NFL game summary for 10/28/1973:
Dick Butkus scored the first touchdown of his nine-year NFL career by recovering Dan Pastorini's fumble in the end zone. Butkus also intercepted a pass to start the Bears on the way to their final score, a one-yard pass from rookie Gary Huff to Earl Thomas in a 35-14 win. Ike Hill returned the second half kickoff 95 yards for another score. The victory ended a three-game Chicago losing streak and extended Houston's to 18 over two years.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 88.7 (26) | 102.7 (20) | 191.3 (26) | 21 |
| DEFENSE | 204.5 (25) | 155.5 (17) | 360.0 (24) | 8 | |
 | OFFENSE | 163.0 (10) | 95.2 (24) | 258.2 (20) | 20 |
| DEFENSE | 160.3 (20) | 153.3 (16) | 313.7 (20) | 14 |
Line: Bears by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Oilers (0-7-0) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Chicago Bears (2-5-0) | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
( 0- 7) CHI Dick Butkus 0 yard fumble return (Mirro Roder kick) ( 0-14) CHI Carl Garrett 5 yard rush (Mirro Roder kick) ( 0-21) CHI George Farmer 5 yard pass from Bobby Douglass (Mirro Roder kick) ( 0-28) CHI Ike Hill 95 yard kickoff return (Mirro Roder kick) ( 7-28) HOU Paul Robinson 5 yard rush (Skip Butler kick) ( 7-35) CHI Earl Thomas 1 yard pass from Gary Huff (Mirro Roder kick) (14-35) HOU Ken Burrough 25 yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Skip Butler kick)
HOU CHI
First Downs: 19 19
Rushes-yards: 37-157 35-115
Yards/rush: 4.2 3.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 15-31-109-2 13-26-168-0
Sacked-yards: 5-55 2-14
Net pass yards: 54 154
Net yards/pass: 1.5 5.5
Total net yards: 211 269
Total plays: 73 (50% run) 63 (55% run)
Yards/play: 2.9 4.3
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 2-2
Turnovers: 4 2
Penalties-yards: 6-53 7-34
Attendance: 43,755
Passing:
HOU: Lynn Dickey, 10 of 18 for 99 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Dan Pastorini, 5 of 13 for 10 yards CHI: Bobby Douglass, 10 of 21 for 125 yards and 1 TD; Gary Huff, 3 of 5 for 43 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
HOU: Fred Willis, 18 for 77 yards; Paul Robinson, 8 for 44 yards and 1 TD; Bob Gresham, 7 for 30 yards; Dan Pastorini, 2 for -1 yards; Mack Alston, 1 for 13 yards; Ken Burrough, 1 for -6 yards CHI: Carl Garrett, 18 for 78 yards and 1 TD; Bobby Douglass, 6 for 27 yards; Gary Kosins, 5 for 13 yards; Roger Lawson, 5 for 11 yards; Ike Hill, 1 for -14 yards
Receiving:
HOU: Fred Willis, 4 for 16 yards; Ken Burrough, 3 for 38 yards and 1 TD; Paul Robinson, 3 for 25 yards; Bob Gresham, 2 for 4 yards; George Amundson, 1 for 18 yards; Billy Parks, 1 for 5 yards; Clifton McNeil, 1 for 3 yards CHI: Earl Thomas, 5 for 60 yards and 1 TD; Carl Garrett, 4 for 67 yards; Gary Kosins, 2 for 6 yards; Tom Reynolds, 1 for 30 yards; George Farmer, 1 for 5 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
HOU: Alvin Haymond, 5 for 135 yards; Mike Fanucci, 1 for 13 yards CHI: Ike Hill, 2 for 95 yards and 1 TD
Punt returns:
HOU: Alvin Haymond, 1 for 5 yards CHI: Ike Hill, 3 for 13 yards
Interceptions:
CHI: Dick Butkus, 1 for 0 yards; Garry Lyle, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
HOU: Dave Green, 7 for 305 yards; Skip Butler, 1 for 21 yards CHI: Bob Parsons, 4 for 106 yards; Bobby Joe Green, 3 for 119 yards
Field Goals:
CHI: Mirro Roder, 0/2
HOU: Lynn Dickey, 10 of 18 for 99 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Dan Pastorini, 5 of 13 for 10 yards CHI: Bobby Douglass, 10 of 21 for 125 yards and 1 TD; Gary Huff, 3 of 5 for 43 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
HOU: Fred Willis, 18 for 77 yards; Paul Robinson, 8 for 44 yards and 1 TD; Bob Gresham, 7 for 30 yards; Dan Pastorini, 2 for -1 yards; Mack Alston, 1 for 13 yards; Ken Burrough, 1 for -6 yards CHI: Carl Garrett, 18 for 78 yards and 1 TD; Bobby Douglass, 6 for 27 yards; Gary Kosins, 5 for 13 yards; Roger Lawson, 5 for 11 yards; Ike Hill, 1 for -14 yards
Receiving:
HOU: Fred Willis, 4 for 16 yards; Ken Burrough, 3 for 38 yards and 1 TD; Paul Robinson, 3 for 25 yards; Bob Gresham, 2 for 4 yards; George Amundson, 1 for 18 yards; Billy Parks, 1 for 5 yards; Clifton McNeil, 1 for 3 yards CHI: Earl Thomas, 5 for 60 yards and 1 TD; Carl Garrett, 4 for 67 yards; Gary Kosins, 2 for 6 yards; Tom Reynolds, 1 for 30 yards; George Farmer, 1 for 5 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
HOU: Alvin Haymond, 5 for 135 yards; Mike Fanucci, 1 for 13 yards CHI: Ike Hill, 2 for 95 yards and 1 TD
Punt returns:
HOU: Alvin Haymond, 1 for 5 yards CHI: Ike Hill, 3 for 13 yards
Interceptions:
CHI: Dick Butkus, 1 for 0 yards; Garry Lyle, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
HOU: Dave Green, 7 for 305 yards; Skip Butler, 1 for 21 yards CHI: Bob Parsons, 4 for 106 yards; Bobby Joe Green, 3 for 119 yards
Field Goals:
CHI: Mirro Roder, 0/2