NFL game summary for 12/07/1975:
Quarterback Don Strock, filling in for the injured Bob Griese and Earl Morrall, threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to keep the Dolphins one game in front of Baltimore and eliminate the Bills from playoff contention. Buffalo trailed 21-0 at the half but closed gap to 24-21 in final quarter before Don Nottingham ran 56 yards to the Buffalo one and Norm Bulaich scored the clincher. Howard Twilley caught the two scoring passes from Strock, who had thrown only five passes in his three-year career prior to this game. O. J. Simpson rushed for 96 yards, caught eight passes for 117 yards and scored his 19th and 20th touchdowns.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 215.9 (1) | 175.5 (11) | 391.4 (1) | 23 |
| DEFENSE | 140.2 (14) | 234.3 (26) | 374.5 (25) | 37 | |
 | OFFENSE | 181.6 (3) | 157.6 (17) | 339.3 (10) | 24 |
| DEFENSE | 122.4 (4) | 123.1 (3) | 245.5 (2) | 28 |
Line: Dolphins by 2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills (7-5-0) | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 21 |
| Miami Dolphins (9-3-0) | 7 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 31 |
( 0- 7) MIA Don Strock 4 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick) ( 0-14) MIA Howard Twilley 8 yard pass from Don Strock (Garo Yepremian kick) ( 0-21) MIA Howard Twilley 1 yard pass from Don Strock (Garo Yepremian kick) ( 7-21) BUF O.J. Simpson 14 yard rush (John Leypoldt kick) ( 7-24) MIA Garo Yepremian 20 yard field goal (14-24) BUF J.D. Hill 31 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (John Leypoldt kick) (21-24) BUF O.J. Simpson 62 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (John Leypoldt kick) (21-31) MIA Norm Bulaich 1 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
BUF MIA
First Downs: 21 19
Rushes-yards: 29-130 44-197
Yards/rush: 4.5 4.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 20-41-279-2 12-15-99-0
Sacked-yards: 3-24 0-0
Net pass yards: 255 99
Net yards/pass: 5.8 6.6
Total net yards: 385 296
Total plays: 73 (39% run) 59 (74% run)
Yards/play: 5.3 5.0
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 0-0
Turnovers: 2 0
Penalties-yards: 7-99 7-75
Attendance: 74,573
Passing:
BUF: Joe Ferguson, 20 of 41 for 279 yards and 2 TDs (2 int) MIA: Don Strock, 12 of 15 for 99 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 18 for 96 yards and 1 TD; Jim Braxton, 9 for 31 yards; Joe Ferguson, 2 for 3 yards MIA: Mercury Morris, 21 for 93 yards; Don Nottingham, 9 for 87 yards; Norm Bulaich, 6 for 1 yard and 1 TD; Benny Malone, 5 for 1 yard; Don Strock, 3 for 15 yards and 1 TD
Receiving:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 8 for 117 yards and 1 TD; Bob Chandler, 5 for 63 yards; J.D. Hill, 3 for 57 yards and 1 TD; Paul Seymour, 2 for 22 yards; Jim Braxton, 1 for 11 yards; Reuben Gant, 1 for 9 yards MIA: Howard Twilley, 3 for 26 yards and 2 TDs; Freddie Solomon, 3 for 17 yards; Don Nottingham, 2 for 22 yards; Norm Bulaich, 2 for 7 yards; Andre Tillman, 1 for 16 yards; Nat Moore, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Vic Washington, 3 for 78 yards; Royce McKinney, 1 for 20 yards MIA: Nat Moore, 4 for 116 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Gary Hayman, 3 for 31 yards MIA: Charlie Babb, 2 for 18 yards; Freddie Solomon, 1 for 13 yards; Nat Moore, 1 for 10 yards; Hubert Ginn, 1 for 4 yards
Interceptions:
MIA: Jake Scott, 1 for 17 yards; Bob Matheson, 1 for 10 yards
Punting:
BUF: Marv Bateman, 6 for 254 yards MIA: Larry Seiple, 7 for 278 yards
Field Goals:
MIA: Garo Yepremian, 1/1
BUF: Joe Ferguson, 20 of 41 for 279 yards and 2 TDs (2 int) MIA: Don Strock, 12 of 15 for 99 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 18 for 96 yards and 1 TD; Jim Braxton, 9 for 31 yards; Joe Ferguson, 2 for 3 yards MIA: Mercury Morris, 21 for 93 yards; Don Nottingham, 9 for 87 yards; Norm Bulaich, 6 for 1 yard and 1 TD; Benny Malone, 5 for 1 yard; Don Strock, 3 for 15 yards and 1 TD
Receiving:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 8 for 117 yards and 1 TD; Bob Chandler, 5 for 63 yards; J.D. Hill, 3 for 57 yards and 1 TD; Paul Seymour, 2 for 22 yards; Jim Braxton, 1 for 11 yards; Reuben Gant, 1 for 9 yards MIA: Howard Twilley, 3 for 26 yards and 2 TDs; Freddie Solomon, 3 for 17 yards; Don Nottingham, 2 for 22 yards; Norm Bulaich, 2 for 7 yards; Andre Tillman, 1 for 16 yards; Nat Moore, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Vic Washington, 3 for 78 yards; Royce McKinney, 1 for 20 yards MIA: Nat Moore, 4 for 116 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Gary Hayman, 3 for 31 yards MIA: Charlie Babb, 2 for 18 yards; Freddie Solomon, 1 for 13 yards; Nat Moore, 1 for 10 yards; Hubert Ginn, 1 for 4 yards
Interceptions:
MIA: Jake Scott, 1 for 17 yards; Bob Matheson, 1 for 10 yards
Punting:
BUF: Marv Bateman, 6 for 254 yards MIA: Larry Seiple, 7 for 278 yards
Field Goals:
MIA: Garo Yepremian, 1/1