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This was the Super Bowl no one wanted to win. At least, that's how it seemed. Between them, the Baltimore Colts and Dallas Cowboys had 14 penalties and 10 turnovers.
The offenses were so ineffective that the MVP award went to a defensive player on the losing side! Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley intercepted two passes and caused a fumble to win the honor.
If the game was less than artistic, it made up for it by remaining suspenseful to the end.
Defense and mistakes dominated the first quarter, but Dallas managed to score on a 14-yard field goal by Mike Clark. Early in the second quarter, Clark added a 30-yard field goal to make the score 6-0.
The play that most typified the afternoon came a few moments later. Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas launched a pass down the center intended for receiver Eddie Hinton, who reached for it and tipped it. Dallas cornerback Mel Renfro took a turn at the deflected football but only succeeded in changing its direction slightly. The ball fell into the hands of Colts tight end John Mackey, who completed a 75-yard touchdown play. Jim O'Brien's extra- point attempt was blocked, leaving the score knotted at 6-6.
The next time Baltimore got the ball, Unitas received a sound thwacking to the ribs from Cowboy George Andrie. The blow was sufficient to separate Unitas from the football at the 25-yard line and to send him to the sideline for the remainder of the day.
Dallas recovered at Baltimore's 28, and Craig Morton moved his team to the 7. Morton, despite a sore arm and suffering through a 12-for-26, 3 interception day, threw a touchdown pass to Duane Thomas. The Cowboys led 13-6 at the half.
Baltimore's Jim Duncan fumbled away the second-half kickoff, but Thomas fumbled the ball back at the 1. After that, things settled into a pattern of futility, with neither Morton nor Earl Morrall, subbing for Unitas, able to move his team.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Morton was rushed and his overthrown pass to Walt Garrison was tipped to Baltimore's Rich Volk at Dallas's 33. Volk ran the interception back to the 3, and Tom Nowatzke scored from the 2 two plays later to tie the game.
With only 1:09 left, Mike Curtis intercepted Morton's pass at the Dallas 41, and returned it to the 28. With five seconds remaining, rookie O'Brien kicked a 32-yard field goal to settle the game in favor of the Colts, 16-13.