NFL game summary for 09/28/1975:
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):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 St. Louis Cardinals | OFFENSE | 167.0 (7) | 150.0 (10) | 317.0 (7) | 3 |
| DEFENSE | 236.0 (25) | 58.0 (4) | 294.0 (16) | 2 | |
 Dallas Cowboys | OFFENSE | 197.0 (4) | 80.0 (20) | 277.0 (15) | 1 |
| DEFENSE | 128.0 (16) | 20.0 (1) | 148.0 (3) | 4 |
Line: Cowboys by 4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals (1-1-0) | 0 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 31 |
| Dallas Cowboys (2-0-0) | 0 | 7 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 37 |
( 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
Passing:STL: Jim Hart, 15 of 32 for 314 yards and 4 TDs (2 int)
DAL: Roger Staubach, 23 of 34 for 307 yards and 3 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
STL: Jim Otis, 23 for 86 yards; Terry Metcalf, 7 for 25 yards; Steve Jones, 2 for 7 yards
DAL: Robert Newhouse, 23 for 90 yards; Doug Dennison, 17 for 42 yards; Roger Staubach, 2 for 24 yards; Preston Pearson, 1 for 3 yards; Charley Young, 1 for 1 yard and 1 TD
Receiving:
STL: Mel Gray, 5 for 114 yards and 2 TDs; Terry Metcalf, 2 for 21 yards; Steve Jones, 2 for 16 yards; Earl Thomas, 1 for 80 yards and 1 TD; Jackie Smith, 1 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Ike Harris, 1 for 23 yards; J.V. Cain, 1 for 10 yards; Gary Hammond, 1 for 10 yards; Jim Otis, 1 for 5 yards
DAL: Billy Joe DuPree, 6 for 100 yards and 1 TD; Drew Pearson, 5 for 81 yards and 1 TD; Jean Fugett, 5 for 51 yards and 1 TD; Scott Laidlaw, 4 for 30 yards; Golden Richards, 2 for 46 yards; Robert Newhouse, 1 for -1 yards
Kick returns:
STL: Terry Metcalf, 4 for 112 yards
DAL: Rolly Woolsey, 4 for 75 yards; Thomas Henderson, 1 for 97 yards and 1 TD; Preston Pearson, 1 for 23 yards
Punt returns:
STL: Terry Metcalf, 3 for 39 yards; Roger Wehrli, 1 for 2 yards
DAL: Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 7 yards
Interceptions:
STL: Ken Reaves, 1 for 0 yards
DAL: Lee Roy Jordan, 1 for 38 yards; Mark Washington, 1 for 3 yards
Punting:
STL: Jeff West, 6 for 234 yards
DAL: Mitch Hoopes, 5 for 206 yards
Field Goals:
STL: Jim Bakken, 1/1
DAL: Toni Fritsch, 1/3