NFL game summary for 10/17/1976:

Bo Matthews and Charlie Joiner combined for 21 second half points to lead San Diego past Houston despite a three-touchdown, 329-yard passing performance by Oiler quarterback Dan Pastorini. Matthews broke loose for a 42-yard touchdown in the third period but Pastorini matched that score on a 54-yard pass to Ken Burrough. Dan Fouts, 19 of 24 for 279 yards, teamed with Joiner on an 81-yard scoring play but Pastorini countered with another touchdown pass to Burrough and then put the Oilers ahead 27-24 with his third TD pass, a 32-yarder to Billy Johnson. Matthews scored again on a one-yard run through the middle of the Houston defense with 1:58 left in the game, giving the Chargers the win.

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

Team		Rush Yds/Gm	Pass Yds/Gm	Tot Yds/Gm	Turnovers
Houston Oilers	OFFENSE	131.8  (20)	161.6  (13)	293.4  (15)	7
	DEFENSE	87.8  (1)	120.4  (4)	208.2  (1)	9
San Diego Chargers	OFFENSE	182.0  (4)	191.4  (8)	373.4  (5)	6
	DEFENSE	132.0  (10)	189.2  (22)	321.2  (18)	16

Line: Oilers by 3½

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Houston Oilers (4-2-0)	3	3	7	14	27
San Diego Chargers (4-2-0)	0	7	10	13	30

( 3- 0) HOU Skip Butler 31 yard field goal
( 3- 7) SD  Dwight McDonald 13 yard pass from Dan Fouts (Ray Wersching kick)
( 6- 7) HOU Skip Butler 36 yard field goal
( 6-10) SD  Ray Wersching 30 yard field goal
( 6-17) SD  Bo Matthews 42 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick)
(13-17) HOU Ken Burrough 54 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Skip Butler kick)
(13-24) SD  Charlie Joiner 81 yard pass from Dan Fouts (Ray Wersching kick)
(20-24) HOU Ken Burrough 67 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Skip Butler kick)
(27-24) HOU Billy Johnson 32 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Skip Butler kick)
(27-30) SD  Bo Matthews 1 yard rush (kick failed)

                     HOU             SD
First Downs:         16              24
Rushes-yards:        23-51           41-223
Yards/rush:          2.2             5.4
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     25-39-329-1     19-24-279-0
Sacked-yards:        0-0             8-34
Net pass yards:      329             245
Net yards/pass:      8.4             7.7
Total net yards:     380             468
Total plays:         62 (37% run)    73 (56% run)  
Yards/play:          6.1             6.4
Fumbles-lost:        1-0             5-2
Turnovers:           1               2
Penalties-yards:     9-80            6-55

Attendance: 31,950

Passing:
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 25 of 39 for 329 yards and 3 TDs (1 int)
SD: Dan Fouts, 19 of 24 for 279 yards and 2 TDs

Rushing:
HOU: Ronnie Coleman, 11 for 28 yards; Fred Willis, 10 for 20 yards; Dan Pastorini, 2 for 3 yards
SD: Sam Scarber, 17 for 78 yards; Rickey Young, 15 for 73 yards; Bo Matthews, 6 for 59 yards and 2 TDs; Mitch Hoopes, 1 for 10 yards; Mercury Morris, 1 for 3 yards; Dan Fouts, 1 for 0 yards

Receiving:
HOU: Ronnie Coleman, 7 for 61 yards; Billy Johnson, 6 for 94 yards and 1 TD; Ken Burrough, 5 for 136 yards and 2 TDs; Melvin Baker, 2 for 26 yards; Fred Willis, 2 for -2 yards; John Sawyer, 1 for 8 yards; Mack Alston, 1 for 4 yards; Don Hardeman, 1 for 2 yards
SD: Rickey Young, 5 for 55 yards; Pat Curran, 4 for 49 yards; Sam Scarber, 3 for 21 yards; Charlie Joiner, 2 for 106 yards and 1 TD; Bo Matthews, 2 for 22 yards; Larry Dorsey, 1 for 13 yards; Dwight McDonald, 1 for 13 yards and 1 TD; Mercury Morris, 1 for 0 yards

Kick returns:
HOU: Altie Taylor, 3 for 39 yards; Don Hardeman, 1 for 26 yards; Billy Johnson, 1 for 19 yards
SD: Artie Owens, 3 for 74 yards; Mike Fuller, 2 for 38 yards; Ray Preston, 1 for 16 yards

Punt returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 1 for 27 yards
SD: Mike Fuller, 1 for 16 yards; Mike Williams, 1 for 0 yards

Interceptions:
SD: Don Goode, 1 for 11 yards

Punting:
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 4 for 147 yards
SD: Mitch Hoopes, 3 for 98 yards

Field Goals:
HOU: Skip Butler, 2/3
SD: Ray Wersching, 1/1

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