NFL game summary for 12/17/1972:
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