All NFL game summaries for 12/16/1973:
Atlanta downed stubborn New Orleans in its last game but lost its slim chance at the NFC wild card berth when Washington won. After Eddie Ray scored twice, New Orleans came back behind Bobby Scott, a reserve quarterback. The Saints had a chance to tie in the third quarter but two incomplete passes forced them to go for a field goal. The Falcons' Dave Hampton gained 84 yards and finished the season with 997 yards.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 133.6 (17) | 120.7 (20) | 254.3 (20) | 32 |
| DEFENSE | 173.4 (24) | 156.2 (20) | 329.5 (23) | 28 | |
 | OFFENSE | 145.3 (10) | 142.5 (13) | 287.8 (14) | 31 |
| DEFENSE | 155.7 (19) | 103.1 (3) | 258.8 (7) | 35 |
Line: Falcons by 14
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints (5-9-0) | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Atlanta Falcons (9-5-0) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
( 0- 7) ATL Eddie Ray 1 yard rush (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
( 0-14) ATL Eddie Ray 1 yard rush (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
( 7-14) NO Bob Newland 6 yard pass from Bobby Scott (Bill McClard kick)
(10-14) NO Bill McClard 11 yard field goal
NO ATL
First Downs: 11 17
Rushes-yards: 39-105 47-148
Yards/rush: 2.7 3.1
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 6-21-90-2 10-19-168-0
Sacked-yards: 0-0 3-20
Net pass yards: 90 148
Net yards/pass: 4.3 6.7
Total net yards: 195 296
Total plays: 60 (65% run) 69 (68% run)
Yards/play: 3.2 4.3
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 4-2
Turnovers: 2 2
Penalties-yards: 4-37 5-55
Attendance: 34,147
Passing:
NO: Bobby Scott, 6 of 21 for 90 yards and 1 TD (2 int) ATL: Bob Lee, 10 of 19 for 168 yards
Rushing:
NO: Jess Phillips, 18 for 49 yards; Joe Profit, 13 for 47 yards; Bobby Scott, 3 for 7 yards; Bill Butler, 2 for -1 yards; Tom Myers, 1 for 8 yards; Howard Stevens, 1 for 2 yards; Steve O'Neal, 1 for -7 yards ATL: Dave Hampton, 27 for 84 yards; Eddie Ray, 12 for 45 yards and 2 TDs; Bob Lee, 5 for 12 yards; Art Malone, 3 for 7 yards
Receiving:
NO: Bob Newland, 3 for 61 yards and 1 TD; Jubilee Dunbar, 1 for 27 yards; John Beasley, 1 for 2 yards; Joe Profit, 1 for 0 yards ATL: Al Dodd, 2 for 44 yards; Tom Geredine, 2 for 41 yards; Dave Hampton, 2 for 26 yards; Jim Mitchell, 1 for 31 yards; Larry Mialik, 1 for 13 yards; Eddie Ray, 1 for 7 yards; Art Malone, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
NO: Howard Stevens, 1 for 13 yards; Mike Fink, 1 for 3 yards ATL: Joe Washington, 2 for 43 yards; Rolland Lawrence, 1 for 28 yards
Punt returns:
NO: Doug Winslow, 1 for 10 yards ATL: Ray Brown, 4 for 27 yards
Interceptions:
ATL: Ray Brown, 1 for 19 yards; Ken Reaves, 1 for 11 yards
Punting:
NO: Steve O'Neal, 7 for 278 yards ATL: John James, 5 for 180 yards
Field Goals:
NO: Bill McClard, 1/1 ATL: Nick Mike-Mayer, 0/2
NO: Bobby Scott, 6 of 21 for 90 yards and 1 TD (2 int) ATL: Bob Lee, 10 of 19 for 168 yards
Rushing:
NO: Jess Phillips, 18 for 49 yards; Joe Profit, 13 for 47 yards; Bobby Scott, 3 for 7 yards; Bill Butler, 2 for -1 yards; Tom Myers, 1 for 8 yards; Howard Stevens, 1 for 2 yards; Steve O'Neal, 1 for -7 yards ATL: Dave Hampton, 27 for 84 yards; Eddie Ray, 12 for 45 yards and 2 TDs; Bob Lee, 5 for 12 yards; Art Malone, 3 for 7 yards
Receiving:
NO: Bob Newland, 3 for 61 yards and 1 TD; Jubilee Dunbar, 1 for 27 yards; John Beasley, 1 for 2 yards; Joe Profit, 1 for 0 yards ATL: Al Dodd, 2 for 44 yards; Tom Geredine, 2 for 41 yards; Dave Hampton, 2 for 26 yards; Jim Mitchell, 1 for 31 yards; Larry Mialik, 1 for 13 yards; Eddie Ray, 1 for 7 yards; Art Malone, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
NO: Howard Stevens, 1 for 13 yards; Mike Fink, 1 for 3 yards ATL: Joe Washington, 2 for 43 yards; Rolland Lawrence, 1 for 28 yards
Punt returns:
NO: Doug Winslow, 1 for 10 yards ATL: Ray Brown, 4 for 27 yards
Interceptions:
ATL: Ray Brown, 1 for 19 yards; Ken Reaves, 1 for 11 yards
Punting:
NO: Steve O'Neal, 7 for 278 yards ATL: John James, 5 for 180 yards
Field Goals:
NO: Bill McClard, 1/1 ATL: Nick Mike-Mayer, 0/2
Lydell Mitchell rushed for 142 yards on 34 carries for a season total of 963 yards, two more than the old Baltimore club record set by Alan Ameche in 1955. In a driving snowstorm, Marty Domres passed for two touchdowns, hitting Tom Mitchell with the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter after linebacker Stan White had intercepted a Jim Plunkett pass.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 120.2 (22) | 160.3 (8) | 280.5 (17) | 39 |
| DEFENSE | 203.0 (26) | 93.8 (2) | 296.8 (18) | 29 | |
 | OFFENSE | 140.0 (14) | 104.4 (22) | 244.4 (22) | 36 |
| DEFENSE | 156.8 (20) | 173.2 (23) | 330.1 (24) | 34 |
Line: Colts by 3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots (5-9-0) | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 13 |
| Baltimore Colts (4-10-0) | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 18 |
( 0- 6) BAL Cotton Speyrer 17 yard pass from Marty Domres (kick failed)
( 0- 9) BAL George Hunt 16 yard field goal
( 7- 9) NE Randy Vataha 25 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Jeff White kick)
(13- 9) NE Mack Herron 15 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (kick failed)
(13-15) BAL Tom Mitchell 18 yard pass from Marty Domres (pass failed)
(13-18) BAL George Hunt 32 yard field goal
NE BAL
First Downs: 10 19
Rushes-yards: 19-50 50-211
Yards/rush: 2.6 4.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 13-27-164-2 11-20-131-1
Sacked-yards: 2-17 1-13
Net pass yards: 147 118
Net yards/pass: 5.1 5.6
Total net yards: 197 329
Total plays: 48 (39% run) 71 (70% run)
Yards/play: 4.1 4.6
Fumbles-lost: 4-1 1-1
Turnovers: 3 2
Penalties-yards: 1-5 3-25
Attendance: 52,065
Passing:
NE: Jim Plunkett, 13 of 27 for 164 yards and 2 TDs (2 int) BAL: Marty Domres, 11 of 20 for 131 yards and 2 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
NE: Sam Cunningham, 9 for 17 yards; Mack Herron, 8 for 25 yards; John Tarver, 1 for 4 yards; Bob Adams, 1 for 4 yards BAL: Lydell Mitchell, 34 for 142 yards; Marty Domres, 7 for 32 yards; Bill Olds, 6 for 30 yards; Sam Havrilak, 1 for 8 yards; Cotton Speyrer, 1 for 1 yard; Glenn Doughty, 1 for -2 yards
Receiving:
NE: Mack Herron, 8 for 95 yards and 1 TD; Randy Vataha, 2 for 33 yards and 1 TD; Reggie Rucker, 2 for 31 yards; Sam Cunningham, 1 for 5 yards BAL: Tom Mitchell, 5 for 57 yards and 1 TD; Glenn Doughty, 3 for 39 yards; Cotton Speyrer, 2 for 26 yards and 1 TD; Sam Havrilak, 1 for 9 yards
Kick returns:
NE: Mack Herron, 4 for 90 yards BAL: Bruce Laird, 1 for 17 yards; Nelson Munsey, 1 for 13 yards
Punt returns:
NE: Mack Herron, 1 for 0 yards BAL: Rick Volk, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
NE: Sandy Durko, 1 for 0 yards BAL: Stan White, 1 for 13 yards; Ray Oldham, 1 for 7 yards
Punting:
NE: Bruce Barnes, 3 for 96 yards BAL: David Lee, 2 for 61 yards
Field Goals:
NE: Jeff White, 0/2 BAL: George Hunt, 2/2
NE: Jim Plunkett, 13 of 27 for 164 yards and 2 TDs (2 int) BAL: Marty Domres, 11 of 20 for 131 yards and 2 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
NE: Sam Cunningham, 9 for 17 yards; Mack Herron, 8 for 25 yards; John Tarver, 1 for 4 yards; Bob Adams, 1 for 4 yards BAL: Lydell Mitchell, 34 for 142 yards; Marty Domres, 7 for 32 yards; Bill Olds, 6 for 30 yards; Sam Havrilak, 1 for 8 yards; Cotton Speyrer, 1 for 1 yard; Glenn Doughty, 1 for -2 yards
Receiving:
NE: Mack Herron, 8 for 95 yards and 1 TD; Randy Vataha, 2 for 33 yards and 1 TD; Reggie Rucker, 2 for 31 yards; Sam Cunningham, 1 for 5 yards BAL: Tom Mitchell, 5 for 57 yards and 1 TD; Glenn Doughty, 3 for 39 yards; Cotton Speyrer, 2 for 26 yards and 1 TD; Sam Havrilak, 1 for 9 yards
Kick returns:
NE: Mack Herron, 4 for 90 yards BAL: Bruce Laird, 1 for 17 yards; Nelson Munsey, 1 for 13 yards
Punt returns:
NE: Mack Herron, 1 for 0 yards BAL: Rick Volk, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
NE: Sandy Durko, 1 for 0 yards BAL: Stan White, 1 for 13 yards; Ray Oldham, 1 for 7 yards
Punting:
NE: Bruce Barnes, 3 for 96 yards BAL: David Lee, 2 for 61 yards
Field Goals:
NE: Jeff White, 0/2 BAL: George Hunt, 2/2
John Brockington won the NFC rushing title with 1,144 yards after gaining 142 on 22 carries against the Chicago Bears. Jerry Tagge threw his first two NFL touchdown passes, both to Jon Staggers. The loss was the Bears' sixth straight.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 128.8 (19) | 93.2 (24) | 222.0 (26) | 27 |
| DEFENSE | 144.2 (14) | 134.9 (13) | 279.1 (13) | 30 | |
 | OFFENSE | 137.1 (15) | 88.8 (25) | 225.8 (24) | 39 |
| DEFENSE | 170.1 (22) | 123.2 (8) | 293.3 (16) | 31 |
Line: Packers by 5
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers (5-7-2) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Chicago Bears (3-11-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
( 7- 0) GB Jon Staggers 20 yard pass from Jerry Tagge (Chester Marcol kick)
(14- 0) GB Les Goodman 3 yard rush (Chester Marcol kick)
(21- 0) GB Jon Staggers 36 yard pass from Jerry Tagge (Chester Marcol kick)
GB CHI
First Downs: 16 12
Rushes-yards: 53-298 36-125
Yards/rush: 5.6 3.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 3-12-72-1 10-27-110-1
Sacked-yards: 0-0 5-42
Net pass yards: 72 68
Net yards/pass: 6.0 2.1
Total net yards: 370 193
Total plays: 65 (81% run) 68 (52% run)
Yards/play: 5.7 2.8
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 3-2
Turnovers: 2 3
Penalties-yards: 7-55 5-35
Attendance: 29,157
Passing:
GB: Jerry Tagge, 3 of 12 for 72 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) CHI: Gary Huff, 10 of 27 for 110 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
GB: John Brockington, 22 for 142 yards; MacArthur Lane, 19 for 101 yards; Les Goodman, 5 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Perry Williams, 4 for 5 yards; Jerry Tagge, 2 for 5 yards; Paul Staroba, 1 for 11 yards CHI: Roger Lawson, 13 for 39 yards; Joe Moore, 11 for 52 yards; Jim Harrison, 5 for 17 yards; Gary Huff, 4 for 9 yards; Reggie Sanderson, 3 for 8 yards
Receiving:
GB: Jon Staggers, 3 for 72 yards and 2 TDs CHI: Reggie Sanderson, 3 for 12 yards; George Farmer, 2 for 41 yards; Roger Lawson, 1 for 21 yards; Earl Thomas, 1 for 20 yards; Ike Hill, 1 for 15 yards; Joe Moore, 1 for 6 yards; Jim Harrison, 1 for -5 yards
Kick returns:
CHI: Ike Hill, 3 for 48 yards
Punt returns:
CHI: Ike Hill, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
GB: Jim Carter, 1 for 1 yard CHI: Allan Ellis, 1 for 12 yards
Punting:
GB: Paul Staroba, 7 for 212 yards CHI: Bobby Joe Green, 8 for 279 yards
Field Goals:
GB: Chester Marcol, 0/1 CHI: Mirro Roder, 0/1
GB: Jerry Tagge, 3 of 12 for 72 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) CHI: Gary Huff, 10 of 27 for 110 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
GB: John Brockington, 22 for 142 yards; MacArthur Lane, 19 for 101 yards; Les Goodman, 5 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Perry Williams, 4 for 5 yards; Jerry Tagge, 2 for 5 yards; Paul Staroba, 1 for 11 yards CHI: Roger Lawson, 13 for 39 yards; Joe Moore, 11 for 52 yards; Jim Harrison, 5 for 17 yards; Gary Huff, 4 for 9 yards; Reggie Sanderson, 3 for 8 yards
Receiving:
GB: Jon Staggers, 3 for 72 yards and 2 TDs CHI: Reggie Sanderson, 3 for 12 yards; George Farmer, 2 for 41 yards; Roger Lawson, 1 for 21 yards; Earl Thomas, 1 for 20 yards; Ike Hill, 1 for 15 yards; Joe Moore, 1 for 6 yards; Jim Harrison, 1 for -5 yards
Kick returns:
CHI: Ike Hill, 3 for 48 yards
Punt returns:
CHI: Ike Hill, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
GB: Jim Carter, 1 for 1 yard CHI: Allan Ellis, 1 for 12 yards
Punting:
GB: Paul Staroba, 7 for 212 yards CHI: Bobby Joe Green, 8 for 279 yards
Field Goals:
GB: Chester Marcol, 0/1 CHI: Mirro Roder, 0/1
Quarterback Ken Anderson took Cincinnati to the AFC Central championship with three touchdown passes, including bombs of 77 and 67 yards to rookie Isaac Curtis. Houston led 10-3 in the second quarter and rallied in the closing moments to narrow the Bengals' lead to three points with 3:34 to play. Cincinnati, tied with Pittsburgh at 10-4, won the division on a superior record in conference competition. Essex Johnson wound up with 997 yards rushing and Boobie Clark 988. Ex-Bengal Fred Willis scored twice for Houston and won the AFC pass receiving title with 57 for the year.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 164.2 (6) | 153.5 (10) | 317.7 (6) | 25 |
| DEFENSE | 124.4 (6) | 131.3 (11) | 255.7 (5) | 33 | |
 | OFFENSE | 92.2 (26) | 132.9 (17) | 225.1 (25) | 51 |
| DEFENSE | 177.6 (25) | 150.5 (17) | 328.1 (21) | 26 |
Line: Bengals by 19
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals (10-4-0) | 3 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 27 |
| Houston Oilers (1-13-0) | 0 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
( 3- 0) CIN Horst Muhlmann 11 yard field goal
( 3- 7) HOU Fred Willis 5 yard rush (Skip Butler kick)
( 3-10) HOU Skip Butler 18 yard field goal
(10-10) CIN Isaac Curtis 77 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(13-10) CIN Horst Muhlmann 40 yard field goal
(20-10) CIN Bob Trumpy 10 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(27-10) CIN Isaac Curtis 67 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(27-17) HOU Fred Willis 1 yard rush (Skip Butler kick)
(27-24) HOU Paul Robinson 1 yard rush (Skip Butler kick)
CIN HOU
First Downs: 14 25
Rushes-yards: 26-101 39-190
Yards/rush: 3.9 4.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 15-23-293-0 17-26-201-0
Sacked-yards: 1-12 2-10
Net pass yards: 281 191
Net yards/pass: 11.7 6.8
Total net yards: 382 381
Total plays: 50 (52% run) 67 (58% run)
Yards/play: 7.6 5.7
Fumbles-lost: 1-1 1-1
Turnovers: 1 1
Penalties-yards: 10-89 6-40
Attendance: 21,955
Passing:
CIN: Ken Anderson, 15 of 23 for 293 yards and 3 TDs HOU: Dan Pastorini, 17 of 26 for 201 yards
Rushing:
CIN: Boobie Clark, 12 for 57 yards; Essex Johnson, 11 for 32 yards; Ken Anderson, 3 for 12 yards HOU: Paul Robinson, 20 for 100 yards and 1 TD; Fred Willis, 14 for 85 yards and 2 TDs; Dan Pastorini, 5 for 5 yards
Receiving:
CIN: Bob Trumpy, 4 for 63 yards and 1 TD; Boobie Clark, 4 for 25 yards; Charlie Joiner, 3 for 47 yards; Isaac Curtis, 2 for 144 yards and 2 TDs; Essex Johnson, 2 for 14 yards HOU: Ken Burrough, 6 for 86 yards; Billy Parks, 5 for 70 yards; Fred Willis, 3 for 31 yards; Paul Robinson, 2 for 1 yard; Mack Alston, 1 for 13 yards
Kick returns:
CIN: Bernard Jackson, 4 for 103 yards; Lemar Parrish, 1 for 14 yards HOU: Larry Eaglin, 1 for 16 yards; Eddie Hinton, 1 for 10 yards
Punt returns:
CIN: Tommy Casanova, 1 for 23 yards HOU: Jeff Severson, 3 for 17 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
CIN: Dave Lewis, 4 for 189 yards HOU: Dan Pastorini, 3 for 101 yards
Field Goals:
CIN: Horst Muhlmann, 2/2 HOU: Skip Butler, 1/2
CIN: Ken Anderson, 15 of 23 for 293 yards and 3 TDs HOU: Dan Pastorini, 17 of 26 for 201 yards
Rushing:
CIN: Boobie Clark, 12 for 57 yards; Essex Johnson, 11 for 32 yards; Ken Anderson, 3 for 12 yards HOU: Paul Robinson, 20 for 100 yards and 1 TD; Fred Willis, 14 for 85 yards and 2 TDs; Dan Pastorini, 5 for 5 yards
Receiving:
CIN: Bob Trumpy, 4 for 63 yards and 1 TD; Boobie Clark, 4 for 25 yards; Charlie Joiner, 3 for 47 yards; Isaac Curtis, 2 for 144 yards and 2 TDs; Essex Johnson, 2 for 14 yards HOU: Ken Burrough, 6 for 86 yards; Billy Parks, 5 for 70 yards; Fred Willis, 3 for 31 yards; Paul Robinson, 2 for 1 yard; Mack Alston, 1 for 13 yards
Kick returns:
CIN: Bernard Jackson, 4 for 103 yards; Lemar Parrish, 1 for 14 yards HOU: Larry Eaglin, 1 for 16 yards; Eddie Hinton, 1 for 10 yards
Punt returns:
CIN: Tommy Casanova, 1 for 23 yards HOU: Jeff Severson, 3 for 17 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
CIN: Dave Lewis, 4 for 189 yards HOU: Dan Pastorini, 3 for 101 yards
Field Goals:
CIN: Horst Muhlmann, 2/2 HOU: Skip Butler, 1/2
Kansas City took advantage of six San Diego mistakes -- three interceptions and three fumble recoveries. Jan Stenerud kicked four field goals and Ed Podolak, Jeff Kinney and Wendell Hayes scored touchdowns as the Chiefs finished second in the AFC West for the second consecutive year. The Chiefs' Jerrel Wilson won the AFC punting battle with a 45.5 average.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 132.6 (18) | 130.4 (18) | 263.0 (18) | 45 |
| DEFENSE | 163.2 (21) | 165.9 (21) | 329.1 (22) | 34 | |
 | OFFENSE | 126.9 (20) | 126.6 (19) | 253.5 (21) | 31 |
| DEFENSE | 143.5 (13) | 115.8 (4) | 259.4 (8) | 33 |
Line: Chiefs by 13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers (2-11-1) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Kansas City Chiefs (7-5-2) | 10 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 33 |
( 0- 7) KC Ed Podolak 1 yard rush (Jan Stenerud kick)
( 3- 7) SD Ray Wersching 22 yard field goal
( 3-10) KC Jan Stenerud 45 yard field goal
( 3-13) KC Jan Stenerud 36 yard field goal
( 3-16) KC Jan Stenerud 20 yard field goal
( 6-16) SD Ray Wersching 26 yard field goal
( 6-23) KC Jeff Kinney 5 yard rush (Jan Stenerud kick)
( 6-30) KC Wendell Hayes 2 yard rush (Jan Stenerud kick)
( 6-33) KC Jan Stenerud 27 yard field goal
SD KC
First Downs: 12 19
Rushes-yards: 23-90 44-143
Yards/rush: 3.9 3.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 13-29-123-3 11-22-123-0
Sacked-yards: 1-10 2-26
Net pass yards: 113 97
Net yards/pass: 3.8 4.0
Total net yards: 203 240
Total plays: 53 (43% run) 68 (64% run)
Yards/play: 3.8 3.5
Fumbles-lost: 5-3 3-0
Turnovers: 6 0
Penalties-yards: 3-26 3-25
Attendance: 43,755
Passing:
SD: Dan Fouts, 9 of 14 for 97 yards; Wayne Clark, 4 of 13 for 26 yards (3 int); Mike Garrett, 0 of 1 for 0 yards; Ron Holliday, 0 of 1 for 0 yards KC: Mike Livingston, 11 of 22 for 123 yards
Rushing:
SD: Robert Holmes, 9 for 27 yards; Mike Garrett, 6 for 25 yards; Cid Edwards, 4 for 21 yards; Wayne Clark, 1 for 10 yards; Bob Thomas, 1 for 5 yards; Dan Fouts, 1 for 2 yards; Clint Jones, 1 for 0 yards KC: Ed Podolak, 13 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Kinney, 13 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Wendell Hayes, 9 for 33 yards and 1 TD; Willie Ellison, 9 for 26 yards
Receiving:
SD: Robert Holmes, 5 for 50 yards; Jerry LeVias, 4 for 36 yards; Pettis Norman, 3 for 32 yards; Gary Garrison, 1 for 5 yards KC: Jeff Kinney, 2 for 42 yards; Ed Podolak, 2 for 22 yards; Dave Smith, 2 for 20 yards; Wendell Hayes, 2 for 9 yards; Otis Taylor, 1 for 13 yards; Gary Butler, 1 for 11 yards; Willie Ellison, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
SD: Ron Smith, 3 for 95 yards; Willie McGee, 2 for 38 yards; Jay Douglas, 1 for 0 yards KC: Larry Marshall, 2 for 42 yards
Punt returns:
SD: Ron Smith, 3 for 2 yards KC: Ed Podolak, 1 for 24 yards
Interceptions:
KC: Emmitt Thomas, 1 for 33 yards; Kerry Reardon, 1 for 17 yards; Jim Marsalis, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
SD: Dennis Partee, 4 for 129 yards KC: Jerrel Wilson, 4 for 178 yards
Field Goals:
SD: Ray Wersching, 2/3 KC: Jan Stenerud, 4/5
SD: Dan Fouts, 9 of 14 for 97 yards; Wayne Clark, 4 of 13 for 26 yards (3 int); Mike Garrett, 0 of 1 for 0 yards; Ron Holliday, 0 of 1 for 0 yards KC: Mike Livingston, 11 of 22 for 123 yards
Rushing:
SD: Robert Holmes, 9 for 27 yards; Mike Garrett, 6 for 25 yards; Cid Edwards, 4 for 21 yards; Wayne Clark, 1 for 10 yards; Bob Thomas, 1 for 5 yards; Dan Fouts, 1 for 2 yards; Clint Jones, 1 for 0 yards KC: Ed Podolak, 13 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Kinney, 13 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Wendell Hayes, 9 for 33 yards and 1 TD; Willie Ellison, 9 for 26 yards
Receiving:
SD: Robert Holmes, 5 for 50 yards; Jerry LeVias, 4 for 36 yards; Pettis Norman, 3 for 32 yards; Gary Garrison, 1 for 5 yards KC: Jeff Kinney, 2 for 42 yards; Ed Podolak, 2 for 22 yards; Dave Smith, 2 for 20 yards; Wendell Hayes, 2 for 9 yards; Otis Taylor, 1 for 13 yards; Gary Butler, 1 for 11 yards; Willie Ellison, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
SD: Ron Smith, 3 for 95 yards; Willie McGee, 2 for 38 yards; Jay Douglas, 1 for 0 yards KC: Larry Marshall, 2 for 42 yards
Punt returns:
SD: Ron Smith, 3 for 2 yards KC: Ed Podolak, 1 for 24 yards
Interceptions:
KC: Emmitt Thomas, 1 for 33 yards; Kerry Reardon, 1 for 17 yards; Jim Marsalis, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
SD: Dennis Partee, 4 for 129 yards KC: Jerrel Wilson, 4 for 178 yards
Field Goals:
SD: Ray Wersching, 2/3 KC: Jan Stenerud, 4/5
Lawrence McCutcheon set a Rams' record of 1,097 yards rushing with 83 on 19 carries against Cleveland. McCutcheon topped the Rams' club mark set by Dick Bass in 1966. The Rams took advantage of two interceptions and three fumble recoveries and John Hadl threw his 21st and 22nd touchdown passes. David Ray won the NFC scoring title with 130 points.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 142.9 (12) | 97.5 (23) | 240.5 (23) | 32 |
| DEFENSE | 143.1 (11) | 127.1 (9) | 270.2 (9) | 21 | |
 | OFFENSE | 207.2 (2) | 145.9 (11) | 353.2 (1) | 20 |
| DEFENSE | 89.2 (1) | 121.2 (7) | 210.5 (1) | 33 |
Line: Rams by 13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns (7-5-2) | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Los Angeles Rams (12-2-0) | 13 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 30 |
( 0- 3) LA David Ray 48 yard field goal
( 0- 6) LA David Ray 27 yard field goal
( 0-13) LA Bob Klein 23 yard pass from John Hadl (David Ray kick)
( 7-13) CLE Mike Phipps 25 yard rush (Don Cockroft kick)
( 7-20) LA Harold Jackson 8 yard pass from John Hadl (David Ray kick)
(10-20) CLE Don Cockroft 22 yard field goal
(10-27) LA Tony Baker 4 yard rush (David Ray kick)
(10-30) LA David Ray 15 yard field goal
(17-30) CLE Frank Pitts 14 yard pass from Mike Phipps (Don Cockroft kick)
CLE LA
First Downs: 12 16
Rushes-yards: 26-110 45-231
Yards/rush: 4.2 5.1
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 16-25-132-2 7-18-96-0
Sacked-yards: 4-27 2-12
Net pass yards: 105 84
Net yards/pass: 3.6 4.2
Total net yards: 215 315
Total plays: 55 (47% run) 65 (69% run)
Yards/play: 3.9 4.8
Fumbles-lost: 3-3 0-0
Turnovers: 5 0
Penalties-yards: 4-45 6-93
Attendance: 73,948
Passing:
CLE: Mike Phipps, 16 of 25 for 132 yards and 1 TD (2 int) LA: John Hadl, 6 of 14 for 92 yards and 2 TDs; James Harris, 1 of 4 for 4 yards
Rushing:
CLE: Greg Pruitt, 7 for 39 yards; Leroy Kelly, 7 for 24 yards; Ken Brown, 6 for 4 yards; Mike Phipps, 3 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Hugh McKinnis, 2 for 6 yards; Bo Scott, 1 for 2 yards LA: Lawrence McCutcheon, 19 for 83 yards; Jim Bertelsen, 11 for 66 yards; Les Josephson, 5 for 36 yards; Rob Scribner, 3 for 15 yards; Larry Smith, 3 for 13 yards; Tony Baker, 3 for 9 yards and 1 TD; James Harris, 1 for 9 yards
Receiving:
CLE: Frank Pitts, 4 for 44 yards and 1 TD; Steve Holden, 3 for 27 yards; Leroy Kelly, 3 for 24 yards; Fair Hooker, 2 for 14 yards; Milt Morin, 2 for 13 yards; Bo Scott, 1 for 7 yards; Greg Pruitt, 1 for 3 yards LA: Harold Jackson, 3 for 48 yards and 1 TD; Bob Klein, 1 for 23 yards and 1 TD; Pat Curran, 1 for 13 yards; Jack Snow, 1 for 8 yards; Lawrence McCutcheon, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
CLE: Steve Holden, 3 for 52 yards; Greg Pruitt, 2 for 51 yards; Mel Long, 1 for 6 yards; Jim Romaniszyn, 1 for 5 yards LA: Rob Scribner, 2 for 83 yards; Al Clark, 2 for 80 yards
Punt returns:
CLE: Greg Pruitt, 2 for 43 yards LA: Jim Bertelsen, 2 for 13 yards
Interceptions:
LA: Charlie Stukes, 1 for 39 yards; Bob Stein, 1 for 6 yards
Punting:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 6 for 256 yards LA: Dave Chapple, 4 for 162 yards
Field Goals:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 1/1 LA: David Ray, 3/5
CLE: Mike Phipps, 16 of 25 for 132 yards and 1 TD (2 int) LA: John Hadl, 6 of 14 for 92 yards and 2 TDs; James Harris, 1 of 4 for 4 yards
Rushing:
CLE: Greg Pruitt, 7 for 39 yards; Leroy Kelly, 7 for 24 yards; Ken Brown, 6 for 4 yards; Mike Phipps, 3 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Hugh McKinnis, 2 for 6 yards; Bo Scott, 1 for 2 yards LA: Lawrence McCutcheon, 19 for 83 yards; Jim Bertelsen, 11 for 66 yards; Les Josephson, 5 for 36 yards; Rob Scribner, 3 for 15 yards; Larry Smith, 3 for 13 yards; Tony Baker, 3 for 9 yards and 1 TD; James Harris, 1 for 9 yards
Receiving:
CLE: Frank Pitts, 4 for 44 yards and 1 TD; Steve Holden, 3 for 27 yards; Leroy Kelly, 3 for 24 yards; Fair Hooker, 2 for 14 yards; Milt Morin, 2 for 13 yards; Bo Scott, 1 for 7 yards; Greg Pruitt, 1 for 3 yards LA: Harold Jackson, 3 for 48 yards and 1 TD; Bob Klein, 1 for 23 yards and 1 TD; Pat Curran, 1 for 13 yards; Jack Snow, 1 for 8 yards; Lawrence McCutcheon, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
CLE: Steve Holden, 3 for 52 yards; Greg Pruitt, 2 for 51 yards; Mel Long, 1 for 6 yards; Jim Romaniszyn, 1 for 5 yards LA: Rob Scribner, 2 for 83 yards; Al Clark, 2 for 80 yards
Punt returns:
CLE: Greg Pruitt, 2 for 43 yards LA: Jim Bertelsen, 2 for 13 yards
Interceptions:
LA: Charlie Stukes, 1 for 39 yards; Bob Stein, 1 for 6 yards
Punting:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 6 for 256 yards LA: Dave Chapple, 4 for 162 yards
Field Goals:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 1/1 LA: David Ray, 3/5
Minnesota got ready for its playoff game with Washington by rolling over the New York Giants, who were playing their last game under coach Alex Webster. A 63-yard interception return by Terry Brown helped the Vikings open up a 17-0 halftime edge. Fran Tarkenton completed 10 of 14 in the snow before giving way to Bob Berry. Ron Johnson gained 90 yards for the Giants, giving him 902 for the year, and he also caught a 16-yard TD pass from Randy Johnson.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 160.9 (7) | 140.5 (14) | 301.4 (8) | 24 |
| DEFENSE | 143.2 (12) | 133.8 (12) | 277.1 (11) | 34 | |
 | OFFENSE | 105.1 (24) | 192.8 (2) | 297.9 (10) | 37 |
| DEFENSE | 153.2 (18) | 142.7 (14) | 295.8 (17) | 30 |
Line: Vikings by 14
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings (12-2-0) | 7 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
| New York Giants (2-11-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
( 7- 0) MIN Oscar Reed 9 yard rush (Fred Cox kick)
(10- 0) MIN Fred Cox 22 yard field goal
(17- 0) MIN Terry Brown 63 yard interception return (Fred Cox kick)
(24- 0) MIN Bill Brown 1 yard rush (Fred Cox kick)
(24- 7) NYG Ron Johnson 16 yard pass from Randy Johnson (Pete Gogolak kick)
(31- 7) MIN Ed Marinaro 1 yard rush (Fred Cox kick)
MIN NYG
First Downs: 19 13
Rushes-yards: 42-183 32-112
Yards/rush: 4.4 3.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 10-14-130-0 11-28-154-2
Sacked-yards: 0-0 0-0
Net pass yards: 130 154
Net yards/pass: 9.3 5.5
Total net yards: 313 266
Total plays: 56 (75% run) 60 (53% run)
Yards/play: 5.6 4.4
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 1-0
Turnovers: 2 2
Penalties-yards: 6-59 2-30
Attendance: 70,041
Passing:
MIN: Fran Tarkenton, 10 of 14 for 130 yards NYG: Norm Snead, 6 of 15 for 65 yards (2 int); Randy Johnson, 5 of 13 for 89 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
MIN: Dave Osborn, 9 for 72 yards; Bill Brown, 9 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Chuck Foreman, 9 for 16 yards; Ed Marinaro, 8 for 28 yards and 1 TD; Oscar Reed, 4 for 17 yards and 1 TD; Fran Tarkenton, 1 for 11 yards; Bob Berry, 1 for 5 yards; John Gilliam, 1 for -5 yards NYG: Ron Johnson, 23 for 90 yards; Vince Clements, 6 for 14 yards; Johnny Roland, 3 for 8 yards
Receiving:
MIN: Chuck Foreman, 2 for 28 yards; Gary Ballman, 2 for 22 yards; Stu Voigt, 2 for 22 yards; Jim Lash, 1 for 18 yards; John Gilliam, 1 for 17 yards; Carroll Dale, 1 for 15 yards; Ed Marinaro, 1 for 8 yards NYG: Don Herrmann, 3 for 9 yards; Bob Grim, 2 for 54 yards; Bob Tucker, 2 for 44 yards; Ron Johnson, 2 for 22 yards and 1 TD; Johnny Roland, 1 for 14 yards; Vince Clements, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
MIN: Bill Brown, 1 for 17 yards NYG: Jack Rizzo, 4 for 86 yards; Rich Houston, 1 for 23 yards; Joe Orduna, 1 for 15 yards
Punt returns:
NYG: Chuck Crist, 1 for 7 yards; Pete Athas, 1 for 4 yards
Interceptions:
MIN: Terry Brown, 1 for 63 yards and 1 TD; Bobby Bryant, 1 for 10 yards
Punting:
MIN: Mike Eischeid, 3 for 106 yards NYG: Tom Blanchard, 1 for 35 yards
Field Goals:
MIN: Fred Cox, 1/1 NYG: Pete Gogolak, 0/3
MIN: Fran Tarkenton, 10 of 14 for 130 yards NYG: Norm Snead, 6 of 15 for 65 yards (2 int); Randy Johnson, 5 of 13 for 89 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
MIN: Dave Osborn, 9 for 72 yards; Bill Brown, 9 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Chuck Foreman, 9 for 16 yards; Ed Marinaro, 8 for 28 yards and 1 TD; Oscar Reed, 4 for 17 yards and 1 TD; Fran Tarkenton, 1 for 11 yards; Bob Berry, 1 for 5 yards; John Gilliam, 1 for -5 yards NYG: Ron Johnson, 23 for 90 yards; Vince Clements, 6 for 14 yards; Johnny Roland, 3 for 8 yards
Receiving:
MIN: Chuck Foreman, 2 for 28 yards; Gary Ballman, 2 for 22 yards; Stu Voigt, 2 for 22 yards; Jim Lash, 1 for 18 yards; John Gilliam, 1 for 17 yards; Carroll Dale, 1 for 15 yards; Ed Marinaro, 1 for 8 yards NYG: Don Herrmann, 3 for 9 yards; Bob Grim, 2 for 54 yards; Bob Tucker, 2 for 44 yards; Ron Johnson, 2 for 22 yards and 1 TD; Johnny Roland, 1 for 14 yards; Vince Clements, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
MIN: Bill Brown, 1 for 17 yards NYG: Jack Rizzo, 4 for 86 yards; Rich Houston, 1 for 23 yards; Joe Orduna, 1 for 15 yards
Punt returns:
NYG: Chuck Crist, 1 for 7 yards; Pete Athas, 1 for 4 yards
Interceptions:
MIN: Terry Brown, 1 for 63 yards and 1 TD; Bobby Bryant, 1 for 10 yards
Punting:
MIN: Mike Eischeid, 3 for 106 yards NYG: Tom Blanchard, 1 for 35 yards
Field Goals:
MIN: Fred Cox, 1/1 NYG: Pete Gogolak, 0/3
O.J. Simpson smashed Jim Brown's rushing record, set in 1963, and became the first to reach 2,000 yards with 200 yards on 34 carries for a season total of 2,003 yards. Simpson's 332 carries also topped Brown's 305 in 1961 and Buffalo broke Miami's club rushing mark with 3,088 yards, including 304 in this game versus the Jets in the snow. Jim Braxton gained 98 yards for the Bills and scored twice. The only New York scores in retiring coach Weeb Ewbank's last game came on two Joe Namath passes.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 214.2 (1) | 71.3 (26) | 285.5 (15) | 26 |
| DEFENSE | 135.2 (8) | 148.8 (16) | 284.0 (14) | 33 | |
 | OFFENSE | 140.4 (13) | 144.0 (12) | 284.4 (16) | 39 |
| DEFENSE | 148.0 (16) | 144.6 (15) | 292.6 (15) | 37 |
Line: Jets by 2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills (9-5-0) | 7 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 34 |
| New York Jets (4-10-0) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
( 7- 0) BUF Jim Braxton 1 yard rush (John Leypoldt kick)
( 7- 7) NYJ Jerome Barkum 48 yard pass from Joe Namath (Bobby Howfield kick)
(14- 7) BUF O.J. Simpson 13 yard rush (John Leypoldt kick)
(21- 7) BUF Bill Cahill 51 yard punt return (John Leypoldt kick)
(28- 7) BUF Jim Braxton 1 yard rush (John Leypoldt kick)
(31- 7) BUF John Leypoldt 12 yard field goal
(34- 7) BUF John Leypoldt 11 yard field goal
(34-14) NYJ Rich Caster 16 yard pass from Joe Namath (Bobby Howfield kick)
BUF NYJ
First Downs: 21 12
Rushes-yards: 62-304 11-39
Yards/rush: 4.9 3.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 3-5-70-0 13-30-206-0
Sacked-yards: 0-0 3-22
Net pass yards: 70 184
Net yards/pass: 14.0 5.6
Total net yards: 374 223
Total plays: 67 (92% run) 44 (25% run)
Yards/play: 5.6 5.1
Fumbles-lost: 3-1 1-0
Turnovers: 1 0
Penalties-yards: 2-10 0-0
Attendance: 47,740
Passing:
BUF: Joe Ferguson, 3 of 5 for 70 yards NYJ: Joe Namath, 13 of 30 for 206 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 34 for 200 yards and 1 TD; Jim Braxton, 24 for 98 yards and 2 TDs; Larry Watkins, 2 for 6 yards; Joe Ferguson, 2 for 0 yards NYJ: Emerson Boozer, 7 for 32 yards; Mike Adamle, 3 for 6 yards; Hank Bjorklund, 1 for 1 yard
Receiving:
BUF: Bob Chandler, 2 for 55 yards; Jim Braxton, 1 for 15 yards NYJ: Jerome Barkum, 4 for 102 yards and 1 TD; Rich Caster, 3 for 58 yards and 1 TD; David Knight, 2 for 23 yards; Emerson Boozer, 2 for 12 yards; Eddie Bell, 1 for 11 yards; Mike Adamle, 1 for 0 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Wallace Francis, 2 for 51 yards; Pete Van Valkenberg, 1 for 0 yards NYJ: Margene Adkins, 4 for 77 yards; Mike Adamle, 1 for 26 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Donnie Walker, 4 for 21 yards; Bill Cahill, 3 for 61 yards and 1 TD NYJ: Rocky Turner, 1 for 2 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
BUF: Spike Jones, 2 for 69 yards NYJ: Julian Fagan, 7 for 228 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: John Leypoldt, 2/2
BUF: Joe Ferguson, 3 of 5 for 70 yards NYJ: Joe Namath, 13 of 30 for 206 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 34 for 200 yards and 1 TD; Jim Braxton, 24 for 98 yards and 2 TDs; Larry Watkins, 2 for 6 yards; Joe Ferguson, 2 for 0 yards NYJ: Emerson Boozer, 7 for 32 yards; Mike Adamle, 3 for 6 yards; Hank Bjorklund, 1 for 1 yard
Receiving:
BUF: Bob Chandler, 2 for 55 yards; Jim Braxton, 1 for 15 yards NYJ: Jerome Barkum, 4 for 102 yards and 1 TD; Rich Caster, 3 for 58 yards and 1 TD; David Knight, 2 for 23 yards; Emerson Boozer, 2 for 12 yards; Eddie Bell, 1 for 11 yards; Mike Adamle, 1 for 0 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Wallace Francis, 2 for 51 yards; Pete Van Valkenberg, 1 for 0 yards NYJ: Margene Adkins, 4 for 77 yards; Mike Adamle, 1 for 26 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Donnie Walker, 4 for 21 yards; Bill Cahill, 3 for 61 yards and 1 TD NYJ: Rocky Turner, 1 for 2 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
BUF: Spike Jones, 2 for 69 yards NYJ: Julian Fagan, 7 for 228 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: John Leypoldt, 2/2
Oakland won the AFC West in a showdown game with Denver for the division championship. Trailing 14-10 with fourth and 10 on the Denver 49, the Broncos failed on a fake punt and lost the ball. Ken Stabler then took the Raiders in for a touchdown in three plays. Charley Johnson was injured early in the fourth quarter but Steve Ramsey moved the Broncos to within four points, 21-17, on a scoring pass to tight end Riley Odoms.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 143.4 (11) | 184.6 (3) | 328.0 (5) | 26 |
| DEFENSE | 125.7 (7) | 177.4 (24) | 303.1 (19) | 27 | |
 | OFFENSE | 180.7 (3) | 163.8 (6) | 344.5 (2) | 32 |
| DEFENSE | 106.2 (3) | 120.8 (6) | 227.0 (2) | 30 |
Line: Raiders by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos (7-5-2) | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Oakland Raiders (9-4-1) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
( 0- 7) OAK Charlie Smith 1 yard rush (George Blanda kick)
( 0-14) OAK Clarence Davis 8 yard rush (George Blanda kick)
( 3-14) DEN Jim Turner 50 yard field goal
(10-14) DEN Haven Moses 13 yard pass from Charley Johnson (Jim Turner kick)
(10-21) OAK Mike Siani 31 yard pass from Ken Stabler (George Blanda kick)
(17-21) DEN Riley Odoms 14 yard pass from Steve Ramsey (Jim Turner kick)
DEN OAK
First Downs: 16 16
Rushes-yards: 27-90 45-161
Yards/rush: 3.3 3.6
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 15-38-145-3 12-20-139-0
Sacked-yards: 5-26 1-5
Net pass yards: 119 134
Net yards/pass: 2.8 6.4
Total net yards: 209 295
Total plays: 70 (38% run) 66 (68% run)
Yards/play: 3.0 4.5
Fumbles-lost: 1-0 2-2
Turnovers: 3 2
Penalties-yards: 3-25 5-65
Attendance: 51,910
Passing:
DEN: Charley Johnson, 11 of 22 for 91 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Steve Ramsey, 4 of 16 for 54 yards and 1 TD (2 int) OAK: Ken Stabler, 12 of 20 for 139 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
DEN: Floyd Little, 14 for 42 yards; Joe Dawkins, 12 for 47 yards; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 1 yard OAK: Clarence Davis, 15 for 78 yards and 1 TD; Marv Hubbard, 14 for 53 yards; Charlie Smith, 11 for 12 yards and 1 TD; Pete Banaszak, 3 for 16 yards; Ken Stabler, 2 for 2 yards
Receiving:
DEN: Riley Odoms, 7 for 68 yards and 1 TD; Haven Moses, 2 for 30 yards and 1 TD; Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 25 yards; Joe Dawkins, 2 for 17 yards; Gene Washington, 1 for 5 yards; Floyd Little, 1 for 0 yards OAK: Fred Biletnikoff, 6 for 58 yards; Mike Siani, 4 for 62 yards and 1 TD; Bob Moore, 1 for 10 yards; Charlie Smith, 1 for 9 yards
Kick returns:
DEN: Bill Thompson, 1 for 25 yards; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 21 yards OAK: Clarence Davis, 2 for 34 yards; Charlie Smith, 1 for 23 yards
Punt returns:
DEN: Bill Thompson, 4 for 40 yards; Charlie Greer, 2 for 0 yards OAK: George Atkinson, 4 for 41 yards
Interceptions:
OAK: Willie Brown, 2 for -1 yards; Skip Thomas, 1 for 12 yards
Punting:
DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 8 for 345 yards OAK: Ray Guy, 7 for 297 yards
Field Goals:
DEN: Jim Turner, 1/1 OAK: George Blanda, 0/2
DEN: Charley Johnson, 11 of 22 for 91 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Steve Ramsey, 4 of 16 for 54 yards and 1 TD (2 int) OAK: Ken Stabler, 12 of 20 for 139 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
DEN: Floyd Little, 14 for 42 yards; Joe Dawkins, 12 for 47 yards; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 1 yard OAK: Clarence Davis, 15 for 78 yards and 1 TD; Marv Hubbard, 14 for 53 yards; Charlie Smith, 11 for 12 yards and 1 TD; Pete Banaszak, 3 for 16 yards; Ken Stabler, 2 for 2 yards
Receiving:
DEN: Riley Odoms, 7 for 68 yards and 1 TD; Haven Moses, 2 for 30 yards and 1 TD; Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 25 yards; Joe Dawkins, 2 for 17 yards; Gene Washington, 1 for 5 yards; Floyd Little, 1 for 0 yards OAK: Fred Biletnikoff, 6 for 58 yards; Mike Siani, 4 for 62 yards and 1 TD; Bob Moore, 1 for 10 yards; Charlie Smith, 1 for 9 yards
Kick returns:
DEN: Bill Thompson, 1 for 25 yards; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 21 yards OAK: Clarence Davis, 2 for 34 yards; Charlie Smith, 1 for 23 yards
Punt returns:
DEN: Bill Thompson, 4 for 40 yards; Charlie Greer, 2 for 0 yards OAK: George Atkinson, 4 for 41 yards
Interceptions:
OAK: Willie Brown, 2 for -1 yards; Skip Thomas, 1 for 12 yards
Punting:
DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 8 for 345 yards OAK: Ray Guy, 7 for 297 yards
Field Goals:
DEN: Jim Turner, 1/1 OAK: George Blanda, 0/2
Roger Staubach completed 14 of 19 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns, two to Drew Pearson, and Dallas clinched the NFC East title and its eighth consecutive playoff berth. Robert Newhouse carried 19 times for 124 yards.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 170.1 (5) | 160.1 (9) | 330.2 (4) | 27 |
| DEFENSE | 102.8 (2) | 153.0 (19) | 255.8 (6) | 37 | |
 | OFFENSE | 118.2 (23) | 182.8 (4) | 301.0 (9) | 25 |
| DEFENSE | 147.2 (15) | 213.6 (26) | 360.8 (26) | 26 |
Line: Cowboys by 13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys (10-4-0) | 3 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 30 |
| St. Louis Cardinals (4-9-1) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
( 3- 0) DAL Toni Fritsch 18 yard field goal
( 3- 3) STL Jim Bakken 33 yard field goal
( 6- 3) DAL Toni Fritsch 13 yard field goal
(13- 3) DAL Drew Pearson 28 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick)
(20- 3) DAL Jean Fugett 48 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick)
(27- 3) DAL Drew Pearson 17 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick)
(30- 3) DAL Toni Fritsch 17 yard field goal
DAL STL
First Downs: 24 10
Rushes-yards: 45-207 31-135
Yards/rush: 4.6 4.4
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 15-23-267-0 6-20-30-2
Sacked-yards: 3-15 3-24
Net pass yards: 252 6
Net yards/pass: 9.7 0.3
Total net yards: 459 141
Total plays: 71 (63% run) 54 (57% run)
Yards/play: 6.5 2.6
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 4-2
Turnovers: 1 4
Penalties-yards: 7-59 1-15
Attendance: 43,946
Passing:
DAL: Roger Staubach, 14 of 19 for 256 yards and 3 TDs; Craig Morton, 1 of 4 for 11 yards STL: Gary Keithley, 6 of 20 for 30 yards (2 int)
Rushing:
DAL: Robert Newhouse, 19 for 124 yards; Calvin Hill, 13 for 47 yards; Cyril Pinder, 7 for 10 yards; Roger Staubach, 5 for 30 yards; Billy Joe DuPree, 1 for -4 yards STL: Terry Metcalf, 16 for 56 yards; Donny Anderson, 8 for 48 yards; Gary Keithley, 3 for 23 yards; Don Shy, 2 for 10 yards; Jim Otis, 2 for -2 yards
Receiving:
DAL: Drew Pearson, 5 for 140 yards and 2 TDs; Jean Fugett, 3 for 66 yards and 1 TD; Golden Richards, 3 for 27 yards; Billy Joe DuPree, 2 for 22 yards; Robert Newhouse, 2 for 12 yards STL: Ahmad Rashad, 3 for 16 yards; Jackie Smith, 2 for -1 yards; Mel Gray, 1 for 15 yards
Kick returns:
DAL: Cliff Harris, 2 for 57 yards STL: Gary Hammond, 3 for 81 yards; Don Shy, 2 for 40 yards; Chuck Detwiler, 1 for 19 yards; Terry Metcalf, 1 for 15 yards
Punt returns:
DAL: Golden Richards, 2 for 46 yards STL: Gary Hammond, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Lee Roy Jordan, 1 for 13 yards; Cliff Harris, 1 for 4 yards
Punting:
DAL: Marv Bateman, 3 for 115 yards STL: Gary Keithley, 5 for 200 yards
Field Goals:
DAL: Toni Fritsch, 3/4 STL: Jim Bakken, 1/2
DAL: Roger Staubach, 14 of 19 for 256 yards and 3 TDs; Craig Morton, 1 of 4 for 11 yards STL: Gary Keithley, 6 of 20 for 30 yards (2 int)
Rushing:
DAL: Robert Newhouse, 19 for 124 yards; Calvin Hill, 13 for 47 yards; Cyril Pinder, 7 for 10 yards; Roger Staubach, 5 for 30 yards; Billy Joe DuPree, 1 for -4 yards STL: Terry Metcalf, 16 for 56 yards; Donny Anderson, 8 for 48 yards; Gary Keithley, 3 for 23 yards; Don Shy, 2 for 10 yards; Jim Otis, 2 for -2 yards
Receiving:
DAL: Drew Pearson, 5 for 140 yards and 2 TDs; Jean Fugett, 3 for 66 yards and 1 TD; Golden Richards, 3 for 27 yards; Billy Joe DuPree, 2 for 22 yards; Robert Newhouse, 2 for 12 yards STL: Ahmad Rashad, 3 for 16 yards; Jackie Smith, 2 for -1 yards; Mel Gray, 1 for 15 yards
Kick returns:
DAL: Cliff Harris, 2 for 57 yards STL: Gary Hammond, 3 for 81 yards; Don Shy, 2 for 40 yards; Chuck Detwiler, 1 for 19 yards; Terry Metcalf, 1 for 15 yards
Punt returns:
DAL: Golden Richards, 2 for 46 yards STL: Gary Hammond, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Lee Roy Jordan, 1 for 13 yards; Cliff Harris, 1 for 4 yards
Punting:
DAL: Marv Bateman, 3 for 115 yards STL: Gary Keithley, 5 for 200 yards
Field Goals:
DAL: Toni Fritsch, 3/4 STL: Jim Bakken, 1/2
Larry Brown scored four touchdowns, three on passes from Billy Kilmer, in a Washington victory that clinched the wild card berth in the NFC playoffs. The Redskins had their best offensive total of the year, 432 yards, in a game played in a swirling snowstorm. Brown gained 150 yards on 26 carries and caught three passes for 105 yards. The 1972 rushing champion wound up with 860 yards, boosting his career total to 5,037 yards in five years, a mark reached only by Jim Brown and O.J. Simpson. Brown's 14 TDs led all NFC players in 1973 while Eagles receiver Harold Carmichael caught 67 passes, tops in the NFL.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 133.8 (16) | 207.9 (1) | 341.8 (3) | 26 |
| DEFENSE | 172.1 (23) | 184.1 (25) | 356.2 (25) | 28 | |
 | OFFENSE | 96.4 (25) | 162.5 (7) | 258.8 (19) | 30 |
| DEFENSE | 119.4 (5) | 152.4 (18) | 271.8 (10) | 42 |
Line: Redskins by 12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles (5-8-1) | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
| Washington Redskins (10-4-0) | 0 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
( 3- 0) PHI Tom Dempsey 44 yard field goal
(10- 0) PHI Charle Young 34 yard pass from Roman Gabriel (Tom Dempsey kick)
(10- 7) WAS Larry Brown 14 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curt Knight kick)
(10-10) WAS Curt Knight 15 yard field goal
(10-17) WAS Roy Jefferson 32 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curt Knight kick)
(10-24) WAS Larry Brown 27 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curt Knight kick)
(13-24) PHI Tom Dempsey 15 yard field goal
(13-31) WAS Larry Brown 64 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Curt Knight kick)
(20-31) PHI Tom Sullivan 1 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick)
(20-38) WAS Larry Brown 8 yard rush (Curt Knight kick)
PHI WAS
First Downs: 18 22
Rushes-yards: 26-51 38-186
Yards/rush: 2.0 4.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 22-39-302-1 13-24-251-1
Sacked-yards: 1-7 1-5
Net pass yards: 295 246
Net yards/pass: 7.4 9.8
Total net yards: 346 432
Total plays: 66 (39% run) 63 (60% run)
Yards/play: 5.2 6.9
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 3-1
Turnovers: 2 2
Penalties-yards: 2-10 6-50
Attendance: 49,484
Passing:
PHI: Roman Gabriel, 22 of 39 for 302 yards and 1 TD (1 int) WAS: Billy Kilmer, 13 of 24 for 251 yards and 4 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
PHI: Tom Sullivan, 15 for 41 yards and 1 TD; Norm Bulaich, 7 for 11 yards; Roman Gabriel, 2 for -4 yards; Po James, 1 for 3 yards; Bill Bradley, 1 for 0 yards WAS: Larry Brown, 26 for 150 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Harraway, 6 for 24 yards; Herb Mul-Key, 3 for 8 yards; Billy Kilmer, 2 for 3 yards; Duane Thomas, 1 for 1 yard
Receiving:
PHI: Tom Sullivan, 6 for 32 yards; Charle Young, 5 for 104 yards and 1 TD; Harold Carmichael, 4 for 111 yards; Norm Bulaich, 4 for 33 yards; Po James, 2 for 7 yards; Don Zimmerman, 1 for 15 yards WAS: Roy Jefferson, 5 for 84 yards and 1 TD; Larry Brown, 3 for 105 yards and 3 TDs; Charley Taylor, 3 for 36 yards; Charlie Harraway, 1 for 16 yards; Jerry Smith, 1 for 10 yards
Kick returns:
PHI: Po James, 6 for 113 yards; Kermit Alexander, 1 for 13 yards WAS: Herb Mul-Key, 5 for 123 yards
Punt returns:
WAS: Speedy Duncan, 2 for 17 yards
Interceptions:
PHI: Bill Bradley, 1 for 18 yards WAS: Mike Bass, 1 for 41 yards
Punting:
PHI: Bill Bradley, 3 for 100 yards WAS: Mike Bragg, 2 for 73 yards
Field Goals:
PHI: Tom Dempsey, 2/3 WAS: Curt Knight, 1/2
PHI: Roman Gabriel, 22 of 39 for 302 yards and 1 TD (1 int) WAS: Billy Kilmer, 13 of 24 for 251 yards and 4 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
PHI: Tom Sullivan, 15 for 41 yards and 1 TD; Norm Bulaich, 7 for 11 yards; Roman Gabriel, 2 for -4 yards; Po James, 1 for 3 yards; Bill Bradley, 1 for 0 yards WAS: Larry Brown, 26 for 150 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Harraway, 6 for 24 yards; Herb Mul-Key, 3 for 8 yards; Billy Kilmer, 2 for 3 yards; Duane Thomas, 1 for 1 yard
Receiving:
PHI: Tom Sullivan, 6 for 32 yards; Charle Young, 5 for 104 yards and 1 TD; Harold Carmichael, 4 for 111 yards; Norm Bulaich, 4 for 33 yards; Po James, 2 for 7 yards; Don Zimmerman, 1 for 15 yards WAS: Roy Jefferson, 5 for 84 yards and 1 TD; Larry Brown, 3 for 105 yards and 3 TDs; Charley Taylor, 3 for 36 yards; Charlie Harraway, 1 for 16 yards; Jerry Smith, 1 for 10 yards
Kick returns:
PHI: Po James, 6 for 113 yards; Kermit Alexander, 1 for 13 yards WAS: Herb Mul-Key, 5 for 123 yards
Punt returns:
WAS: Speedy Duncan, 2 for 17 yards
Interceptions:
PHI: Bill Bradley, 1 for 18 yards WAS: Mike Bass, 1 for 41 yards
Punting:
PHI: Bill Bradley, 3 for 100 yards WAS: Mike Bragg, 2 for 73 yards
Field Goals:
PHI: Tom Dempsey, 2/3 WAS: Curt Knight, 1/2