NFL game summary for 12/14/1975:
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