NFL game summary for 12/05/1976:
Bob Avellini tossed three third-quarter touchdown passes and Walter Payton broke a Chicago season rushing record as the Bears picked up their seventh win, the most since 1968. Seattle carried a 7-6 lead in to the second half but Avellini, completing seven of 10 passes for 152 yards in the third period, threw a pair of scoring passes to James Scott and another to Roland Harper within a three-minute period. Payton set a personal high of 183 yards rushing and eclipsed Gale Sayers's season rushing record of 1,231 yards set in 1966.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 165.7 (8) | 97.8 (28) | 263.5 (23) | 23 |
| DEFENSE | 126.9 (6) | 161.6 (19) | 288.5 (12) | 36 | |
 | OFFENSE | 103.3 (28) | 186.8 (7) | 290.2 (16) | 40 |
| DEFENSE | 195.6 (27) | 177.7 (24) | 373.2 (27) | 25 |
Line: Bears by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears (7-6-0) | 0 | 6 | 21 | 7 | 34 |
| Seattle Seahawks (2-11-0) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
( 6- 0) CHI Johnny Musso 2 yard rush (kick failed)
( 6- 7) SEA John McMakin 14 yard pass from Jim Zorn (John Leypoldt kick)
(13- 7) CHI James Scott 63 yard pass from Bob Avellini (Bob Thomas kick)
(20- 7) CHI James Scott 30 yard pass from Bob Avellini (Bob Thomas kick)
(27- 7) CHI Roland Harper 39 yard pass from Bob Avellini (Bob Thomas kick)
(34- 7) CHI Randy Burks 55 yard pass from Virgil Carter (Bob Thomas kick)
CHI SEA
First Downs: 23 16
Rushes-yards: 48-259 23-105
Yards/rush: 5.4 4.6
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-28-270-1 15-34-188-3
Sacked-yards: 2-20 1-7
Net pass yards: 250 181
Net yards/pass: 8.3 5.2
Total net yards: 509 286
Total plays: 78 (61% run) 58 (39% run)
Yards/play: 6.5 4.9
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 4-2
Turnovers: 1 5
Penalties-yards: 8-79 8-58
Attendance: 60,510
Passing:
CHI: Bob Avellini, 12 of 24 for 209 yards and 3 TDs (1 int); Virgil Carter, 2 of 4 for 61 yards and 1 TD SEA: Jim Zorn, 15 of 34 for 188 yards and 1 TD (3 int)
Rushing:
CHI: Walter Payton, 27 for 183 yards; Roland Harper, 10 for 35 yards; Johnny Musso, 6 for 23 yards and 1 TD; Mike Adamle, 2 for 16 yards; Larry Schreiber, 1 for 3 yards; Bob Parsons, 1 for 2 yards; Bob Avellini, 1 for -3 yards SEA: Sherman Smith, 15 for 71 yards; Don Testerman, 5 for 30 yards; Jim Zorn, 2 for 2 yards; Hugh McKinnis, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
CHI: James Scott, 3 for 106 yards and 2 TDs; Roland Harper, 3 for 42 yards and 1 TD; Walter Payton, 2 for 30 yards; Mike Adamle, 2 for 18 yards; Brian Baschnagel, 2 for 14 yards; Randy Burks, 1 for 55 yards and 1 TD; Greg Latta, 1 for 5 yards SEA: Steve Largent, 4 for 47 yards; John McMakin, 3 for 54 yards and 1 TD; Sam McCullum, 2 for 32 yards; Ron Howard, 2 for 28 yards; Sherman Smith, 2 for 17 yards; Don Testerman, 2 for 10 yards
Kick returns:
CHI: Brian Baschnagel, 2 for 43 yards SEA: Don Dufek, 4 for 64 yards; Oliver Ross, 2 for 36 yards
Punt returns:
CHI: Steve Schubert, 5 for 49 yards SEA: Lyle Blackwood, 2 for 27 yards; Dave Brown, 1 for 1 yard
Interceptions:
CHI: Waymond Bryant, 2 for 6 yards; Virgil Livers, 1 for 18 yards SEA: Al Matthews, 1 for 20 yards
Punting:
CHI: Bob Parsons, 5 for 219 yards SEA: Rick Engles, 7 for 260 yards
Field Goals:
CHI: Bob Thomas, 0/2
CHI: Bob Avellini, 12 of 24 for 209 yards and 3 TDs (1 int); Virgil Carter, 2 of 4 for 61 yards and 1 TD SEA: Jim Zorn, 15 of 34 for 188 yards and 1 TD (3 int)
Rushing:
CHI: Walter Payton, 27 for 183 yards; Roland Harper, 10 for 35 yards; Johnny Musso, 6 for 23 yards and 1 TD; Mike Adamle, 2 for 16 yards; Larry Schreiber, 1 for 3 yards; Bob Parsons, 1 for 2 yards; Bob Avellini, 1 for -3 yards SEA: Sherman Smith, 15 for 71 yards; Don Testerman, 5 for 30 yards; Jim Zorn, 2 for 2 yards; Hugh McKinnis, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
CHI: James Scott, 3 for 106 yards and 2 TDs; Roland Harper, 3 for 42 yards and 1 TD; Walter Payton, 2 for 30 yards; Mike Adamle, 2 for 18 yards; Brian Baschnagel, 2 for 14 yards; Randy Burks, 1 for 55 yards and 1 TD; Greg Latta, 1 for 5 yards SEA: Steve Largent, 4 for 47 yards; John McMakin, 3 for 54 yards and 1 TD; Sam McCullum, 2 for 32 yards; Ron Howard, 2 for 28 yards; Sherman Smith, 2 for 17 yards; Don Testerman, 2 for 10 yards
Kick returns:
CHI: Brian Baschnagel, 2 for 43 yards SEA: Don Dufek, 4 for 64 yards; Oliver Ross, 2 for 36 yards
Punt returns:
CHI: Steve Schubert, 5 for 49 yards SEA: Lyle Blackwood, 2 for 27 yards; Dave Brown, 1 for 1 yard
Interceptions:
CHI: Waymond Bryant, 2 for 6 yards; Virgil Livers, 1 for 18 yards SEA: Al Matthews, 1 for 20 yards
Punting:
CHI: Bob Parsons, 5 for 219 yards SEA: Rick Engles, 7 for 260 yards
Field Goals:
CHI: Bob Thomas, 0/2