NFL game summary for 12/14/1975:
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