NFL game summary for 12/11/1976:
James Harris threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Harold Jackson which opened a 17-point Rams' third quarter and erased a 17-3 Detroit lead. Joe Reed, quarterbacking for the first time in seven games, staked Detroit to a 14-point halftime lead on a four-yard touchdown run and a nine-yard TD pass to Charlie Sanders. Harris, taking over in the first quarter for an injured Pat Haden, started the Rams' scoring barrage by driving 65 yards for a touchdown on the first series of the second half. Jim Youngblood intercepted the second Reed pass of the third quarter, returning it 26 yards to the Lions' three, and Cullen Bryant ran for a score on the next play for the Rams' first and final lead with two seconds left in the period.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 185.5 (3) | 169.9 (9) | 355.4 (5) | 33 |
| DEFENSE | 113.3 (2) | 151.5 (14) | 264.8 (6) | 45 | |
 | OFFENSE | 163.2 (9) | 155.2 (13) | 318.5 (13) | 30 |
| DEFENSE | 137.2 (10) | 119.5 (3) | 256.8 (3) | 37 |
Line: Rams by 6
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams (10-3-1) | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 20 |
| Detroit Lions (6-8-0) | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
( 0- 3) DET Benny Ricardo 19 yard field goal
( 3- 3) LA Tom Dempsey 35 yard field goal
( 3-10) DET Joe Reed 4 yard rush (Benny Ricardo kick)
( 3-17) DET Charlie Sanders 9 yard pass from Joe Reed (Benny Ricardo kick)
(10-17) LA Harold Jackson 27 yard pass from James Harris (Tom Dempsey kick)
(13-17) LA Tom Dempsey 32 yard field goal
(20-17) LA Cullen Bryant 3 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick)
LA DET
First Downs: 14 11
Rushes-yards: 40-117 29-91
Yards/rush: 2.9 3.1
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 12-22-132-2 12-21-165-3
Sacked-yards: 0-0 5-43
Net pass yards: 132 122
Net yards/pass: 6.0 4.7
Total net yards: 249 213
Total plays: 62 (64% run) 55 (52% run)
Yards/play: 4.0 3.9
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 2-0
Turnovers: 2 3
Penalties-yards: 4-30 10-75
Attendance: 73,470
Passing:
LA: James Harris, 10 of 17 for 113 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Pat Haden, 2 of 5 for 19 yards DET: Joe Reed, 9 of 13 for 137 yards and 1 TD (3 int); Greg Landry, 3 of 8 for 28 yards
Rushing:
LA: Cullen Bryant, 11 for 41 yards and 1 TD; Lawrence McCutcheon, 9 for 24 yards; Jim Bertelsen, 8 for 19 yards; Rod Phillips, 5 for 17 yards; John Cappelletti, 4 for -2 yards; James Harris, 2 for 14 yards; Ron Jessie, 1 for 4 yards DET: Lawrence Gaines, 14 for 53 yards; Dexter Bussey, 10 for 14 yards; Joe Reed, 3 for 13 yards and 1 TD; Greg Landry, 2 for 11 yards
Receiving:
LA: Bob Klein, 4 for 42 yards; John Cappelletti, 3 for 20 yards; Harold Jackson, 2 for 43 yards and 1 TD; Terry Nelson, 2 for 18 yards; Jim Bertelsen, 1 for 9 yards DET: Lawrence Gaines, 4 for 17 yards; Charlie Sanders, 3 for 53 yards and 1 TD; Bobby Thompson, 2 for 19 yards; Ray Jarvis, 1 for 57 yards; Larry Walton, 1 for 12 yards; David Hill, 1 for 7 yards
Kick returns:
LA: Tom Geredine, 4 for 81 yards DET: James Hunter, 2 for 99 yards; Bobby Thompson, 2 for 45 yards; Leonard Thompson, 1 for -1 yards
Punt returns:
LA: Cullen Bryant, 3 for 51 yards DET: Lem Barney, 2 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
LA: Jim Youngblood, 1 for 26 yards; Isiah Robertson, 1 for 9 yards; Rod Perry, 1 for 0 yards DET: Lem Barney, 1 for 26 yards; Charlie Weaver, 1 for 19 yards
Punting:
LA: Rusty Jackson, 5 for 214 yards DET: Herman Weaver, 8 for 291 yards
Field Goals:
LA: Tom Dempsey, 2/4 DET: Benny Ricardo, 1/1
LA: James Harris, 10 of 17 for 113 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Pat Haden, 2 of 5 for 19 yards DET: Joe Reed, 9 of 13 for 137 yards and 1 TD (3 int); Greg Landry, 3 of 8 for 28 yards
Rushing:
LA: Cullen Bryant, 11 for 41 yards and 1 TD; Lawrence McCutcheon, 9 for 24 yards; Jim Bertelsen, 8 for 19 yards; Rod Phillips, 5 for 17 yards; John Cappelletti, 4 for -2 yards; James Harris, 2 for 14 yards; Ron Jessie, 1 for 4 yards DET: Lawrence Gaines, 14 for 53 yards; Dexter Bussey, 10 for 14 yards; Joe Reed, 3 for 13 yards and 1 TD; Greg Landry, 2 for 11 yards
Receiving:
LA: Bob Klein, 4 for 42 yards; John Cappelletti, 3 for 20 yards; Harold Jackson, 2 for 43 yards and 1 TD; Terry Nelson, 2 for 18 yards; Jim Bertelsen, 1 for 9 yards DET: Lawrence Gaines, 4 for 17 yards; Charlie Sanders, 3 for 53 yards and 1 TD; Bobby Thompson, 2 for 19 yards; Ray Jarvis, 1 for 57 yards; Larry Walton, 1 for 12 yards; David Hill, 1 for 7 yards
Kick returns:
LA: Tom Geredine, 4 for 81 yards DET: James Hunter, 2 for 99 yards; Bobby Thompson, 2 for 45 yards; Leonard Thompson, 1 for -1 yards
Punt returns:
LA: Cullen Bryant, 3 for 51 yards DET: Lem Barney, 2 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
LA: Jim Youngblood, 1 for 26 yards; Isiah Robertson, 1 for 9 yards; Rod Perry, 1 for 0 yards DET: Lem Barney, 1 for 26 yards; Charlie Weaver, 1 for 19 yards
Punting:
LA: Rusty Jackson, 5 for 214 yards DET: Herman Weaver, 8 for 291 yards
Field Goals:
LA: Tom Dempsey, 2/4 DET: Benny Ricardo, 1/1