super Bowl V earned the nickname “Blunder Bowl” for good reason. The teams combined for 11 turnovers. Baltimore committed seven of them and still won, which remains one of the weirdest facts in Super Bowl history. Dallas turned the ball over four times, including Morton’s costly late interception.
- Total turnovers: 11
- Colts turnovers: 7
- Cowboys turnovers: 4
- Final margin: 3 points
- Time left after the winning kick: 5 seconds
The quality of play drew criticism right away. Passes were tipped. Balls were dropped. Drives died for no good reason. Even the winning team seemed uneasy about the way it happened. Bubba Smith later made clear he did not cherish the game in the same way fans might expect. It still feels absurd that a championship game could be both famous and frustrating for nearly the same reason.
The Controversial Mackey Touchdown
The game’s most debated moment came on Mackey’s 75-yard touchdown. Under the passing rules used at the time, the order of touches mattered. If an offensive player touched a pass first, another offensive player could not legally catch it unless a defender touched it in between.
On the play, Unitas threw downfield. The ball was deflected in traffic involving Colts receiver Eddie Hinton and Cowboys defender Mel Renfro. Mackey then caught it and sprinted for the score. Dallas argued the play should have been illegal. Officials ruled that Renfro had touched the ball, which made Mackey’s catch valid.
That call changed the game. Without the touchdown, Baltimore may have trailed by more at halftime. With it, the Colts stayed close despite a sloppy offense. The controversy also showed how hard pass interference and touching rules could be to judge in real time, especially before modern replay systems.
Chuck Howley’s Unusual MVP Award
Chuck Howley made history despite the loss. He intercepted two passes and played with such force that voters named him Super Bowl MVP. He became the first defensive player to win the award and remains the only player from a losing team to receive it.
Image not found in postmetaThe choice said plenty about the game. No Colts offensive star clearly owned the night. O’Brien made the winning kick, but Howley had been dominant for four quarters. Dallas lost, but its defense had nearly dragged the team to a title.
Historical Significance
Super Bowl V mattered beyond its ugly box score. It was the first Super Bowl after the merger, so the AFC needed credibility. The Colts gave the conference an early title, even though Baltimore had come from the old NFL. The win also helped soften the sting of the Colts’ shocking Super Bowl III loss to Joe Namath and the New York Jets.
The game also pushed several Super Bowl traditions forward. It was among the first title games to carry the modern Roman numeral branding. It also showed that the Super Bowl did not need beauty to create drama. Mistakes can make a game memorable, sometimes more than perfection.
For Dallas, the loss fueled a painful reputation. The Cowboys were talented, organized, and respected, but critics said they could not win the biggest game. That changed one year later, when Dallas beat Miami in Super Bowl VI. Super Bowl V, then, became part of the Cowboys’ rise rather than the end of it.
For Baltimore, it was the franchise’s only Super Bowl title in the city before the Colts later moved to Indianapolis. That gives the win a special place in Baltimore sports memory. It was not elegant. It was not clean. But it was a championship.
FAQ
Who won Super Bowl V?
The Baltimore Colts defeated the Dallas Cowboys 16-13.
When and where was Super Bowl V played?
It was played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida.
Who was the MVP of Super Bowl V?
Chuck Howley of the Dallas Cowboys was named MVP. He is still the only Super Bowl MVP from a losing team.
Why was Super Bowl V controversial?
The biggest controversy involved John Mackey’s 75-yard touchdown catch. Dallas argued the pass should have been ruled illegal because of the touching rules then in place.
Why is Super Bowl V called the “Blunder Bowl”?
The game had 11 combined turnovers and many missed chances. Its sloppy play made the nickname stick.
How did the Colts win the game?
Mike Curtis intercepted Craig Morton late in the fourth quarter. Jim O’Brien then kicked a 32-yard field goal with five seconds left.
Why is Super Bowl V historically significant?
It was the first Super Bowl after the AFL-NFL merger and the first championship between the new AFC and NFC. It also gave Baltimore a rare and lasting football title.
