All NFL game summaries for 12/26/1976:

The blocked kick, a maneuver the Vikings performed 13 times during the regular season, twice shocked the Rams to produce a 10-0 lead as the Central Division champions went on to defeat Los Angeles and capture their fourth NFC title in nine years. After Los Angeles had moved 53 yards on 13 plays to the Minnesota 1 in the first period, the Rams' Tom Dempsey had his 17-yard field goal attempt blocked by Nate Allen and Bobby Bryant picked up the ball and ran 90 yards for a Vikings touchdown. Two minutes into the second period Minnesota linebacker Matt Blair smothered a punt by the Rams' Rusty Jackson, and the Vikings took possession on the Los Angeles eight. Four plays later, Fred Cox kicked a 25-yard field goal and Minnesota was ahead to stay. A 62-yard run by Chuck Foreman set up a one-yard touchdown by the Minnesota All-Pro back as the Vikings' lead mounted to 17-0 2:09 after intermission.

The Rams came back to 17-13 before the third period ended. Monte Jackson intercepted a Fran Tarkenton pass in the end zone and the Rams marched 80 yards with Lawrence McCutcheon scoring from the one. But Dempsey missed the conversion attempt. Then Fred Dryer sacked Tarkenton, jarred the ball loose, and Jack Youngblood carried the recovery to the Minnesota eight. Three plays later, Pat Haden lofted a five-yard touchdown pass to Harold Jackson. Los Angeles made one final bid to score, moving from its 37 to the Minnesota 39, but three passes fell incomplete. On fourth down Haden threw for Ron Jessie, but the pass was intercepted by Bryant (his second of the game) at the Vikings' eight and returned to the 25. On third down from his 31, Tarkenton found Foreman open moving across the middle and connected with Chuck, who then completed a 57-yard gain to the Los Angeles 12. On third down, Sammy Johnson scored from the 12 to clinch the victory on a bright, sunny day when the temperature was 12 degrees at kickoff and remained in the low teens.

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

Line: Vikings by 4½

                     LA              MIN
First Downs:         21              13
Rushes-yards:        46-193          29-158
Yards/rush:          4.2             5.4
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     9-22-161-2      12-27-143-1
Sacked-yards:        3-18            4-34
Net pass yards:      143             109
Net yards/pass:      5.7             3.5
Total net yards:     336             267
Total plays:         71 (64% run)    60 (48% run)  
Yards/play:          4.7             4.5
Fumbles-lost:        4-2             1-1
Turnovers:           4               2
Penalties-yards:     3-33            4-32

Attendance: 47,191

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Oakland advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1967 by overwhelming two-time defending champion Pittsburgh 24-7. The Raiders, who lost to the Steelers in both the 1974 and 1975 AFC championship games, got on the scoreboard first on a 39-yard Errol Mann field goal after Oakland reserve running back Hubert Ginn partially blocked a Bobby Walden punt. Raiders' linebacker Willie Hall intercepted a Terry Bradshaw pass on the Steelers' 26-yard line in the second quarter and returned it to the Pittsburgh one, where running back Clarence Davis carried it over for a 10-0 lead.

The Steelers charged back on their only impressive drive of the game, moving 75 yards on eight plays with Reggie Harrison bulling in from the 3-yard line to narrow the score to 10-7. Oakland then marched 69 yards on 14 plays, with Ken Stabler passing four yards to backup tight end Warren Bankston for a 17-7 halftime margin. The Raiders kept up the attack in the third quarter, scoring on their second possession, with Stabler tossing five yards to running back Pete Banaszak for the final 24-7 spread. Pittsburgh opened the game in a three-tight end formation since regular running backs Franco Harris (ribs) and Rocky Bleier (toe) were sidelined with injuries. The Oakland victory snapped a 10-game Pittsburgh win streak, and sent the Raiders into their second Super Bowl with 12 consecutive victories. Oakland's Mark van Eeghen was the game's leading rusher with 22 carries for 66 yards, while the Raiders' defense held Pittsburgh to 72 yards on the ground.

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

Line: Steelers by 4½

                     PIT             OAK
First Downs:         13              15
Rushes-yards:        21-72           51-157
Yards/rush:          3.4             3.1
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     14-35-176-1     10-16-88-0
Sacked-yards:        3-11            2-25
Net pass yards:      165             63
Net yards/pass:      4.3             3.5
Total net yards:     237             220
Total plays:         59 (35% run)    69 (73% run)  
Yards/play:          4.0             3.2
Fumbles-lost:        1-0             2-0
Turnovers:           1               0
Penalties-yards:     5-29            7-34

Attendance: 53,739

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