Although the Baltimore Colts (11–1–2) had tied for the best record in the league, they lost the new division tie-breaker (point differential in head-to-head games) to the Los Angeles Rams and were excluded from the postseason.
The teams had tied in mid-October in Baltimore and the Colts entered the last game undefeated, but lost 34–10 to the Rams in Los Angeles on December 17.
[1][2][3] In previous seasons, unscheduled tiebreaker games were played (with head-to-head results disregarded); the last was just two years earlier.
In that game in Los Angeles, the Rams blew a 4th quarter lead, and needed a last-second touchdown set up by a blocked punt to pull out the game and keep their division title hopes alive, while the Packers had already clinched their division (and had home field in the playoffs) and were playing only for pride.
In this postseason game, Green Bay would be playing for more than pride, as they were attempting win a third consecutive NFL title, unprecedented in the playoff era.
But they were only able to convert one of them into a score, a first quarter fumble by Carroll Dale that was recovered by defensive back Chuck Lamson on the Rams' 46-yard line.
Lamson's interception of a Bart Starr pass resulted in nothing when Dave Robinson blocked Bruce Gossett's 24-yard field goal attempt.
The Packers then drove 55 yards in 10 plays to score on Starr's 18-yard touchdown pass to Dale, giving the team a 14–7 lead going into halftime.
[6][8] Led by Jerry Kramer and Forrest Gregg, the Packers' offensive line neutralized the vaunted "Fearsome Foursome" of Los Angeles.
The Packers defensive line took Gabriel down five times (3.5 of the sacks were by Henry Jordan) and pressured him into throwing inaccurate passes all day.
Later in the first quarter, Cowboys receiver Bob Hayes returned a punt 64 yards before punter Gary Collins tackled him on the Browns' 13-yard line.
Following a punt, Dallas drove 52 yards in 9 plays to score on Danny Villanueva's 10-yard field goal, giving them a 24–0 lead.
[10] Still any hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed in the second half, as Meredith completed a 36-yard pass to Hayes on the Browns' 4-yard line that set up Baynham's 1-yard touchdown run, putting the Cowboys up 31–7.
Meanwhile, all Cleveland could do was cut the final score to 52–14 when Ryan threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Paul Warfield with 2:12 left in the game.