NFL game summary for 12/28/1975:

A dramatic 50-yard touchdown pass from Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson with 24 seconds to play boosted the Dallas Cowboys, the wild card team, into the NFC championship game with the Rams on a 17-14 win over the defending champion Vikings. Minnesota scored first on a one-yard run by Chuck Foreman after linebacker Fred McNeill recovered a muffed punt on the four-yard line. The Cowboys, shut out for a half, tied the score on a Doug Dennison four-yard run in the third quarter and took a 10-7 lead on Toni Fritsch's 24-yard field goal on the first play of the final period. Brent McClanahan scored from the one, ending a 70-yard Vikings' drive with 5:24 to go.

With less than two minutes to go, Dallas moved 85 yards as Staubach, operating out of the shotgun formation, finally hit Drew Pearson with the winning pass. Staubach completed 17 of 29 for 246 yards, and Fran Tarkenton hit with 12 of 26 for 135 yards. The Vikings' Chuck Foreman topped the rushers with 56 yards. Dennison was high for Dallas with 36 yards.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Team		Rush Yds/Gm	Pass Yds/Gm	Tot Yds/Gm	Turnovers
Dallas Cowboys	OFFENSE	173.7  (5)	185.2  (4)	358.9  (3)	35
	DEFENSE	121.4  (4)	145.7  (8)	267.1  (5)	44
Minnesota Vikings	OFFENSE	149.6  (10)	204.4  (3)	353.9  (4)	26
	DEFENSE	109.4  (1)	115.8  (1)	225.2  (1)	42

Line: Vikings by 8

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Dallas Cowboys (11-4-0)	0	0	7	10	17
Minnesota Vikings (12-3-0)	0	7	0	7	14

( 0- 7) MIN Chuck Foreman 1 yard rush (Fred Cox kick)
( 7- 7) DAL Doug Dennison 4 yard rush (Toni Fritsch kick)
(10- 7) DAL Toni Fritsch 24 yard field goal
(10-14) MIN Brent McClanahan 1 yard rush (Fred Cox kick)
(17-14) DAL Drew Pearson 50 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick)

                     DAL             MIN
First Downs:         19              12
Rushes-yards:        42-131          27-115
Yards/rush:          3.1             4.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     17-29-256-0     12-26-135-1
Sacked-yards:        5-21            4-35
Net pass yards:      235             100
Net yards/pass:      6.9             3.3
Total net yards:     366             215
Total plays:         76 (55% run)    57 (47% run)  
Yards/play:          4.8             3.8
Fumbles-lost:        3-1             2-0
Turnovers:           1               1
Penalties-yards:     4-30            7-60

Attendance: 48,050

Passing:
DAL: Roger Staubach, 17 of 29 for 246 yards and 1 TD
MIN: Fran Tarkenton, 12 of 26 for 135 yards (1 int)

Rushing:
DAL: Robert Newhouse, 12 for 33 yards; Doug Dennison, 11 for 36 yards and 1 TD; Preston Pearson, 11 for 34 yards; Roger Staubach, 7 for 24 yards; Jean Fugett, 1 for 4 yards
MIN: Chuck Foreman, 18 for 56 yards and 1 TD; Brent McClanahan, 4 for 22 yards and 1 TD; Fran Tarkenton, 3 for 32 yards; Ed Marinaro, 2 for 5 yards

Receiving:
DAL: Preston Pearson, 5 for 77 yards; Drew Pearson, 4 for 91 yards and 1 TD; Robert Newhouse, 2 for 25 yards; Golden Richards, 2 for 20 yards; Jean Fugett, 2 for 13 yards; Billy Joe DuPree, 1 for 17 yards; Doug Dennison, 1 for 3 yards
MIN: Ed Marinaro, 5 for 64 yards; Chuck Foreman, 4 for 42 yards; John Gilliam, 1 for 15 yards; Jim Lash, 1 for 15 yards; Stu Voigt, 1 for -1 yards

Kick returns:
DAL: Preston Pearson, 2 for 26 yards; Doug Dennison, 1 for 13 yards
MIN: Brent McClanahan, 2 for 38 yards; Sam McCullum, 1 for 3 yards; Dave Osborn, 1 for 0 yards

Punt returns:
DAL: Golden Richards, 2 for 13 yards; Cliff Harris, 2 for 5 yards
MIN: Sam McCullum, 3 for 4 yards; Bobby Bryant, 1 for 1 yard

Interceptions:
DAL: Mel Renfro, 1 for 0 yards

Punting:
DAL: Mitch Hoopes, 6 for 231 yards
MIN: Neil Clabo, 7 for 277 yards

Field Goals:
DAL: Toni Fritsch, 1/2
MIN: Fred Cox, 0/1

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