NFL game summary for 11/28/1974:
Trailing 17-10 at halftime, the Broncos used the recovery of an onside kick at the start of the second half as the springboard to a 21-point third period that provided victory amid snow flurries on Thanksgiving Day. Denver's Otis Armstrong ran for 144 yards and became the season's first 1,000-yard rusher with a total of 1,082.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 136.5 (14) | 175.0 (5) | 311.5 (10) | 22 |
| DEFENSE | 130.5 (12) | 189.3 (23) | 319.8 (22) | 27 | |
 | OFFENSE | 95.0 (25) | 168.1 (7) | 263.1 (19) | 18 |
| DEFENSE | 148.0 (21) | 167.3 (17) | 315.3 (19) | 24 |
Line: Lions by 3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos (6-5-1) | 0 | 10 | 21 | 0 | 31 |
| Detroit Lions (6-6-0) | 3 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
( 0- 3) DET Errol Mann 21 yard field goal
( 3- 3) DEN Jim Turner 21 yard field goal
(10- 3) DEN Jon Keyworth 1 yard rush (Jim Turner kick)
(10-10) DET Altie Taylor 23 yard pass from Greg Landry (Errol Mann kick)
(10-17) DET Levi Johnson 55 yard interception return (Errol Mann kick)
(17-17) DEN Jon Keyworth 1 yard rush (Jim Turner kick)
(17-20) DET Errol Mann 36 yard field goal
(24-20) DEN Otis Armstrong 1 yard rush (Jim Turner kick)
(31-20) DEN Riley Odoms 1 yard pass from Charley Johnson (Jim Turner kick)
(31-27) DET Leon Crosswhite 1 yard rush (Errol Mann kick)
DEN DET
First Downs: 23 16
Rushes-yards: 44-240 31-121
Yards/rush: 5.5 3.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 11-22-129-2 14-20-157-0
Sacked-yards: 1-8 4-26
Net pass yards: 121 131
Net yards/pass: 5.3 5.5
Total net yards: 361 252
Total plays: 67 (65% run) 55 (56% run)
Yards/play: 5.4 4.6
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 3-2
Turnovers: 2 2
Penalties-yards: 7-45 5-45
Attendance: 51,157
Passing:
DEN: Charley Johnson, 11 of 22 for 129 yards and 1 TD (2 int) DET: Greg Landry, 14 of 20 for 157 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
DEN: Otis Armstrong, 24 for 144 yards and 1 TD; Jon Keyworth, 17 for 61 yards and 2 TDs; Floyd Little, 2 for 4 yards; Riley Odoms, 1 for 31 yards DET: Altie Taylor, 13 for 38 yards; Greg Landry, 8 for 10 yards; Leon Crosswhite, 5 for 15 yards and 1 TD; Steve Owens, 4 for 46 yards; Ron Jessie, 1 for 12 yards
Receiving:
DEN: Otis Armstrong, 4 for 32 yards; Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 44 yards; Jon Keyworth, 2 for 19 yards; Haven Moses, 1 for 20 yards; Jerry Simmons, 1 for 13 yards; Riley Odoms, 1 for 1 yard and 1 TD DET: Ron Jessie, 5 for 47 yards; Charlie Sanders, 4 for 49 yards; Altie Taylor, 3 for 36 yards and 1 TD; Larry Walton, 1 for 19 yards; Leon Crosswhite, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
DEN: Boyd Brown, 2 for 41 yards; Floyd Little, 2 for 33 yards; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 22 yards; Jon Keyworth, 1 for 15 yards DET: Jimmie Jones, 3 for 87 yards; Ray Jarvis, 1 for 20 yards; Dexter Bussey, 1 for 11 yards
Punt returns:
DEN: Bill Thompson, 1 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Levi Johnson, 2 for 56 yards and 1 TD
Punting:
DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 74 yards DET: Herman Weaver, 3 for 140 yards
Field Goals:
DEN: Jim Turner, 1/3 DET: Errol Mann, 2/2
DEN: Charley Johnson, 11 of 22 for 129 yards and 1 TD (2 int) DET: Greg Landry, 14 of 20 for 157 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
DEN: Otis Armstrong, 24 for 144 yards and 1 TD; Jon Keyworth, 17 for 61 yards and 2 TDs; Floyd Little, 2 for 4 yards; Riley Odoms, 1 for 31 yards DET: Altie Taylor, 13 for 38 yards; Greg Landry, 8 for 10 yards; Leon Crosswhite, 5 for 15 yards and 1 TD; Steve Owens, 4 for 46 yards; Ron Jessie, 1 for 12 yards
Receiving:
DEN: Otis Armstrong, 4 for 32 yards; Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 44 yards; Jon Keyworth, 2 for 19 yards; Haven Moses, 1 for 20 yards; Jerry Simmons, 1 for 13 yards; Riley Odoms, 1 for 1 yard and 1 TD DET: Ron Jessie, 5 for 47 yards; Charlie Sanders, 4 for 49 yards; Altie Taylor, 3 for 36 yards and 1 TD; Larry Walton, 1 for 19 yards; Leon Crosswhite, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
DEN: Boyd Brown, 2 for 41 yards; Floyd Little, 2 for 33 yards; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 22 yards; Jon Keyworth, 1 for 15 yards DET: Jimmie Jones, 3 for 87 yards; Ray Jarvis, 1 for 20 yards; Dexter Bussey, 1 for 11 yards
Punt returns:
DEN: Bill Thompson, 1 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Levi Johnson, 2 for 56 yards and 1 TD
Punting:
DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 74 yards DET: Herman Weaver, 3 for 140 yards
Field Goals:
DEN: Jim Turner, 1/3 DET: Errol Mann, 2/2