NFL game summary for 12/12/1976:
Sam Hunt took a Steve Spurrier interception 68 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown to pull the Patriots past the Buccaneers and clinch the AFC wild card spot for New England's first postseason play in 13 seasons. Andy Johnson twice tied the score for New England after Tampa Bay took 7-0 and 14-7 leads in the second quarter. Johnson scored on runs of 69 and 9 yards as part of a 127-yard rushing effort. Steve Grogan set an NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, 12, when he scored on a one-yard run with four seconds left in the game.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 206.8 (2) | 131.2 (20) | 338.0 (8) | 35 |
| DEFENSE | 131.7 (8) | 157.1 (16) | 288.8 (12) | 47 | |
 | OFFENSE | 105.2 (27) | 105.4 (26) | 210.6 (28) | 34 |
| DEFENSE | 176.9 (23) | 169.3 (21) | 346.2 (24) | 27 |
Line: Patriots by 20
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots (11-3-0) | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 31 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14-0) | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
( 0- 7) TB Ed Williams 17 yard rush (Dave Green kick) ( 7- 7) NE Andy Johnson 69 yard rush (John Smith kick) ( 7-14) TB Morris Owens 17 yard pass from Steve Spurrier (Dave Green kick) (14-14) NE Andy Johnson 9 yard rush (John Smith kick) (21-14) NE Sam Hunt 68 yard interception return (John Smith kick) (24-14) NE John Smith 30 yard field goal (31-14) NE Steve Grogan 1 yard rush (Steve Zabel kick)
NE TB
First Downs: 13 14
Rushes-yards: 39-260 45-135
Yards/rush: 6.7 3.0
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 4-14-40-1 12-18-145-1
Sacked-yards: 0-0 1-12
Net pass yards: 40 133
Net yards/pass: 2.9 7.0
Total net yards: 300 268
Total plays: 53 (73% run) 64 (70% run)
Yards/play: 5.7 4.2
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 2-2
Turnovers: 1 3
Penalties-yards: 8-69 3-20
Attendance: 39,606
Passing:
NE: Steve Grogan, 4 of 14 for 40 yards (1 int) TB: Steve Spurrier, 12 of 17 for 145 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Louis Carter, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
NE: Andy Johnson, 14 for 127 yards and 2 TDs; Don Calhoun, 12 for 68 yards; Sam Cunningham, 6 for 39 yards; Jess Phillips, 3 for 22 yards; Steve Grogan, 3 for 2 yards and 1 TD; Steve Burks, 1 for 2 yards TB: Ed Williams, 15 for 58 yards and 1 TD; Louis Carter, 14 for 32 yards; Rod McNeill, 6 for 19 yards; Steve Spurrier, 4 for 13 yards; Essex Johnson, 4 for 5 yards; Jimmy DuBose, 1 for 4 yards; Fred Pagac, 1 for 4 yards
Receiving:
NE: Steve Burks, 1 for 17 yards; Don Calhoun, 1 for 12 yards; Randy Vataha, 1 for 8 yards; Sam Cunningham, 1 for 3 yards TB: Ed Williams, 4 for 33 yards; Jack Novak, 3 for 55 yards; Essex Johnson, 2 for 9 yards; Morris Owens, 1 for 27 yards and 1 TD; Barry Smith, 1 for 16 yards; Jimmy DuBose, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
NE: Don Calhoun, 2 for 31 yards; Dick Conn, 1 for 26 yards TB: Freddie Douglas, 3 for 85 yards; Essex Johnson, 2 for 51 yards
Punt returns:
NE: Mike Haynes, 3 for 53 yards TB: Freddie Douglas, 4 for 78 yards
Interceptions:
NE: Sam Hunt, 1 for 68 yards and 1 TD TB: Ken Stone, 1 for 26 yards
Punting:
NE: Mike Patrick, 7 for 292 yards TB: Dave Green, 5 for 176 yards
Field Goals:
NE: John Smith, 1/1
NE: Steve Grogan, 4 of 14 for 40 yards (1 int) TB: Steve Spurrier, 12 of 17 for 145 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Louis Carter, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
NE: Andy Johnson, 14 for 127 yards and 2 TDs; Don Calhoun, 12 for 68 yards; Sam Cunningham, 6 for 39 yards; Jess Phillips, 3 for 22 yards; Steve Grogan, 3 for 2 yards and 1 TD; Steve Burks, 1 for 2 yards TB: Ed Williams, 15 for 58 yards and 1 TD; Louis Carter, 14 for 32 yards; Rod McNeill, 6 for 19 yards; Steve Spurrier, 4 for 13 yards; Essex Johnson, 4 for 5 yards; Jimmy DuBose, 1 for 4 yards; Fred Pagac, 1 for 4 yards
Receiving:
NE: Steve Burks, 1 for 17 yards; Don Calhoun, 1 for 12 yards; Randy Vataha, 1 for 8 yards; Sam Cunningham, 1 for 3 yards TB: Ed Williams, 4 for 33 yards; Jack Novak, 3 for 55 yards; Essex Johnson, 2 for 9 yards; Morris Owens, 1 for 27 yards and 1 TD; Barry Smith, 1 for 16 yards; Jimmy DuBose, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
NE: Don Calhoun, 2 for 31 yards; Dick Conn, 1 for 26 yards TB: Freddie Douglas, 3 for 85 yards; Essex Johnson, 2 for 51 yards
Punt returns:
NE: Mike Haynes, 3 for 53 yards TB: Freddie Douglas, 4 for 78 yards
Interceptions:
NE: Sam Hunt, 1 for 68 yards and 1 TD TB: Ken Stone, 1 for 26 yards
Punting:
NE: Mike Patrick, 7 for 292 yards TB: Dave Green, 5 for 176 yards
Field Goals:
NE: John Smith, 1/1