NFL game summary for 12/07/1975:
Rookie Roland Harper dashed 27 yards up the middle for a touchdown with 4:22 remaining to lift the Bears to their third victory. Harper's decisive score took the sting out of a pair of Lions' touchdowns ? Joe Reed to Marlin Briscoe passes for 15 and 59 yards ? that occurred within 69 seconds and gave Detroit a 21-19 lead in the fourth period. Chicago rookie quarterback Bob Avellini completed 11 of 19 passes for 204 yards.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 153.5 (10) | 133.8 (20) | 287.4 (18) | 21 |
| DEFENSE | 131.2 (11) | 154.4 (10) | 285.5 (8) | 29 | |
 | OFFENSE | 113.7 (23) | 104.0 (26) | 217.7 (26) | 31 |
| DEFENSE | 150.8 (18) | 183.0 (21) | 333.8 (19) | 18 |
Line: Lions by 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions (6-6-0) | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Chicago Bears (3-9-0) | 10 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 25 |
( 7- 0) DET Altie Taylor 1 yard rush (Errol Mann kick) ( 7- 3) CHI Bob Thomas 36 yard field goal ( 7-10) CHI Walter Payton 4 yard rush (Bob Thomas kick) ( 7-13) CHI Bob Thomas 41 yard field goal ( 7-19) CHI Walter Payton 5 yard rush (kick failed) (14-19) DET Marlin Briscoe 15 yard pass from Joe Reed (Errol Mann kick) (21-19) DET Marlin Briscoe 59 yard pass from Joe Reed (Errol Mann kick) (21-25) CHI Roland Harper 27 yard rush (kick failed)
DET CHI
First Downs: 19 15
Rushes-yards: 39-153 42-140
Yards/rush: 3.9 3.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-34-220-1 11-19-204-2
Sacked-yards: 2-28 3-31
Net pass yards: 192 173
Net yards/pass: 5.3 7.9
Total net yards: 345 313
Total plays: 75 (52% run) 64 (65% run)
Yards/play: 4.6 4.9
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 3-2
Turnovers: 3 4
Penalties-yards: 6-77 8-45
Attendance: 37,772
Passing:
DET: Joe Reed, 14 of 33 for 220 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Horace King, 0 of 1 for 0 yards CHI: Bob Avellini, 11 of 19 for 204 yards (2 int)
Rushing:
DET: Dexter Bussey, 18 for 56 yards; Altie Taylor, 10 for 19 yards and 1 TD; Horace King, 5 for 30 yards; Joe Reed, 3 for 29 yards; Bobby Thompson, 3 for 19 yards CHI: Walter Payton, 27 for 65 yards and 2 TDs; Roland Harper, 9 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Mike Adamle, 3 for 10 yards; Bob Avellini, 2 for -3 yards; Bo Rather, 1 for 18 yards
Receiving:
DET: Marlin Briscoe, 5 for 119 yards and 2 TDs; Charlie Sanders, 4 for 63 yards; Horace King, 2 for 10 yards; Ray Jarvis, 1 for 17 yards; Dexter Bussey, 1 for 10 yards; Altie Taylor, 1 for 1 yard CHI: Bo Rather, 4 for 123 yards; Steve Schubert, 3 for 45 yards; Walter Payton, 2 for 14 yards; Roland Harper, 1 for 11 yards; Bob Grim, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
DET: Mike Weger, 3 for 42 yards; Bobby Thompson, 2 for 52 yards; Jim Hooks, 1 for 0 yards CHI: Earl Douthitt, 1 for 27 yards; Virgil Livers, 1 for 23 yards; Roland Harper, 1 for 18 yards; Steve Schubert, 1 for 15 yards
Punt returns:
DET: Charlie West, 3 for 8 yards CHI: Virgil Livers, 5 for 96 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Dick Jauron, 1 for 0 yards; Levi Johnson, 1 for 0 yards CHI: Virgil Livers, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
DET: Herman Weaver, 8 for 321 yards CHI: Bob Parsons, 6 for 219 yards
Field Goals:
DET: Errol Mann, 0/1 CHI: Bob Thomas, 2/4
DET: Joe Reed, 14 of 33 for 220 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Horace King, 0 of 1 for 0 yards CHI: Bob Avellini, 11 of 19 for 204 yards (2 int)
Rushing:
DET: Dexter Bussey, 18 for 56 yards; Altie Taylor, 10 for 19 yards and 1 TD; Horace King, 5 for 30 yards; Joe Reed, 3 for 29 yards; Bobby Thompson, 3 for 19 yards CHI: Walter Payton, 27 for 65 yards and 2 TDs; Roland Harper, 9 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Mike Adamle, 3 for 10 yards; Bob Avellini, 2 for -3 yards; Bo Rather, 1 for 18 yards
Receiving:
DET: Marlin Briscoe, 5 for 119 yards and 2 TDs; Charlie Sanders, 4 for 63 yards; Horace King, 2 for 10 yards; Ray Jarvis, 1 for 17 yards; Dexter Bussey, 1 for 10 yards; Altie Taylor, 1 for 1 yard CHI: Bo Rather, 4 for 123 yards; Steve Schubert, 3 for 45 yards; Walter Payton, 2 for 14 yards; Roland Harper, 1 for 11 yards; Bob Grim, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
DET: Mike Weger, 3 for 42 yards; Bobby Thompson, 2 for 52 yards; Jim Hooks, 1 for 0 yards CHI: Earl Douthitt, 1 for 27 yards; Virgil Livers, 1 for 23 yards; Roland Harper, 1 for 18 yards; Steve Schubert, 1 for 15 yards
Punt returns:
DET: Charlie West, 3 for 8 yards CHI: Virgil Livers, 5 for 96 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Dick Jauron, 1 for 0 yards; Levi Johnson, 1 for 0 yards CHI: Virgil Livers, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
DET: Herman Weaver, 8 for 321 yards CHI: Bob Parsons, 6 for 219 yards
Field Goals:
DET: Errol Mann, 0/1 CHI: Bob Thomas, 2/4