NFL game summary for 12/21/1975:
Baltimore completed its amazing comeback from a last place 2-12 season in 1974 to a 10-4 year in 1975 by winning the AFC East and running its consecutive victory streak to nine against the stubborn Patriots. The Colts, needing a win to clinch, trailed 21-20 in the fourth quarter and had to come back with Lydell Mitchell's 15th touchdown of the season after a Stan White interception and Nelson Munsey's 30-yard interception return. Mitchell finished with 1,193 yards and Bert Jones with 18 TD passes.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 133.3 (15) | 174.6 (10) | 307.9 (14) | 45 |
| DEFENSE | 160.9 (20) | 159.5 (12) | 320.4 (15) | 27 | |
 | OFFENSE | 160.7 (8) | 162.3 (14) | 323.0 (11) | 16 |
| DEFENSE | 131.5 (10) | 168.0 (14) | 299.5 (13) | 36 |
Line: Colts by 16
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots (3-11-0) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Baltimore Colts (10-4-0) | 7 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 34 |
( 7- 0) NE Allen Carter 99 yard kickoff return (John Smith kick)
( 7- 7) BAL Bert Jones 8 yard rush (Toni Linhart kick)
( 7-10) BAL Toni Linhart 19 yard field goal
(14-10) NE Sam Cunningham 7 yard pass from Steve Grogan (John Smith kick)
(14-17) BAL Raymond Chester 20 yard pass from Bert Jones (Toni Linhart kick)
(14-20) BAL Toni Linhart 31 yard field goal
(21-20) NE Steve Grogan 1 yard rush (John Smith kick)
(21-27) BAL Lydell Mitchell 11 yard rush (Toni Linhart kick)
(21-34) BAL Nelson Munsey 30 yard interception return (Toni Linhart kick)
NE BAL
First Downs: 18 18
Rushes-yards: 28-112 39-128
Yards/rush: 4.0 3.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 16-35-201-5 18-31-181-1
Sacked-yards: 3-33 1-10
Net pass yards: 168 171
Net yards/pass: 4.4 5.3
Total net yards: 280 299
Total plays: 66 (42% run) 71 (54% run)
Yards/play: 4.2 4.2
Fumbles-lost: 3-0 1-1
Turnovers: 5 2
Penalties-yards: 5-44 5-41
Attendance: 51,926
Passing:
NE: Steve Grogan, 16 of 35 for 201 yards and 1 TD (5 int) BAL: Bert Jones, 18 of 31 for 181 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
NE: Andy Johnson, 13 for 44 yards; Sam Cunningham, 9 for 43 yards; Allen Carter, 3 for 21 yards; Steve Grogan, 2 for 3 yards and 1 TD; Don Calhoun, 1 for 1 yard BAL: Lydell Mitchell, 34 for 98 yards and 1 TD; Bert Jones, 2 for 19 yards and 1 TD; Bill Olds, 2 for 6 yards; Don McCauley, 1 for 5 yards
Receiving:
NE: Andy Johnson, 6 for 103 yards; Randy Vataha, 4 for 54 yards; Sam Cunningham, 3 for 10 yards and 1 TD; Bob Windsor, 2 for 24 yards; Steve Burks, 1 for 10 yards BAL: Roger Carr, 6 for 77 yards; Glenn Doughty, 3 for 45 yards; Raymond Chester, 3 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Bill Olds, 3 for 14 yards; Don McCauley, 2 for 0 yards; Lydell Mitchell, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
NE: Allen Carter, 6 for 206 yards and 1 TD; Darryl Stingley, 1 for 24 yards BAL: Bruce Laird, 3 for 90 yards; Marshall Johnson, 1 for 25 yards
Punt returns:
NE: Andy Johnson, 3 for 25 yards BAL: Howard Stevens, 5 for 85 yards
Interceptions:
NE: Steve Nelson, 1 for 4 yards BAL: Stan White, 2 for 32 yards; Nelson Munsey, 1 for 30 yards and 1 TD; Bruce Laird, 1 for 12 yards; Fred Cook, 1 for 8 yards
Punting:
NE: Mike Patrick, 6 for 253 yards BAL: David Lee, 5 for 194 yards
Field Goals:
BAL: Toni Linhart, 2/4
NE: Steve Grogan, 16 of 35 for 201 yards and 1 TD (5 int) BAL: Bert Jones, 18 of 31 for 181 yards and 1 TD (1 int)
Rushing:
NE: Andy Johnson, 13 for 44 yards; Sam Cunningham, 9 for 43 yards; Allen Carter, 3 for 21 yards; Steve Grogan, 2 for 3 yards and 1 TD; Don Calhoun, 1 for 1 yard BAL: Lydell Mitchell, 34 for 98 yards and 1 TD; Bert Jones, 2 for 19 yards and 1 TD; Bill Olds, 2 for 6 yards; Don McCauley, 1 for 5 yards
Receiving:
NE: Andy Johnson, 6 for 103 yards; Randy Vataha, 4 for 54 yards; Sam Cunningham, 3 for 10 yards and 1 TD; Bob Windsor, 2 for 24 yards; Steve Burks, 1 for 10 yards BAL: Roger Carr, 6 for 77 yards; Glenn Doughty, 3 for 45 yards; Raymond Chester, 3 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Bill Olds, 3 for 14 yards; Don McCauley, 2 for 0 yards; Lydell Mitchell, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
NE: Allen Carter, 6 for 206 yards and 1 TD; Darryl Stingley, 1 for 24 yards BAL: Bruce Laird, 3 for 90 yards; Marshall Johnson, 1 for 25 yards
Punt returns:
NE: Andy Johnson, 3 for 25 yards BAL: Howard Stevens, 5 for 85 yards
Interceptions:
NE: Steve Nelson, 1 for 4 yards BAL: Stan White, 2 for 32 yards; Nelson Munsey, 1 for 30 yards and 1 TD; Bruce Laird, 1 for 12 yards; Fred Cook, 1 for 8 yards
Punting:
NE: Mike Patrick, 6 for 253 yards BAL: David Lee, 5 for 194 yards
Field Goals:
BAL: Toni Linhart, 2/4