NFL game summary for 12/11/1976:
Fran Tarkenton and Sammy White combined for three touchdowns as the Vikings got their first win ever against the Dolphins and clinched the home field advantage for the playoffs. After Minnesota's defense stopped Miami seven times within the Vikings 7 yard line early in the first quarter, Tarkenton drove Minnesota 99 yards to take a 6-0 lead on a nine-yard pass to White. Matt Blair intercepted a Don Strock pass at the Dolphins' 20 yard line to set up Brent McClanahan's one-yard TD run in the third quarter, and four minutes later Tarkenton hit White with a seven-yard pass for the duo's final score.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 136.7 (19) | 205.7 (5) | 342.4 (6) | 26 |
| DEFENSE | 157.0 (18) | 110.9 (1) | 267.9 (7) | 30 | |
 | OFFENSE | 158.7 (13) | 164.2 (10) | 322.9 (12) | 21 |
| DEFENSE | 168.1 (22) | 191.5 (28) | 359.5 (26) | 26 |
Line: Vikings by 3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings (11-2-1) | 0 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 29 |
| Miami Dolphins (6-8-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
( 6- 0) MIN Sammy White 9 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (kick failed)
(12- 0) MIN Sammy White 36 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (kick failed)
(15- 0) MIN Fred Cox 30 yard field goal
(22- 0) MIN Brent McClanahan 1 yard rush (Fred Cox kick)
(29- 0) MIN Sammy White 7 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Fred Cox kick)
(29- 7) MIA Stan Winfrey 2 yard pass from Don Strock (Garo Yepremian kick)
MIN MIA
First Downs: 26 13
Rushes-yards: 46-226 26-55
Yards/rush: 4.9 2.1
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 16-25-184-0 12-30-162-2
Sacked-yards: 2-3 3-29
Net pass yards: 181 133
Net yards/pass: 6.7 4.0
Total net yards: 407 188
Total plays: 73 (63% run) 59 (44% run)
Yards/play: 5.6 3.2
Fumbles-lost: 3-3 1-0
Turnovers: 3 2
Penalties-yards: 3-17 2-10
Attendance: 46,543
Passing:
MIN: Fran Tarkenton, 15 of 23 for 184 yards and 3 TDs; Bob Lee, 1 of 2 for 0 yards MIA: Don Strock, 9 of 19 for 132 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Bob Griese, 3 of 11 for 30 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
MIN: Chuck Foreman, 14 for 78 yards; Brent McClanahan, 11 for 44 yards and 1 TD; Robert Miller, 9 for 36 yards; Sammy Johnson, 8 for 45 yards; Ron Groce, 3 for 18 yards; Fran Tarkenton, 1 for 5 yards MIA: Gary Davis, 15 for 20 yards; Stan Winfrey, 5 for 17 yards; Don Nottingham, 4 for 4 yards; Don Strock, 1 for 11 yards; Larry Seiple, 1 for 3 yards
Receiving:
MIN: Sammy White, 9 for 120 yards and 3 TDs; Stu Voigt, 2 for 25 yards; Ahmad Rashad, 2 for 18 yards; Brent McClanahan, 2 for 13 yards; Chuck Foreman, 1 for 8 yards MIA: Freddie Solomon, 5 for 62 yards; Loaird McCreary, 2 for 51 yards; Jim Mandich, 2 for 21 yards; Larry Seiple, 1 for 23 yards; Duriel Harris, 1 for 3 yards; Stan Winfrey, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
MIN: Leonard Willis, 1 for 57 yards MIA: Gary Davis, 3 for 48 yards; Don Nottingham, 1 for 16 yards; Freddie Solomon, 1 for 12 yards; Andre Tillman, 1 for 0 yards
Punt returns:
MIN: Leonard Willis, 2 for 37 yards; Sammy White, 1 for 14 yards; Autry Beamon, 1 for -1 yards MIA: Freddie Solomon, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
MIN: Matt Blair, 1 for 20 yards; Bobby Bryant, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
MIN: Neil Clabo, 1 for 39 yards MIA: Larry Seiple, 5 for 209 yards
Field Goals:
MIN: Fred Cox, 1/2
MIN: Fran Tarkenton, 15 of 23 for 184 yards and 3 TDs; Bob Lee, 1 of 2 for 0 yards MIA: Don Strock, 9 of 19 for 132 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Bob Griese, 3 of 11 for 30 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
MIN: Chuck Foreman, 14 for 78 yards; Brent McClanahan, 11 for 44 yards and 1 TD; Robert Miller, 9 for 36 yards; Sammy Johnson, 8 for 45 yards; Ron Groce, 3 for 18 yards; Fran Tarkenton, 1 for 5 yards MIA: Gary Davis, 15 for 20 yards; Stan Winfrey, 5 for 17 yards; Don Nottingham, 4 for 4 yards; Don Strock, 1 for 11 yards; Larry Seiple, 1 for 3 yards
Receiving:
MIN: Sammy White, 9 for 120 yards and 3 TDs; Stu Voigt, 2 for 25 yards; Ahmad Rashad, 2 for 18 yards; Brent McClanahan, 2 for 13 yards; Chuck Foreman, 1 for 8 yards MIA: Freddie Solomon, 5 for 62 yards; Loaird McCreary, 2 for 51 yards; Jim Mandich, 2 for 21 yards; Larry Seiple, 1 for 23 yards; Duriel Harris, 1 for 3 yards; Stan Winfrey, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
MIN: Leonard Willis, 1 for 57 yards MIA: Gary Davis, 3 for 48 yards; Don Nottingham, 1 for 16 yards; Freddie Solomon, 1 for 12 yards; Andre Tillman, 1 for 0 yards
Punt returns:
MIN: Leonard Willis, 2 for 37 yards; Sammy White, 1 for 14 yards; Autry Beamon, 1 for -1 yards MIA: Freddie Solomon, 1 for 0 yards
Interceptions:
MIN: Matt Blair, 1 for 20 yards; Bobby Bryant, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
MIN: Neil Clabo, 1 for 39 yards MIA: Larry Seiple, 5 for 209 yards
Field Goals:
MIN: Fred Cox, 1/2