NFL game summary for 12/11/1977:
Billy Johnson returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown and Ronnie Coleman scored twice on short runs to lead the Oilers to a 19-15 victory over the error-prone Browns, who yielded the ball four times on fumbles and four times on interceptions.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 144.0 (14) | 136.4 (18) | 280.4 (17) | 33 |
| DEFENSE | 127.3 (8) | 149.0 (15) | 276.3 (11) | 44 | |
 | OFFENSE | 146.9 (12) | 154.3 (11) | 301.2 (12) | 40 |
| DEFENSE | 149.7 (19) | 152.4 (19) | 302.1 (21) | 35 |
Line: Oilers by 4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Oilers (7-6-0) | 7 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 19 |
| Cleveland Browns (6-7-0) | 0 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 15 |
( 7- 0) HOU Ronnie Coleman 3 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick) ( 7- 3) CLE Don Cockroft 26 yard field goal (13- 3) HOU Ronnie Coleman 2 yard rush (kick failed) (13- 6) CLE Don Cockroft 40 yard field goal (19- 6) HOU Billy Johnson 72 yard punt return (kick failed) (19- 8) CLE Safety, Rob Carpenter tackled in end zone by Jerry Sherk (19-15) CLE Gary Parris 3 yard pass from Terry Luck (Don Cockroft kick)
HOU CLE
First Downs: 10 22
Rushes-yards: 36-111 41-178
Yards/rush: 3.1 4.3
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 7-12-74-1 19-35-222-4
Sacked-yards: 2-18 0-0
Net pass yards: 56 222
Net yards/pass: 4.0 6.3
Total net yards: 167 400
Total plays: 50 (72% run) 76 (53% run)
Yards/play: 3.3 5.3
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 6-4
Turnovers: 2 8
Penalties-yards: 5-37 5-50
Attendance: 30,898
Passing:
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 7 of 12 for 74 yards (1 int) CLE: Terry Luck, 16 of 27 for 188 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Dave Mays, 3 of 8 for 34 yards (2 int)
Rushing:
HOU: Ronnie Coleman, 20 for 66 yards and 2 TDs; Rob Carpenter, 15 for 48 yards; Dan Pastorini, 1 for -3 yards CLE: Greg Pruitt, 23 for 92 yards; Cleo Miller, 15 for 84 yards; Terry Luck, 2 for -3 yards; Larry Poole, 1 for 5 yards
Receiving:
HOU: Ronnie Coleman, 3 for 1 yard; Eddie Foster, 1 for 56 yards; Mike Barber, 1 for 11 yards; Billy Johnson, 1 for 10 yards; Ken Burrough, 1 for -4 yards CLE: Reggie Rucker, 6 for 97 yards; Greg Pruitt, 5 for 42 yards; Cleo Miller, 3 for 24 yards; Paul Warfield, 2 for 24 yards; Gary Parris, 2 for 14 yards and 1 TD; Dave Logan, 1 for 21 yards
Kick returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 3 for 55 yards CLE: Lawrence Williams, 2 for 59 yards; Brian Duncan, 1 for 21 yards; Dick Ambrose, 1 for 20 yards; Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 2 yards
Punt returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 2 for 97 yards and 1 TD CLE: Rolly Woolsey, 6 for 53 yards
Interceptions:
HOU: Zeke Moore, 1 for 34 yards; Curley Culp, 1 for 25 yards; Willie Alexander, 1 for 2 yards CLE: Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
HOU: Cliff Parsley, 8 for 275 yards CLE: Greg Coleman, 4 for 159 yards
Field Goals:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 2/2
HOU: Dan Pastorini, 7 of 12 for 74 yards (1 int) CLE: Terry Luck, 16 of 27 for 188 yards and 1 TD (2 int); Dave Mays, 3 of 8 for 34 yards (2 int)
Rushing:
HOU: Ronnie Coleman, 20 for 66 yards and 2 TDs; Rob Carpenter, 15 for 48 yards; Dan Pastorini, 1 for -3 yards CLE: Greg Pruitt, 23 for 92 yards; Cleo Miller, 15 for 84 yards; Terry Luck, 2 for -3 yards; Larry Poole, 1 for 5 yards
Receiving:
HOU: Ronnie Coleman, 3 for 1 yard; Eddie Foster, 1 for 56 yards; Mike Barber, 1 for 11 yards; Billy Johnson, 1 for 10 yards; Ken Burrough, 1 for -4 yards CLE: Reggie Rucker, 6 for 97 yards; Greg Pruitt, 5 for 42 yards; Cleo Miller, 3 for 24 yards; Paul Warfield, 2 for 24 yards; Gary Parris, 2 for 14 yards and 1 TD; Dave Logan, 1 for 21 yards
Kick returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 3 for 55 yards CLE: Lawrence Williams, 2 for 59 yards; Brian Duncan, 1 for 21 yards; Dick Ambrose, 1 for 20 yards; Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 2 yards
Punt returns:
HOU: Billy Johnson, 2 for 97 yards and 1 TD CLE: Rolly Woolsey, 6 for 53 yards
Interceptions:
HOU: Zeke Moore, 1 for 34 yards; Curley Culp, 1 for 25 yards; Willie Alexander, 1 for 2 yards CLE: Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
HOU: Cliff Parsley, 8 for 275 yards CLE: Greg Coleman, 4 for 159 yards
Field Goals:
CLE: Don Cockroft, 2/2