All NFL game summaries for 12/14/1975:
Rookie Steve Bartkowski enjoyed his best day, completing 19 of 37 passes for 305 yards and a pair of touchdown passes that covered 20 and 63 yards to Alfred Jenkins. Running back Haskel Stanback also tossed a scoring pass to Wallace Francis for 41 yards. Dave Hampton's 81 yards boosted his rushing total to 941 yards.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 100.4 (26) | 183.1 (6) | 283.5 (18) | 41 |
| DEFENSE | 129.5 (8) | 140.2 (7) | 269.7 (6) | 26 | |
 | OFFENSE | 130.8 (16) | 127.2 (23) | 258.1 (22) | 43 |
| DEFENSE | 158.0 (20) | 181.6 (20) | 339.6 (19) | 31 |
Line: Falcons by 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers (5-8-0) | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Atlanta Falcons (4-9-0) | 0 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
( 0- 3) ATL Nick Mike-Mayer 22 yard field goal
( 6- 3) SF Delvin Williams 4 yard rush (kick failed)
( 6-10) ATL Alfred Jenkins 20 yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
( 9-10) SF Steve Mike-Mayer 26 yard field goal
( 9-17) ATL Dave Hampton 6 yard rush (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
( 9-24) ATL Alfred Jenkins 63 yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
( 9-31) ATL Wallace Francis 41 yard pass from Haskel Stanback (Nick Mike-Mayer kick)
SF ATL
First Downs: 23 21
Rushes-yards: 28-212 35-100
Yards/rush: 7.6 2.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 21-49-232-2 21-39-371-0
Sacked-yards: 3-38 1-9
Net pass yards: 194 362
Net yards/pass: 3.7 9.1
Total net yards: 406 462
Total plays: 80 (35% run) 75 (46% run)
Yards/play: 5.1 6.2
Fumbles-lost: 2-0 1-0
Turnovers: 2 0
Penalties-yards: 5-39 9-70
Attendance: 38,501
Passing:
SF: Steve Spurrier, 16 of 39 for 158 yards (2 int); Tom Owen, 5 of 10 for 74 yards ATL: Steve Bartkowski, 19 of 37 for 305 yards and 2 TDs; Haskel Stanback, 1 of 1 for 41 yards and 1 TD; John James, 1 of 1 for 25 yards
Rushing:
SF: Delvin Williams, 10 for 104 yards and 1 TD; Wilbur Jackson, 8 for 80 yards; Larry Schreiber, 4 for 6 yards; Manfred Moore, 3 for 10 yards; Sammy Johnson, 2 for 4 yards; Steve Spurrier, 1 for 8 yards ATL: Dave Hampton, 26 for 81 yards and 1 TD; Haskel Stanback, 9 for 19 yards
Receiving:
SF: Mike Holmes, 5 for 64 yards; Wilbur Jackson, 4 for 19 yards; Gene Washington, 2 for 38 yards; Tom Wittum, 2 for 29 yards; Bill Larson, 2 for 28 yards; Larry Schreiber, 2 for 22 yards; Sammy Johnson, 2 for 14 yards; Manfred Moore, 1 for 11 yards; Delvin Williams, 1 for 7 yards ATL: Alfred Jenkins, 7 for 147 yards and 2 TDs; Wallace Francis, 4 for 90 yards and 1 TD; Jim Mitchell, 4 for 67 yards; Ken Burrow, 2 for 21 yards; Dave Hampton, 2 for 19 yards; Bob Jones, 1 for 25 yards; Haskel Stanback, 1 for 2 yards
Kick returns:
SF: Manfred Moore, 4 for 134 yards; Kermit Johnson, 1 for 23 yards ATL: Mack Herron, 2 for 41 yards; Wallace Francis, 1 for 16 yards
Punt returns:
SF: Manfred Moore, 3 for 26 yards; Bruce Taylor, 3 for 10 yards ATL: Mack Herron, 4 for 58 yards
Interceptions:
ATL: Greg Brezina, 1 for 0 yards; Rolland Lawrence, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
SF: Tom Wittum, 7 for 334 yards ATL: John James, 8 for 385 yards
Field Goals:
SF: Steve Mike-Mayer, 1/2 ATL: Nick Mike-Mayer, 1/2
SF: Steve Spurrier, 16 of 39 for 158 yards (2 int); Tom Owen, 5 of 10 for 74 yards ATL: Steve Bartkowski, 19 of 37 for 305 yards and 2 TDs; Haskel Stanback, 1 of 1 for 41 yards and 1 TD; John James, 1 of 1 for 25 yards
Rushing:
SF: Delvin Williams, 10 for 104 yards and 1 TD; Wilbur Jackson, 8 for 80 yards; Larry Schreiber, 4 for 6 yards; Manfred Moore, 3 for 10 yards; Sammy Johnson, 2 for 4 yards; Steve Spurrier, 1 for 8 yards ATL: Dave Hampton, 26 for 81 yards and 1 TD; Haskel Stanback, 9 for 19 yards
Receiving:
SF: Mike Holmes, 5 for 64 yards; Wilbur Jackson, 4 for 19 yards; Gene Washington, 2 for 38 yards; Tom Wittum, 2 for 29 yards; Bill Larson, 2 for 28 yards; Larry Schreiber, 2 for 22 yards; Sammy Johnson, 2 for 14 yards; Manfred Moore, 1 for 11 yards; Delvin Williams, 1 for 7 yards ATL: Alfred Jenkins, 7 for 147 yards and 2 TDs; Wallace Francis, 4 for 90 yards and 1 TD; Jim Mitchell, 4 for 67 yards; Ken Burrow, 2 for 21 yards; Dave Hampton, 2 for 19 yards; Bob Jones, 1 for 25 yards; Haskel Stanback, 1 for 2 yards
Kick returns:
SF: Manfred Moore, 4 for 134 yards; Kermit Johnson, 1 for 23 yards ATL: Mack Herron, 2 for 41 yards; Wallace Francis, 1 for 16 yards
Punt returns:
SF: Manfred Moore, 3 for 26 yards; Bruce Taylor, 3 for 10 yards ATL: Mack Herron, 4 for 58 yards
Interceptions:
ATL: Greg Brezina, 1 for 0 yards; Rolland Lawrence, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
SF: Tom Wittum, 7 for 334 yards ATL: John James, 8 for 385 yards
Field Goals:
SF: Steve Mike-Mayer, 1/2 ATL: Nick Mike-Mayer, 1/2
The streaking Colts moved into a first-place tie with the Dolphins in the AFC East on Toni Linhart's 31-yard field goal at 12:44 of sudden death overtime for their eighth straight victory. Baltimore swept the season series from Miami by tying the score on a Lydell Mitchell touchdown with 5:30 to go, stopping the Dolphins who had won the toss in overtime, and then driving from their own 4 to the Miami 14 to set up the kick by Linhart who had missed a 29-yarder earlier. Mike Barnes made a key sack of quarterback Don Strock and Fred Cook recovered a Dolphins fumble at a critical spot in the fourth quarter.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 182.9 (3) | 152.8 (17) | 335.7 (9) | 24 |
| DEFENSE | 123.0 (5) | 134.1 (4) | 257.1 (4) | 30 | |
 | OFFENSE | 161.9 (7) | 158.7 (16) | 320.6 (11) | 16 |
| DEFENSE | 126.4 (6) | 174.8 (16) | 301.2 (12) | 34 |
Line: Colts by 5
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins (9-4-0) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Baltimore Colts (9-4-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
( 7- 0) MIA Mercury Morris 3 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
( 7- 7) BAL Lydell Mitchell 6 yard rush (Toni Linhart kick)
( 7-10) BAL Toni Linhart 31 yard field goal
MIA BAL
First Downs: 15 22
Rushes-yards: 43-192 46-146
Yards/rush: 4.5 3.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 8-19-97-1 23-39-232-0
Sacked-yards: 1-11 3-26
Net pass yards: 86 206
Net yards/pass: 4.3 4.9
Total net yards: 278 352
Total plays: 63 (68% run) 88 (52% run)
Yards/play: 4.4 4.0
Fumbles-lost: 3-1 1-0
Turnovers: 2 0
Penalties-yards: 7-54 5-60
Attendance: 59,398
Passing:
MIA: Don Strock, 8 of 19 for 97 yards (1 int) BAL: Bert Jones, 23 of 39 for 232 yards
Rushing:
MIA: Mercury Morris, 21 for 96 yards and 1 TD; Don Nottingham, 11 for 37 yards; Norm Bulaich, 4 for 18 yards; Don Strock, 3 for 23 yards; Benny Malone, 2 for 10 yards; Nat Moore, 2 for 8 yards BAL: Lydell Mitchell, 30 for 87 yards and 1 TD; Bert Jones, 7 for 20 yards; Bill Olds, 5 for 17 yards; Don McCauley, 3 for 17 yards; Glenn Doughty, 1 for 5 yards
Receiving:
MIA: Nat Moore, 4 for 40 yards; Larry Seiple, 2 for 22 yards; Don Nottingham, 1 for 18 yards; Freddie Solomon, 1 for 17 yards BAL: Lydell Mitchell, 6 for 53 yards; Raymond Chester, 5 for 64 yards; Roger Carr, 4 for 46 yards; Glenn Doughty, 3 for 30 yards; Don McCauley, 3 for 19 yards; Bill Olds, 2 for 20 yards
Kick returns:
MIA: Nat Moore, 2 for 47 yards; Hubert Ginn, 1 for 30 yards BAL: Bruce Laird, 1 for 16 yards; Don McCauley, 1 for 12 yards
Punt returns:
MIA: Nat Moore, 5 for 58 yards BAL: Howard Stevens, 3 for 30 yards
Interceptions:
BAL: Lloyd Mumphord, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
MIA: Larry Seiple, 8 for 305 yards BAL: David Lee, 8 for 274 yards
Field Goals:
MIA: Garo Yepremian, 0/2 BAL: Toni Linhart, 1/2
MIA: Don Strock, 8 of 19 for 97 yards (1 int) BAL: Bert Jones, 23 of 39 for 232 yards
Rushing:
MIA: Mercury Morris, 21 for 96 yards and 1 TD; Don Nottingham, 11 for 37 yards; Norm Bulaich, 4 for 18 yards; Don Strock, 3 for 23 yards; Benny Malone, 2 for 10 yards; Nat Moore, 2 for 8 yards BAL: Lydell Mitchell, 30 for 87 yards and 1 TD; Bert Jones, 7 for 20 yards; Bill Olds, 5 for 17 yards; Don McCauley, 3 for 17 yards; Glenn Doughty, 1 for 5 yards
Receiving:
MIA: Nat Moore, 4 for 40 yards; Larry Seiple, 2 for 22 yards; Don Nottingham, 1 for 18 yards; Freddie Solomon, 1 for 17 yards BAL: Lydell Mitchell, 6 for 53 yards; Raymond Chester, 5 for 64 yards; Roger Carr, 4 for 46 yards; Glenn Doughty, 3 for 30 yards; Don McCauley, 3 for 19 yards; Bill Olds, 2 for 20 yards
Kick returns:
MIA: Nat Moore, 2 for 47 yards; Hubert Ginn, 1 for 30 yards BAL: Bruce Laird, 1 for 16 yards; Don McCauley, 1 for 12 yards
Punt returns:
MIA: Nat Moore, 5 for 58 yards BAL: Howard Stevens, 3 for 30 yards
Interceptions:
BAL: Lloyd Mumphord, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
MIA: Larry Seiple, 8 for 305 yards BAL: David Lee, 8 for 274 yards
Field Goals:
MIA: Garo Yepremian, 0/2 BAL: Toni Linhart, 1/2
With Terry Metcalf sidelined with a bruised hip, Jim Otis took over the workload for the Cardinals and exploded for a career-high 147 yards in 33 attempts, the best rushing performance in the NFC in 1975, which lifted his season total to 1,007 yards and moved Otis into first place among NFC rushers. Otis scored a pair of short yardage touchdowns as St. Louis clinched its second straight NFC East title.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 161.7 (8) | 192.3 (5) | 354.0 (6) | 37 |
| DEFENSE | 146.4 (16) | 184.3 (22) | 330.8 (17) | 33 | |
 | OFFENSE | 115.9 (23) | 109.8 (26) | 225.7 (26) | 35 |
| DEFENSE | 151.0 (17) | 183.8 (21) | 334.8 (18) | 21 |
Line: Cardinals by 12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals (10-3-0) | 10 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 34 |
| Chicago Bears (3-10-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 20 |
( 7- 0) STL Steve Jones 16 yard pass from Jim Hart (Roger Wehrli run)
(10- 0) STL Jim Bakken 40 yard field goal
(17- 0) STL Jim Otis 2 yard rush (Jim Bakken kick)
(20- 0) STL Jim Bakken 29 yard field goal
(27- 0) STL Steve Jones 2 yard rush (Jim Bakken kick)
(34- 0) STL Jim Otis 1 yard rush (Jim Bakken kick)
(34- 7) CHI Bob Grim 24 yard pass from Bob Avellini (Bob Thomas kick)
(34-13) CHI Walter Payton 10 yard rush (kick failed)
(34-20) CHI Bo Rather 48 yard pass from Bob Avellini (Bob Thomas kick)
STL CHI
First Downs: 19 18
Rushes-yards: 47-190 25-67
Yards/rush: 4.0 2.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 9-20-172-0 20-36-268-1
Sacked-yards: 0-0 1-9
Net pass yards: 172 259
Net yards/pass: 8.6 7.0
Total net yards: 362 326
Total plays: 67 (70% run) 62 (40% run)
Yards/play: 5.4 5.3
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 1-1
Turnovers: 1 2
Penalties-yards: 4-51 7-45
Attendance: 35,052
Passing:
STL: Jim Hart, 9 of 19 for 172 yards and 1 TD; Dennis Shaw, 0 of 1 for 0 yards CHI: Bob Avellini, 19 of 35 for 255 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Mike Adamle, 1 of 1 for 13 yards
Rushing:
STL: Jim Otis, 33 for 147 yards and 2 TDs; Steve Jones, 9 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Jerry Latin, 3 for 8 yards; Josh Ashton, 1 for 3 yards; Dennis Shaw, 1 for -7 yards CHI: Walter Payton, 17 for 58 yards and 1 TD; Roland Harper, 5 for 15 yards; Mike Adamle, 2 for 0 yards; Bo Rather, 1 for -6 yards
Receiving:
STL: Jackie Smith, 2 for 72 yards; Ike Harris, 2 for 42 yards; Steve Jones, 2 for 19 yards and 1 TD; Mel Gray, 1 for 19 yards; J.V. Cain, 1 for 15 yards; Jim Otis, 1 for 5 yards CHI: Roland Harper, 6 for 67 yards; Bo Rather, 4 for 90 yards and 1 TD; Walter Payton, 4 for 32 yards; Bob Grim, 3 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Steve Schubert, 2 for 23 yards; Jeff Sevy, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
STL: Gary Hammond, 1 for 22 yards CHI: Earl Douthitt, 5 for 105 yards; Mike Adamle, 1 for 27 yards
Punt returns:
STL: Gary Hammond, 2 for 5 yards; Mel Gray, 1 for 4 yards CHI: Virgil Livers, 4 for 20 yards
Interceptions:
STL: Norm Thompson, 1 for 23 yards
Punting:
STL: Jeff West, 5 for 227 yards CHI: Bob Parsons, 5 for 166 yards
Field Goals:
STL: Jim Bakken, 2/2 CHI: Bob Thomas, 0/1
STL: Jim Hart, 9 of 19 for 172 yards and 1 TD; Dennis Shaw, 0 of 1 for 0 yards CHI: Bob Avellini, 19 of 35 for 255 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Mike Adamle, 1 of 1 for 13 yards
Rushing:
STL: Jim Otis, 33 for 147 yards and 2 TDs; Steve Jones, 9 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Jerry Latin, 3 for 8 yards; Josh Ashton, 1 for 3 yards; Dennis Shaw, 1 for -7 yards CHI: Walter Payton, 17 for 58 yards and 1 TD; Roland Harper, 5 for 15 yards; Mike Adamle, 2 for 0 yards; Bo Rather, 1 for -6 yards
Receiving:
STL: Jackie Smith, 2 for 72 yards; Ike Harris, 2 for 42 yards; Steve Jones, 2 for 19 yards and 1 TD; Mel Gray, 1 for 19 yards; J.V. Cain, 1 for 15 yards; Jim Otis, 1 for 5 yards CHI: Roland Harper, 6 for 67 yards; Bo Rather, 4 for 90 yards and 1 TD; Walter Payton, 4 for 32 yards; Bob Grim, 3 for 50 yards and 1 TD; Steve Schubert, 2 for 23 yards; Jeff Sevy, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
STL: Gary Hammond, 1 for 22 yards CHI: Earl Douthitt, 5 for 105 yards; Mike Adamle, 1 for 27 yards
Punt returns:
STL: Gary Hammond, 2 for 5 yards; Mel Gray, 1 for 4 yards CHI: Virgil Livers, 4 for 20 yards
Interceptions:
STL: Norm Thompson, 1 for 23 yards
Punting:
STL: Jeff West, 5 for 227 yards CHI: Bob Parsons, 5 for 166 yards
Field Goals:
STL: Jim Bakken, 2/2 CHI: Bob Thomas, 0/1
Greg Pruitt raced for 214 yards in a sensational performance that sent his season rushing total to 1,030 to join Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly in the Browns' exclusive 1,000-yard club. Pruitt scored three touchdowns and came within 23 yards of the Browns' club rushing record. It was the third win in four starts for the Browns after losing their first nine. Mike Phipps passed for 204 yards, completing six to Reggie Rucker for 130 yards.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 140.2 (13) | 169.3 (12) | 309.6 (15) | 26 |
| DEFENSE | 183.3 (25) | 180.7 (19) | 364.0 (24) | 38 | |
 | OFFENSE | 123.0 (19) | 131.2 (21) | 254.2 (23) | 32 |
| DEFENSE | 151.6 (18) | 194.7 (24) | 346.2 (20) | 20 |
Line: Browns by 6
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs (5-8-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| Cleveland Browns (3-10-0) | 7 | 3 | 16 | 14 | 40 |
( 0- 7) CLE Greg Pruitt 11 yard rush (Don Cockroft kick)
( 0-10) CLE Don Cockroft 26 yard field goal
( 0-17) CLE Hugh McKinnis 1 yard rush (Don Cockroft kick)
( 0-19) CLE Safety, Charlie Getty tackled in end zone by Ron East
( 0-26) CLE Greg Pruitt 3 yard rush (Don Cockroft kick)
( 0-33) CLE Reggie Rucker 40 yard pass from Mike Phipps (Don Cockroft kick)
( 7-33) KC Woody Green 1 yard rush (Jan Stenerud kick)
( 7-40) CLE Greg Pruitt 14 yard rush (Don Cockroft kick)
(14-40) KC Billy Masters 9 yard pass from Tony Adams (Jan Stenerud kick)
KC CLE
First Downs: 15 27
Rushes-yards: 29-47 44-278
Yards/rush: 1.6 6.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 13-31-141-1 14-21-203-0
Sacked-yards: 5-42 0-0
Net pass yards: 99 203
Net yards/pass: 2.8 9.7
Total net yards: 146 481
Total plays: 65 (44% run) 65 (67% run)
Yards/play: 2.2 7.4
Fumbles-lost: 4-3 6-3
Turnovers: 4 3
Penalties-yards: 6-28 7-86
Attendance: 44,368
Passing:
KC: Tony Adams, 13 of 31 for 141 yards and 1 TD (1 int) CLE: Mike Phipps, 14 of 20 for 204 yards and 1 TD; Don Cockroft, 1 of 1 for -1 yards
Rushing:
KC: Woody Green, 15 for 9 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Kinney, 10 for 29 yards; Doug Dressler, 2 for 5 yards; Tony Adams, 2 for 4 yards CLE: Greg Pruitt, 26 for 214 yards and 3 TDs; Hugh McKinnis, 14 for 65 yards and 1 TD; Mike Phipps, 1 for 0 yards; Ken Brown, 1 for 0 yards; Henry Hynoski, 1 for 0 yards; Billy Pritchett, 1 for -1 yards
Receiving:
KC: Woody Green, 4 for 57 yards; Barry Pearson, 3 for 32 yards; Larry Brunson, 2 for 20 yards; Ed Podolak, 1 for 13 yards; Billy Masters, 1 for 9 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Kinney, 1 for 6 yards; Doug Dressler, 1 for 4 yards CLE: Reggie Rucker, 6 for 130 yards and 1 TD; Greg Pruitt, 3 for 23 yards; Steve Holden, 2 for 25 yards; Billy Pritchett, 2 for 18 yards; Hugh McKinnis, 1 for 8 yards; Van Green, 1 for -1 yards
Kick returns:
KC: Reggie Craig, 2 for 88 yards; Woody Green, 2 for 53 yards CLE: Willie Miller, 1 for 38 yards; Henry Hynoski, 1 for 37 yards; Ken Brown, 1 for 6 yards; Dick Ambrose, 1 for 3 yards
Punt returns:
KC: Ed Podolak, 1 for 6 yards CLE: Willie Miller, 2 for 7 yards; Henry Hynoski, 1 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
CLE: Neal Craig, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
KC: Jim McCann, 6 for 175 yards CLE: Don Cockroft, 1 for 38 yards
Field Goals:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 1/3
KC: Tony Adams, 13 of 31 for 141 yards and 1 TD (1 int) CLE: Mike Phipps, 14 of 20 for 204 yards and 1 TD; Don Cockroft, 1 of 1 for -1 yards
Rushing:
KC: Woody Green, 15 for 9 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Kinney, 10 for 29 yards; Doug Dressler, 2 for 5 yards; Tony Adams, 2 for 4 yards CLE: Greg Pruitt, 26 for 214 yards and 3 TDs; Hugh McKinnis, 14 for 65 yards and 1 TD; Mike Phipps, 1 for 0 yards; Ken Brown, 1 for 0 yards; Henry Hynoski, 1 for 0 yards; Billy Pritchett, 1 for -1 yards
Receiving:
KC: Woody Green, 4 for 57 yards; Barry Pearson, 3 for 32 yards; Larry Brunson, 2 for 20 yards; Ed Podolak, 1 for 13 yards; Billy Masters, 1 for 9 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Kinney, 1 for 6 yards; Doug Dressler, 1 for 4 yards CLE: Reggie Rucker, 6 for 130 yards and 1 TD; Greg Pruitt, 3 for 23 yards; Steve Holden, 2 for 25 yards; Billy Pritchett, 2 for 18 yards; Hugh McKinnis, 1 for 8 yards; Van Green, 1 for -1 yards
Kick returns:
KC: Reggie Craig, 2 for 88 yards; Woody Green, 2 for 53 yards CLE: Willie Miller, 1 for 38 yards; Henry Hynoski, 1 for 37 yards; Ken Brown, 1 for 6 yards; Dick Ambrose, 1 for 3 yards
Punt returns:
KC: Ed Podolak, 1 for 6 yards CLE: Willie Miller, 2 for 7 yards; Henry Hynoski, 1 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
CLE: Neal Craig, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
KC: Jim McCann, 6 for 175 yards CLE: Don Cockroft, 1 for 38 yards
Field Goals:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 1/3
Floyd Little made a dramatic farewell appearance at home before retiring by scoring two touchdowns in a Denver victory over the Eagles. The former Syracuse star raced 66 yards after taking a screen pass from Steve Ramsey and ran two yards for the final score. He was carried off the field after rushing for 56 yards and catching five passes for 94 yards. Jim Turner's two field goals gave him 250 for his career and rookie Rick Upchurch boosted his total yardage to 1,863 with an additional 141 yards.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 118.0 (21) | 180.8 (8) | 298.8 (16) | 29 |
| DEFENSE | 157.8 (19) | 189.7 (23) | 347.4 (21) | 35 | |
 | OFFENSE | 137.5 (14) | 180.2 (9) | 317.8 (12) | 47 |
| DEFENSE | 145.6 (15) | 147.7 (8) | 293.2 (11) | 27 |
Line: Broncos by 5
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles (3-10-0) | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Denver Broncos (6-7-0) | 3 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 25 |
( 7- 0) PHI Charlie Smith 14 yard pass from Mike Boryla (Horst Muhlmann kick)
( 7- 3) DEN Jim Turner 47 yard field goal
( 7-10) DEN Fran Lynch 1 yard rush (Jim Turner kick)
(10-10) PHI Horst Muhlmann 19 yard field goal
(10-16) DEN Floyd Little 66 yard pass from Steve Ramsey (kick failed)
(10-19) DEN Jim Turner 29 yard field goal
(10-25) DEN Floyd Little 2 yard rush (kick failed)
PHI DEN
First Downs: 17 20
Rushes-yards: 25-114 49-197
Yards/rush: 4.6 4.0
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 16-34-170-3 11-28-188-1
Sacked-yards: 0-0 2-16
Net pass yards: 170 172
Net yards/pass: 5.0 5.7
Total net yards: 284 369
Total plays: 59 (42% run) 79 (62% run)
Yards/play: 4.8 4.7
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 0-0
Turnovers: 5 1
Penalties-yards: 5-40 11-95
Attendance: 36,860
Passing:
PHI: Mike Boryla, 16 of 34 for 170 yards and 1 TD (3 int) DEN: Steve Ramsey, 11 of 28 for 188 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
PHI: Tom Sullivan, 17 for 66 yards; James McAlister, 4 for 13 yards; Mike Boryla, 2 for 17 yards; Charlie Smith, 1 for 16 yards; Art Malone, 1 for 2 yards DEN: Jon Keyworth, 22 for 89 yards; Floyd Little, 19 for 56 yards and 1 TD; Fran Lynch, 4 for 22 yards and 1 TD; Rick Upchurch, 2 for 4 yards; Jack Dolbin, 1 for 25 yards; Mike Franckowiak, 1 for 1 yard
Receiving:
PHI: Tom Sullivan, 5 for 62 yards; Charle Young, 4 for 38 yards; Po James, 3 for 24 yards; Charlie Smith, 2 for 24 yards and 1 TD; Harold Carmichael, 2 for 22 yards DEN: Floyd Little, 5 for 94 yards and 1 TD; Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 43 yards; Riley Odoms, 2 for 33 yards; Jon Keyworth, 2 for 18 yards
Kick returns:
PHI: Larry Marshall, 3 for 77 yards; Tom Sullivan, 2 for 23 yards; Po James, 1 for 35 yards DEN: Rick Upchurch, 2 for 54 yards; Floyd Little, 1 for 13 yards
Punt returns:
PHI: Larry Marshall, 4 for 36 yards DEN: Rick Upchurch, 3 for 83 yards
Interceptions:
PHI: Joe Lavender, 1 for 16 yards DEN: Randy Gradishar, 1 for 19 yards; Bob Swenson, 1 for 4 yards; Louis Wright, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
PHI: Spike Jones, 5 for 226 yards DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 7 for 258 yards
Field Goals:
PHI: Horst Muhlmann, 1/2 DEN: Jim Turner, 2/2
PHI: Mike Boryla, 16 of 34 for 170 yards and 1 TD (3 int) DEN: Steve Ramsey, 11 of 28 for 188 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
PHI: Tom Sullivan, 17 for 66 yards; James McAlister, 4 for 13 yards; Mike Boryla, 2 for 17 yards; Charlie Smith, 1 for 16 yards; Art Malone, 1 for 2 yards DEN: Jon Keyworth, 22 for 89 yards; Floyd Little, 19 for 56 yards and 1 TD; Fran Lynch, 4 for 22 yards and 1 TD; Rick Upchurch, 2 for 4 yards; Jack Dolbin, 1 for 25 yards; Mike Franckowiak, 1 for 1 yard
Receiving:
PHI: Tom Sullivan, 5 for 62 yards; Charle Young, 4 for 38 yards; Po James, 3 for 24 yards; Charlie Smith, 2 for 24 yards and 1 TD; Harold Carmichael, 2 for 22 yards DEN: Floyd Little, 5 for 94 yards and 1 TD; Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 43 yards; Riley Odoms, 2 for 33 yards; Jon Keyworth, 2 for 18 yards
Kick returns:
PHI: Larry Marshall, 3 for 77 yards; Tom Sullivan, 2 for 23 yards; Po James, 1 for 35 yards DEN: Rick Upchurch, 2 for 54 yards; Floyd Little, 1 for 13 yards
Punt returns:
PHI: Larry Marshall, 4 for 36 yards DEN: Rick Upchurch, 3 for 83 yards
Interceptions:
PHI: Joe Lavender, 1 for 16 yards DEN: Randy Gradishar, 1 for 19 yards; Bob Swenson, 1 for 4 yards; Louis Wright, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
PHI: Spike Jones, 5 for 226 yards DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 7 for 258 yards
Field Goals:
PHI: Horst Muhlmann, 1/2 DEN: Jim Turner, 2/2
The Lions stopped a Vikings' threat when Levi Johnson intercepted a Fran Tarkenton pass at the goal line and drove 55 yards to score. Then, following a successful onside kick, they moved in to score on Bobby Thompson's 46-yard run and take a 14-0 lead which Minnesota could not overcome. Paul Krause, who intercepted 2 passes to lift his season total to 10 and career total to 74, scored the Vikings' touchdown on the finishing end of an 86-yard play that began with Wally Hilgenberg's recovery of a fumble on the Minnesota 16 and lateral to Krause at the Vikings' 30. Tarkenton's 34 passing attempts pushed his career total passes to 5,189 to break John Unitas' NFL record of 5,186.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 154.3 (9) | 209.6 (3) | 363.9 (2) | 21 |
| DEFENSE | 100.7 (1) | 114.8 (1) | 215.5 (1) | 33 | |
 | OFFENSE | 153.5 (10) | 138.7 (20) | 292.2 (17) | 24 |
| DEFENSE | 131.9 (10) | 155.9 (10) | 287.8 (9) | 33 |
Line: Vikings by 19
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings (11-2-0) | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Detroit Lions (7-6-0) | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
( 0- 7) DET Marlin Briscoe 8 yard pass from Joe Reed (Errol Mann kick)
( 0-14) DET Bobby Thompson 46 yard rush (Errol Mann kick)
( 3-14) MIN Fred Cox 39 yard field goal
( 3-17) DET Errol Mann 30 yard field goal
(10-17) MIN Paul Krause 86 yard fumble return (Fred Cox kick)
MIN DET
First Downs: 16 14
Rushes-yards: 26-74 43-204
Yards/rush: 2.8 4.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 18-34-156-2 9-17-88-2
Sacked-yards: 4-29 4-34
Net pass yards: 127 54
Net yards/pass: 3.3 2.6
Total net yards: 201 258
Total plays: 64 (40% run) 64 (67% run)
Yards/play: 3.1 4.0
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 2-2
Turnovers: 3 4
Penalties-yards: 8-58 8-55
Attendance: 72,742
Passing:
MIN: Fran Tarkenton, 18 of 34 for 156 yards (2 int) DET: Joe Reed, 9 of 17 for 88 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
MIN: Chuck Foreman, 14 for 24 yards; Brent McClanahan, 4 for 15 yards; Ed Marinaro, 3 for 12 yards; Robert Miller, 3 for 10 yards; John Gilliam, 1 for 11 yards; Fran Tarkenton, 1 for 2 yards DET: Dexter Bussey, 15 for 76 yards; Horace King, 8 for 34 yards; Altie Taylor, 8 for 18 yards; Joe Reed, 7 for 25 yards; Bobby Thompson, 5 for 51 yards and 1 TD
Receiving:
MIN: Brent McClanahan, 3 for 32 yards; Steve Craig, 3 for 32 yards; Ed Marinaro, 3 for 19 yards; Jim Lash, 2 for 22 yards; John Gilliam, 2 for 13 yards; Robert Miller, 2 for 6 yards; Sam McCullum, 1 for 20 yards; Stu Voigt, 1 for 8 yards; Chuck Foreman, 1 for 4 yards DET: Marlin Briscoe, 4 for 45 yards and 1 TD; Altie Taylor, 2 for 14 yards; Dexter Bussey, 2 for 13 yards; George Farmer, 1 for 16 yards
Kick returns:
MIN: Brent McClanahan, 2 for 26 yards; Sam McCullum, 1 for 17 yards DET: Bobby Thompson, 1 for 22 yards; Leonard Thompson, 1 for 18 yards
Punt returns:
MIN: Sam McCullum, 1 for 3 yards DET: Charlie West, 4 for 59 yards; Lem Barney, 2 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
MIN: Paul Krause, 2 for 20 yards DET: Levi Johnson, 1 for 45 yards; Mike Weger, 1 for 23 yards
Punting:
MIN: Neil Clabo, 7 for 311 yards DET: Herman Weaver, 5 for 255 yards
Field Goals:
MIN: Fred Cox, 1/1 DET: Errol Mann, 1/1
MIN: Fran Tarkenton, 18 of 34 for 156 yards (2 int) DET: Joe Reed, 9 of 17 for 88 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
MIN: Chuck Foreman, 14 for 24 yards; Brent McClanahan, 4 for 15 yards; Ed Marinaro, 3 for 12 yards; Robert Miller, 3 for 10 yards; John Gilliam, 1 for 11 yards; Fran Tarkenton, 1 for 2 yards DET: Dexter Bussey, 15 for 76 yards; Horace King, 8 for 34 yards; Altie Taylor, 8 for 18 yards; Joe Reed, 7 for 25 yards; Bobby Thompson, 5 for 51 yards and 1 TD
Receiving:
MIN: Brent McClanahan, 3 for 32 yards; Steve Craig, 3 for 32 yards; Ed Marinaro, 3 for 19 yards; Jim Lash, 2 for 22 yards; John Gilliam, 2 for 13 yards; Robert Miller, 2 for 6 yards; Sam McCullum, 1 for 20 yards; Stu Voigt, 1 for 8 yards; Chuck Foreman, 1 for 4 yards DET: Marlin Briscoe, 4 for 45 yards and 1 TD; Altie Taylor, 2 for 14 yards; Dexter Bussey, 2 for 13 yards; George Farmer, 1 for 16 yards
Kick returns:
MIN: Brent McClanahan, 2 for 26 yards; Sam McCullum, 1 for 17 yards DET: Bobby Thompson, 1 for 22 yards; Leonard Thompson, 1 for 18 yards
Punt returns:
MIN: Sam McCullum, 1 for 3 yards DET: Charlie West, 4 for 59 yards; Lem Barney, 2 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
MIN: Paul Krause, 2 for 20 yards DET: Levi Johnson, 1 for 45 yards; Mike Weger, 1 for 23 yards
Punting:
MIN: Neil Clabo, 7 for 311 yards DET: Herman Weaver, 5 for 255 yards
Field Goals:
MIN: Fred Cox, 1/1 DET: Errol Mann, 1/1
Tom Dempsey kicked three field goals and reserve quarterback Ron Jaworski and backup runner Rob Scribner picked up some slack as Rams' starting QB James Harris was sidelined with a sore shoulder and RB Jim Bertelsen suffered a knee injury. Jaworski completed 14 passes for 174 yards and Scribner ran for 82 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown. It was the fifth straight victory for the NFC Western champions, whose defense permitted only two touchdowns during the win streak.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 110.4 (25) | 149.4 (19) | 259.8 (21) | 30 |
| DEFENSE | 168.3 (22) | 154.6 (9) | 322.9 (16) | 34 | |
 | OFFENSE | 167.1 (6) | 166.2 (14) | 333.2 (10) | 22 |
| DEFENSE | 108.6 (2) | 136.0 (5) | 244.6 (2) | 32 |
Line: Rams by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers (3-10-0) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Los Angeles Rams (11-2-0) | 0 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 22 |
( 2- 0) GB Safety, Ron Jaworski tackled in end zone by Dave Pureifory
( 5- 0) GB Joe Danelo 48 yard field goal
( 5- 3) LA Tom Dempsey 40 yard field goal
( 5- 9) LA Rob Scribner 3 yard rush (kick failed)
( 5-12) LA Tom Dempsey 39 yard field goal
( 5-15) LA Tom Dempsey 38 yard field goal
( 5-22) LA John Cappelletti 2 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick)
GB LA
First Downs: 9 22
Rushes-yards: 24-53 43-195
Yards/rush: 2.2 4.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 13-29-146-2 15-26-176-2
Sacked-yards: 6-29 5-37
Net pass yards: 117 139
Net yards/pass: 3.3 4.5
Total net yards: 170 334
Total plays: 59 (40% run) 74 (58% run)
Yards/play: 2.9 4.5
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 1-0
Turnovers: 4 2
Penalties-yards: 4-35 3-20
Attendance: 59,312
Passing:
GB: John Hadl, 10 of 23 for 115 yards (2 int); Don Milan, 3 of 6 for 31 yards LA: Ron Jaworski, 14 of 24 for 174 yards (1 int); James Harris, 1 of 2 for 2 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
GB: John Brockington, 10 for 18 yards; Willard Harrell, 7 for -1 yards; John Hadl, 3 for 14 yards; Eric Torkelson, 2 for 6 yards; Don Milan, 1 for 11 yards; Gerald Tinker, 1 for 5 yards LA: Lawrence McCutcheon, 18 for 73 yards; Rob Scribner, 12 for 82 yards and 1 TD; Cullen Bryant, 8 for 29 yards; Ron Jaworski, 3 for 3 yards; Jim Bertelsen, 1 for 6 yards; John Cappelletti, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD
Receiving:
GB: Ken Payne, 6 for 57 yards; Gerald Tinker, 2 for 32 yards; Willard Harrell, 2 for 24 yards; Barty Smith, 1 for 16 yards; Rich McGeorge, 1 for 9 yards; Eric Torkelson, 1 for 8 yards LA: Ron Jessie, 7 for 78 yards; Lawrence McCutcheon, 3 for 20 yards; Rob Scribner, 2 for 28 yards; Cullen Bryant, 1 for 19 yards; Jack Snow, 1 for 17 yards; Harold Jackson, 1 for 14 yards
Kick returns:
GB: Steve Odom, 3 for 67 yards; Eric Torkelson, 2 for 39 yards; Barty Smith, 1 for 18 yards; Willard Harrell, 1 for 17 yards LA: Willie McGee, 1 for 20 yards; Cullen Bryant, 1 for 18 yards
Punt returns:
GB: Ken Ellis, 1 for 4 yards; Willard Harrell, 1 for -7 yards LA: Dave Elmendorf, 2 for 1 yard; Rob Scribner, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
GB: Fred Carr, 2 for 34 yards LA: Isiah Robertson, 1 for 19 yards; Bill Simpson, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
GB: David Beverly, 7 for 265 yards LA: Duane Carrell, 4 for 126 yards
Field Goals:
GB: Joe Danelo, 1/2 LA: Tom Dempsey, 3/4
GB: John Hadl, 10 of 23 for 115 yards (2 int); Don Milan, 3 of 6 for 31 yards LA: Ron Jaworski, 14 of 24 for 174 yards (1 int); James Harris, 1 of 2 for 2 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
GB: John Brockington, 10 for 18 yards; Willard Harrell, 7 for -1 yards; John Hadl, 3 for 14 yards; Eric Torkelson, 2 for 6 yards; Don Milan, 1 for 11 yards; Gerald Tinker, 1 for 5 yards LA: Lawrence McCutcheon, 18 for 73 yards; Rob Scribner, 12 for 82 yards and 1 TD; Cullen Bryant, 8 for 29 yards; Ron Jaworski, 3 for 3 yards; Jim Bertelsen, 1 for 6 yards; John Cappelletti, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD
Receiving:
GB: Ken Payne, 6 for 57 yards; Gerald Tinker, 2 for 32 yards; Willard Harrell, 2 for 24 yards; Barty Smith, 1 for 16 yards; Rich McGeorge, 1 for 9 yards; Eric Torkelson, 1 for 8 yards LA: Ron Jessie, 7 for 78 yards; Lawrence McCutcheon, 3 for 20 yards; Rob Scribner, 2 for 28 yards; Cullen Bryant, 1 for 19 yards; Jack Snow, 1 for 17 yards; Harold Jackson, 1 for 14 yards
Kick returns:
GB: Steve Odom, 3 for 67 yards; Eric Torkelson, 2 for 39 yards; Barty Smith, 1 for 18 yards; Willard Harrell, 1 for 17 yards LA: Willie McGee, 1 for 20 yards; Cullen Bryant, 1 for 18 yards
Punt returns:
GB: Ken Ellis, 1 for 4 yards; Willard Harrell, 1 for -7 yards LA: Dave Elmendorf, 2 for 1 yard; Rob Scribner, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
GB: Fred Carr, 2 for 34 yards LA: Isiah Robertson, 1 for 19 yards; Bill Simpson, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
GB: David Beverly, 7 for 265 yards LA: Duane Carrell, 4 for 126 yards
Field Goals:
GB: Joe Danelo, 1/2 LA: Tom Dempsey, 3/4
O. J. Simpson ran for 185 yards and his 21st touchdown, one short of the NFL record of 22 set by Gale Sayers in 1965, and Jim Braxton added 101 yards and two scores in a Buffalo victory. The yardage boosted O. J. to 8,066 for his career and 1,760 for the current season. The Bills sacked rookie Steve Grogan eight times but he passed for 272 yards and had the Patriots on top 7-6 at one stage in the second quarter. The Patriots lost four fumbles and had two passes intercepted. Joe Ferguson threw his 25th touchdown pass and gave way to Gary Marangi in the third quarter. Buffalo set a NFL record with 298 first downs in the season.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 208.8 (1) | 182.1 (7) | 390.8 (1) | 25 |
| DEFENSE | 144.9 (13) | 223.0 (26) | 367.9 (25) | 37 | |
 | OFFENSE | 137.2 (15) | 173.8 (10) | 311.0 (14) | 39 |
| DEFENSE | 145.2 (14) | 162.8 (12) | 308.1 (14) | 23 |
Line: Bills by 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills (8-5-0) | 6 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 34 |
| New England Patriots (3-10-0) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
( 6- 0) BUF Jim Braxton 1 yard rush (kick failed)
( 6- 7) NE Don Calhoun 62 yard pass from Steve Grogan (John Smith kick)
(13- 7) BUF Bob Chandler 5 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (John Leypoldt kick)
(20- 7) BUF Jim Braxton 1 yard rush (John Leypoldt kick)
(27- 7) BUF O.J. Simpson 63 yard rush (John Leypoldt kick)
(34- 7) BUF J.D. Hill 41 yard pass from Gary Marangi (John Leypoldt kick)
(34-14) NE Andy Johnson 20 yard rush (John Smith kick)
BUF NE
First Downs: 26 16
Rushes-yards: 53-349 30-86
Yards/rush: 6.6 2.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 11-19-137-1 17-30-272-2
Sacked-yards: 2-18 8-87
Net pass yards: 119 185
Net yards/pass: 5.7 4.9
Total net yards: 468 271
Total plays: 74 (71% run) 68 (44% run)
Yards/play: 6.3 4.0
Fumbles-lost: 3-3 5-4
Turnovers: 4 6
Penalties-yards: 6-45 5-56
Attendance: 58,393
Passing:
BUF: Joe Ferguson, 10 of 17 for 96 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Gary Marangi, 1 of 2 for 41 yards and 1 TD NE: Steve Grogan, 17 of 30 for 272 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
BUF: Jim Braxton, 23 for 101 yards and 2 TDs; O.J. Simpson, 21 for 185 yards and 1 TD; Vic Washington, 4 for 30 yards; Gary Hayman, 4 for 20 yards; Joe Ferguson, 1 for 13 yards NE: Andy Johnson, 13 for 65 yards and 1 TD; Don Calhoun, 7 for 0 yards; Sam Cunningham, 4 for 10 yards; Steve Grogan, 3 for 7 yards; Leon McQuay, 3 for 4 yards
Receiving:
BUF: J.D. Hill, 3 for 60 yards and 1 TD; Bob Chandler, 3 for 22 yards and 1 TD; O.J. Simpson, 2 for 28 yards; Paul Seymour, 2 for 20 yards; Jim Braxton, 1 for 7 yards NE: Don Calhoun, 3 for 100 yards and 1 TD; Darryl Stingley, 3 for 59 yards; Bob Windsor, 3 for 25 yards; Russ Francis, 2 for 46 yards; Andy Johnson, 2 for 16 yards; Leon McQuay, 2 for -2 yards; Sam Cunningham, 1 for 16 yards; Randy Vataha, 1 for 12 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Vic Washington, 1 for 16 yards NE: Leon McQuay, 2 for 27 yards; Darryl Stingley, 1 for 20 yards; Don Calhoun, 1 for 17 yards; Andy Johnson, 1 for 6 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Gary Hayman, 2 for 20 yards; John Holland, 1 for 3 yards NE: Andy Johnson, 1 for 12 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Dwight Harrison, 1 for 40 yards; Ike Thomas, 1 for 16 yards NE: Kevin Reilly, 1 for 54 yards
Punting:
BUF: Marv Bateman, 4 for 201 yards NE: Mike Patrick, 6 for 223 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: John Leypoldt, 0/1
BUF: Joe Ferguson, 10 of 17 for 96 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Gary Marangi, 1 of 2 for 41 yards and 1 TD NE: Steve Grogan, 17 of 30 for 272 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
BUF: Jim Braxton, 23 for 101 yards and 2 TDs; O.J. Simpson, 21 for 185 yards and 1 TD; Vic Washington, 4 for 30 yards; Gary Hayman, 4 for 20 yards; Joe Ferguson, 1 for 13 yards NE: Andy Johnson, 13 for 65 yards and 1 TD; Don Calhoun, 7 for 0 yards; Sam Cunningham, 4 for 10 yards; Steve Grogan, 3 for 7 yards; Leon McQuay, 3 for 4 yards
Receiving:
BUF: J.D. Hill, 3 for 60 yards and 1 TD; Bob Chandler, 3 for 22 yards and 1 TD; O.J. Simpson, 2 for 28 yards; Paul Seymour, 2 for 20 yards; Jim Braxton, 1 for 7 yards NE: Don Calhoun, 3 for 100 yards and 1 TD; Darryl Stingley, 3 for 59 yards; Bob Windsor, 3 for 25 yards; Russ Francis, 2 for 46 yards; Andy Johnson, 2 for 16 yards; Leon McQuay, 2 for -2 yards; Sam Cunningham, 1 for 16 yards; Randy Vataha, 1 for 12 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Vic Washington, 1 for 16 yards NE: Leon McQuay, 2 for 27 yards; Darryl Stingley, 1 for 20 yards; Don Calhoun, 1 for 17 yards; Andy Johnson, 1 for 6 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Gary Hayman, 2 for 20 yards; John Holland, 1 for 3 yards NE: Andy Johnson, 1 for 12 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Dwight Harrison, 1 for 40 yards; Ike Thomas, 1 for 16 yards NE: Kevin Reilly, 1 for 54 yards
Punting:
BUF: Marv Bateman, 4 for 201 yards NE: Mike Patrick, 6 for 223 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: John Leypoldt, 0/1
Following a 7-7 first half, the Giants scored three big-play touchdowns to snap a five-game losing streak. Rondy Colbert returned a punt 65 yards to score, Doug Kotar dashed 46 yards into the end zone, and Craig Morton completed a 45-yard touchdown pass to Ray Rhodes.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 116.5 (22) | 111.4 (25) | 227.9 (25) | 32 |
| DEFENSE | 134.2 (11) | 167.1 (13) | 301.3 (13) | 35 | |
 | OFFENSE | 110.7 (24) | 152.5 (18) | 263.2 (20) | 35 |
| DEFENSE | 172.1 (23) | 176.6 (17) | 348.7 (22) | 20 |
Line: Giants by 4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints (2-11-0) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| New York Giants (4-9-0) | 0 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
( 7- 0) NO Archie Manning 1 yard rush (Rich Szaro kick)
( 7- 7) NYG Doug Kotar 1 yard rush (George Hunt kick)
( 7-14) NYG Rondy Colbert 65 yard punt return (George Hunt kick)
( 7-21) NYG Doug Kotar 46 yard rush (George Hunt kick)
(14-21) NO Don Herrmann 4 yard pass from Archie Manning (Rich Szaro kick)
(14-28) NYG Ray Rhodes 45 yard pass from Craig Morton (George Hunt kick)
NO NYG
First Downs: 19 13
Rushes-yards: 43-176 31-124
Yards/rush: 4.1 4.0
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-34-108-2 11-19-146-0
Sacked-yards: 4-29 3-27
Net pass yards: 79 119
Net yards/pass: 2.1 5.4
Total net yards: 255 243
Total plays: 81 (53% run) 53 (58% run)
Yards/play: 3.1 4.6
Fumbles-lost: 6-1 2-1
Turnovers: 3 1
Penalties-yards: 9-60 2-16
Attendance: 40,150
Passing:
NO: Archie Manning, 14 of 34 for 108 yards and 1 TD (2 int) NYG: Craig Morton, 11 of 19 for 146 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
NO: Rod McNeill, 14 for 54 yards; Alvin Maxson, 10 for 33 yards; Archie Manning, 6 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Andrew Jones, 6 for 25 yards; Steve Rogers, 6 for 19 yards; Paul Seal, 1 for 10 yards NYG: Doug Kotar, 16 for 89 yards and 2 TDs; Joe Dawkins, 10 for 17 yards; Craig Morton, 3 for 3 yards; Marsh White, 2 for 15 yards
Receiving:
NO: Rod McNeill, 5 for 32 yards; Paul Seal, 4 for 47 yards; Alvin Maxson, 4 for 25 yards; Don Herrmann, 1 for 4 yards and 1 TD NYG: Bob Tucker, 7 for 80 yards; Ray Rhodes, 1 for 45 yards and 1 TD; Walker Gillette, 1 for 9 yards; Joe Dawkins, 1 for 7 yards; Ron Johnson, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
NO: Steve Rogers, 2 for 36 yards; Rod McNeill, 2 for 28 yards NYG: Rondy Colbert, 1 for 19 yards; Doug Kotar, 1 for 17 yards
Punt returns:
NO: Terry Schmidt, 3 for 17 yards; Tom Myers, 1 for 6 yards; Mo Spencer, 1 for 0 yards NYG: Rondy Colbert, 7 for 103 yards and 1 TD
Interceptions:
NYG: Bobby Brooks, 1 for 0 yards; Brad Van Pelt, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
NO: Tom Blanchard, 8 for 278 yards NYG: Dave Jennings, 7 for 282 yards; George Hunt, 1 for 35 yards
Field Goals:
NO: Archie Manning, 14 of 34 for 108 yards and 1 TD (2 int) NYG: Craig Morton, 11 of 19 for 146 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
NO: Rod McNeill, 14 for 54 yards; Alvin Maxson, 10 for 33 yards; Archie Manning, 6 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Andrew Jones, 6 for 25 yards; Steve Rogers, 6 for 19 yards; Paul Seal, 1 for 10 yards NYG: Doug Kotar, 16 for 89 yards and 2 TDs; Joe Dawkins, 10 for 17 yards; Craig Morton, 3 for 3 yards; Marsh White, 2 for 15 yards
Receiving:
NO: Rod McNeill, 5 for 32 yards; Paul Seal, 4 for 47 yards; Alvin Maxson, 4 for 25 yards; Don Herrmann, 1 for 4 yards and 1 TD NYG: Bob Tucker, 7 for 80 yards; Ray Rhodes, 1 for 45 yards and 1 TD; Walker Gillette, 1 for 9 yards; Joe Dawkins, 1 for 7 yards; Ron Johnson, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
NO: Steve Rogers, 2 for 36 yards; Rod McNeill, 2 for 28 yards NYG: Rondy Colbert, 1 for 19 yards; Doug Kotar, 1 for 17 yards
Punt returns:
NO: Terry Schmidt, 3 for 17 yards; Tom Myers, 1 for 6 yards; Mo Spencer, 1 for 0 yards NYG: Rondy Colbert, 7 for 103 yards and 1 TD
Interceptions:
NYG: Bobby Brooks, 1 for 0 yards; Brad Van Pelt, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
NO: Tom Blanchard, 8 for 278 yards NYG: Dave Jennings, 7 for 282 yards; George Hunt, 1 for 35 yards
Field Goals:
Dan Pastorini boosted the Oilers' record to 9-4 with a two-yard touchdown pass to Mack Alston on the final play of the game for a victory over the Raiders. George Blanda, trying for 2,000 points, had to settle for 1,998 after missing a field goal try and two conversions. Pastorini also threw two scoring passes to Ken Burrough of 68 and 13 yards. Ken Stabler passed for 176 yards and one touchdown before giving way to rookie David Humm. Rookie Neal Colzie broke the NFL record with 633 yards on punt returns, topping Rodger Bird's 612 in 1967.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 150.5 (12) | 128.2 (22) | 278.8 (19) | 29 |
| DEFENSE | 120.3 (3) | 170.1 (14) | 290.4 (10) | 35 | |
 | OFFENSE | 173.9 (4) | 167.8 (13) | 341.7 (7) | 41 |
| DEFENSE | 131.8 (9) | 120.1 (2) | 251.9 (3) | 34 |
Line: Raiders by 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Oilers (9-4-0) | 3 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
| Oakland Raiders (10-3-0) | 6 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 26 |
( 0- 6) OAK Cliff Branch 13 yard pass from Ken Stabler (kick failed)
( 3- 6) HOU Skip Butler 23 yard field goal
( 3-13) OAK Pete Banaszak 3 yard rush (George Blanda kick)
(10-13) HOU Ken Burrough 68 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Skip Butler kick)
(17-13) HOU Ken Burrough 13 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Skip Butler kick)
(17-20) OAK Harold Hart 3 yard rush (George Blanda kick)
(17-26) OAK Morris Bradshaw 13 yard pass from David Humm (kick failed)
(20-26) HOU Skip Butler 47 yard field goal
(27-26) HOU Mack Alston 2 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Skip Butler kick)
HOU OAK
First Downs: 19 23
Rushes-yards: 28-86 44-140
Yards/rush: 3.1 3.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 17-41-217-3 15-25-237-3
Sacked-yards: 4-43 0-0
Net pass yards: 174 237
Net yards/pass: 3.9 9.5
Total net yards: 260 377
Total plays: 73 (38% run) 69 (63% run)
Yards/play: 3.6 5.5
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 5-3
Turnovers: 3 6
Penalties-yards: 5-45 7-83
Attendance: 50,719
Passing:
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 17 of 41 for 217 yards and 3 TDs (3 int) OAK: Ken Stabler, 12 of 19 for 176 yards and 1 TD (2 int); David Humm, 3 of 6 for 61 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
HOU: Ronnie Coleman, 11 for 33 yards; Don Hardeman, 10 for 25 yards; Fred Willis, 4 for 2 yards; Dan Pastorini, 2 for 17 yards; Billy Johnson, 1 for 9 yards OAK: Pete Banaszak, 13 for 37 yards and 1 TD; Harold Hart, 13 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Mark van Eeghen, 11 for 47 yards; Jess Phillips, 4 for 12 yards; David Humm, 2 for 12 yards; Clarence Davis, 1 for -2 yards
Receiving:
HOU: Mack Alston, 5 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Ken Burrough, 4 for 112 yards and 2 TDs; Billy Johnson, 3 for 37 yards; Fred Willis, 3 for 11 yards; Don Hardeman, 1 for 5 yards; Ronnie Coleman, 1 for 3 yards OAK: Bob Moore, 5 for 39 yards; Fred Biletnikoff, 3 for 57 yards; Morris Bradshaw, 2 for 56 yards and 1 TD; Mike Siani, 2 for 53 yards; Cliff Branch, 2 for 27 yards and 1 TD; Mark van Eeghen, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 2 for 41 yards; Mark Cotney, 1 for 21 yards; Ronnie Coleman, 1 for 13 yards; C.L. Whittington, 1 for 0 yards OAK: Harold Hart, 1 for 36 yards; Jess Phillips, 1 for 26 yards; Warren Bankston, 1 for 19 yards; Mark van Eeghen, 1 for 17 yards; Pete Banaszak, 1 for 5 yards
Punt returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 1 for 4 yards OAK: Neal Colzie, 2 for 29 yards
Interceptions:
HOU: Zeke Moore, 1 for 36 yards; Gregg Bingham, 1 for 9 yards; Steve Kiner, 1 for 7 yards OAK: George Atkinson, 1 for 21 yards; Charlie Phillips, 1 for 4 yards; Skip Thomas, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 5 for 155 yards OAK: Ray Guy, 2 for 53 yards
Field Goals:
HOU: Skip Butler, 2/2 OAK: George Blanda, 0/1
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 17 of 41 for 217 yards and 3 TDs (3 int) OAK: Ken Stabler, 12 of 19 for 176 yards and 1 TD (2 int); David Humm, 3 of 6 for 61 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
HOU: Ronnie Coleman, 11 for 33 yards; Don Hardeman, 10 for 25 yards; Fred Willis, 4 for 2 yards; Dan Pastorini, 2 for 17 yards; Billy Johnson, 1 for 9 yards OAK: Pete Banaszak, 13 for 37 yards and 1 TD; Harold Hart, 13 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Mark van Eeghen, 11 for 47 yards; Jess Phillips, 4 for 12 yards; David Humm, 2 for 12 yards; Clarence Davis, 1 for -2 yards
Receiving:
HOU: Mack Alston, 5 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Ken Burrough, 4 for 112 yards and 2 TDs; Billy Johnson, 3 for 37 yards; Fred Willis, 3 for 11 yards; Don Hardeman, 1 for 5 yards; Ronnie Coleman, 1 for 3 yards OAK: Bob Moore, 5 for 39 yards; Fred Biletnikoff, 3 for 57 yards; Morris Bradshaw, 2 for 56 yards and 1 TD; Mike Siani, 2 for 53 yards; Cliff Branch, 2 for 27 yards and 1 TD; Mark van Eeghen, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 2 for 41 yards; Mark Cotney, 1 for 21 yards; Ronnie Coleman, 1 for 13 yards; C.L. Whittington, 1 for 0 yards OAK: Harold Hart, 1 for 36 yards; Jess Phillips, 1 for 26 yards; Warren Bankston, 1 for 19 yards; Mark van Eeghen, 1 for 17 yards; Pete Banaszak, 1 for 5 yards
Punt returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 1 for 4 yards OAK: Neal Colzie, 2 for 29 yards
Interceptions:
HOU: Zeke Moore, 1 for 36 yards; Gregg Bingham, 1 for 9 yards; Steve Kiner, 1 for 7 yards OAK: George Atkinson, 1 for 21 yards; Charlie Phillips, 1 for 4 yards; Skip Thomas, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 5 for 155 yards OAK: Ray Guy, 2 for 53 yards
Field Goals:
HOU: Skip Butler, 2/2 OAK: George Blanda, 0/1