NFL game summary for 09/26/1971:
Greg Landry scored on only 1 TD pass, a 74-yard screen to Steve Owens, but set up virtually all the other Lions' points before the largest crowd ever to see a regular season pro game in New England. Errol Mann kicked a 23-yard field goal in the first period, suffered a concussion making a tackle on a kickoff and came back to boot a 27-yard field goal in the third period along with two conversions.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 160.0 (6) | 61.0 (26) | 221.0 (23) | 2 |
| DEFENSE | 43.0 (3) | 232.0 (21) | 275.0 (13) | 4 | |
 | OFFENSE | 134.0 (9) | 127.0 (18) | 261.0 (17) | 3 |
| DEFENSE | 205.0 (23) | 99.0 (6) | 304.0 (15) | 4 |
Line: Lions by 10½
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions (1-1-0) | 3 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 34 |
| New England Patriots (1-1-0) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
( 3- 0) DET Errol Mann 23 yard field goal (10- 0) DET Altie Taylor 3 yard rush (Wayne Walker kick) (17- 0) DET Mike Lucci 26 yard interception return (Wayne Walker kick) (20- 0) DET Errol Mann 27 yard field goal (20- 7) NE Randy Vataha 61 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Charlie Gogolak kick) (27- 7) DET Steve Owens 74 yard pass from Greg Landry (Errol Mann kick) (34- 7) DET Steve Owens 2 yard rush (Errol Mann kick)
DET NE
First Downs: 19 10
Rushes-yards: 37-164 29-145
Yards/rush: 4.4 5.0
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 13-21-227-0 6-17-113-2
Sacked-yards: 3-23 1-12
Net pass yards: 204 101
Net yards/pass: 8.5 5.6
Total net yards: 368 246
Total plays: 61 (60% run) 47 (61% run)
Yards/play: 6.0 5.2
Fumbles-lost: 1-0 1-1
Turnovers: 0 3
Penalties-yards: 2-20 5-45
Attendance: 61,057
Passing:
DET: Greg Landry, 11 of 18 for 198 yards and 1 TD; Bill Munson, 2 of 3 for 29 yards NE: Jim Plunkett, 6 of 17 for 113 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
DET: Steve Owens, 17 for 80 yards and 1 TD; Altie Taylor, 11 for 52 yards and 1 TD; Paul Gipson, 4 for 12 yards; Greg Landry, 3 for 22 yards; Bill Triplett, 2 for -2 yards NE: Jim Nance, 11 for 65 yards; Carl Garrett, 9 for 58 yards; Bob Gladieux, 4 for 11 yards; Jim Plunkett, 4 for 10 yards; Jack Maitland, 1 for 1 yard
Receiving:
DET: Charlie Sanders, 4 for 51 yards; Steve Owens, 3 for 83 yards and 1 TD; Earl McCullouch, 3 for 60 yards; Larry Walton, 2 for 12 yards; Paul Gipson, 1 for 21 yards NE: Randy Vataha, 3 for 91 yards and 1 TD; Ron Sellers, 1 for 9 yards; Roland Moss, 1 for 8 yards; Bob Gladieux, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
DET: Bill Triplett, 1 for 38 yards; Paul Gipson, 1 for 17 yards NE: Odell Lawson, 2 for 47 yards; Bob Gladieux, 2 for 34 yards; Carl Garrett, 1 for 27 yards; Irvin Mallory, 1 for 19 yards
Punt returns:
DET: Tom Vaughn, 1 for 19 yards; Lem Barney, 1 for 5 yards NE: Hubie Bryant, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Mike Lucci, 1 for 25 yards and 1 TD; Wayne Walker, 1 for 4 yards
Punting:
DET: Herman Weaver, 3 for 145 yards NE: Tom Janik, 6 for 274 yards
Field Goals:
DET: Errol Mann, 2/2
DET: Greg Landry, 11 of 18 for 198 yards and 1 TD; Bill Munson, 2 of 3 for 29 yards NE: Jim Plunkett, 6 of 17 for 113 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
DET: Steve Owens, 17 for 80 yards and 1 TD; Altie Taylor, 11 for 52 yards and 1 TD; Paul Gipson, 4 for 12 yards; Greg Landry, 3 for 22 yards; Bill Triplett, 2 for -2 yards NE: Jim Nance, 11 for 65 yards; Carl Garrett, 9 for 58 yards; Bob Gladieux, 4 for 11 yards; Jim Plunkett, 4 for 10 yards; Jack Maitland, 1 for 1 yard
Receiving:
DET: Charlie Sanders, 4 for 51 yards; Steve Owens, 3 for 83 yards and 1 TD; Earl McCullouch, 3 for 60 yards; Larry Walton, 2 for 12 yards; Paul Gipson, 1 for 21 yards NE: Randy Vataha, 3 for 91 yards and 1 TD; Ron Sellers, 1 for 9 yards; Roland Moss, 1 for 8 yards; Bob Gladieux, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
DET: Bill Triplett, 1 for 38 yards; Paul Gipson, 1 for 17 yards NE: Odell Lawson, 2 for 47 yards; Bob Gladieux, 2 for 34 yards; Carl Garrett, 1 for 27 yards; Irvin Mallory, 1 for 19 yards
Punt returns:
DET: Tom Vaughn, 1 for 19 yards; Lem Barney, 1 for 5 yards NE: Hubie Bryant, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Mike Lucci, 1 for 25 yards and 1 TD; Wayne Walker, 1 for 4 yards
Punting:
DET: Herman Weaver, 3 for 145 yards NE: Tom Janik, 6 for 274 yards
Field Goals:
DET: Errol Mann, 2/2