All NFL game summaries for 12/17/1972:
Len Dawson tossed a seven-yard touchdown pass to running back Ed Podolak with 2:19 remaining to enable the Chiefs to finish with an 8-6 record. The Falcons closed out with a 7-7 record.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 133.3 (17) | 156.2 (13) | 289.5 (16) | 31 |
| DEFENSE | 132.3 (13) | 158.2 (16) | 290.5 (14) | 40 | |
 | OFFENSE | 154.4 (7) | 134.8 (20) | 289.2 (17) | 31 |
| DEFENSE | 144.7 (18) | 130.5 (4) | 275.2 (9) | 32 |
Line: Even
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs (8-6-0) | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Atlanta Falcons (7-7-0) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
( 3- 0) KC Jan Stenerud 28 yard field goal
( 3- 7) ATL Art Malone 1 yard rush (Bill Bell kick)
(10- 7) KC Otis Taylor 15 yard pass from Len Dawson (Jan Stenerud kick)
(10-14) ATL Ken Burrow 17 yard pass from Bob Berry (Bill Bell kick)
(17-14) KC Ed Podolak 7 yard pass from Len Dawson (Jan Stenerud kick)
KC ATL
First Downs: 19 16
Rushes-yards: 43-182 31-85
Yards/rush: 4.2 2.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 18-26-139-1 11-25-177-2
Sacked-yards: 3-31 2-11
Net pass yards: 108 166
Net yards/pass: 3.7 6.1
Total net yards: 290 251
Total plays: 72 (59% run) 58 (53% run)
Yards/play: 4.0 4.3
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 3-1
Turnovers: 1 3
Penalties-yards: 2-20 3-25
Attendance: 58,860
Passing:
KC: Len Dawson, 18 of 26 for 139 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) ATL: Bob Berry, 11 of 25 for 177 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
KC: Wendell Hayes, 17 for 69 yards; Ed Podolak, 17 for 67 yards; Mike Adamle, 4 for 21 yards; Jim Otis, 2 for 2 yards; Len Dawson, 1 for 20 yards; Otis Taylor, 1 for 11 yards; Robert West, 1 for -8 yards ATL: Dave Hampton, 19 for 65 yards; Art Malone, 10 for 20 yards and 1 TD; Bob Berry, 2 for 0 yards
Receiving:
KC: Otis Taylor, 8 for 69 yards and 1 TD; Ed Podolak, 5 for 18 yards and 1 TD; Wendell Hayes, 4 for 36 yards; Robert West, 1 for 16 yards ATL: Art Malone, 3 for 26 yards; Jim Mitchell, 2 for 57 yards; Ken Burrow, 2 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Dave Hampton, 2 for 30 yards; Wes Chesson, 2 for 29 yards
Kick returns:
KC: Mike Adamle, 2 for 36 yards; Kerry Reardon, 1 for 17 yards ATL: Dave Hampton, 2 for 48 yards; Willie Belton, 1 for 25 yards
Punt returns:
KC: Ed Podolak, 1 for -2 yards ATL: Clarence Ellis, 1 for 13 yards; Willie Belton, 1 for 1 yard; John Small, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
KC: Jim Marsalis, 1 for 1 yard; Mike Sensibaugh, 1 for 0 yards ATL: Ken Reaves, 1 for 23 yards
Punting:
KC: Jerrel Wilson, 4 for 156 yards ATL: John James, 3 for 118 yards
Field Goals:
KC: Jan Stenerud, 1/3 ATL: Bill Bell, 0/1
KC: Len Dawson, 18 of 26 for 139 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) ATL: Bob Berry, 11 of 25 for 177 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
KC: Wendell Hayes, 17 for 69 yards; Ed Podolak, 17 for 67 yards; Mike Adamle, 4 for 21 yards; Jim Otis, 2 for 2 yards; Len Dawson, 1 for 20 yards; Otis Taylor, 1 for 11 yards; Robert West, 1 for -8 yards ATL: Dave Hampton, 19 for 65 yards; Art Malone, 10 for 20 yards and 1 TD; Bob Berry, 2 for 0 yards
Receiving:
KC: Otis Taylor, 8 for 69 yards and 1 TD; Ed Podolak, 5 for 18 yards and 1 TD; Wendell Hayes, 4 for 36 yards; Robert West, 1 for 16 yards ATL: Art Malone, 3 for 26 yards; Jim Mitchell, 2 for 57 yards; Ken Burrow, 2 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Dave Hampton, 2 for 30 yards; Wes Chesson, 2 for 29 yards
Kick returns:
KC: Mike Adamle, 2 for 36 yards; Kerry Reardon, 1 for 17 yards ATL: Dave Hampton, 2 for 48 yards; Willie Belton, 1 for 25 yards
Punt returns:
KC: Ed Podolak, 1 for -2 yards ATL: Clarence Ellis, 1 for 13 yards; Willie Belton, 1 for 1 yard; John Small, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
KC: Jim Marsalis, 1 for 1 yard; Mike Sensibaugh, 1 for 0 yards ATL: Ken Reaves, 1 for 23 yards
Punting:
KC: Jerrel Wilson, 4 for 156 yards ATL: John James, 3 for 118 yards
Field Goals:
KC: Jan Stenerud, 1/3 ATL: Bill Bell, 0/1
Pete Gogolak had three field goals and Norm Snead passed for a pair of touchdowns while the Giants defense completely dominated the Cowboys, enabling New York to finish with an 8-6 record. Dallas, which went on to the NFC Divisional Playoffs as the "wild card" team, suffered its worst defeat of the season.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 142.2 (13) | 175.8 (6) | 318.0 (6) | 28 |
| DEFENSE | 139.1 (14) | 173.4 (23) | 312.5 (20) | 34 | |
 | OFFENSE | 159.8 (6) | 173.6 (7) | 333.4 (4) | 33 |
| DEFENSE | 103.2 (1) | 158.8 (17) | 262.0 (5) | 32 |
Line: Cowboys by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants (8-6-0) | 6 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
| Dallas Cowboys (10-4-0) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
( 3- 0) NYG Pete Gogolak 49 yard field goal
( 6- 0) NYG Pete Gogolak 22 yard field goal
( 6- 3) DAL Toni Fritsch 43 yard field goal
(13- 3) NYG Ron Johnson 9 yard pass from Norm Snead (Pete Gogolak kick)
(20- 3) NYG Rich Houston 12 yard pass from Norm Snead (Pete Gogolak kick)
(23- 3) NYG Pete Gogolak 26 yard field goal
NYG DAL
First Downs: 25 10
Rushes-yards: 52-174 20-47
Yards/rush: 3.3 2.4
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 16-28-175-1 12-21-110-3
Sacked-yards: 0-0 4-25
Net pass yards: 175 85
Net yards/pass: 6.2 3.4
Total net yards: 349 132
Total plays: 80 (65% run) 45 (44% run)
Yards/play: 4.4 2.9
Fumbles-lost: 2-0 3-1
Turnovers: 1 4
Penalties-yards: 5-52 7-73
Attendance: 64,602
Passing:
NYG: Norm Snead, 16 of 28 for 175 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) DAL: Craig Morton, 6 of 11 for 61 yards (2 int); Roger Staubach, 6 of 9 for 49 yards (1 int); Mike Montgomery, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
NYG: Vince Clements, 23 for 105 yards; Ron Johnson, 22 for 53 yards; Rocky Thompson, 3 for 13 yards; Joe Morrison, 2 for 0 yards; Joe Orduna, 1 for 3 yards; Norm Snead, 1 for 0 yards DAL: Calvin Hill, 8 for 26 yards; Walt Garrison, 6 for 16 yards; Roger Staubach, 2 for 4 yards; Robert Newhouse, 2 for 4 yards; Mike Montgomery, 2 for -3 yards
Receiving:
NYG: Ron Johnson, 5 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Bob Tucker, 3 for 39 yards; Don Herrmann, 3 for 39 yards; Rich Houston, 3 for 27 yards and 1 TD; Vince Clements, 2 for 20 yards DAL: Bob Hayes, 3 for 23 yards; Walt Garrison, 2 for 21 yards; Calvin Hill, 2 for 9 yards; Mike Montgomery, 2 for 4 yards; Mike Ditka, 1 for 26 yards; Ron Sellers, 1 for 19 yards; Robert Newhouse, 1 for 8 yards
Kick returns:
NYG: Rocky Thompson, 2 for 71 yards DAL: Cliff Harris, 5 for 114 yards; Robert Newhouse, 1 for 30 yards
Punt returns:
NYG: Pete Athas, 2 for 19 yards; Bob Grim, 1 for 0 yards DAL: Cliff Harris, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
NYG: Willie Williams, 1 for 6 yards; Pat Hughes, 1 for 1 yard; Spider Lockhart, 1 for 0 yards DAL: Charlie Waters, 1 for 56 yards
Punting:
NYG: Tom Blanchard, 3 for 114 yards DAL: Marv Bateman, 5 for 197 yards
Field Goals:
NYG: Pete Gogolak, 3/4 DAL: Toni Fritsch, 1/1
NYG: Norm Snead, 16 of 28 for 175 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) DAL: Craig Morton, 6 of 11 for 61 yards (2 int); Roger Staubach, 6 of 9 for 49 yards (1 int); Mike Montgomery, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
NYG: Vince Clements, 23 for 105 yards; Ron Johnson, 22 for 53 yards; Rocky Thompson, 3 for 13 yards; Joe Morrison, 2 for 0 yards; Joe Orduna, 1 for 3 yards; Norm Snead, 1 for 0 yards DAL: Calvin Hill, 8 for 26 yards; Walt Garrison, 6 for 16 yards; Roger Staubach, 2 for 4 yards; Robert Newhouse, 2 for 4 yards; Mike Montgomery, 2 for -3 yards
Receiving:
NYG: Ron Johnson, 5 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Bob Tucker, 3 for 39 yards; Don Herrmann, 3 for 39 yards; Rich Houston, 3 for 27 yards and 1 TD; Vince Clements, 2 for 20 yards DAL: Bob Hayes, 3 for 23 yards; Walt Garrison, 2 for 21 yards; Calvin Hill, 2 for 9 yards; Mike Montgomery, 2 for 4 yards; Mike Ditka, 1 for 26 yards; Ron Sellers, 1 for 19 yards; Robert Newhouse, 1 for 8 yards
Kick returns:
NYG: Rocky Thompson, 2 for 71 yards DAL: Cliff Harris, 5 for 114 yards; Robert Newhouse, 1 for 30 yards
Punt returns:
NYG: Pete Athas, 2 for 19 yards; Bob Grim, 1 for 0 yards DAL: Cliff Harris, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
NYG: Willie Williams, 1 for 6 yards; Pat Hughes, 1 for 1 yard; Spider Lockhart, 1 for 0 yards DAL: Charlie Waters, 1 for 56 yards
Punting:
NYG: Tom Blanchard, 3 for 114 yards DAL: Marv Bateman, 5 for 197 yards
Field Goals:
NYG: Pete Gogolak, 3/4 DAL: Toni Fritsch, 1/1
Charley Johnson threw three TD passes and Floyd Little ran for two scores as Denver saved third place in the AFC's Western Division. Bronco kicker Jim Turner kicked a 35-yard FG and six conversions to move into eighth place among NFL lifetime scoring leaders with 886 points.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 108.2 (22) | 153.2 (14) | 261.5 (20) | 38 |
| DEFENSE | 198.2 (26) | 168.6 (21) | 366.8 (26) | 24 | |
 | OFFENSE | 130.5 (18) | 176.4 (5) | 306.9 (10) | 34 |
| DEFENSE | 118.7 (4) | 157.5 (15) | 276.2 (10) | 22 |
Line: Broncos by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots (3-11-0) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| Denver Broncos (5-9-0) | 3 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
( 0- 3) DEN Jim Turner 35 yard field goal
( 0-10) DEN Floyd Little 3 yard rush (Jim Turner kick)
( 7-10) NE Carl Garrett 1 yard rush (Mike Walker kick)
( 7-17) DEN Rod Sherman 20 yard pass from Charley Johnson (Jim Turner kick)
( 7-24) DEN Haven Moses 19 yard pass from Charley Johnson (Jim Turner kick)
( 7-31) DEN Haven Moses 22 yard pass from Charley Johnson (Jim Turner kick)
(14-31) NE Carl Garrett 5 yard rush (Mike Walker kick)
(14-38) DEN Floyd Little 5 yard rush (Jim Turner kick)
(14-45) DEN Fran Lynch 15 yard rush (Jim Turner kick)
(21-45) NE Tom Reynolds 28 yard pass from Brian Dowling (Mike Walker kick)
NE DEN
First Downs: 22 26
Rushes-yards: 27-125 31-141
Yards/rush: 4.6 4.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 18-35-210-0 21-31-341-0
Sacked-yards: 7-75 0-0
Net pass yards: 135 341
Net yards/pass: 3.2 11.0
Total net yards: 260 482
Total plays: 69 (39% run) 62 (50% run)
Yards/play: 3.8 7.8
Fumbles-lost: 3-0 0-0
Turnovers: 0 0
Penalties-yards: 7-48 7-90
Attendance: 51,656
Passing:
NE: Jim Plunkett, 15 of 26 for 140 yards; Brian Dowling, 3 of 9 for 70 yards and 1 TD DEN: Charley Johnson, 13 of 17 for 218 yards and 3 TDs; Steve Ramsey, 7 of 10 for 113 yards; Mike Ernst, 1 of 4 for 10 yards
Rushing:
NE: Carl Garrett, 11 for 40 yards and 2 TDs; John Tarver, 8 for 30 yards; Josh Ashton, 7 for 44 yards; Brian Dowling, 1 for 11 yards DEN: Floyd Little, 11 for 45 yards and 2 TDs; Fran Lynch, 8 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Joe Dawkins, 5 for 26 yards; Clem Turner, 4 for 17 yards; Mike Ernst, 1 for 4 yards; Billy Van Heusen, 1 for 0 yards; Billy Masters, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
NE: John Tarver, 5 for 38 yards; Reggie Rucker, 4 for 46 yards; Bob Windsor, 3 for 34 yards; Carl Garrett, 3 for 19 yards; Tom Reynolds, 2 for 51 yards and 1 TD; Josh Ashton, 1 for 22 yards DEN: Floyd Little, 4 for 55 yards; Haven Moses, 3 for 63 yards and 2 TDs; Billy Van Heusen, 3 for 34 yards; Riley Odoms, 3 for 30 yards; Rod Sherman, 2 for 71 yards and 1 TD; Joe Dawkins, 2 for 35 yards; Billy Masters, 1 for 19 yards; Jim Krieg, 1 for 18 yards; Clem Turner, 1 for 10 yards; Fran Lynch, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
NE: Reggie Rucker, 3 for 109 yards; Carl Garrett, 3 for 51 yards DEN: Randy Montgomery, 2 for 52 yards; Clem Turner, 1 for 25 yards
Punt returns:
NE: Rickie Harris, 2 for 10 yards DEN: Bill Thompson, 3 for 84 yards; Charlie Greer, 1 for -5 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
NE: Pat Studstill, 6 for 251 yards DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 74 yards
Field Goals:
DEN: Jim Turner, 1/1
NE: Jim Plunkett, 15 of 26 for 140 yards; Brian Dowling, 3 of 9 for 70 yards and 1 TD DEN: Charley Johnson, 13 of 17 for 218 yards and 3 TDs; Steve Ramsey, 7 of 10 for 113 yards; Mike Ernst, 1 of 4 for 10 yards
Rushing:
NE: Carl Garrett, 11 for 40 yards and 2 TDs; John Tarver, 8 for 30 yards; Josh Ashton, 7 for 44 yards; Brian Dowling, 1 for 11 yards DEN: Floyd Little, 11 for 45 yards and 2 TDs; Fran Lynch, 8 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Joe Dawkins, 5 for 26 yards; Clem Turner, 4 for 17 yards; Mike Ernst, 1 for 4 yards; Billy Van Heusen, 1 for 0 yards; Billy Masters, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
NE: John Tarver, 5 for 38 yards; Reggie Rucker, 4 for 46 yards; Bob Windsor, 3 for 34 yards; Carl Garrett, 3 for 19 yards; Tom Reynolds, 2 for 51 yards and 1 TD; Josh Ashton, 1 for 22 yards DEN: Floyd Little, 4 for 55 yards; Haven Moses, 3 for 63 yards and 2 TDs; Billy Van Heusen, 3 for 34 yards; Riley Odoms, 3 for 30 yards; Rod Sherman, 2 for 71 yards and 1 TD; Joe Dawkins, 2 for 35 yards; Billy Masters, 1 for 19 yards; Jim Krieg, 1 for 18 yards; Clem Turner, 1 for 10 yards; Fran Lynch, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
NE: Reggie Rucker, 3 for 109 yards; Carl Garrett, 3 for 51 yards DEN: Randy Montgomery, 2 for 52 yards; Clem Turner, 1 for 25 yards
Punt returns:
NE: Rickie Harris, 2 for 10 yards DEN: Bill Thompson, 3 for 84 yards; Charlie Greer, 1 for -5 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
NE: Pat Studstill, 6 for 251 yards DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 74 yards
Field Goals:
DEN: Jim Turner, 1/1
The Bengals equaled the NFL record with three TD interceptions, two by Lemar Parrish, the other by Neil Craig, in running up their highest score ever. Doug Dressler rushed for three TDs, and Horst Muhlmann kicked four FGs, including a 51-yarder.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 141.8 (14) | 163.9 (11) | 305.7 (12) | 28 |
| DEFENSE | 129.5 (11) | 121.0 (1) | 250.5 (2) | 24 | |
 | OFFENSE | 106.6 (23) | 116.1 (24) | 222.7 (25) | 28 |
| DEFENSE | 187.5 (25) | 150.2 (12) | 337.8 (24) | 24 |
Line: Bengals by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals (8-6-0) | 3 | 13 | 17 | 28 | 61 |
| Houston Oilers (1-13-0) | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
( 0- 3) HOU Skip Butler 28 yard field goal
( 3- 3) CIN Horst Muhlmann 46 yard field goal
( 3-10) HOU Fred Willis 13 yard pass from Kent Nix (Skip Butler kick)
(10-10) CIN Ken Anderson 3 yard rush (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(13-10) CIN Horst Muhlmann 24 yard field goal
(16-10) CIN Horst Muhlmann 51 yard field goal
(19-10) CIN Horst Muhlmann 32 yard field goal
(26-10) CIN Doug Dressler 43 yard rush (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(33-10) CIN Doug Dressler 1 yard rush (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(40-10) CIN Doug Dressler 20 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(47-10) CIN Lemar Parrish 25 yard interception return (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(54-10) CIN Lemar Parrish 33 yard interception return (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(61-10) CIN Neal Craig 63 yard interception return (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(61-17) HOU Ken Burrough 3 yard pass from Kent Nix (Skip Butler kick)
CIN HOU
First Downs: 24 17
Rushes-yards: 26-153 35-132
Yards/rush: 5.9 3.8
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 20-27-223-0 17-32-181-5
Sacked-yards: 2-33 2-17
Net pass yards: 190 164
Net yards/pass: 6.6 4.8
Total net yards: 343 296
Total plays: 55 (47% run) 69 (50% run)
Yards/play: 6.2 4.3
Fumbles-lost: 1-1 2-0
Turnovers: 1 5
Penalties-yards: 5-47 9-84
Attendance: 32,428
Passing:
CIN: Ken Anderson, 20 of 27 for 223 yards and 1 TD HOU: Kent Nix, 13 of 22 for 134 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Ed Baker, 4 of 10 for 47 yards (4 int)
Rushing:
CIN: Essex Johnson, 14 for 55 yards; Doug Dressler, 8 for 83 yards and 2 TDs; Ken Anderson, 2 for 11 yards and 1 TD; Jess Phillips, 1 for 2 yards; Reece Morrison, 1 for 2 yards HOU: Fred Willis, 13 for 62 yards; Paul Robinson, 13 for 45 yards; Willie Rodgers, 5 for 15 yards; Kent Nix, 2 for 4 yards; Ed Baker, 1 for 9 yards; Al Johnson, 1 for -3 yards
Receiving:
CIN: Doug Dressler, 5 for 69 yards and 1 TD; Essex Johnson, 5 for 36 yards; Chip Myers, 4 for 50 yards; Bruce Coslet, 3 for 37 yards; Charlie Joiner, 2 for 30 yards; Jess Phillips, 1 for 1 yard HOU: Ken Burrough, 5 for 70 yards and 1 TD; Fred Willis, 5 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Dave Smith, 4 for 26 yards; Alvin Reed, 2 for 20 yards; Rhett Dawson, 1 for 15 yards
Kick returns:
CIN: Bernard Jackson, 1 for 13 yards; Essex Johnson, 1 for 13 yards HOU: Willie Rodgers, 4 for 68 yards; Lewis Jolley, 2 for 60 yards
Punt returns:
CIN: Tommy Casanova, 3 for 39 yards HOU: Ken Houston, 1 for 20 yards
Interceptions:
CIN: Lemar Parrish, 3 for 90 yards and 2 TDs; Neal Craig, 1 for 63 yards and 1 TD; Al Beauchamp, 1 for 8 yards
Punting:
CIN: Dave Lewis, 3 for 124 yards HOU: Dan Pastorini, 6 for 266 yards
Field Goals:
CIN: Horst Muhlmann, 4/4 HOU: Skip Butler, 1/1
CIN: Ken Anderson, 20 of 27 for 223 yards and 1 TD HOU: Kent Nix, 13 of 22 for 134 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Ed Baker, 4 of 10 for 47 yards (4 int)
Rushing:
CIN: Essex Johnson, 14 for 55 yards; Doug Dressler, 8 for 83 yards and 2 TDs; Ken Anderson, 2 for 11 yards and 1 TD; Jess Phillips, 1 for 2 yards; Reece Morrison, 1 for 2 yards HOU: Fred Willis, 13 for 62 yards; Paul Robinson, 13 for 45 yards; Willie Rodgers, 5 for 15 yards; Kent Nix, 2 for 4 yards; Ed Baker, 1 for 9 yards; Al Johnson, 1 for -3 yards
Receiving:
CIN: Doug Dressler, 5 for 69 yards and 1 TD; Essex Johnson, 5 for 36 yards; Chip Myers, 4 for 50 yards; Bruce Coslet, 3 for 37 yards; Charlie Joiner, 2 for 30 yards; Jess Phillips, 1 for 1 yard HOU: Ken Burrough, 5 for 70 yards and 1 TD; Fred Willis, 5 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Dave Smith, 4 for 26 yards; Alvin Reed, 2 for 20 yards; Rhett Dawson, 1 for 15 yards
Kick returns:
CIN: Bernard Jackson, 1 for 13 yards; Essex Johnson, 1 for 13 yards HOU: Willie Rodgers, 4 for 68 yards; Lewis Jolley, 2 for 60 yards
Punt returns:
CIN: Tommy Casanova, 3 for 39 yards HOU: Ken Houston, 1 for 20 yards
Interceptions:
CIN: Lemar Parrish, 3 for 90 yards and 2 TDs; Neal Craig, 1 for 63 yards and 1 TD; Al Beauchamp, 1 for 8 yards
Punting:
CIN: Dave Lewis, 3 for 124 yards HOU: Dan Pastorini, 6 for 266 yards
Field Goals:
CIN: Horst Muhlmann, 4/4 HOU: Skip Butler, 1/1
Greg Landry threw a pair of touchdown passes to Charlie Sanders while completing 18 of 24 passes for 250 yards, and cornerback Rudy Redmond returned an interception 88 yards for another score as the Lions finished with an 8-5-1 record. The Rams 6-7-1 record marked their first losing season since 1965.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 143.4 (12) | 147.8 (17) | 291.2 (15) | 24 |
| DEFENSE | 160.4 (20) | 137.7 (7) | 298.1 (17) | 25 | |
 | OFFENSE | 160.8 (5) | 148.6 (15) | 309.4 (9) | 29 |
| DEFENSE | 123.5 (9) | 148.6 (10) | 272.1 (7) | 26 |
Line: Rams by 2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions (8-5-1) | 3 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 34 |
| Los Angeles Rams (6-7-1) | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
( 3- 0) DET Errol Mann 48 yard field goal
( 3- 3) LA David Ray 30 yard field goal
( 3-10) LA Lance Rentzel 14 yard pass from Roman Gabriel (David Ray kick)
(10-10) DET Altie Taylor 2 yard rush (Errol Mann kick)
(17-10) DET Rudy Redmond 88 yard interception return (Errol Mann kick)
(17-17) LA Larry Smith 3 yard pass from Roman Gabriel (David Ray kick)
(24-17) DET Charlie Sanders 8 yard pass from Greg Landry (Errol Mann kick)
(31-17) DET Charlie Sanders 3 yard pass from Greg Landry (Errol Mann kick)
(34-17) DET Errol Mann 37 yard field goal
DET LA
First Downs: 24 20
Rushes-yards: 36-157 25-119
Yards/rush: 4.4 4.8
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 18-24-250-1 21-35-221-1
Sacked-yards: 5-37 1-7
Net pass yards: 213 214
Net yards/pass: 7.3 5.9
Total net yards: 370 333
Total plays: 65 (55% run) 61 (40% run)
Yards/play: 5.7 5.5
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 1-1
Turnovers: 1 2
Penalties-yards: 2-10 6-44
Attendance: 71,761
Passing:
DET: Greg Landry, 18 of 24 for 250 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) LA: Roman Gabriel, 21 of 35 for 221 yards and 2 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
DET: Bill Triplett, 13 for 35 yards; Altie Taylor, 12 for 52 yards and 1 TD; Greg Landry, 6 for 56 yards; Nick Eddy, 5 for 14 yards LA: Bob Thomas, 9 for 25 yards; Jim Bertelsen, 6 for 36 yards; Larry Smith, 5 for 37 yards; Les Josephson, 2 for 10 yards; Roman Gabriel, 2 for 1 yard; Lance Rentzel, 1 for 10 yards
Receiving:
DET: Ron Jessie, 6 for 84 yards; Charlie Sanders, 6 for 76 yards and 2 TDs; Larry Walton, 3 for 48 yards; Altie Taylor, 1 for 22 yards; Nick Eddy, 1 for 10 yards; Mel Farr, 1 for 10 yards LA: Jim Bertelsen, 7 for 79 yards; Les Josephson, 5 for 81 yards; Larry Smith, 3 for 16 yards and 1 TD; Lance Rentzel, 2 for 32 yards and 1 TD; Bob Klein, 2 for 3 yards; Dick Gordon, 1 for 6 yards; Bob Thomas, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
DET: Mickey Zofko, 2 for 31 yards; Ron Jessie, 1 for 28 yards; Lem Barney, 1 for 17 yards LA: Bob Thomas, 3 for 76 yards; Dick Gordon, 2 for 85 yards; Pat Curran, 2 for 14 yards
Punt returns:
DET: Lem Barney, 1 for 6 yards LA: Jim Bertelsen, 1 for 60 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Rudy Redmond, 1 for 88 yards and 1 TD LA: Jim Nettles, 1 for 43 yards
Punting:
DET: Herman Weaver, 2 for 79 yards LA: Dave Chapple, 2 for 83 yards
Field Goals:
DET: Errol Mann, 2/3 LA: David Ray, 1/1
DET: Greg Landry, 18 of 24 for 250 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) LA: Roman Gabriel, 21 of 35 for 221 yards and 2 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
DET: Bill Triplett, 13 for 35 yards; Altie Taylor, 12 for 52 yards and 1 TD; Greg Landry, 6 for 56 yards; Nick Eddy, 5 for 14 yards LA: Bob Thomas, 9 for 25 yards; Jim Bertelsen, 6 for 36 yards; Larry Smith, 5 for 37 yards; Les Josephson, 2 for 10 yards; Roman Gabriel, 2 for 1 yard; Lance Rentzel, 1 for 10 yards
Receiving:
DET: Ron Jessie, 6 for 84 yards; Charlie Sanders, 6 for 76 yards and 2 TDs; Larry Walton, 3 for 48 yards; Altie Taylor, 1 for 22 yards; Nick Eddy, 1 for 10 yards; Mel Farr, 1 for 10 yards LA: Jim Bertelsen, 7 for 79 yards; Les Josephson, 5 for 81 yards; Larry Smith, 3 for 16 yards and 1 TD; Lance Rentzel, 2 for 32 yards and 1 TD; Bob Klein, 2 for 3 yards; Dick Gordon, 1 for 6 yards; Bob Thomas, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
DET: Mickey Zofko, 2 for 31 yards; Ron Jessie, 1 for 28 yards; Lem Barney, 1 for 17 yards LA: Bob Thomas, 3 for 76 yards; Dick Gordon, 2 for 85 yards; Pat Curran, 2 for 14 yards
Punt returns:
DET: Lem Barney, 1 for 6 yards LA: Jim Bertelsen, 1 for 60 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Rudy Redmond, 1 for 88 yards and 1 TD LA: Jim Nettles, 1 for 43 yards
Punting:
DET: Herman Weaver, 2 for 79 yards LA: Dave Chapple, 2 for 83 yards
Field Goals:
DET: Errol Mann, 2/3 LA: David Ray, 1/1
Using their regulars sparingly after building a 17-0 lead, the Packers closed out their season as NFC Central Division champions with a 30-20 victory. Chester Marcol kicked three field goals for a season total of 33 (second most in a season ever) and led all NFL scorers with 128 points. Green Bay advanced from last place in 1971 to the top of the Central in 1972.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 149.9 (8) | 103.5 (25) | 253.5 (22) | 19 |
| DEFENSE | 112.8 (3) | 142.7 (8) | 255.5 (3) | 34 | |
 | OFFENSE | 90.8 (25) | 179.4 (4) | 270.2 (18) | 35 |
| DEFENSE | 147.0 (19) | 179.7 (24) | 326.7 (21) | 27 |
Line: Packers by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers (10-4-0) | 7 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 30 |
| New Orleans Saints (2-11-1) | 0 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 20 |
( 7- 0) GB Scott Hunter 1 yard rush (Chester Marcol kick)
(10- 0) GB Chester Marcol 34 yard field goal
(17- 0) GB Willie Buchanon 57 yard return of blocked field goal (Chester Marcol kick)
(17- 7) NO Richard Neal 0 yard fumble return (Happy Feller kick)
(24- 7) GB Jerry Tagge 1 yard rush (Chester Marcol kick)
(24-13) NO Bill Butler 9 yard pass from Archie Manning (pass failed)
(27-13) GB Chester Marcol 35 yard field goal
(30-13) GB Chester Marcol 34 yard field goal
(30-20) NO Dave Parks 10 yard pass from Archie Manning (Happy Feller kick)
GB NO
First Downs: 15 12
Rushes-yards: 43-178 21-50
Yards/rush: 4.1 2.4
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 6-15-75-0 14-24-142-1
Sacked-yards: 2-9 4-40
Net pass yards: 66 102
Net yards/pass: 3.9 3.6
Total net yards: 244 152
Total plays: 60 (71% run) 49 (42% run)
Yards/play: 4.1 3.1
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 3-1
Turnovers: 0 2
Penalties-yards: 3-25 1-1
Attendance: 65,881
Passing:
GB: Scott Hunter, 4 of 8 for 28 yards; Jerry Tagge, 1 of 6 for 13 yards; Ron Widby, 1 of 1 for 34 yards NO: Archie Manning, 14 of 24 for 142 yards and 2 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
GB: Perry Williams, 13 for 42 yards; MacArthur Lane, 11 for 84 yards; Bob Hudson, 5 for 32 yards; Dave Kopay, 5 for 9 yards; John Brockington, 5 for 5 yards; Jerry Tagge, 3 for 5 yards and 1 TD; Scott Hunter, 1 for 1 yard and 1 TD NO: James Ford, 10 for 28 yards; Bill Butler, 5 for 14 yards; Bob Gresham, 4 for 1 yard; Archie Manning, 2 for 7 yards
Receiving:
GB: MacArthur Lane, 2 for 11 yards; Ray Nitschke, 1 for 34 yards; Len Garrett, 1 for 13 yards; John Brockington, 1 for 10 yards; Leland Glass, 1 for 7 yards NO: Dave Parks, 4 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Bob Newland, 3 for 18 yards; Bob Gresham, 2 for 11 yards; Bill Butler, 2 for 10 yards and 1 TD; Margene Adkins, 1 for 38 yards; James Ford, 1 for 9 yards; Bob Brown, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
GB: Ike Thomas, 3 for 91 yards; Bob Hudson, 1 for 17 yards NO: Margene Adkins, 5 for 136 yards
Punt returns:
GB: Ken Ellis, 3 for 19 yards NO: Tom Myers, 1 for 5 yards
Interceptions:
GB: Jim Hill, 1 for 16 yards
Punting:
GB: Ron Widby, 3 for 44 yards NO: Julian Fagan, 5 for 181 yards
Field Goals:
GB: Chester Marcol, 3/5 NO: Happy Feller, 0/1
GB: Scott Hunter, 4 of 8 for 28 yards; Jerry Tagge, 1 of 6 for 13 yards; Ron Widby, 1 of 1 for 34 yards NO: Archie Manning, 14 of 24 for 142 yards and 2 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
GB: Perry Williams, 13 for 42 yards; MacArthur Lane, 11 for 84 yards; Bob Hudson, 5 for 32 yards; Dave Kopay, 5 for 9 yards; John Brockington, 5 for 5 yards; Jerry Tagge, 3 for 5 yards and 1 TD; Scott Hunter, 1 for 1 yard and 1 TD NO: James Ford, 10 for 28 yards; Bill Butler, 5 for 14 yards; Bob Gresham, 4 for 1 yard; Archie Manning, 2 for 7 yards
Receiving:
GB: MacArthur Lane, 2 for 11 yards; Ray Nitschke, 1 for 34 yards; Len Garrett, 1 for 13 yards; John Brockington, 1 for 10 yards; Leland Glass, 1 for 7 yards NO: Dave Parks, 4 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Bob Newland, 3 for 18 yards; Bob Gresham, 2 for 11 yards; Bill Butler, 2 for 10 yards and 1 TD; Margene Adkins, 1 for 38 yards; James Ford, 1 for 9 yards; Bob Brown, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
GB: Ike Thomas, 3 for 91 yards; Bob Hudson, 1 for 17 yards NO: Margene Adkins, 5 for 136 yards
Punt returns:
GB: Ken Ellis, 3 for 19 yards NO: Tom Myers, 1 for 5 yards
Interceptions:
GB: Jim Hill, 1 for 16 yards
Punting:
GB: Ron Widby, 3 for 44 yards NO: Julian Fagan, 5 for 181 yards
Field Goals:
GB: Chester Marcol, 3/5 NO: Happy Feller, 0/1
Mike Phipps fired a pair of second-half TD passes to WR Frank Pitts and one of them, an 80-yarder, was the Browns' longest play from scrimmage of the season. The Jets' Bobby Howfield kicked a field goal and an extra point to push his total to 121, best in the AFC, and Emerson Boozer's rushing TD was his 14th score of the season.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 123.1 (20) | 135.9 (19) | 259.0 (21) | 25 |
| DEFENSE | 165.5 (23) | 131.7 (5) | 297.2 (16) | 26 | |
 | OFFENSE | 140.6 (15) | 211.8 (1) | 352.4 (2) | 29 |
| DEFENSE | 144.5 (17) | 191.4 (26) | 335.9 (23) | 28 |
Line: Jets by 3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns (10-4-0) | 7 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 26 |
| New York Jets (7-7-0) | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
( 7- 0) CLE Bo Scott 27 yard rush (Don Cockroft kick)
( 7- 7) NYJ Emerson Boozer 3 yard rush (Bobby Howfield kick)
(10- 7) CLE Don Cockroft 8 yard field goal
(10-10) NYJ Bobby Howfield 19 yard field goal
(17-10) CLE Frank Pitts 80 yard pass from Mike Phipps (Don Cockroft kick)
(23-10) CLE Frank Pitts 7 yard pass from Mike Phipps (kick failed)
(26-10) CLE Don Cockroft 13 yard field goal
CLE NYJ
First Downs: 16 15
Rushes-yards: 36-193 37-182
Yards/rush: 5.4 4.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 7-17-156-2 5-12-44-1
Sacked-yards: 1-7 3-20
Net pass yards: 149 24
Net yards/pass: 8.3 1.6
Total net yards: 342 206
Total plays: 54 (66% run) 52 (71% run)
Yards/play: 6.3 4.0
Fumbles-lost: 1-1 5-2
Turnovers: 3 3
Penalties-yards: 6-37 2-5
Attendance: 62,614
Passing:
CLE: Mike Phipps, 7 of 17 for 156 yards and 2 TDs (2 int) NYJ: Bob Davis, 5 of 12 for 44 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
CLE: Leroy Kelly, 18 for 78 yards; Bo Scott, 10 for 69 yards and 1 TD; Mike Phipps, 5 for 38 yards; Bo Cornell, 2 for 7 yards; Ken Brown, 1 for 1 yard NYJ: Emerson Boozer, 22 for 106 yards and 1 TD; Hank Bjorklund, 7 for 28 yards; Cliff McClain, 5 for 24 yards; Bob Davis, 3 for 24 yards
Receiving:
CLE: Frank Pitts, 4 for 98 yards and 2 TDs; Fair Hooker, 1 for 38 yards; Milt Morin, 1 for 25 yards; Bo Scott, 1 for -5 yards NYJ: Hank Bjorklund, 3 for 19 yards; Rich Caster, 1 for 19 yards; Emerson Boozer, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
CLE: Ken Brown, 2 for 76 yards; Bobby Majors, 1 for 33 yards NYJ: Chris Farasopoulos, 3 for 48 yards
Punt returns:
CLE: Bobby Majors, 2 for 52 yards
Interceptions:
CLE: Walter Johnson, 1 for 1 yard NYJ: Ralph Baker, 1 for 0 yards; Steve Tannen, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 4 for 142 yards NYJ: Steve O'Neal, 4 for 167 yards
Field Goals:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 2/2 NYJ: Bobby Howfield, 1/2
CLE: Mike Phipps, 7 of 17 for 156 yards and 2 TDs (2 int) NYJ: Bob Davis, 5 of 12 for 44 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
CLE: Leroy Kelly, 18 for 78 yards; Bo Scott, 10 for 69 yards and 1 TD; Mike Phipps, 5 for 38 yards; Bo Cornell, 2 for 7 yards; Ken Brown, 1 for 1 yard NYJ: Emerson Boozer, 22 for 106 yards and 1 TD; Hank Bjorklund, 7 for 28 yards; Cliff McClain, 5 for 24 yards; Bob Davis, 3 for 24 yards
Receiving:
CLE: Frank Pitts, 4 for 98 yards and 2 TDs; Fair Hooker, 1 for 38 yards; Milt Morin, 1 for 25 yards; Bo Scott, 1 for -5 yards NYJ: Hank Bjorklund, 3 for 19 yards; Rich Caster, 1 for 19 yards; Emerson Boozer, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
CLE: Ken Brown, 2 for 76 yards; Bobby Majors, 1 for 33 yards NYJ: Chris Farasopoulos, 3 for 48 yards
Punt returns:
CLE: Bobby Majors, 2 for 52 yards
Interceptions:
CLE: Walter Johnson, 1 for 1 yard NYJ: Ralph Baker, 1 for 0 yards; Steve Tannen, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 4 for 142 yards NYJ: Steve O'Neal, 4 for 167 yards
Field Goals:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 2/2 NYJ: Bobby Howfield, 1/2
Oakland wrapped up a 10-victory season with a triumph over Chicago in which RB Charlie Smith caught two TD passes, including Daryle Lamonica's 18th of the season. Chicago QB Bobby Douglass picked up 127 yards on 14 carries for a year's total of 968, making him the all-time quarterback rushing champion.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 169.1 (3) | 82.7 (26) | 251.8 (23) | 34 |
| DEFENSE | 120.0 (7) | 154.2 (13) | 274.2 (8) | 31 | |
 | OFFENSE | 168.1 (4) | 169.3 (9) | 337.4 (3) | 28 |
| DEFENSE | 123.2 (8) | 170.7 (22) | 293.9 (15) | 36 |
Line: Raiders by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears (4-9-1) | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Oakland Raiders (10-3-1) | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
( 7- 0) CHI Ron Smith 94 yard kickoff return (Mac Percival kick)
( 7- 7) OAK Charlie Smith 14 yard pass from Daryle Lamonica (George Blanda kick)
( 7-14) OAK Charlie Smith 19 yard pass from Ken Stabler (George Blanda kick)
(14-14) CHI Ross Brupbacher 0 yard fumble return (Mac Percival kick)
(14-21) OAK Pete Banaszak 1 yard rush (George Blanda kick)
(14-28) OAK Clarence Davis 45 yard rush (George Blanda kick)
(21-28) CHI Don Shy 1 yard rush (Mac Percival kick)
CHI OAK
First Downs: 15 25
Rushes-yards: 36-162 35-191
Yards/rush: 4.5 5.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 6-18-53-0 17-26-178-2
Sacked-yards: 4-20 1-10
Net pass yards: 33 168
Net yards/pass: 1.5 6.2
Total net yards: 195 359
Total plays: 58 (62% run) 62 (56% run)
Yards/play: 3.4 5.8
Fumbles-lost: 1-1 4-2
Turnovers: 1 4
Penalties-yards: 6-56 6-49
Attendance: 54,711
Passing:
CHI: Bobby Douglass, 6 of 18 for 53 yards OAK: Daryle Lamonica, 7 of 14 for 54 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Ken Stabler, 10 of 11 for 124 yards and 1 TD; George Blanda, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
CHI: Bobby Douglass, 14 for 127 yards; Roger Lawson, 13 for 34 yards; Don Shy, 4 for 6 yards and 1 TD; Jim Harrison, 2 for 4 yards; Cyril Pinder, 2 for 0 yards; Jim Seymour, 1 for -9 yards OAK: Charlie Smith, 11 for 48 yards; Marv Hubbard, 10 for 41 yards; Clarence Davis, 6 for 82 yards and 1 TD; Pete Banaszak, 6 for 24 yards and 1 TD; Ken Stabler, 2 for -4 yards
Receiving:
CHI: Don Shy, 2 for 7 yards; Earl Thomas, 1 for 21 yards; Jim Seymour, 1 for 17 yards; George Farmer, 1 for 6 yards; Roger Lawson, 1 for 2 yards OAK: Fred Biletnikoff, 5 for 43 yards; Charlie Smith, 4 for 53 yards and 2 TDs; Raymond Chester, 3 for 35 yards; Mike Siani, 2 for 19 yards; Cliff Branch, 1 for 17 yards; Marv Hubbard, 1 for 7 yards; Clarence Davis, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
CHI: Ron Smith, 4 for 178 yards and 1 TD; Larry Horton, 1 for 3 yards OAK: Clarence Davis, 3 for 84 yards; Charlie Smith, 1 for 0 yards
Punt returns:
OAK: Cliff Branch, 2 for 3 yards
Interceptions:
CHI: Charlie Ford, 1 for 2 yards; Joe Taylor, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
CHI: Bobby Joe Green, 4 for 153 yards OAK: Jerry DePoyster, 2 for 40 yards
Field Goals:
CHI: Mac Percival, 0/2
CHI: Bobby Douglass, 6 of 18 for 53 yards OAK: Daryle Lamonica, 7 of 14 for 54 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Ken Stabler, 10 of 11 for 124 yards and 1 TD; George Blanda, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
CHI: Bobby Douglass, 14 for 127 yards; Roger Lawson, 13 for 34 yards; Don Shy, 4 for 6 yards and 1 TD; Jim Harrison, 2 for 4 yards; Cyril Pinder, 2 for 0 yards; Jim Seymour, 1 for -9 yards OAK: Charlie Smith, 11 for 48 yards; Marv Hubbard, 10 for 41 yards; Clarence Davis, 6 for 82 yards and 1 TD; Pete Banaszak, 6 for 24 yards and 1 TD; Ken Stabler, 2 for -4 yards
Receiving:
CHI: Don Shy, 2 for 7 yards; Earl Thomas, 1 for 21 yards; Jim Seymour, 1 for 17 yards; George Farmer, 1 for 6 yards; Roger Lawson, 1 for 2 yards OAK: Fred Biletnikoff, 5 for 43 yards; Charlie Smith, 4 for 53 yards and 2 TDs; Raymond Chester, 3 for 35 yards; Mike Siani, 2 for 19 yards; Cliff Branch, 1 for 17 yards; Marv Hubbard, 1 for 7 yards; Clarence Davis, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
CHI: Ron Smith, 4 for 178 yards and 1 TD; Larry Horton, 1 for 3 yards OAK: Clarence Davis, 3 for 84 yards; Charlie Smith, 1 for 0 yards
Punt returns:
OAK: Cliff Branch, 2 for 3 yards
Interceptions:
CHI: Charlie Ford, 1 for 2 yards; Joe Taylor, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
CHI: Bobby Joe Green, 4 for 153 yards OAK: Jerry DePoyster, 2 for 40 yards
Field Goals:
CHI: Mac Percival, 0/2
Pittsburgh's defense denied a rival a TD for the seventh time, with the Steelers moving to an all-time team high of 11 victories and the AFC Central Division championship. It was the first title in the 40-year history of the Pittsburgh club. The Steelers picked off four passes, including one by linebacker Jack Ham who finished tied for AFC runner-up honors in that category with seven.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 185.0 (2) | 121.5 (22) | 306.5 (11) | 25 |
| DEFENSE | 127.6 (10) | 149.2 (11) | 276.8 (11) | 41 | |
 | OFFENSE | 149.2 (11) | 168.3 (10) | 317.5 (7) | 41 |
| DEFENSE | 119.8 (6) | 159.8 (18) | 279.6 (12) | 33 |
Line: Steelers by 4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3-0) | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| San Diego Chargers (4-9-1) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
( 0- 2) SD Safety, Terry Bradshaw tackled in end zone by Dave Costa
( 7- 2) PIT Franco Harris 2 yard rush (Roy Gerela kick)
(14- 2) PIT Frenchy Fuqua 2 yard rush (Roy Gerela kick)
(17- 2) PIT Roy Gerela 26 yard field goal
(24- 2) PIT Ron Shanklin 17 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick)
PIT SD
First Downs: 15 12
Rushes-yards: 39-115 30-56
Yards/rush: 2.9 1.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 12-24-152-1 11-26-122-4
Sacked-yards: 2-21 1-6
Net pass yards: 131 116
Net yards/pass: 5.0 4.3
Total net yards: 246 172
Total plays: 65 (60% run) 57 (52% run)
Yards/play: 3.8 3.0
Fumbles-lost: 1-0 4-3
Turnovers: 1 7
Penalties-yards: 8-79 6-60
Attendance: 52,873
Passing:
PIT: Terry Bradshaw, 12 of 23 for 152 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Terry Hanratty, 0 of 1 for 0 yards SD: John Hadl, 11 of 26 for 122 yards (4 int)
Rushing:
PIT: Frenchy Fuqua, 17 for 51 yards and 1 TD; Franco Harris, 15 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Terry Bradshaw, 3 for 15 yards; Preston Pearson, 2 for 15 yards; Steve Davis, 2 for 0 yards SD: Mike Garrett, 14 for 5 yards; Cid Edwards, 13 for 52 yards; John Hadl, 2 for 4 yards; Wayne Clark, 1 for -5 yards
Receiving:
PIT: Frenchy Fuqua, 3 for 50 yards; Al Young, 3 for 42 yards; Ron Shanklin, 2 for 32 yards and 1 TD; John McMakin, 2 for 12 yards; Frank Lewis, 1 for 13 yards; Franco Harris, 1 for 3 yards SD: Cid Edwards, 3 for 42 yards; Chuck Dicus, 2 for 18 yards; Gary Garrison, 2 for 11 yards; Pettis Norman, 1 for 24 yards; Mike Carter, 1 for 14 yards; Mike Garrett, 1 for 10 yards; John Mackey, 1 for 3 yards
Kick returns:
PIT: Preston Pearson, 1 for 20 yards SD: Jesse Taylor, 3 for 53 yards; Reggie Berry, 1 for 21 yards; John Sykes, 1 for 20 yards; Lenny Dunlap, 1 for 19 yards
Punt returns:
PIT: Glen Edwards, 1 for 13 yards; Preston Pearson, 1 for 3 yards SD: Lenny Dunlap, 2 for 17 yards
Interceptions:
PIT: Mel Blount, 1 for 34 yards; Ralph Anderson, 1 for 26 yards; Mike Wagner, 1 for 12 yards; Jack Ham, 1 for 5 yards SD: Tim Rossovich, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
PIT: Bobby Walden, 5 for 208 yards SD: Dennis Partee, 5 for 219 yards
Field Goals:
PIT: Roy Gerela, 1/4
PIT: Terry Bradshaw, 12 of 23 for 152 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Terry Hanratty, 0 of 1 for 0 yards SD: John Hadl, 11 of 26 for 122 yards (4 int)
Rushing:
PIT: Frenchy Fuqua, 17 for 51 yards and 1 TD; Franco Harris, 15 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Terry Bradshaw, 3 for 15 yards; Preston Pearson, 2 for 15 yards; Steve Davis, 2 for 0 yards SD: Mike Garrett, 14 for 5 yards; Cid Edwards, 13 for 52 yards; John Hadl, 2 for 4 yards; Wayne Clark, 1 for -5 yards
Receiving:
PIT: Frenchy Fuqua, 3 for 50 yards; Al Young, 3 for 42 yards; Ron Shanklin, 2 for 32 yards and 1 TD; John McMakin, 2 for 12 yards; Frank Lewis, 1 for 13 yards; Franco Harris, 1 for 3 yards SD: Cid Edwards, 3 for 42 yards; Chuck Dicus, 2 for 18 yards; Gary Garrison, 2 for 11 yards; Pettis Norman, 1 for 24 yards; Mike Carter, 1 for 14 yards; Mike Garrett, 1 for 10 yards; John Mackey, 1 for 3 yards
Kick returns:
PIT: Preston Pearson, 1 for 20 yards SD: Jesse Taylor, 3 for 53 yards; Reggie Berry, 1 for 21 yards; John Sykes, 1 for 20 yards; Lenny Dunlap, 1 for 19 yards
Punt returns:
PIT: Glen Edwards, 1 for 13 yards; Preston Pearson, 1 for 3 yards SD: Lenny Dunlap, 2 for 17 yards
Interceptions:
PIT: Mel Blount, 1 for 34 yards; Ralph Anderson, 1 for 26 yards; Mike Wagner, 1 for 12 yards; Jack Ham, 1 for 5 yards SD: Tim Rossovich, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
PIT: Bobby Walden, 5 for 208 yards SD: Dennis Partee, 5 for 219 yards
Field Goals:
PIT: Roy Gerela, 1/4
The Cardinals built a 14-0 lead and held off a late Philadelphia surge to finish their season with a 4-9-1 record. The Eagles closed at 2-11-1. Jim Hart threw a pair of touchdown passes for St. Louis while completing 19 of 30 passes for 334 yards.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 99.2 (24) | 146.1 (18) | 245.2 (24) | 38 |
| DEFENSE | 168.8 (24) | 165.2 (19) | 334.0 (22) | 25 | |
 | OFFENSE | 89.0 (26) | 131.8 (21) | 220.8 (26) | 37 |
| DEFENSE | 160.4 (20) | 183.0 (25) | 343.4 (25) | 26 |
Line: Cardinals by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles (2-11-1) | 0 | 6 | 3 | 14 | 23 |
| St. Louis Cardinals (4-9-1) | 14 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 24 |
( 0- 7) STL Donny Anderson 1 yard rush (Jim Bakken kick)
( 0-14) STL Ahmad Rashad 41 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
( 3-14) PHI Tom Dempsey 33 yard field goal
( 6-14) PHI Tom Dempsey 41 yard field goal
( 9-14) PHI Tom Dempsey 38 yard field goal
( 9-21) STL Walker Gillette 65 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
(16-21) PHI Harold Carmichael 5 yard pass from John Reaves (Tom Dempsey kick)
(16-24) STL Jim Bakken 20 yard field goal
(23-24) PHI Billy Walik 15 yard pass from John Reaves (Tom Dempsey kick)
PHI STL
First Downs: 18 18
Rushes-yards: 30-104 27-72
Yards/rush: 3.5 2.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-27-223-0 19-31-334-1
Sacked-yards: 5-52 1-10
Net pass yards: 171 324
Net yards/pass: 5.3 10.1
Total net yards: 275 396
Total plays: 62 (48% run) 59 (45% run)
Yards/play: 4.4 6.7
Fumbles-lost: 1-0 3-1
Turnovers: 0 2
Penalties-yards: 5-55 2-20
Attendance: 34,872
Passing:
PHI: John Reaves, 14 of 27 for 223 yards and 2 TDs STL: Jim Hart, 19 of 30 for 334 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Jackie Smith, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
PHI: Po James, 12 for 28 yards; Tony Baker, 10 for 37 yards; Larry Watkins, 3 for 11 yards; Tom Bailey, 3 for 10 yards; John Reaves, 1 for 12 yards; Harold Jackson, 1 for 6 yards STL: Johnny Roland, 10 for 33 yards; Craig Baynham, 7 for 18 yards; Donny Anderson, 7 for 12 yards and 1 TD; Jim Hart, 3 for 9 yards
Receiving:
PHI: Harold Carmichael, 5 for 100 yards and 1 TD; Harold Jackson, 5 for 71 yards; Ben Hawkins, 3 for 37 yards; Billy Walik, 1 for 15 yards and 1 TD STL: Johnny Roland, 7 for 71 yards; Walker Gillette, 4 for 108 yards and 1 TD; Donny Anderson, 3 for 85 yards; Ahmad Rashad, 2 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Jackie Smith, 2 for 11 yards; Craig Baynham, 1 for 10 yards
Kick returns:
PHI: Billy Walik, 2 for 50 yards; Al Nelson, 1 for 35 yards; Gary Pettigrew, 1 for 17 yards; Bill Overmyer, 1 for 0 yards STL: Ahmad Rashad, 2 for 27 yards; Mel Gray, 1 for 15 yards
Punt returns:
PHI: Bill Bradley, 1 for 4 yards STL: Roger Wehrli, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
PHI: Leroy Keyes, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
PHI: Bill Bradley, 5 for 161 yards STL: Donny Anderson, 3 for 119 yards
Field Goals:
PHI: Tom Dempsey, 3/3 STL: Jim Bakken, 1/1
PHI: John Reaves, 14 of 27 for 223 yards and 2 TDs STL: Jim Hart, 19 of 30 for 334 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Jackie Smith, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
PHI: Po James, 12 for 28 yards; Tony Baker, 10 for 37 yards; Larry Watkins, 3 for 11 yards; Tom Bailey, 3 for 10 yards; John Reaves, 1 for 12 yards; Harold Jackson, 1 for 6 yards STL: Johnny Roland, 10 for 33 yards; Craig Baynham, 7 for 18 yards; Donny Anderson, 7 for 12 yards and 1 TD; Jim Hart, 3 for 9 yards
Receiving:
PHI: Harold Carmichael, 5 for 100 yards and 1 TD; Harold Jackson, 5 for 71 yards; Ben Hawkins, 3 for 37 yards; Billy Walik, 1 for 15 yards and 1 TD STL: Johnny Roland, 7 for 71 yards; Walker Gillette, 4 for 108 yards and 1 TD; Donny Anderson, 3 for 85 yards; Ahmad Rashad, 2 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Jackie Smith, 2 for 11 yards; Craig Baynham, 1 for 10 yards
Kick returns:
PHI: Billy Walik, 2 for 50 yards; Al Nelson, 1 for 35 yards; Gary Pettigrew, 1 for 17 yards; Bill Overmyer, 1 for 0 yards STL: Ahmad Rashad, 2 for 27 yards; Mel Gray, 1 for 15 yards
Punt returns:
PHI: Bill Bradley, 1 for 4 yards STL: Roger Wehrli, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
PHI: Leroy Keyes, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
PHI: Bill Bradley, 5 for 161 yards STL: Donny Anderson, 3 for 119 yards
Field Goals:
PHI: Tom Dempsey, 3/3 STL: Jim Bakken, 1/1
Buffalo linebacker Dale Farley intercepted a Billy Kilmer pass and returned it 42 yards to the Washington 3-yard line and two plays later Jim Braxton ran over for the deciding touchdown with 42 seconds remaining. Bills runner O. J. Simpson carried 26 times for 101 yards to win the NFL rushing title with a total of 1,251 yards. Washington finished with an 11-3 record and entered the NFC divisional playoffs as Eastern champion.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 149.8 (10) | 117.0 (23) | 266.8 (19) | 38 |
| DEFENSE | 162.2 (22) | 147.2 (9) | 309.3 (19) | 28 | |
 | OFFENSE | 149.9 (8) | 173.5 (8) | 323.4 (5) | 23 |
| DEFENSE | 119.2 (5) | 137.1 (6) | 256.2 (4) | 30 |
Line: Redskins by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills (4-9-1) | 10 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
| Washington Redskins (11-3-0) | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 17 |
( 7- 0) BUF Alvin Wyatt 49 yard interception return (John Leypoldt kick)
(10- 0) BUF John Leypoldt 23 yard field goal
(10- 7) WAS Herb Mul-Key 8 yard rush (Curt Knight kick)
(10-14) WAS Bob Brunet 2 yard rush (Curt Knight kick)
(10-17) WAS Curt Knight 35 yard field goal
(17-17) BUF O.J. Simpson 21 yard rush (John Leypoldt kick)
(24-17) BUF Jim Braxton 4 yard rush (John Leypoldt kick)
BUF WAS
First Downs: 17 15
Rushes-yards: 45-184 35-133
Yards/rush: 4.1 3.8
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 10-21-107-2 4-15-62-3
Sacked-yards: 3-27 3-24
Net pass yards: 80 38
Net yards/pass: 3.3 2.1
Total net yards: 264 171
Total plays: 69 (65% run) 53 (66% run)
Yards/play: 3.8 3.2
Fumbles-lost: 2-0 1-0
Turnovers: 2 3
Penalties-yards: 9-122 6-40
Attendance: 53,039
Passing:
BUF: Dennis Shaw, 10 of 21 for 107 yards (2 int) WAS: Billy Kilmer, 4 of 15 for 62 yards (3 int)
Rushing:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 26 for 101 yards and 1 TD; Jim Braxton, 8 for 30 yards and 1 TD; Wayne Patrick, 6 for 28 yards; Dennis Shaw, 5 for 25 yards WAS: Herb Mul-Key, 25 for 95 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Harraway, 6 for 13 yards; Bob Brunet, 3 for 8 yards and 1 TD; Charley Taylor, 1 for 17 yards
Receiving:
BUF: Jan White, 4 for 49 yards; Bob Chandler, 2 for 23 yards; J.D. Hill, 2 for 22 yards; Wayne Patrick, 1 for 7 yards; O.J. Simpson, 1 for 6 yards WAS: Herb Mul-Key, 2 for 28 yards; Roy Jefferson, 1 for 17 yards; Mack Alston, 1 for 17 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Tony Greene, 3 for 55 yards WAS: Herb Mul-Key, 2 for 36 yards; Bob Brunet, 1 for 16 yards; Rusty Tillman, 1 for 6 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Linzy Cole, 1 for -3 yards WAS: Ted Vactor, 2 for 28 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Alvin Wyatt, 1 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Dale Farley, 1 for 42 yards; Robert James, 1 for 0 yards WAS: Pat Fischer, 1 for 0 yards; Brig Owens, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
BUF: Spike Jones, 6 for 204 yards WAS: Mike Bragg, 6 for 223 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: John Leypoldt, 1/1 WAS: Curt Knight, 1/2
BUF: Dennis Shaw, 10 of 21 for 107 yards (2 int) WAS: Billy Kilmer, 4 of 15 for 62 yards (3 int)
Rushing:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 26 for 101 yards and 1 TD; Jim Braxton, 8 for 30 yards and 1 TD; Wayne Patrick, 6 for 28 yards; Dennis Shaw, 5 for 25 yards WAS: Herb Mul-Key, 25 for 95 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Harraway, 6 for 13 yards; Bob Brunet, 3 for 8 yards and 1 TD; Charley Taylor, 1 for 17 yards
Receiving:
BUF: Jan White, 4 for 49 yards; Bob Chandler, 2 for 23 yards; J.D. Hill, 2 for 22 yards; Wayne Patrick, 1 for 7 yards; O.J. Simpson, 1 for 6 yards WAS: Herb Mul-Key, 2 for 28 yards; Roy Jefferson, 1 for 17 yards; Mack Alston, 1 for 17 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Tony Greene, 3 for 55 yards WAS: Herb Mul-Key, 2 for 36 yards; Bob Brunet, 1 for 16 yards; Rusty Tillman, 1 for 6 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Linzy Cole, 1 for -3 yards WAS: Ted Vactor, 2 for 28 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Alvin Wyatt, 1 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Dale Farley, 1 for 42 yards; Robert James, 1 for 0 yards WAS: Pat Fischer, 1 for 0 yards; Brig Owens, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
BUF: Spike Jones, 6 for 204 yards WAS: Mike Bragg, 6 for 223 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: John Leypoldt, 1/1 WAS: Curt Knight, 1/2