All NFL game summaries for 09/28/1975:

Altie Taylor's one-yard touchdown bolt with 1:20 remaining climaxed a 35-yard drive that provided the Lions with their second straight victory and their eighth in a row without a loss over the Falcons. Detroit quarterback Greg Landry connected on a 14-yard, fourth-down pass to Ray Jarvis to keep the decisive march alive.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Falcons by 3

( 0- 7) ATL Haskel Stanback 17 yard rush (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
( 7- 7) DET Horace King 5 yard rush (Errol Mann kick)
( 7-14) ATL Gerald Tinker 26 yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
(10-14) DET Errol Mann 29 yard field goal
(17-14) DET Altie Taylor 1 yard rush (Errol Mann kick)

                     DET             ATL
First Downs:         20              13
Rushes-yards:        44-184          37-156
Yards/rush:          4.2             4.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     14-27-193-0     7-22-104-1
Sacked-yards:        3-20            1-10
Net pass yards:      173             94
Net yards/pass:      5.8             4.1
Total net yards:     357             250
Total plays:         74 (59% run)    60 (61% run)  
Yards/play:          4.8             4.2
Fumbles-lost:        1-1             2-1
Turnovers:           1               2
Penalties-yards:     4-40            6-53

Attendance: 45,218

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Rookie Neal Colzie set up three Oakland touchdowns with punt returns in a come-from-behind victory after Baltimore had taken an early 10-0 lead. Colzie also broke up a late Colts' threat with an interception and 38-yard return when they had closed the gap to 24-20. Colzie's 23-yard punt return set the stage for the clinching Oakland score, Pete Banaszak's third touchdown in two games. Mark van Eeghen led the rushers with 68 yards on 15 carries. Bert Jones had the second 300-yard day of his career, completing 21 of 43 for 307 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown to Glenn Doughty. Oakland sacked Jones six times and Baltimore got to Ken Stabler five times.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Raiders by 10

( 0- 3) BAL Toni Linhart 31 yard field goal
( 0-10) BAL Glenn Doughty 46 yard pass from Bert Jones (Toni Linhart kick)
( 7-10) OAK Harold Hart 11 yard rush (George Blanda kick)
( 7-13) BAL Toni Linhart 37 yard field goal
(10-13) OAK George Blanda 29 yard field goal
(17-13) OAK Dave Casper 4 yard pass from Ken Stabler (George Blanda kick)
(24-13) OAK Jess Phillips 6 yard rush (George Blanda kick)
(24-20) BAL Don McCauley 1 yard rush (Toni Linhart kick)
(31-20) OAK Pete Banaszak 1 yard rush (George Blanda kick)

                     OAK             BAL
First Downs:         18              20
Rushes-yards:        34-143          29-77
Yards/rush:          4.2             2.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     15-28-196-2     21-43-307-1
Sacked-yards:        5-53            6-55
Net pass yards:      143             252
Net yards/pass:      4.3             5.1
Total net yards:     286             329
Total plays:         67 (50% run)    78 (37% run)  
Yards/play:          4.3             4.2
Fumbles-lost:        2-1             0-0
Turnovers:           3               1
Penalties-yards:     8-83            4-20

Attendance: 39,084

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First-year kicker Bob Thomas lofted his third field goal of the game, 26 yards through the uprights with eight seconds remaining for the Bears' first victory under coach Jack Pardee. New starting quarterback Gary Huff completed 19 of 27 passes for 181 yards and one touchdown and combined with rookie running back Walter Payton to spark the late drive which began on Chicago's 30. Payton rushed for 95 yards and caught six passes for 36.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Eagles by 4

( 3- 0) PHI Horst Muhlmann 44 yard field goal
( 3- 3) CHI Bob Thomas 44 yard field goal
( 3- 9) CHI Cid Edwards 7 yard pass from Gary Huff (kick failed)
( 6- 9) PHI Horst Muhlmann 43 yard field goal
( 6-12) CHI Bob Thomas 24 yard field goal
(13-12) PHI Harold Carmichael 14 yard pass from Roman Gabriel (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(13-15) CHI Bob Thomas 26 yard field goal

                     PHI             CHI
First Downs:         21              14
Rushes-yards:        29-128          33-133
Yards/rush:          4.4             4.0
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     24-41-238-2     19-28-181-2
Sacked-yards:        5-39            2-20
Net pass yards:      199             161
Net yards/pass:      4.3             5.4
Total net yards:     327             294
Total plays:         75 (38% run)    63 (52% run)  
Yards/play:          4.4             4.7
Fumbles-lost:        2-0             0-0
Turnovers:           2               2
Penalties-yards:     5-30            9-75

Attendance: 48,071

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Fran Tarkenton passed for two touchdowns and ran for another while the Vikings rolled up 352 yards, intercepted four Cleveland passes and sacked the Browns' passers five times. Chuck Foreman scored twice on a pass and a plunge and wound up with 33 yards. Bob Lee took over from Tarkenton late in the game and also hit with a touchdown pass. Greg Pruitt's 50 yards on 11 carries led the rushers and teammate Billy Pritchett gained 46 yards but both starter Mike Phipps and Brian Sipe were ineffective.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Vikings by 10

( 7- 0) MIN John Gilliam 29 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick)
(14- 0) MIN Chuck Foreman 1 yard rush (Fred Cox kick)
(14- 3) CLE Don Cockroft 38 yard field goal
(21- 3) MIN Chuck Foreman 13 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick)
(28- 3) MIN Fran Tarkenton 2 yard rush (Fred Cox kick)
(35- 3) MIN Robert Miller 1 yard rush (Fred Cox kick)
(35-10) CLE Reggie Rucker 26 yard pass from Willie Miller (Don Cockroft kick)
(42-10) MIN Jim Lash 33 yard pass from Bob Lee (Fred Cox kick)

                     MIN             CLE
First Downs:         26              14
Rushes-yards:        38-137          23-130
Yards/rush:          3.6             5.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     19-32-235-2     14-29-156-4
Sacked-yards:        2-20            5-36
Net pass yards:      215             120
Net yards/pass:      6.3             3.5
Total net yards:     352             250
Total plays:         72 (52% run)    57 (40% run)  
Yards/play:          4.9             4.4
Fumbles-lost:        0-0             2-0
Turnovers:           2               4
Penalties-yards:     8-56            6-80

Attendance: 63,163

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Roger Staubach's first-down, three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Billy Joe DuPree after 7:53 of overtime ended the first extra period game of the 1975 regular season. The decisive score came nine plays after Dallas linebacker Lee Roy Jordan picked off a Jim Hart pass at the Cowboys' 26 and returned the ball 38 yards to St. Louis' 37. The Cardinals forced the game into overtime on Hart's 37-yard touchdown pass and Jim Bakken's extra point with 46 seconds remaining. Staubach completed 23 of 34 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns as the Cowboys rolled up 448 yards. Hart hit 15 of 32 for 314 yards and four touchdowns in St. Louis' 432-yard attack. Dallas rookie Thomas Henderson's 97-yard return for a touchdown was the longest kickoff return in the NFC in 1975.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Cowboys by 4

( 3- 0) STL Jim Bakken 28 yard field goal
( 3- 7) DAL Jean Fugett 1 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick)
( 3-14) DAL Drew Pearson 12 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick)
(10-14) STL Mel Gray 23 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
(10-21) DAL Charley Young 1 yard rush (Toni Fritsch kick)
(17-21) STL Earl Thomas 80 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
(17-28) DAL Thomas Henderson 97 yard kickoff return (Toni Fritsch kick)
(17-31) DAL Toni Fritsch 40 yard field goal
(24-31) STL Jackie Smith 35 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
(31-31) STL Mel Gray 37 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
(31-37) DAL Billy Joe DuPree 3 yard pass from Roger Staubach 

                     STL             DAL
First Downs:         19              28
Rushes-yards:        32-118          44-160
Yards/rush:          3.7             3.6
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     15-32-314-2     23-34-307-1
Sacked-yards:        0-0             3-19
Net pass yards:      314             288
Net yards/pass:      9.8             7.8
Total net yards:     432             448
Total plays:         64 (50% run)    81 (54% run)  
Yards/play:          6.8             5.5
Fumbles-lost:        2-1             2-1
Turnovers:           3               2
Penalties-yards:     4-50            6-30

Attendance: 52,417

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Ronnie Coleman gained 112 yards and rookie Don Hardeman 107, the first pair of Houston rushers to better 100 on the same day since 1967, in the Oilers' first 2-0 start since 1966. The total of 56 rushing carries was a club record. Included in the four-touchdown scoring burst was a 38-yard run by Curley Culp with a fumble recovery, the first touchdown in his eight years as a pro. Dan Pastorini hit with 12 of 23 for 144 yards and one touchdown. Dan Fouts started for the Chargers and was 10 for 13 for 129 before he was injured.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Oilers by 10

( 0- 3) HOU Skip Butler 29 yard field goal
( 7- 3) SD  Don Woods 4 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick)
( 7- 9) HOU Don Hardeman 1 yard rush (kick failed)
( 7-16) HOU John Sawyer 4 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Skip Butler kick)
(10-16) SD  Ray Wersching 29 yard field goal
(10-23) HOU Ronnie Coleman 46 yard rush (Skip Butler kick)
(10-30) HOU Curley Culp 38 yard fumble return (Skip Butler kick)
(17-30) SD  Dwight McDonald 30 yard pass from Jesse Freitas (Ray Wersching kick)
(17-33) HOU Skip Butler 38 yard field goal

                     SD              HOU
First Downs:         12              24
Rushes-yards:        25-60           56-251
Yards/rush:          2.4             4.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     13-26-188-1     13-25-162-1
Sacked-yards:        6-44            1-11
Net pass yards:      144             151
Net yards/pass:      4.5             5.8
Total net yards:     204             402
Total plays:         57 (43% run)    82 (68% run)  
Yards/play:          3.6             4.9
Fumbles-lost:        3-2             0-0
Turnovers:           3               1
Penalties-yards:     5-55            13-130

Attendance: 33,765

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John Riggins (145) and Carl Garrett (135) became the fifth pair to gain 100 yards rushing on the same day in Jets' history as part of a 418-yard offense. Joe Namath threw only 14 passes and completed seven for 126 yards and a nine-yard touchdown pass to Rich Caster. Trailing 14-0, the Chiefs struck back for a 14-14 tie in the second period before a 32-yard field goal by Pat Leahy gave the Jets the halftime lead. Although Len Dawson completed 20 of 32 passes for 233 yards and one score, the Chiefs' final drive was stopped on the Jets' 5 with 47 seconds left.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Even

( 7- 0) NYJ John Riggins 1 yard rush (Pat Leahy kick)
(14- 0) NYJ Carl Garrett 1 yard rush (Pat Leahy kick)
(14- 7) KC  Woody Green 4 yard rush (Jan Stenerud kick)
(14-14) KC  Ed Podolak 10 yard rush (Jan Stenerud kick)
(17-14) NYJ Pat Leahy 32 yard field goal
(23-14) NYJ John Riggins 2 yard rush (pass failed)
(23-21) KC  Barry Pearson 36 yard pass from Len Dawson (Jan Stenerud kick)
(30-21) NYJ Rich Caster 9 yard pass from Joe Namath (Pat Leahy kick)
(30-24) KC  Jan Stenerud 35 yard field goal

                     NYJ             KC
First Downs:         24              25
Rushes-yards:        47-291          35-131
Yards/rush:          6.2             3.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     8-15-127-2      20-33-233-1
Sacked-yards:        0-0             3-25
Net pass yards:      127             208
Net yards/pass:      8.5             5.8
Total net yards:     418             339
Total plays:         62 (75% run)    71 (49% run)  
Yards/play:          6.7             4.8
Fumbles-lost:        2-0             1-0
Turnovers:           2               1
Penalties-yards:     10-85           7-52

Attendance: 73,939

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Miami overcame a 14-0 halftime deficit with Don Nottingham gaining 105 of his 120 yards in the second half. Nottingham and Norm Bulaich each scored for the Dolphins who also had three field goals by Garo Yepremian. Freddie Solomon's 46-yard punt return set up the first Miami score and Jake Scott's interception led to the second. Neil Graff, filling in for the injured Jim Plunkett who watched in street clothes, hit with two touchdown passes to Randy Vataha and Russ Francis, the first of the rookie tight end's pro career.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Dolphins by 8

( 0- 7) NE  Randy Vataha 31 yard pass from Neil Graff (John Smith kick)
( 0-14) NE  Russ Francis 5 yard pass from Neil Graff (John Smith kick)
( 3-14) MIA Garo Yepremian 26 yard field goal
( 9-14) MIA Don Nottingham 4 yard rush (kick failed)
(16-14) MIA Norm Bulaich 1 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
(19-14) MIA Garo Yepremian 26 yard field goal
(22-14) MIA Garo Yepremian 33 yard field goal

                     MIA             NE
First Downs:         17              12
Rushes-yards:        43-210          33-78
Yards/rush:          4.9             2.4
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     9-15-89-3       9-19-127-3
Sacked-yards:        4-42            2-18
Net pass yards:      47              109
Net yards/pass:      2.5             5.2
Total net yards:     257             187
Total plays:         62 (69% run)    54 (61% run)  
Yards/play:          4.1             3.5
Fumbles-lost:        1-0             4-1
Turnovers:           3               4
Penalties-yards:     9-78            8-56

Attendance: 59,967

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Bengal quarterback Ken Anderson, who riddled the Saints defense with 17 completions in 22 pass attempts for 203 yards, got Cincinnati off to a quick 7-0 lead on a 52-yard scoring connection to Isaac Curtis, then followed with touchdown throws of 14 yards to Charlie Joiner and another of five yards to Curtis. The game marked Cincinnati's first shutout victory since 1973 and only the third in the club's eight-year history.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Bengals by 14

( 7- 0) CIN Isaac Curtis 52 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Dave Green kick)
(14- 0) CIN Charlie Joiner 14 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Dave Green kick)
(21- 0) CIN Isaac Curtis 5 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Dave Green kick)

                     CIN             NO
First Downs:         17              12
Rushes-yards:        33-92           24-67
Yards/rush:          2.8             2.8
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     18-26-218-1     13-32-157-2
Sacked-yards:        3-16            4-35
Net pass yards:      202             122
Net yards/pass:      7.0             3.4
Total net yards:     294             189
Total plays:         62 (53% run)    60 (40% run)  
Yards/play:          4.7             3.1
Fumbles-lost:        2-1             1-0
Turnovers:           2               2
Penalties-yards:     6-58            3-18

Attendance: 52,637

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O. J. Simpson put on another tremendous show, rushing for 227 yards, the NFL's best rushing performance in 1975, and a record-breaking total of 400 yards in the first two games. Simpson ran 88 yards for a touchdown, the longest from scrimmage in the NFL since his 94-yarder in 1972 and the longest run in the NFL in 1975, as he equaled Jim Brown's record of four 200-yard games. It was O. J.'s 26th 100-yard game. The Bills scored an unusual touchdown when Terry Bradshaw lost control of the ball going back to pass and Earl Edwards grabbed it and lateraled to Mike Kadish for a 31-yard scoring play.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Steelers by 7

( 3- 0) BUF John Leypoldt 37 yard field goal
(10- 0) BUF Mike Kadish 26 yard fumble return (John Leypoldt kick)
(17- 0) BUF Reuben Gant 7 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (John Leypoldt kick)
(23- 0) BUF O.J. Simpson 88 yard rush (kick failed)
(23- 7) PIT Franco Harris 2 yard rush (Roy Gerela kick)
(30- 7) BUF Bob Chandler 28 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (John Leypoldt kick)
(30-14) PIT Randy Grossman 20 yard pass from Joe Gilliam (Roy Gerela kick)
(30-21) PIT Franco Harris 1 yard rush (Roy Gerela kick)

                     BUF             PIT
First Downs:         21              19
Rushes-yards:        46-310          30-122
Yards/rush:          6.7             4.1
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     9-20-129-0      14-29-269-2
Sacked-yards:        1-5             4-38
Net pass yards:      124             231
Net yards/pass:      5.9             7.0
Total net yards:     434             353
Total plays:         67 (68% run)    63 (47% run)  
Yards/play:          6.5             5.6
Fumbles-lost:        3-1             3-3
Turnovers:           1               5
Penalties-yards:     7-47            3-30

Attendance: 49,438

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Tom Dempsey kicked a 51-yard field goal that set a Los Angeles club record and provided the Rams with a 16-14 lead early in the fourth period as the defending NFC West champions won their 10th straight victory over the 49ers. Bill Simpson earlier blocked a San Francisco punt which Monte Jackson picked up and raced six yards for the Rams' first touchdown. James Harris' 22-yard pass to Lawrence McCutcheon was the clinching score.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Rams by 6

( 3- 0) LA  Tom Dempsey 47 yard field goal
( 3- 7) SF  Gene Washington 30 yard pass from Norm Snead (Steve Mike-Mayer kick)
( 3-14) SF  Delvin Williams 38 yard rush (Steve Mike-Mayer kick)
( 6-14) LA  Tom Dempsey 37 yard field goal
(13-14) LA  Monte Jackson 6 yard return of blocked punt (Tom Dempsey kick)
(16-14) LA  Tom Dempsey 51 yard field goal
(23-14) LA  Lawrence McCutcheon 22 yard pass from James Harris (Tom Dempsey kick)

                     LA              SF
First Downs:         15              14
Rushes-yards:        33-115          35-129
Yards/rush:          3.5             3.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     15-26-193-1     13-23-135-0
Sacked-yards:        1-10            4-28
Net pass yards:      183             107
Net yards/pass:      6.8             4.0
Total net yards:     298             236
Total plays:         60 (55% run)    62 (56% run)  
Yards/play:          5.0             3.8
Fumbles-lost:        2-1             3-2
Turnovers:           2               2
Penalties-yards:     3-25            6-45

Attendance: 55,072

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Trailing 7-0 after one period, the Redskins erupted for 28 points in the first 7:16 of the second quarter and coasted to their second victory and coach George Allen's 12th straight without defeat against the Giants. Washington scored on a rush (Larry Brown four yards), a pass (Billy Kilmer 31 yards to Roy Jefferson), a fumble recovery (Ron McDole in the end zone), and punt return (52 yards by Larry Jones) during the outburst. Wide receiver Charley Taylor caught five passes for 51 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown, which was the 87th score of his career, matching Lance Alworth's eight-place total. Taylor also became the 15th NFL player to amass 10,000 total yards receiving (10,010).

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Line: Redskins by 10

( 7- 0) NYG Ron Johnson 1 yard rush (George Hunt kick)
( 7- 7) WAS Larry Brown 4 yard rush (Mark Moseley kick)
( 7-14) WAS Roy Jefferson 31 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Mark Moseley kick)
( 7-21) WAS Ron McDole 0 yard fumble return (Mark Moseley kick)
( 7-28) WAS Larry Jones 52 yard punt return (Mark Moseley kick)
(13-28) NYG Jim Obradovich 2 yard pass from Craig Morton (kick failed)
(13-35) WAS Roy Jefferson 9 yard pass from Billy Kilmer (Mark Moseley kick)
(13-42) WAS Charley Taylor 13 yard pass from Randy Johnson (Mark Moseley kick)
(13-49) WAS Alvin Reed 4 yard pass from Randy Johnson (Mark Moseley kick)

                     NYG             WAS
First Downs:         17              25
Rushes-yards:        33-96           37-168
Yards/rush:          2.9             4.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     16-25-133-0     20-30-253-1
Sacked-yards:        8-68            1-4
Net pass yards:      65              249
Net yards/pass:      2.0             8.0
Total net yards:     161             417
Total plays:         66 (50% run)    68 (54% run)  
Yards/play:          2.4             6.1
Fumbles-lost:        3-3             1-1
Turnovers:           3               2
Penalties-yards:     1-5             6-53

Attendance: 54,953

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