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):

Line: Even

( 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

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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):

Line: Cowboys by 10

( 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

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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):

Line: Broncos by 10

( 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

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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):

Line: Bengals by 10

( 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

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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):

Line: Rams by 2

( 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

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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):

Line: Packers by 10

( 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

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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):

Line: Jets by 3

( 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

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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):

Line: Raiders by 10

( 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

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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):

Line: Steelers by 4

( 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

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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):

Line: Cardinals by 10

( 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

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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):

Line: Redskins by 10

( 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

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