NFL game summary for 09/24/1978:
Willie Buchanon tied an NFL record, intercepting four passes (one for a 77-yard touchdown), as the Packers capitalized on 11 San Diego turnovers (five interceptions, six fumbles) in their interconference victory. Terdell Middleton ran 13 yards for a score after a San Diego fumble and Walter Landers had a 15-yard touchdown return of a blocked punt. The two teams combined to set an NFL record with 18 quarterback sacks. The Chargers tackled David Whitehurst 10 times for 83 yards, and Green Bay sacked Chargers quarterbacks 8 times.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 160.0 (11) | 101.3 (24) | 261.3 (21) | 5 |
| DEFENSE | 176.7 (22) | 135.7 (9) | 312.3 (17) | 6 | |
 | OFFENSE | 129.0 (15) | 191.7 (8) | 320.7 (12) | 4 |
| DEFENSE | 119.7 (10) | 255.0 (28) | 374.7 (25) | 6 |
Line: Chargers by 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers (3-1-0) | 0 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 27 |
| San Diego Chargers (1-3-0) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 |
( 7- 0) GB Terdell Middleton 13 yard rush (Chester Marcol kick)
(14- 0) GB Walter Landers 15 yard return of blocked punt (Chester Marcol kick)
(14- 3) SD Rolf Benirschke 43 yard field goal
(17- 3) GB Chester Marcol 37 yard field goal
(24- 3) GB Willie Buchanon 77 yard interception return (Chester Marcol kick)
GB SD
First Downs: 9 20
Rushes-yards: 33-118 30-91
Yards/rush: 3.6 3.0
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 7-14-92-1 22-37-214-5
Sacked-yards: 10-83 8-60
Net pass yards: 9 154
Net yards/pass: 0.4 3.4
Total net yards: 127 245
Total plays: 57 (57% run) 75 (40% run)
Yards/play: 2.2 3.3
Fumbles-lost: 1-1 9-6
Turnovers: 2 11
Penalties-yards: 11-105 7-51
Attendance: 42,755
Passing:
GB: David Whitehurst, 7 of 14 for 92 yards (1 int) SD: James Harris, 11 of 18 for 111 yards (2 int); Dan Fouts, 6 of 12 for 54 yards (2 int); Cliff Olander, 5 of 7 for 49 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
GB: Terdell Middleton, 18 for 66 yards and 1 TD; Barty Smith, 7 for 25 yards; Walter Landers, 3 for 12 yards; Nate Simpson, 3 for 2 yards; Aundra Thompson, 1 for 13 yards; David Whitehurst, 1 for 0 yards SD: Lydell Mitchell, 14 for 47 yards; Hank Bauer, 5 for 17 yards; Bo Matthews, 5 for 17 yards; Larry Barnes, 3 for 8 yards; Don Woods, 1 for 2 yards; James Harris, 1 for 0 yards; Jeff West, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
GB: James Lofton, 3 for 52 yards; Barty Smith, 1 for 24 yards; Rich McGeorge, 1 for 10 yards; Nate Simpson, 1 for 4 yards; Terdell Middleton, 1 for 2 yards SD: Charlie Joiner, 4 for 53 yards; Lydell Mitchell, 4 for 39 yards; Artie Owens, 3 for 46 yards; Don Woods, 3 for 15 yards; John Jefferson, 2 for 24 yards; Larry Barnes, 2 for 13 yards; Hank Bauer, 1 for 12 yards; Johnny Rodgers, 1 for 11 yards; Pat Curran, 1 for 4 yards; Rickey Anderson, 1 for -3 yards
Kick returns:
GB: Steve Odom, 2 for 61 yards SD: Artie Owens, 3 for 85 yards; Johnny Rodgers, 1 for 25 yards; Don Macek, 1 for 6 yards
Punt returns:
GB: Steve Odom, 1 for 6 yards SD: Johnny Rodgers, 4 for 21 yards
Interceptions:
GB: Willie Buchanon, 4 for 77 yards and 1 TD; Johnnie Gray, 1 for 66 yards SD: Mike Williams, 1 for 23 yards
Punting:
GB: David Beverly, 8 for 326 yards SD: Jeff West, 2 for 85 yards
Field Goals:
GB: Chester Marcol, 1/2 SD: Rolf Benirschke, 1/1
GB: David Whitehurst, 7 of 14 for 92 yards (1 int) SD: James Harris, 11 of 18 for 111 yards (2 int); Dan Fouts, 6 of 12 for 54 yards (2 int); Cliff Olander, 5 of 7 for 49 yards (1 int)
Rushing:
GB: Terdell Middleton, 18 for 66 yards and 1 TD; Barty Smith, 7 for 25 yards; Walter Landers, 3 for 12 yards; Nate Simpson, 3 for 2 yards; Aundra Thompson, 1 for 13 yards; David Whitehurst, 1 for 0 yards SD: Lydell Mitchell, 14 for 47 yards; Hank Bauer, 5 for 17 yards; Bo Matthews, 5 for 17 yards; Larry Barnes, 3 for 8 yards; Don Woods, 1 for 2 yards; James Harris, 1 for 0 yards; Jeff West, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
GB: James Lofton, 3 for 52 yards; Barty Smith, 1 for 24 yards; Rich McGeorge, 1 for 10 yards; Nate Simpson, 1 for 4 yards; Terdell Middleton, 1 for 2 yards SD: Charlie Joiner, 4 for 53 yards; Lydell Mitchell, 4 for 39 yards; Artie Owens, 3 for 46 yards; Don Woods, 3 for 15 yards; John Jefferson, 2 for 24 yards; Larry Barnes, 2 for 13 yards; Hank Bauer, 1 for 12 yards; Johnny Rodgers, 1 for 11 yards; Pat Curran, 1 for 4 yards; Rickey Anderson, 1 for -3 yards
Kick returns:
GB: Steve Odom, 2 for 61 yards SD: Artie Owens, 3 for 85 yards; Johnny Rodgers, 1 for 25 yards; Don Macek, 1 for 6 yards
Punt returns:
GB: Steve Odom, 1 for 6 yards SD: Johnny Rodgers, 4 for 21 yards
Interceptions:
GB: Willie Buchanon, 4 for 77 yards and 1 TD; Johnnie Gray, 1 for 66 yards SD: Mike Williams, 1 for 23 yards
Punting:
GB: David Beverly, 8 for 326 yards SD: Jeff West, 2 for 85 yards
Field Goals:
GB: Chester Marcol, 1/2 SD: Rolf Benirschke, 1/1