All NFL game summaries for 10/03/1976:
Mike Boryla threw second half touchdown passes to Harold Carmichael and Charlie Smith after the Falcons took a 13-0 halftime lead, limiting Philadelphia to 34 net yards in the first two periods. Steve Bartkowski got Atlanta on the scoreboard with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Alfred Jenkins and went on to complete 18 of 32 passes for 212 yards, but suffered two interceptions. Boryla's fourth down pass with 4:21 left in the game found Smith in the end zone to lead the Eagles to their first win over the Falcons since 1967.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 199.7 (4) | 133.0 (20) | 332.7 (9) | 13 |
| DEFENSE | 134.0 (13) | 162.3 (14) | 296.3 (11) | 9 | |
 | OFFENSE | 125.3 (21) | 113.3 (24) | 238.7 (25) | 9 |
| DEFENSE | 182.0 (23) | 114.7 (4) | 296.7 (12) | 10 |
Line: Falcons by 6
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles (2-2-0) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Atlanta Falcons (1-3-0) | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
( 0- 7) ATL Alfred Jenkins 11 yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Nick Mke-Mayer kick)
( 0-10) ATL Nick Mke-Mayer 40 yard field goal
( 0-13) ATL Nick Mke-Mayer 46 yard field goal
( 7-13) PHI Harold Carmichael 22 yard pass from Mike Boryla (Horst Muhlmann kick)
(14-13) PHI Charlie Smith 9 yard pass from Mike Boryla (Horst Muhlmann kick)
PHI ATL
First Downs: 14 18
Rushes-yards: 34-157 30-126
Yards/rush: 4.6 4.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 10-22-97-0 18-32-212-2
Sacked-yards: 4-44 6-50
Net pass yards: 53 162
Net yards/pass: 2.0 4.3
Total net yards: 210 288
Total plays: 60 (56% run) 68 (44% run)
Yards/play: 3.5 4.2
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 0-0
Turnovers: 1 2
Penalties-yards: 11-75 9-95
Attendance: 45,535
Passing:
PHI: Mike Boryla, 10 of 22 for 97 yards and 2 TDs ATL: Steve Bartkowski, 18 of 32 for 212 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
PHI: Herb Lusk, 14 for 73 yards; Mike Hogan, 9 for 45 yards; Bill Olds, 7 for 26 yards; Tom Sullivan, 2 for 8 yards; Mike Boryla, 2 for 5 yards ATL: Bubba Bean, 18 for 71 yards; Haskel Stanback, 6 for 28 yards; Woody Thompson, 5 for 20 yards; Sonny Collins, 1 for 7 yards
Receiving:
PHI: Harold Carmichael, 3 for 36 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Smith, 3 for 31 yards and 1 TD; Herb Lusk, 2 for 16 yards; Mike Hogan, 1 for 10 yards; Charle Young, 1 for 4 yards ATL: Alfred Jenkins, 4 for 76 yards and 1 TD; Bubba Bean, 4 for 28 yards; John Gilliam, 3 for 37 yards; Jim Mitchell, 3 for 35 yards; Haskel Stanback, 2 for 19 yards; Wallace Francis, 1 for 12 yards; Woody Thompson, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
PHI: Larry Marshall, 3 for 82 yards ATL: Sonny Collins, 3 for 57 yards
Punt returns:
PHI: Bill Bradley, 2 for 8 yards ATL: Rolland Lawrence, 7 for 49 yards
Interceptions:
PHI: Randy Logan, 1 for 38 yards; Al Clark, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
PHI: Spike Jones, 10 for 350 yards ATL: John James, 8 for 342 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Nick Mike-Mayer, 2/3
PHI: Mike Boryla, 10 of 22 for 97 yards and 2 TDs ATL: Steve Bartkowski, 18 of 32 for 212 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
PHI: Herb Lusk, 14 for 73 yards; Mike Hogan, 9 for 45 yards; Bill Olds, 7 for 26 yards; Tom Sullivan, 2 for 8 yards; Mike Boryla, 2 for 5 yards ATL: Bubba Bean, 18 for 71 yards; Haskel Stanback, 6 for 28 yards; Woody Thompson, 5 for 20 yards; Sonny Collins, 1 for 7 yards
Receiving:
PHI: Harold Carmichael, 3 for 36 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Smith, 3 for 31 yards and 1 TD; Herb Lusk, 2 for 16 yards; Mike Hogan, 1 for 10 yards; Charle Young, 1 for 4 yards ATL: Alfred Jenkins, 4 for 76 yards and 1 TD; Bubba Bean, 4 for 28 yards; John Gilliam, 3 for 37 yards; Jim Mitchell, 3 for 35 yards; Haskel Stanback, 2 for 19 yards; Wallace Francis, 1 for 12 yards; Woody Thompson, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
PHI: Larry Marshall, 3 for 82 yards ATL: Sonny Collins, 3 for 57 yards
Punt returns:
PHI: Bill Bradley, 2 for 8 yards ATL: Rolland Lawrence, 7 for 49 yards
Interceptions:
PHI: Randy Logan, 1 for 38 yards; Al Clark, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
PHI: Spike Jones, 10 for 350 yards ATL: John James, 8 for 342 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Nick Mike-Mayer, 2/3
Bert Jones threw two touchdown passes and Roosevelt Leaks ran for two scores as the Colts scored 42 consecutive points. Leaks rushed for 72 yards on 13 carries and scored on a one-yard run in the second quarter after Dave Green had put Tampa Bay ahead 3-0 on a 40-yard field goal. Tampa Bay got its first touchdowns ever on 44-yard fumble return by cornerback Danny Reece and a one-yard run by Charlie Davis, both in the closing minutes of the game.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 117.0 (23) | 74.0 (27) | 191.0 (27) | 8 |
| DEFENSE | 164.7 (21) | 166.3 (16) | 331.0 (19) | 8 | |
 | OFFENSE | 145.0 (12) | 212.0 (4) | 357.0 (8) | 7 |
| DEFENSE | 122.3 (8) | 236.7 (27) | 359.0 (23) | 11 |
Line: Colts by 18
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4-0) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
| Baltimore Colts (3-1-0) | 0 | 24 | 9 | 9 | 42 |
( 3- 0) TB Dave Green 40 yard field goal
( 3- 7) BAL Roosevelt Leaks 1 yard rush (Toni Linhart kick)
( 3-10) BAL Toni Linhart 32 yard field goal
( 3-17) BAL Roosevelt Leaks 1 yard rush (Toni Linhart kick)
( 3-24) BAL Roger Carr 48 yard pass from Bert Jones (Toni Linhart kick)
( 3-30) BAL Lydell Mitchell 24 yard pass from Bert Jones (kick failed)
( 3-33) BAL Toni Linhart 38 yard field goal
( 3-40) BAL Don McCauley 2 yard rush (Toni Linhart kick)
( 3-42) BAL Safety, Parnell Dickinson tackled in end zone by Ron Fernandes
(10-42) TB Danny Reece 44 yard fumble return (Dave Green kick)
(17-42) TB Charlie Davis 1 yard rush (Dave Green kick)
TB BAL
First Downs: 6 31
Rushes-yards: 24-76 50-238
Yards/rush: 3.2 4.8
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 4-15-87-1 19-33-245-0
Sacked-yards: 8-74 3-25
Net pass yards: 13 220
Net yards/pass: 0.6 6.1
Total net yards: 89 458
Total plays: 47 (51% run) 86 (58% run)
Yards/play: 1.9 5.3
Fumbles-lost: 2-0 2-2
Turnovers: 1 2
Penalties-yards: 12-94 11-124
Attendance: 40,453
Passing:
TB: Steve Spurrier, 2 of 9 for 36 yards; Parnell Dickinson, 1 of 5 for 12 yards (1 int); Lee McGriff, 1 of 1 for 39 yards BAL: Bert Jones, 15 of 24 for 186 yards and 2 TDs; Bill Troup, 4 of 9 for 59 yards
Rushing:
TB: Louis Carter, 12 for 35 yards; Ed Williams, 5 for 20 yards; Charlie Davis, 4 for 9 yards and 1 TD; Essex Johnson, 2 for 12 yards; Jimmy DuBose, 1 for 0 yards BAL: Lydell Mitchell, 14 for 98 yards; Don McCauley, 14 for 51 yards and 1 TD; Roosevelt Leaks, 13 for 72 yards and 2 TDs; Ron Lee, 6 for 14 yards; Bill Troup, 2 for -1 yards; Bert Jones, 1 for 4 yards
Receiving:
TB: John McKay, 2 for 26 yards; Barry Smith, 1 for 39 yards; Jack Novak, 1 for 22 yards BAL: Don McCauley, 5 for 52 yards; Lydell Mitchell, 5 for 41 yards and 1 TD; Roger Carr, 2 for 54 yards and 1 TD; Freddie Scott, 2 for 26 yards; Raymond Chester, 2 for 22 yards; Jimmie Kennedy, 1 for 32 yards; Ricky Thompson, 1 for 11 yards; Glenn Doughty, 1 for 7 yards
Kick returns:
TB: Louis Carter, 4 for 72 yards; Rod McNeill, 1 for 32 yards; Charlie Davis, 1 for 17 yards BAL: Howard Stevens, 2 for 35 yards; Jimmie Kennedy, 1 for 15 yards; Ron Lee, 1 for -2 yards
Punt returns:
TB: Danny Reece, 2 for 4 yards; Mark Cotney, 1 for 9 yards BAL: Howard Stevens, 8 for 80 yards
Interceptions:
BAL: Nelson Munsey, 1 for 10 yards
Punting:
TB: Dave Green, 9 for 366 yards BAL: David Lee, 4 for 163 yards
Field Goals:
TB: Dave Green, 1/1 BAL: Toni Linhart, 2/2
TB: Steve Spurrier, 2 of 9 for 36 yards; Parnell Dickinson, 1 of 5 for 12 yards (1 int); Lee McGriff, 1 of 1 for 39 yards BAL: Bert Jones, 15 of 24 for 186 yards and 2 TDs; Bill Troup, 4 of 9 for 59 yards
Rushing:
TB: Louis Carter, 12 for 35 yards; Ed Williams, 5 for 20 yards; Charlie Davis, 4 for 9 yards and 1 TD; Essex Johnson, 2 for 12 yards; Jimmy DuBose, 1 for 0 yards BAL: Lydell Mitchell, 14 for 98 yards; Don McCauley, 14 for 51 yards and 1 TD; Roosevelt Leaks, 13 for 72 yards and 2 TDs; Ron Lee, 6 for 14 yards; Bill Troup, 2 for -1 yards; Bert Jones, 1 for 4 yards
Receiving:
TB: John McKay, 2 for 26 yards; Barry Smith, 1 for 39 yards; Jack Novak, 1 for 22 yards BAL: Don McCauley, 5 for 52 yards; Lydell Mitchell, 5 for 41 yards and 1 TD; Roger Carr, 2 for 54 yards and 1 TD; Freddie Scott, 2 for 26 yards; Raymond Chester, 2 for 22 yards; Jimmie Kennedy, 1 for 32 yards; Ricky Thompson, 1 for 11 yards; Glenn Doughty, 1 for 7 yards
Kick returns:
TB: Louis Carter, 4 for 72 yards; Rod McNeill, 1 for 32 yards; Charlie Davis, 1 for 17 yards BAL: Howard Stevens, 2 for 35 yards; Jimmie Kennedy, 1 for 15 yards; Ron Lee, 1 for -2 yards
Punt returns:
TB: Danny Reece, 2 for 4 yards; Mark Cotney, 1 for 9 yards BAL: Howard Stevens, 8 for 80 yards
Interceptions:
BAL: Nelson Munsey, 1 for 10 yards
Punting:
TB: Dave Green, 9 for 366 yards BAL: David Lee, 4 for 163 yards
Field Goals:
TB: Dave Green, 1/1 BAL: Toni Linhart, 2/2
O.J. Simpson became the Bills' all-time leading scorer with his 50th and 51st career touchdowns as Buffalo ran up the most points ever against Kansas City. Simpson, with 130 yards, and ex-Chief Jeff Kinney, with 114, became the sixth pair of Bills backs to rush for over 100 yards in a game. Joe Ferguson passed for 184 yards and threw three touchdown passes to Bob Chandler. Tony Adams replaced starting quarterback Mike Livingston (dislocated finger) and completed 17 of 32 for 319 yards and touchdown passes to Henry Marshall and Tommy Reamon. Tony Greene's 101-yard interception return for a touchdown on the last play of the game tied for the second longest in NFL history and was the longest in the NFL in 1976.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 131.0 (20) | 162.3 (13) | 293.3 (18) | 5 |
| DEFENSE | 259.0 (28) | 187.0 (20) | 446.0 (28) | 4 | |
 | OFFENSE | 102.0 (25) | 180.0 (10) | 282.0 (19) | 4 |
| DEFENSE | 194.0 (24) | 139.0 (10) | 333.0 (20) | 6 |
Line: Bills by 8
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs (0-4-0) | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Buffalo Bills (2-2-0) | 16 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 50 |
( 0- 3) BUF George Jakowenko 30 yard field goal
( 0-10) BUF Bob Chandler 1 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (George Jakowenko kick)
( 0-16) BUF Bob Chandler 5 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (kick failed)
( 7-16) KC Henry Marshall 31 yard pass from Tony Adams (Jan Stenerud kick)
( 7-23) BUF Bob Chandler 7 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (George Jakowenko kick)
(10-23) KC Jan Stenerud 33 yard field goal
(10-30) BUF Jeff Kinney 1 yard rush (George Jakowenko kick)
(17-30) KC Tommy Reamon 49 yard pass from Tony Adams (Jan Stenerud kick)
(17-36) BUF O.J. Simpson 1 yard rush (kick failed)
(17-43) BUF O.J. Simpson 5 yard rush (George Jakowenko kick)
(17-50) BUF Tony Greene 101 yard interception return (George Jakowenko kick)
KC BUF
First Downs: 22 25
Rushes-yards: 33-161 44-266
Yards/rush: 4.9 6.0
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 18-33-363-3 14-24-184-0
Sacked-yards: 3-22 1-4
Net pass yards: 341 180
Net yards/pass: 9.5 7.2
Total net yards: 502 446
Total plays: 69 (47% run) 69 (63% run)
Yards/play: 7.3 6.5
Fumbles-lost: 5-3 0-0
Turnovers: 6 0
Penalties-yards: 7-48 5-38
Attendance: 51,909
Passing:
KC: Tony Adams, 17 of 32 for 319 yards and 2 TDs (3 int); Mike Livingston, 1 of 1 for 44 yards BUF: Joe Ferguson, 14 of 24 for 184 yards and 3 TDs
Rushing:
KC: Woody Green, 13 for 58 yards; MacArthur Lane, 10 for 50 yards; Tommy Reamon, 8 for 31 yards; Tony Adams, 1 for 21 yards; Ed Podolak, 1 for 1 yard BUF: O.J. Simpson, 24 for 130 yards and 2 TDs; Jeff Kinney, 17 for 114 yards and 1 TD; Joe Ferguson, 3 for 22 yards
Receiving:
KC: Larry Brunson, 6 for 106 yards; MacArthur Lane, 4 for 78 yards; Walter White, 3 for 58 yards; Henry Marshall, 3 for 54 yards and 1 TD; Tommy Reamon, 1 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Billy Masters, 1 for 18 yards BUF: Bob Chandler, 6 for 59 yards and 3 TDs; John Holland, 3 for 37 yards; Jeff Kinney, 2 for 12 yards; Emmett Edwards, 1 for 46 yards; Paul Seymour, 1 for 22 yards; O.J. Simpson, 1 for 8 yards
Kick returns:
KC: Tommy Reamon, 4 for 96 yards; Lawrence Williams, 3 for 79 yards; Woody Green, 1 for 30 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 1 for 41 yards; Roland Hooks, 1 for 20 yards
Punt returns:
KC: Larry Brunson, 3 for 48 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 1 for 12 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Tony Greene, 1 for 101 yards and 1 TD; Dan Jilek, 1 for 28 yards; Sherman White, 1 for 5 yards
Punting:
KC: Jerrel Wilson, 4 for 176 yards BUF: Marv Bateman, 5 for 212 yards
Field Goals:
KC: Jan Stenerud, 1/1 BUF: George Jakowenko, 1/1
KC: Tony Adams, 17 of 32 for 319 yards and 2 TDs (3 int); Mike Livingston, 1 of 1 for 44 yards BUF: Joe Ferguson, 14 of 24 for 184 yards and 3 TDs
Rushing:
KC: Woody Green, 13 for 58 yards; MacArthur Lane, 10 for 50 yards; Tommy Reamon, 8 for 31 yards; Tony Adams, 1 for 21 yards; Ed Podolak, 1 for 1 yard BUF: O.J. Simpson, 24 for 130 yards and 2 TDs; Jeff Kinney, 17 for 114 yards and 1 TD; Joe Ferguson, 3 for 22 yards
Receiving:
KC: Larry Brunson, 6 for 106 yards; MacArthur Lane, 4 for 78 yards; Walter White, 3 for 58 yards; Henry Marshall, 3 for 54 yards and 1 TD; Tommy Reamon, 1 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Billy Masters, 1 for 18 yards BUF: Bob Chandler, 6 for 59 yards and 3 TDs; John Holland, 3 for 37 yards; Jeff Kinney, 2 for 12 yards; Emmett Edwards, 1 for 46 yards; Paul Seymour, 1 for 22 yards; O.J. Simpson, 1 for 8 yards
Kick returns:
KC: Tommy Reamon, 4 for 96 yards; Lawrence Williams, 3 for 79 yards; Woody Green, 1 for 30 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 1 for 41 yards; Roland Hooks, 1 for 20 yards
Punt returns:
KC: Larry Brunson, 3 for 48 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 1 for 12 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Tony Greene, 1 for 101 yards and 1 TD; Dan Jilek, 1 for 28 yards; Sherman White, 1 for 5 yards
Punting:
KC: Jerrel Wilson, 4 for 176 yards BUF: Marv Bateman, 5 for 212 yards
Field Goals:
KC: Jan Stenerud, 1/1 BUF: George Jakowenko, 1/1
Walter Payton rushed for 104 yards and one touchdown, his third 100-yard game and a league-leading total 408 yards, as the Bears dealt the Redskins their worst defeat under George Allen and held Washington to its fewest yards total offense, 119, since 1961. Bob Avellini scored the first Chicago touchdown on a four-yard run and passed six yards to James Scott for another. Joe Theismann led the Redskins in the second half and hit Jackie Smith with a one-yard touchdown pass with one second left, avoiding a shutout.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 167.3 (8) | 159.3 (14) | 326.7 (11) | 10 |
| DEFENSE | 150.0 (18) | 163.3 (15) | 313.3 (15) | 13 | |
 | OFFENSE | 132.3 (19) | 109.3 (25) | 241.7 (23) | 8 |
| DEFENSE | 108.0 (5) | 126.3 (7) | 234.3 (5) | 6 |
Line: Redskins by 6
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins (3-1-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Chicago Bears (3-1-0) | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 33 |
( 0- 7) CHI Bob Avellini 4 yard rush (Bob Thomas kick)
( 0-10) CHI Bob Thomas 47 yard field goal
( 0-17) CHI James Scott 6 yard pass from Bob Avellini (Bob Thomas kick)
( 0-20) CHI Bob Thomas 34 yard field goal
( 0-27) CHI Walter Payton 10 yard rush (Bob Thomas kick)
( 0-30) CHI Bob Thomas 39 yard field goal
( 0-33) CHI Bob Thomas 35 yard field goal
( 7-33) WAS Jerry Smith 1 yard pass from Joe Theismann (Mark Moseley kick)
WAS CHI
First Downs: 10 25
Rushes-yards: 24-71 57-260
Yards/rush: 3.0 4.6
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 10-21-83-3 10-20-132-0
Sacked-yards: 4-35 0-0
Net pass yards: 48 132
Net yards/pass: 1.9 6.6
Total net yards: 119 392
Total plays: 49 (48% run) 77 (74% run)
Yards/play: 2.4 5.1
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 1-0
Turnovers: 5 0
Penalties-yards: 7-51 13-147
Attendance: 52,105
Passing:
WAS: Joe Theismann, 6 of 15 for 60 yards and 1 TD (3 int); Billy Kilmer, 4 of 6 for 23 yards CHI: Bob Avellini, 9 of 19 for 116 yards and 1 TD; Virgil Carter, 1 of 1 for 16 yards
Rushing:
WAS: Calvin Hill, 13 for 41 yards; John Riggins, 4 for 20 yards; Larry Brown, 3 for 8 yards; Joe Theismann, 2 for 11 yards; Billy Kilmer, 2 for -9 yards CHI: Walter Payton, 18 for 104 yards and 1 TD; Mike Adamle, 12 for 40 yards; Johnny Musso, 12 for 34 yards; Roland Harper, 9 for 47 yards; Bob Avellini, 3 for 23 yards and 1 TD; Larry Schreiber, 3 for 12 yards
Receiving:
WAS: Frank Grant, 3 for 38 yards; Jerry Smith, 2 for 15 yards and 1 TD; Larry Brown, 2 for 13 yards; John Riggins, 2 for 9 yards; Calvin Hill, 1 for 8 yards CHI: Greg Latta, 3 for 37 yards; Brian Baschnagel, 3 for 35 yards; James Scott, 2 for 32 yards and 1 TD; Larry Schreiber, 1 for 16 yards; Roland Harper, 1 for 12 yards
Kick returns:
WAS: Brian Fryer, 5 for 86 yards; Bob Brunet, 1 for 24 yards; Karl Lorch, 1 for 0 yards; Pete Wysocki, 1 for 0 yards CHI: Brian Baschnagel, 1 for 48 yards; Johnny Musso, 1 for 1 yard
Punt returns:
WAS: Eddie Brown, 1 for 8 yards CHI: Virgil Livers, 1 for 11 yards; Steve Schubert, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
CHI: Allan Ellis, 2 for 2 yards; Doug Plank, 1 for 15 yards
Punting:
WAS: Mike Bragg, 7 for 278 yards CHI: Bob Parsons, 5 for 190 yards
Field Goals:
CHI: Bob Thomas, 4/4
WAS: Joe Theismann, 6 of 15 for 60 yards and 1 TD (3 int); Billy Kilmer, 4 of 6 for 23 yards CHI: Bob Avellini, 9 of 19 for 116 yards and 1 TD; Virgil Carter, 1 of 1 for 16 yards
Rushing:
WAS: Calvin Hill, 13 for 41 yards; John Riggins, 4 for 20 yards; Larry Brown, 3 for 8 yards; Joe Theismann, 2 for 11 yards; Billy Kilmer, 2 for -9 yards CHI: Walter Payton, 18 for 104 yards and 1 TD; Mike Adamle, 12 for 40 yards; Johnny Musso, 12 for 34 yards; Roland Harper, 9 for 47 yards; Bob Avellini, 3 for 23 yards and 1 TD; Larry Schreiber, 3 for 12 yards
Receiving:
WAS: Frank Grant, 3 for 38 yards; Jerry Smith, 2 for 15 yards and 1 TD; Larry Brown, 2 for 13 yards; John Riggins, 2 for 9 yards; Calvin Hill, 1 for 8 yards CHI: Greg Latta, 3 for 37 yards; Brian Baschnagel, 3 for 35 yards; James Scott, 2 for 32 yards and 1 TD; Larry Schreiber, 1 for 16 yards; Roland Harper, 1 for 12 yards
Kick returns:
WAS: Brian Fryer, 5 for 86 yards; Bob Brunet, 1 for 24 yards; Karl Lorch, 1 for 0 yards; Pete Wysocki, 1 for 0 yards CHI: Brian Baschnagel, 1 for 48 yards; Johnny Musso, 1 for 1 yard
Punt returns:
WAS: Eddie Brown, 1 for 8 yards CHI: Virgil Livers, 1 for 11 yards; Steve Schubert, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
CHI: Allan Ellis, 2 for 2 yards; Doug Plank, 1 for 15 yards
Punting:
WAS: Mike Bragg, 7 for 278 yards CHI: Bob Parsons, 5 for 190 yards
Field Goals:
CHI: Bob Thomas, 4/4
Ken Anderson tied a club record with four touchdown passes, two each to Lenvil Elliott and Isaac Curtis, and Willie Shelby established a club mark with a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the NFL's longest in 1976, as the Bengals defeated their in-state rivals. Brian Sipe completed a record 26 passes for Cleveland and had the Browns within seven, 31-24, after three quarters. Anderson's second TD pass to Elliott and Boobie Clark's one-yard run for a score clinched the game.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 155.3 (11) | 125.3 (23) | 280.7 (20) | 5 |
| DEFENSE | 105.0 (4) | 93.7 (3) | 198.7 (2) | 11 | |
 | OFFENSE | 145.0 (12) | 170.7 (11) | 315.7 (14) | 9 |
| DEFENSE | 129.0 (9) | 131.7 (9) | 260.7 (7) | 6 |
Line: Bengals by 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals (3-1-0) | 21 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 45 |
| Cleveland Browns (1-3-0) | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
( 7- 0) CIN Lenvil Elliott 19 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Chris Bahr kick)
( 7- 7) CLE Cleo Miller 6 yard rush (Don Cockroft kick)
(14- 7) CIN Willie Shelby 97 yard kickoff return (Chris Bahr kick)
(21- 7) CIN Isaac Curtis 44 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Chris Bahr kick)
(24- 7) CIN Chris Bahr 40 yard field goal
(24-10) CLE Don Cockroft 33 yard field goal
(31-10) CIN Isaac Curtis 7 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Chris Bahr kick)
(31-17) CLE Reggie Rucker 26 yard pass from Brian Sipe (Brian Sipe run)
(31-24) CLE Greg Pruitt 4 yard pass from Brian Sipe (Don Cockroft kick)
(38-24) CIN Lenvil Elliott 29 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Chris Bahr kick)
(45-24) CIN Boobie Clark 1 yard rush (Chris Bahr kick)
CIN CLE
First Downs: 25 26
Rushes-yards: 36-133 27-127
Yards/rush: 3.7 4.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 19-27-265-2 26-42-290-0
Sacked-yards: 0-0 0-0
Net pass yards: 265 290
Net yards/pass: 9.8 6.9
Total net yards: 398 417
Total plays: 63 (57% run) 69 (39% run)
Yards/play: 6.3 6.0
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 3-2
Turnovers: 2 2
Penalties-yards: 5-66 7-95
Attendance: 75,817
Passing:
CIN: Ken Anderson, 19 of 27 for 265 yards and 4 TDs (2 int) CLE: Brian Sipe, 26 of 42 for 290 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
CIN: Archie Griffin, 16 for 75 yards; Boobie Clark, 13 for 53 yards and 1 TD; Ken Anderson, 4 for 6 yards; Lenvil Elliott, 3 for -1 yards CLE: Greg Pruitt, 15 for 70 yards; Cleo Miller, 5 for 24 yards and 1 TD; Larry Poole, 2 for 17 yards; Brian Duncan, 2 for 14 yards; Mike Pruitt, 2 for 2 yards; Brian Sipe, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
CIN: Lenvil Elliott, 5 for 89 yards and 2 TDs; Isaac Curtis, 5 for 87 yards and 2 TDs; Chip Myers, 3 for 38 yards; Archie Griffin, 2 for 12 yards; Boobie Clark, 2 for 11 yards; Bob Trumpy, 1 for 21 yards; Billy Brooks, 1 for 7 yards CLE: Reggie Rucker, 9 for 141 yards and 1 TD; Greg Pruitt, 8 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Steve Holden, 5 for 75 yards; Oscar Roan, 3 for 31 yards; Larry Poole, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
CIN: Willie Shelby, 4 for 164 yards and 1 TD; Lenvil Elliott, 1 for 17 yards CLE: Steve Holden, 3 for 68 yards; Mike Pruitt, 3 for 63 yards; Brian Duncan, 1 for 25 yards
Punt returns:
CIN: Lemar Parrish, 2 for 2 yards
Interceptions:
CLE: Neal Craig, 1 for 8 yards; Jerry Sherk, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
CIN: Pat McInally, 2 for 78 yards CLE: Don Cockroft, 3 for 120 yards
Field Goals:
CIN: Chris Bahr, 1/1 CLE: Don Cockroft, 1/3
CIN: Ken Anderson, 19 of 27 for 265 yards and 4 TDs (2 int) CLE: Brian Sipe, 26 of 42 for 290 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
CIN: Archie Griffin, 16 for 75 yards; Boobie Clark, 13 for 53 yards and 1 TD; Ken Anderson, 4 for 6 yards; Lenvil Elliott, 3 for -1 yards CLE: Greg Pruitt, 15 for 70 yards; Cleo Miller, 5 for 24 yards and 1 TD; Larry Poole, 2 for 17 yards; Brian Duncan, 2 for 14 yards; Mike Pruitt, 2 for 2 yards; Brian Sipe, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
CIN: Lenvil Elliott, 5 for 89 yards and 2 TDs; Isaac Curtis, 5 for 87 yards and 2 TDs; Chip Myers, 3 for 38 yards; Archie Griffin, 2 for 12 yards; Boobie Clark, 2 for 11 yards; Bob Trumpy, 1 for 21 yards; Billy Brooks, 1 for 7 yards CLE: Reggie Rucker, 9 for 141 yards and 1 TD; Greg Pruitt, 8 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Steve Holden, 5 for 75 yards; Oscar Roan, 3 for 31 yards; Larry Poole, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
CIN: Willie Shelby, 4 for 164 yards and 1 TD; Lenvil Elliott, 1 for 17 yards CLE: Steve Holden, 3 for 68 yards; Mike Pruitt, 3 for 63 yards; Brian Duncan, 1 for 25 yards
Punt returns:
CIN: Lemar Parrish, 2 for 2 yards
Interceptions:
CLE: Neal Craig, 1 for 8 yards; Jerry Sherk, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
CIN: Pat McInally, 2 for 78 yards CLE: Don Cockroft, 3 for 120 yards
Field Goals:
CIN: Chris Bahr, 1/1 CLE: Don Cockroft, 1/3
Rick Upchurch got his third punt return touchdown in the last two games and Jim Turner booted four of five field goal attempts as the Broncos recorded their first shutout since 1971. Upchurch's 92-yard run for a TD was the longest in Denver history and the longest in the NFL in 1976. Denver's win coupled with Oakland's loss to New England threw the AFC West into a three way tie ? Broncos, Chargers, and Raiders all with 3-1 records.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 222.7 (2) | 192.0 (8) | 414.7 (2) | 2 |
| DEFENSE | 122.0 (7) | 151.0 (11) | 273.0 (8) | 13 | |
 | OFFENSE | 140.3 (16) | 169.7 (12) | 310.0 (15) | 6 |
| DEFENSE | 97.7 (2) | 124.0 (6) | 221.7 (4) | 7 |
Line: Broncos by 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers (3-1-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos (3-1-0) | 0 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 26 |
( 0- 3) DEN Jim Turner 47 yard field goal
( 0-10) DEN Rick Upchurch 92 yard punt return (Jim Turner kick)
( 0-13) DEN Jim Turner 25 yard field goal
( 0-16) DEN Jim Turner 36 yard field goal
( 0-23) DEN Lonnie Perrin 1 yard rush (Jim Turner kick)
( 0-26) DEN Jim Turner 27 yard field goal
SD DEN
First Downs: 12 17
Rushes-yards: 27-88 44-141
Yards/rush: 3.3 3.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-27-153-2 10-17-186-1
Sacked-yards: 1-1 2-16
Net pass yards: 152 170
Net yards/pass: 5.4 8.9
Total net yards: 240 311
Total plays: 55 (49% run) 63 (69% run)
Yards/play: 4.4 4.9
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 1-1
Turnovers: 3 2
Penalties-yards: 5-38 7-56
Attendance: 62,486
Passing:
SD: Dan Fouts, 12 of 25 for 142 yards (2 int); Neal Jeffrey, 2 of 2 for 11 yards DEN: Steve Ramsey, 9 of 16 for 179 yards (1 int); Norris Weese, 1 of 1 for 7 yards
Rushing:
SD: Don Woods, 11 for 46 yards; Rickey Young, 8 for 22 yards; Mercury Morris, 4 for 7 yards; Bo Matthews, 2 for 6 yards; Sam Scarber, 1 for 4 yards; Dan Fouts, 1 for 3 yards DEN: Otis Armstrong, 23 for 91 yards; Lonnie Perrin, 9 for 17 yards and 1 TD; Mike Franckowiak, 8 for 18 yards; Jim Kiick, 2 for 13 yards; Steve Ramsey, 1 for 6 yards; Haven Moses, 1 for -4 yards
Receiving:
SD: Charlie Joiner, 5 for 105 yards; Don Woods, 3 for 20 yards; Rickey Young, 2 for 9 yards; Mercury Morris, 1 for 7 yards; Chuck Bradley, 1 for 7 yards; Bo Matthews, 1 for 4 yards; Pat Curran, 1 for 1 yard DEN: Mike Franckowiak, 3 for 31 yards; Riley Odoms, 2 for 57 yards; Rick Upchurch, 1 for 57 yards; Jack Dolbin, 1 for 14 yards; Lonnie Perrin, 1 for 11 yards; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 9 yards; Jim Kiick, 1 for 7 yards
Kick returns:
SD: Artie Owens, 3 for 71 yards; Ralph Perretta, 1 for 4 yards DEN: Rick Upchurch, 1 for 34 yards
Punt returns:
DEN: Rick Upchurch, 2 for 100 yards and 1 TD; Steve Foley, 1 for 11 yards
Interceptions:
SD: Mike Williams, 1 for 35 yards DEN: John Rowser, 1 for 29 yards; Randy Gradishar, 1 for 3 yards
Punting:
SD: Mitch Hoopes, 6 for 264 yards DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 72 yards
Field Goals:
SD: Toni Fritsch, 0/1 DEN: Jim Turner, 4/5
SD: Dan Fouts, 12 of 25 for 142 yards (2 int); Neal Jeffrey, 2 of 2 for 11 yards DEN: Steve Ramsey, 9 of 16 for 179 yards (1 int); Norris Weese, 1 of 1 for 7 yards
Rushing:
SD: Don Woods, 11 for 46 yards; Rickey Young, 8 for 22 yards; Mercury Morris, 4 for 7 yards; Bo Matthews, 2 for 6 yards; Sam Scarber, 1 for 4 yards; Dan Fouts, 1 for 3 yards DEN: Otis Armstrong, 23 for 91 yards; Lonnie Perrin, 9 for 17 yards and 1 TD; Mike Franckowiak, 8 for 18 yards; Jim Kiick, 2 for 13 yards; Steve Ramsey, 1 for 6 yards; Haven Moses, 1 for -4 yards
Receiving:
SD: Charlie Joiner, 5 for 105 yards; Don Woods, 3 for 20 yards; Rickey Young, 2 for 9 yards; Mercury Morris, 1 for 7 yards; Chuck Bradley, 1 for 7 yards; Bo Matthews, 1 for 4 yards; Pat Curran, 1 for 1 yard DEN: Mike Franckowiak, 3 for 31 yards; Riley Odoms, 2 for 57 yards; Rick Upchurch, 1 for 57 yards; Jack Dolbin, 1 for 14 yards; Lonnie Perrin, 1 for 11 yards; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 9 yards; Jim Kiick, 1 for 7 yards
Kick returns:
SD: Artie Owens, 3 for 71 yards; Ralph Perretta, 1 for 4 yards DEN: Rick Upchurch, 1 for 34 yards
Punt returns:
DEN: Rick Upchurch, 2 for 100 yards and 1 TD; Steve Foley, 1 for 11 yards
Interceptions:
SD: Mike Williams, 1 for 35 yards DEN: John Rowser, 1 for 29 yards; Randy Gradishar, 1 for 3 yards
Punting:
SD: Mitch Hoopes, 6 for 264 yards DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 2 for 72 yards
Field Goals:
SD: Toni Fritsch, 0/1 DEN: Jim Turner, 4/5
Steve Odom returned the opening kickoff 88 yards, setting up the Packers' initial score, and caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from running back Willard Harrell as Green Bay defeated the Lions for its first win. Following a 10-point Packers first quarter, Greg Landry, 12 of 17 for 122 yards, fired touchdown passes to Dexter Bussey and Ray Jarvis for a 14-10 Detroit lead at the half. Lynn Dickey clinched the victory with a two-yard touchdown pass to reserve tight end Bert Askson early in the fourth quarter. Harrell finished with 111 yards rushing in addition to his TD pass.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 136.0 (18) | 127.0 (22) | 263.0 (22) | 5 |
| DEFENSE | 135.7 (15) | 79.0 (1) | 214.7 (3) | 5 | |
 | OFFENSE | 86.0 (28) | 45.3 (28) | 131.3 (28) | 14 |
| DEFENSE | 213.3 (25) | 126.7 (8) | 340.0 (21) | 2 |
Line: Lions by 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions (1-3-0) | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Green Bay Packers (1-3-0) | 10 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
( 0- 7) GB Barty Smith 1 yard rush (Chester Marcol kick)
( 0-10) GB Chester Marcol 35 yard field goal
( 7-10) DET Dexter Bussey 7 yard rush (Errol Mann kick)
(14-10) DET Ray Jarvis 3 yard pass from Greg Landry (Errol Mann kick)
(14-17) GB Bert Askson 2 yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Chester Marcol kick)
(14-24) GB Steve Odom 40 yard pass from Willard Harrell (Chester Marcol kick)
DET GB
First Downs: 20 15
Rushes-yards: 39-155 48-212
Yards/rush: 4.0 4.4
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 12-17-122-1 4-11-51-0
Sacked-yards: 8-61 2-16
Net pass yards: 61 35
Net yards/pass: 2.4 2.7
Total net yards: 216 247
Total plays: 64 (60% run) 61 (78% run)
Yards/play: 3.4 4.0
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 3-1
Turnovers: 2 1
Penalties-yards: 7-56 10-98
Attendance: 54,758
Passing:
DET: Greg Landry, 12 of 17 for 122 yards and 1 TD (1 int) GB: Lynn Dickey, 3 of 10 for 11 yards and 1 TD; Willard Harrell, 1 of 1 for 40 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
DET: Dexter Bussey, 22 for 81 yards and 1 TD; Horace King, 10 for 48 yards; Lawrence Gaines, 5 for 12 yards; Greg Landry, 2 for 14 yards GB: Barty Smith, 20 for 62 yards and 1 TD; Willard Harrell, 17 for 111 yards; Eric Torkelson, 8 for 22 yards; Lynn Dickey, 2 for 0 yards; Steve Odom, 1 for 17 yards
Receiving:
DET: Charlie Sanders, 3 for 41 yards; Ray Jarvis, 3 for 37 yards and 1 TD; Dexter Bussey, 3 for 34 yards; Horace King, 2 for 7 yards; Lawrence Gaines, 1 for 3 yards GB: Steve Odom, 2 for 45 yards and 1 TD; Ken Payne, 1 for 4 yards; Bert Askson, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
DET: James Hunter, 3 for 75 yards; Ken Long, 1 for 5 yards GB: Steve Odom, 3 for 134 yards
Punt returns:
DET: Charlie West, 1 for 3 yards; James Hunter, 1 for 0 yards GB: Johnnie Gray, 1 for 12 yards
Interceptions:
GB: Willie Buchanon, 1 for 22 yards
Punting:
DET: Herman Weaver, 6 for 247 yards GB: David Beverly, 5 for 176 yards
Field Goals:
DET: Errol Mann, 0/1 GB: Chester Marcol, 1/2
DET: Greg Landry, 12 of 17 for 122 yards and 1 TD (1 int) GB: Lynn Dickey, 3 of 10 for 11 yards and 1 TD; Willard Harrell, 1 of 1 for 40 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
DET: Dexter Bussey, 22 for 81 yards and 1 TD; Horace King, 10 for 48 yards; Lawrence Gaines, 5 for 12 yards; Greg Landry, 2 for 14 yards GB: Barty Smith, 20 for 62 yards and 1 TD; Willard Harrell, 17 for 111 yards; Eric Torkelson, 8 for 22 yards; Lynn Dickey, 2 for 0 yards; Steve Odom, 1 for 17 yards
Receiving:
DET: Charlie Sanders, 3 for 41 yards; Ray Jarvis, 3 for 37 yards and 1 TD; Dexter Bussey, 3 for 34 yards; Horace King, 2 for 7 yards; Lawrence Gaines, 1 for 3 yards GB: Steve Odom, 2 for 45 yards and 1 TD; Ken Payne, 1 for 4 yards; Bert Askson, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
DET: James Hunter, 3 for 75 yards; Ken Long, 1 for 5 yards GB: Steve Odom, 3 for 134 yards
Punt returns:
DET: Charlie West, 1 for 3 yards; James Hunter, 1 for 0 yards GB: Johnnie Gray, 1 for 12 yards
Interceptions:
GB: Willie Buchanon, 1 for 22 yards
Punting:
DET: Herman Weaver, 6 for 247 yards GB: David Beverly, 5 for 176 yards
Field Goals:
DET: Errol Mann, 0/1 GB: Chester Marcol, 1/2
Tom Dempsey's 19-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining gave the Rams a 31-28 edge over the Dolphins following a second half comeback from a 14-0 deficit. James Harris, 17 of 29 for 436, threw third quarter touchdown passes of 58 and 43 yards to Ron Jessie and then ran over from the one in the fourth period to tie Miami 21-21. Lawrence McCutcheon's nine-yard run gave Los Angeles the lead 28-21 before Bob Griese tied it up again on a seven-yard scoring pass to Nat Moore. Miami had two possessions between the tying TD and Dempsey's field goal, but both ended with Rams interceptions. Harris's 426 net yards passing and Los Angeles' total offensive yardage of 593 both set records for Dolphin opponents.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 227.3 (1) | 149.7 (18) | 377.0 (6) | 9 |
| DEFENSE | 101.3 (3) | 185.3 (19) | 286.7 (10) | 12 | |
 | OFFENSE | 174.3 (7) | 155.3 (16) | 329.7 (10) | 8 |
| DEFENSE | 150.3 (19) | 195.3 (22) | 345.7 (22) | 7 |
Line: Rams by 3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams (3-0-1) | 0 | 0 | 14 | 17 | 31 |
| Miami Dolphins (2-2-0) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
( 0- 7) MIA Benny Malone 2 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
( 0-14) MIA Norm Bulaich 28 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
( 7-14) LA Ron Jessie 58 yard pass from James Harris (Tom Dempsey kick)
( 7-21) MIA Stan Winfrey 1 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
(14-21) LA Ron Jessie 43 yard pass from James Harris (Tom Dempsey kick)
(21-21) LA James Harris 1 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick)
(28-21) LA Lawrence McCutcheon 9 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick)
(28-28) MIA Nat Moore 47 yard pass from Bob Griese (Garo Yepremian kick)
(31-28) LA Tom Dempsey 19 yard field goal
LA MIA
First Downs: 23 21
Rushes-yards: 41-167 42-219
Yards/rush: 4.1 5.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 17-29-436-1 6-11-100-2
Sacked-yards: 1-10 0-0
Net pass yards: 426 100
Net yards/pass: 14.2 9.1
Total net yards: 593 319
Total plays: 71 (57% run) 53 (79% run)
Yards/play: 8.4 6.0
Fumbles-lost: 1-0 0-0
Turnovers: 1 2
Penalties-yards: 8-76 3-28
Attendance: 60,753
Passing:
LA: James Harris, 17 of 29 for 436 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) MIA: Bob Griese, 6 of 11 for 100 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
LA: Lawrence McCutcheon, 22 for 91 yards and 1 TD; John Cappelletti, 10 for 33 yards; James Harris, 6 for 29 yards and 1 TD; Jim Bertelsen, 3 for 14 yards MIA: Benny Malone, 19 for 111 yards and 1 TD; Norm Bulaich, 12 for 52 yards and 1 TD; Stan Winfrey, 7 for 25 yards and 1 TD; Bob Griese, 4 for 31 yards
Receiving:
LA: Ron Jessie, 7 for 220 yards and 2 TDs; Lawrence McCutcheon, 5 for 99 yards; Harold Jackson, 4 for 99 yards; Bob Klein, 1 for 18 yards MIA: Nat Moore, 2 for 66 yards and 1 TD; Benny Malone, 2 for 5 yards; Howard Twilley, 1 for 18 yards; Larry Seiple, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
LA: Dwight Scales, 3 for 59 yards; Tom Geredine, 2 for 27 yards MIA: Gary Davis, 4 for 103 yards; Don Nottingham, 2 for 40 yards
Punt returns:
LA: Jim Bertelsen, 1 for 9 yards; Dwight Scales, 1 for 0 yards MIA: Nat Moore, 1 for -1 yards
Interceptions:
LA: Bill Simpson, 1 for 30 yards; Dave Elmendorf, 1 for 0 yards MIA: Ken Ellis, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
LA: Rusty Jackson, 2 for 79 yards MIA: Larry Seiple, 4 for 132 yards
Field Goals:
LA: Tom Dempsey, 1/4 MIA: Garo Yepremian, 0/1
LA: James Harris, 17 of 29 for 436 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) MIA: Bob Griese, 6 of 11 for 100 yards and 1 TD (2 int)
Rushing:
LA: Lawrence McCutcheon, 22 for 91 yards and 1 TD; John Cappelletti, 10 for 33 yards; James Harris, 6 for 29 yards and 1 TD; Jim Bertelsen, 3 for 14 yards MIA: Benny Malone, 19 for 111 yards and 1 TD; Norm Bulaich, 12 for 52 yards and 1 TD; Stan Winfrey, 7 for 25 yards and 1 TD; Bob Griese, 4 for 31 yards
Receiving:
LA: Ron Jessie, 7 for 220 yards and 2 TDs; Lawrence McCutcheon, 5 for 99 yards; Harold Jackson, 4 for 99 yards; Bob Klein, 1 for 18 yards MIA: Nat Moore, 2 for 66 yards and 1 TD; Benny Malone, 2 for 5 yards; Howard Twilley, 1 for 18 yards; Larry Seiple, 1 for 11 yards
Kick returns:
LA: Dwight Scales, 3 for 59 yards; Tom Geredine, 2 for 27 yards MIA: Gary Davis, 4 for 103 yards; Don Nottingham, 2 for 40 yards
Punt returns:
LA: Jim Bertelsen, 1 for 9 yards; Dwight Scales, 1 for 0 yards MIA: Nat Moore, 1 for -1 yards
Interceptions:
LA: Bill Simpson, 1 for 30 yards; Dave Elmendorf, 1 for 0 yards MIA: Ken Ellis, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
LA: Rusty Jackson, 2 for 79 yards MIA: Larry Seiple, 4 for 132 yards
Field Goals:
LA: Tom Dempsey, 1/4 MIA: Garo Yepremian, 0/1
Steve Grogan directed a 468-yard offensive attack in which he threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more as the Patriots scored more points against the Raiders than any team since 1961. Following Andy Johnson's opening touchdown, Grogan completed touchdown passes to Darryl Stingley of 21 and 15 yards and a 16-yarder to Marlin Briscoe. The second-year quarterback then picked up 12 of his 56 yards rushing on third and fourth-quarter touchdown runs. Ken Stabler hit on 20 of 35 for 225 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown pass to Fred Biletnikoff. Sam Cunningham barely missed a 200-yard offensive performance with 101 yards rushing and 94 yards receiving. Dave Casper caught 12 passes to tie with Lydell Mitchell for the NFL's best receiving performance in 1976.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 144.3 (14) | 229.0 (2) | 373.3 (7) | 7 |
| DEFENSE | 130.0 (11) | 198.7 (24) | 328.7 (17) | 5 | |
 | OFFENSE | 189.7 (6) | 192.3 (7) | 382.0 (5) | 11 |
| DEFENSE | 133.0 (12) | 181.0 (18) | 314.0 (16) | 11 |
Line: Raiders by 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland Raiders (3-1-0) | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| New England Patriots (3-1-0) | 7 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 48 |
( 0- 7) NE Andy Johnson 2 yard rush (John Smith kick)
( 0-14) NE Darryl Stingley 21 yard pass from Steve Grogan (John Smith kick)
( 7-14) OAK Fred Biletnikoff 15 yard pass from Ken Stabler (Fred Steinfort kick)
( 7-21) NE Marlin Briscoe 16 yard pass from Steve Grogan (John Smith kick)
(10-21) OAK Fred Steinfort 44 yard field goal
(10-28) NE Darryl Stingley 15 yard pass from Steve Grogan (John Smith kick)
(10-35) NE Steve Grogan 2 yard rush (John Smith kick)
(10-42) NE Steve Grogan 10 yard rush (John Smith kick)
(10-48) NE Jess Phllips 11 yard rush (kick failed)
(17-48) OAK Mike Rae 1 yard rush (Fred Steinfort kick)
OAK NE
First Downs: 25 27
Rushes-yards: 24-114 52-296
Yards/rush: 4.8 5.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 24-44-246-1 11-17-172-1
Sacked-yards: 4-39 0-0
Net pass yards: 207 172
Net yards/pass: 4.3 10.1
Total net yards: 321 468
Total plays: 72 (33% run) 69 (75% run)
Yards/play: 4.5 6.8
Fumbles-lost: 4-3 3-0
Turnovers: 4 1
Penalties-yards: 8-85 10-124
Attendance: 61,068
Passing:
OAK: Ken Stabler, 20 of 35 for 225 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Mike Rae, 4 of 9 for 21 yards NE: Steve Grogan, 10 of 14 for 165 yards and 3 TDs (1 int); Tom Owen, 1 of 3 for 7 yards
Rushing:
OAK: Mark van Eeghen, 8 for 34 yards; Clarence Davis, 6 for 25 yards; Terry Kunz, 3 for 26 yards; Mike Rae, 3 for 14 yards and 1 TD; Pete Banaszak, 3 for 9 yards; Rick Jennings, 1 for 6 yards NE: Sam Cunningham, 21 for 101 yards; Andy Johnson, 15 for 67 yards and 1 TD; Steve Grogan, 5 for 56 yards and 2 TDs; Jess Phillips, 5 for 14 yards and 1 TD; Don Calhoun, 4 for 10 yards; Darryl Stingley, 2 for 48 yards
Receiving:
OAK: Dave Casper, 12 for 136 yards; Clarence Davis, 4 for 40 yards; Mark van Eeghen, 3 for 32 yards; Ted Kwalick, 3 for 10 yards; Fred Biletnikoff, 1 for 15 yards and 1 TD; Mike Siani, 1 for 13 yards NE: Sam Cunningham, 5 for 94 yards; Darryl Stingley, 2 for 36 yards and 2 TDs; Jess Phillips, 1 for 18 yards; Marlin Briscoe, 1 for 16 yards and 1 TD; Don Calhoun, 1 for 7 yards; Russ Francis, 1 for 1 yard
Kick returns:
OAK: Neal Colzie, 3 for 52 yards; Rick Jennings, 2 for 47 yards; Warren Bankston, 2 for 27 yards NE: Doug Beaudoin, 3 for 62 yards; Don Calhoun, 1 for 20 yards
Punt returns:
OAK: Rick Jennings, 1 for 20 yards; Neal Colzie, 1 for 11 yards; Charlie Phillips, 1 for 4 yards NE: Mike Haynes, 4 for 43 yards
Interceptions:
OAK: Monte Johnson, 1 for 22 yards NE: Prentice McCray, 1 for 53 yards
Punting:
OAK: Ray Guy, 6 for 221 yards NE: Mike Patrick, 4 for 184 yards
Field Goals:
OAK: Fred Steinfort, 1/1
OAK: Ken Stabler, 20 of 35 for 225 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Mike Rae, 4 of 9 for 21 yards NE: Steve Grogan, 10 of 14 for 165 yards and 3 TDs (1 int); Tom Owen, 1 of 3 for 7 yards
Rushing:
OAK: Mark van Eeghen, 8 for 34 yards; Clarence Davis, 6 for 25 yards; Terry Kunz, 3 for 26 yards; Mike Rae, 3 for 14 yards and 1 TD; Pete Banaszak, 3 for 9 yards; Rick Jennings, 1 for 6 yards NE: Sam Cunningham, 21 for 101 yards; Andy Johnson, 15 for 67 yards and 1 TD; Steve Grogan, 5 for 56 yards and 2 TDs; Jess Phillips, 5 for 14 yards and 1 TD; Don Calhoun, 4 for 10 yards; Darryl Stingley, 2 for 48 yards
Receiving:
OAK: Dave Casper, 12 for 136 yards; Clarence Davis, 4 for 40 yards; Mark van Eeghen, 3 for 32 yards; Ted Kwalick, 3 for 10 yards; Fred Biletnikoff, 1 for 15 yards and 1 TD; Mike Siani, 1 for 13 yards NE: Sam Cunningham, 5 for 94 yards; Darryl Stingley, 2 for 36 yards and 2 TDs; Jess Phillips, 1 for 18 yards; Marlin Briscoe, 1 for 16 yards and 1 TD; Don Calhoun, 1 for 7 yards; Russ Francis, 1 for 1 yard
Kick returns:
OAK: Neal Colzie, 3 for 52 yards; Rick Jennings, 2 for 47 yards; Warren Bankston, 2 for 27 yards NE: Doug Beaudoin, 3 for 62 yards; Don Calhoun, 1 for 20 yards
Punt returns:
OAK: Rick Jennings, 1 for 20 yards; Neal Colzie, 1 for 11 yards; Charlie Phillips, 1 for 4 yards NE: Mike Haynes, 4 for 43 yards
Interceptions:
OAK: Monte Johnson, 1 for 22 yards NE: Prentice McCray, 1 for 53 yards
Punting:
OAK: Ray Guy, 6 for 221 yards NE: Mike Patrick, 4 for 184 yards
Field Goals:
OAK: Fred Steinfort, 1/1
C. L. Whittington's 96-yard fumble return for a touchdown capped a 21-point Houston third quarter that broke open a 10-9 game. On the previous series Whittington intercepted a Bobby Scott pass at the Saints' 47, leading to Ronnie Coleman's 22-yard TD run. New Orleans came back in the fourth quarter, shutting out the Oilers and scoring 17 points initiated by a 60-yard Scott-to-Tinker Owens touchdown, but Houston hung on for the win.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 159.0 (9) | 141.0 (19) | 300.0 (16) | 6 |
| DEFENSE | 82.3 (1) | 88.3 (2) | 170.7 (1) | 5 | |
 | OFFENSE | 139.3 (17) | 100.7 (26) | 240.0 (24) | 6 |
| DEFENSE | 178.7 (22) | 202.0 (26) | 380.7 (24) | 5 |
Line: Oilers by 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Oilers (3-1-0) | 7 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 31 |
| New Orleans Saints (1-3-0) | 0 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 26 |
( 7- 0) HOU Ronnie Coleman 5 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Skip Butler kick)
( 7- 3) NO Rich Szaro 20 yard field goal
(10- 3) HOU Skip Butler 31 yard field goal
(10- 6) NO Rich Szaro 26 yard field goal
(10- 9) NO Rich Szaro 43 yard field goal
(17- 9) HOU Billy Johnson 9 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Skip Butler kick)
(24- 9) HOU Ronnie Coleman 22 yard rush (Skip Butler kick)
(31- 9) HOU C.L. Whittington 96 yard fumble return (Skip Butler kick)
(31-16) NO Tinker Owens 60 yard pass from Bobby Scott (Rich Szaro kick)
(31-19) NO Rich Szaro 26 yard field goal
(31-26) NO Henry Childs 4 yard pass from Bobby Douglass (Rich Szaro kick)
HOU NO
First Downs: 14 22
Rushes-yards: 25-87 32-105
Yards/rush: 3.5 3.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 18-29-194-1 22-44-291-1
Sacked-yards: 4-26 4-21
Net pass yards: 168 270
Net yards/pass: 5.1 5.6
Total net yards: 255 375
Total plays: 58 (43% run) 80 (40% run)
Yards/play: 4.4 4.7
Fumbles-lost: 1-0 3-2
Turnovers: 1 3
Penalties-yards: 9-67 8-65
Attendance: 51,973
Passing:
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 16 of 27 for 183 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); John Hadl, 2 of 2 for 11 yards NO: Bobby Scott, 17 of 34 for 228 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Bobby Douglass, 5 of 10 for 63 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
HOU: Ronnie Coleman, 13 for 61 yards and 1 TD; Fred Willis, 9 for 32 yards; John Hadl, 2 for -3 yards; Joe Dawkins, 1 for -3 yards NO: Mike Strachan, 9 for 31 yards; Tony Galbreath, 9 for 23 yards; Chuck Muncie, 6 for 18 yards; Bobby Scott, 4 for 0 yards; Bobby Douglass, 2 for 30 yards; Larry Burton, 1 for 3 yards; Alvin Maxson, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
HOU: Ken Burrough, 5 for 99 yards; Fred Willis, 4 for 42 yards; Billy Johnson, 4 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Ronnie Coleman, 4 for 12 yards and 1 TD; Mack Alston, 1 for 6 yards NO: Tony Galbreath, 7 for 67 yards; Don Herrmann, 5 for 78 yards; Tinker Owens, 3 for 91 yards and 1 TD; Jim Thaxton, 2 for 25 yards; Paul Seal, 2 for 20 yards; Chuck Muncie, 1 for 6 yards; Henry Childs, 1 for 4 yards and 1 TD; Mike Strachan, 1 for 0 yards
Kick returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 3 for 60 yards; Altie Taylor, 1 for 32 yards; Don Hardeman, 1 for 25 yards NO: Pete Athas, 2 for 68 yards; Chuck Muncie, 2 for 53 yards; Jim Thaxton, 1 for 41 yards; Tony Galbreath, 1 for 23 yards
Punt returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 3 for 65 yards NO: Pete Athas, 6 for 161 yards
Interceptions:
HOU: C.L. Whittington, 1 for 10 yards NO: Tom Myers, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 10 for 402 yards NO: Tom Blanchard, 8 for 306 yards
Field Goals:
HOU: Skip Butler, 1/1 NO: Rich Szaro, 4/4
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 16 of 27 for 183 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); John Hadl, 2 of 2 for 11 yards NO: Bobby Scott, 17 of 34 for 228 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Bobby Douglass, 5 of 10 for 63 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
HOU: Ronnie Coleman, 13 for 61 yards and 1 TD; Fred Willis, 9 for 32 yards; John Hadl, 2 for -3 yards; Joe Dawkins, 1 for -3 yards NO: Mike Strachan, 9 for 31 yards; Tony Galbreath, 9 for 23 yards; Chuck Muncie, 6 for 18 yards; Bobby Scott, 4 for 0 yards; Bobby Douglass, 2 for 30 yards; Larry Burton, 1 for 3 yards; Alvin Maxson, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
HOU: Ken Burrough, 5 for 99 yards; Fred Willis, 4 for 42 yards; Billy Johnson, 4 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Ronnie Coleman, 4 for 12 yards and 1 TD; Mack Alston, 1 for 6 yards NO: Tony Galbreath, 7 for 67 yards; Don Herrmann, 5 for 78 yards; Tinker Owens, 3 for 91 yards and 1 TD; Jim Thaxton, 2 for 25 yards; Paul Seal, 2 for 20 yards; Chuck Muncie, 1 for 6 yards; Henry Childs, 1 for 4 yards and 1 TD; Mike Strachan, 1 for 0 yards
Kick returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 3 for 60 yards; Altie Taylor, 1 for 32 yards; Don Hardeman, 1 for 25 yards NO: Pete Athas, 2 for 68 yards; Chuck Muncie, 2 for 53 yards; Jim Thaxton, 1 for 41 yards; Tony Galbreath, 1 for 23 yards
Punt returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 3 for 65 yards NO: Pete Athas, 6 for 161 yards
Interceptions:
HOU: C.L. Whittington, 1 for 10 yards NO: Tom Myers, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 10 for 402 yards NO: Tom Blanchard, 8 for 306 yards
Field Goals:
HOU: Skip Butler, 1/1 NO: Rich Szaro, 4/4
Jim Zorn led the Seahawks on 72 and 71-yard scoring drives for a 13-0 lead before Roger Staubach and Robert Newhouse rallied the Cowboys to maintain the NFL's only perfect record and NFC East lead. Staubach, who passed for 200 yards on 14 of 20 attempts, connected with Drew Pearson and Charley Young in the second quarter, putting Dallas on top 14-13. Newhouse picked up 24 of his 120 yards on a third quarter TD run. Zorn's touchdown passes to Don Testerman and Steve Largent gave Seattle its first lead ever in the NFL.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 156.7 (10) | 285.0 (1) | 441.7 (1) | 10 |
| DEFENSE | 129.7 (10) | 151.3 (12) | 281.0 (9) | 7 | |
 | OFFENSE | 101.7 (26) | 224.3 (3) | 326.0 (13) | 9 |
| DEFENSE | 232.0 (27) | 189.7 (21) | 421.7 (26) | 6 |
Line: Cowboys by 17
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys (4-0-0) | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Seattle Seahawks (0-4-0) | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
( 0- 7) SEA Don Testerman 9 yard pass from Jim Zorn (John Leypoldt kick)
( 0-13) SEA Steve Largent 4 yard pass from Jim Zorn (kick failed)
( 7-13) DAL Drew Pearson 8 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
(14-13) DAL Charley Young 25 yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
(21-13) DAL Robert Newhouse 24 yard rush (Efren Herrera kick)
(28-13) DAL Doug Dennison 1 yard rush (Efren Herrera kick)
DAL SEA
First Downs: 25 19
Rushes-yards: 45-211 24-103
Yards/rush: 4.7 4.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-20-200-1 19-41-147-1
Sacked-yards: 0-0 1-7
Net pass yards: 200 140
Net yards/pass: 10.0 3.3
Total net yards: 411 243
Total plays: 65 (69% run) 66 (36% run)
Yards/play: 6.3 3.7
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 1-0
Turnovers: 1 1
Penalties-yards: 5-45 6-84
Attendance: 62,027
Passing:
DAL: Roger Staubach, 14 of 20 for 200 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) SEA: Jim Zorn, 19 of 41 for 147 yards and 2 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
DAL: Robert Newhouse, 19 for 120 yards and 1 TD; Doug Dennison, 11 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Preston Pearson, 7 for 3 yards; Charley Young, 4 for 34 yards; Roger Staubach, 4 for 5 yards SEA: Ralph Nelson, 10 for 26 yards; Don Testerman, 9 for 42 yards; Jim Zorn, 2 for 16 yards; Sherman Smith, 2 for 4 yards; Rick Engles, 1 for 15 yards
Receiving:
DAL: Billy Joe DuPree, 5 for 77 yards; Preston Pearson, 4 for 25 yards; Charley Young, 2 for 31 yards and 1 TD; Golden Richards, 1 for 53 yards; Drew Pearson, 1 for 8 yards and 1 TD; Jay Saldi, 1 for 6 yards SEA: Don Testerman, 5 for 37 yards and 1 TD; Sherman Smith, 4 for 31 yards; Steve Largent, 4 for 26 yards and 1 TD; Ralph Nelson, 2 for 23 yards; Ron Howard, 2 for -3 yards; Sam McCullum, 1 for 19 yards; Don Clune, 1 for 14 yards
Kick returns:
DAL: Butch Johnson, 2 for 48 yards; Jim Jensen, 1 for 24 yards SEA: Lyle Blackwood, 2 for 46 yards; Steve Largent, 2 for 21 yards; Andy Bolton, 1 for 24 yards
Punt returns:
DAL: Butch Johnson, 1 for 7 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Mark Washington, 1 for 17 yards SEA: Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
DAL: Danny White, 1 for 0 yards SEA: Rick Engles, 7 for 277 yards
Field Goals:
DAL: Efren Herrera, 0/2
DAL: Roger Staubach, 14 of 20 for 200 yards and 2 TDs (1 int) SEA: Jim Zorn, 19 of 41 for 147 yards and 2 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
DAL: Robert Newhouse, 19 for 120 yards and 1 TD; Doug Dennison, 11 for 49 yards and 1 TD; Preston Pearson, 7 for 3 yards; Charley Young, 4 for 34 yards; Roger Staubach, 4 for 5 yards SEA: Ralph Nelson, 10 for 26 yards; Don Testerman, 9 for 42 yards; Jim Zorn, 2 for 16 yards; Sherman Smith, 2 for 4 yards; Rick Engles, 1 for 15 yards
Receiving:
DAL: Billy Joe DuPree, 5 for 77 yards; Preston Pearson, 4 for 25 yards; Charley Young, 2 for 31 yards and 1 TD; Golden Richards, 1 for 53 yards; Drew Pearson, 1 for 8 yards and 1 TD; Jay Saldi, 1 for 6 yards SEA: Don Testerman, 5 for 37 yards and 1 TD; Sherman Smith, 4 for 31 yards; Steve Largent, 4 for 26 yards and 1 TD; Ralph Nelson, 2 for 23 yards; Ron Howard, 2 for -3 yards; Sam McCullum, 1 for 19 yards; Don Clune, 1 for 14 yards
Kick returns:
DAL: Butch Johnson, 2 for 48 yards; Jim Jensen, 1 for 24 yards SEA: Lyle Blackwood, 2 for 46 yards; Steve Largent, 2 for 21 yards; Andy Bolton, 1 for 24 yards
Punt returns:
DAL: Butch Johnson, 1 for 7 yards
Interceptions:
DAL: Mark Washington, 1 for 17 yards SEA: Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
DAL: Danny White, 1 for 0 yards SEA: Rick Engles, 7 for 277 yards
Field Goals:
DAL: Efren Herrera, 0/2
Steve Mike-Mayer's fifth consecutive field goal and Cleveland Elam's 31-yard return of a Joe Namath fumble for a TD broke open a scoreless game and kept the 49ers just a half-game behind the Rams in the NFC West. Cedrick Hardman set up Elam's score when he sacked Joe Namath, one of seven sacks of Jets' quarterbacks, and popped the ball loose. Ed Marinaro averted the Jets' second shutout with a one-yard run and his 111-yard performance was the first 100-yard plus game in his NFL career.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 89.3 (27) | 133.0 (20) | 222.3 (26) | 9 |
| DEFENSE | 223.0 (26) | 199.3 (25) | 422.3 (27) | 3 | |
 | OFFENSE | 143.3 (15) | 151.7 (17) | 295.0 (17) | 5 |
| DEFENSE | 140.7 (17) | 161.7 (13) | 302.3 (13) | 8 |
Line: 49ers by 14
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Jets (0-4-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| San Francisco 49ers (3-1-0) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 17 |
( 0- 3) SF Steve Mike-Mayer 31 yard field goal
( 0-10) SF Cleveland Elam 31 yard fumble return (Steve Mike-Mayer kick)
( 0-17) SF Sammy Johnson 1 yard rush (Steve Mike-Mayer kick)
( 6-17) NYJ Ed Marinaro 1 yard rush (kick failed)
NYJ SF
First Downs: 19 16
Rushes-yards: 35-170 38-126
Yards/rush: 4.9 3.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-26-154-0 12-23-121-2
Sacked-yards: 7-73 0-0
Net pass yards: 81 121
Net yards/pass: 2.5 5.3
Total net yards: 251 247
Total plays: 68 (51% run) 61 (62% run)
Yards/play: 3.7 4.0
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 1-0
Turnovers: 2 2
Penalties-yards: 4-57 3-15
Attendance: 42,961
Passing:
NYJ: Joe Namath, 8 of 17 for 70 yards; Richard Todd, 6 of 9 for 94 yards SF: Jim Plunkett, 12 of 22 for 121 yards (1 int); Scott Bull, 0 of 1 for 0 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
NYJ: Ed Marinaro, 21 for 111 yards and 1 TD; Steve Davis, 12 for 47 yards; Bob Gresham, 1 for 7 yards; Joe Namath, 1 for 5 yards SF: Delvin Williams, 18 for 62 yards; Wilbur Jackson, 11 for 41 yards; Sammy Johnson, 5 for 9 yards and 1 TD; Kermit Johnson, 2 for 3 yards; Jim Plunkett, 1 for 8 yards; Willie McGee, 1 for 3 yards
Receiving:
NYJ: Ed Marinaro, 5 for 61 yards; Rich Caster, 4 for 42 yards; David Knight, 2 for 29 yards; Howard Satterwhite, 2 for 26 yards; Steve Davis, 1 for 6 yards SF: Delvin Williams, 5 for 55 yards; Gene Washington, 3 for 34 yards; Wilbur Jackson, 2 for 4 yards; Tom Mitchell, 1 for 24 yards; Sammy Johnson, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
NYJ: Louie Giammona, 2 for 46 yards SF: Tony Leonard, 2 for 52 yards
Punt returns:
NYJ: Louie Giammona, 1 for 25 yards SF: Ralph McGill, 3 for 7 yards; Bruce Taylor, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
NYJ: Greg Buttle, 1 for 14 yards; Bob Martin, 1 for 3 yards
Punting:
NYJ: Duane Carrell, 6 for 247 yards SF: Tom Wittum, 5 for 216 yards
Field Goals:
NYJ: Pat Leahy, 0/1 SF: Steve Mike-Mayer, 1/1
NYJ: Joe Namath, 8 of 17 for 70 yards; Richard Todd, 6 of 9 for 94 yards SF: Jim Plunkett, 12 of 22 for 121 yards (1 int); Scott Bull, 0 of 1 for 0 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
NYJ: Ed Marinaro, 21 for 111 yards and 1 TD; Steve Davis, 12 for 47 yards; Bob Gresham, 1 for 7 yards; Joe Namath, 1 for 5 yards SF: Delvin Williams, 18 for 62 yards; Wilbur Jackson, 11 for 41 yards; Sammy Johnson, 5 for 9 yards and 1 TD; Kermit Johnson, 2 for 3 yards; Jim Plunkett, 1 for 8 yards; Willie McGee, 1 for 3 yards
Receiving:
NYJ: Ed Marinaro, 5 for 61 yards; Rich Caster, 4 for 42 yards; David Knight, 2 for 29 yards; Howard Satterwhite, 2 for 26 yards; Steve Davis, 1 for 6 yards SF: Delvin Williams, 5 for 55 yards; Gene Washington, 3 for 34 yards; Wilbur Jackson, 2 for 4 yards; Tom Mitchell, 1 for 24 yards; Sammy Johnson, 1 for 4 yards
Kick returns:
NYJ: Louie Giammona, 2 for 46 yards SF: Tony Leonard, 2 for 52 yards
Punt returns:
NYJ: Louie Giammona, 1 for 25 yards SF: Ralph McGill, 3 for 7 yards; Bruce Taylor, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
NYJ: Greg Buttle, 1 for 14 yards; Bob Martin, 1 for 3 yards
Punting:
NYJ: Duane Carrell, 6 for 247 yards SF: Tom Wittum, 5 for 216 yards
Field Goals:
NYJ: Pat Leahy, 0/1 SF: Steve Mike-Mayer, 1/1
Steve Jones, subbing the second half for injured Terry Metcalf, scored touchdowns on a three-yard pass from Jim Hart and ran over from the 3 to help keep the Cardinals just one game behind Dallas in the NFC East. Mike Sensibaugh got his first NFL touchdown on the second play of the game after intercepting Craig Morton at the Giants' 35 and taking it for a score. Giants' halfback Doug Kotar caught 11 passes in the game to tie Washington's Frank Grant for the best receiving performance in 1976 in the NFC.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 115.3 (24) | 157.3 (15) | 272.7 (21) | 11 |
| DEFENSE | 163.0 (20) | 167.0 (17) | 330.0 (18) | 7 | |
 | OFFENSE | 204.3 (3) | 209.0 (5) | 413.3 (3) | 7 |
| DEFENSE | 113.7 (6) | 197.7 (23) | 311.3 (14) | 10 |
Line: Cardinals by 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants (0-4-0) | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| St. Louis Cardinals (3-1-0) | 10 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
( 0- 7) STL Mike Sensibaugh 35 yard interception return (Jim Bakken kick)
( 7- 7) NYG Larry Csonka 5 yard rush (Joe Danelo kick)
( 7-10) STL Jim Bakken 22 yard field goal
( 7-17) STL Steve Jones 3 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
( 7-20) STL Jim Bakken 34 yard field goal
(14-20) NYG Larry Csonka 1 yard rush (Joe Danelo kick)
(14-27) STL Steve Jones 3 yard rush (Jim Bakken kick)
(21-27) NYG Marsh White 2 yard rush (Joe Danelo kick)
NYG STL
First Downs: 23 25
Rushes-yards: 33-137 45-187
Yards/rush: 4.2 4.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 18-28-215-1 16-22-117-0
Sacked-yards: 1-8 0-0
Net pass yards: 207 117
Net yards/pass: 7.1 5.3
Total net yards: 344 304
Total plays: 62 (53% run) 67 (67% run)
Yards/play: 5.5 4.5
Fumbles-lost: 1-0 0-0
Turnovers: 1 0
Penalties-yards: 10-65 9-80
Attendance: 48,039
Passing:
NYG: Craig Morton, 18 of 28 for 215 yards (1 int) STL: Jim Hart, 16 of 22 for 117 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
NYG: Larry Csonka, 13 for 56 yards and 2 TDs; Doug Kotar, 10 for 40 yards; Gordon Bell, 6 for 37 yards; Marsh White, 3 for 4 yards and 1 TD; Craig Morton, 1 for 0 yards STL: Steve Jones, 17 for 85 yards and 1 TD; Wayne Morris, 15 for 70 yards; Jim Otis, 7 for 20 yards; Terry Metcalf, 6 for 12 yards
Receiving:
NYG: Doug Kotar, 11 for 132 yards; Gordon Bell, 3 for 26 yards; Bob Tucker, 3 for 26 yards; Gary Shirk, 1 for 31 yards STL: Ike Harris, 5 for 44 yards; Terry Metcalf, 3 for 26 yards; Steve Jones, 3 for 4 yards and 1 TD; J.V. Cain, 2 for 19 yards; Mel Gray, 2 for 19 yards; Pat Tilley, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
NYG: Jim Robinson, 4 for 98 yards; Gordon Bell, 2 for 45 yards STL: Jerry Latin, 3 for 70 yards
Punt returns:
NYG: Jim Robinson, 2 for 5 yards STL: Pat Tilley, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
STL: Mike Sensibaugh, 1 for 35 yards and 1 TD
Punting:
NYG: Dave Jennings, 4 for 134 yards STL: Terry Joyce, 4 for 172 yards
Field Goals:
STL: Jim Bakken, 2/2
NYG: Craig Morton, 18 of 28 for 215 yards (1 int) STL: Jim Hart, 16 of 22 for 117 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
NYG: Larry Csonka, 13 for 56 yards and 2 TDs; Doug Kotar, 10 for 40 yards; Gordon Bell, 6 for 37 yards; Marsh White, 3 for 4 yards and 1 TD; Craig Morton, 1 for 0 yards STL: Steve Jones, 17 for 85 yards and 1 TD; Wayne Morris, 15 for 70 yards; Jim Otis, 7 for 20 yards; Terry Metcalf, 6 for 12 yards
Receiving:
NYG: Doug Kotar, 11 for 132 yards; Gordon Bell, 3 for 26 yards; Bob Tucker, 3 for 26 yards; Gary Shirk, 1 for 31 yards STL: Ike Harris, 5 for 44 yards; Terry Metcalf, 3 for 26 yards; Steve Jones, 3 for 4 yards and 1 TD; J.V. Cain, 2 for 19 yards; Mel Gray, 2 for 19 yards; Pat Tilley, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
NYG: Jim Robinson, 4 for 98 yards; Gordon Bell, 2 for 45 yards STL: Jerry Latin, 3 for 70 yards
Punt returns:
NYG: Jim Robinson, 2 for 5 yards STL: Pat Tilley, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
STL: Mike Sensibaugh, 1 for 35 yards and 1 TD
Punting:
NYG: Dave Jennings, 4 for 134 yards STL: Terry Joyce, 4 for 172 yards
Field Goals:
STL: Jim Bakken, 2/2