NFL game summary for 10/01/1978:
David Whitehurst passed for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Packers over the Lions. Green Bay took a 21-10 halftime lead on one-yard touchdown runs by Whitehurst and Barty Smith and a 43-yard pass from Whitehurst to Aundra Thompson. After a Detroit touchdown in the third quarter, Terdell Middleton scored on a 76-yard touchdown run, the longest by a Packers back in 14 years. Green Bay's offense gained 482 yards, its best effort since 1975.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 126.5 (17) | 77.5 (26) | 204.0 (26) | 5 |
| DEFENSE | 148.2 (15) | 74.8 (1) | 223.0 (4) | 9 | |
 | OFFENSE | 149.5 (11) | 78.2 (25) | 227.8 (25) | 7 |
| DEFENSE | 155.2 (18) | 140.2 (10) | 295.5 (15) | 17 |
Line: Packers by 5
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions (1-4-0) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Green Bay Packers (4-1-0) | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
( 0- 7) GB Barty Smith 1 yard rush (Chester Marcol kick)
( 0-14) GB David Whitehurst 1 yard rush (Chester Marcol kick)
( 0-21) GB Aundra Thompson 43 yard pass from David Whitehurst (Chester Marcol kick)
( 7-21) DET Luther Blue 12 yard pass from Gary Danielson (Benny Ricardo kick)
( 7-28) GB Terdell Middleton 76 yard rush (Chester Marcol kick)
( 7-35) GB Aundra Thompson 19 yard pass from David Whitehurst (Chester Marcol kick)
(14-35) DET Freddie Scott 42 yard pass from Gary Danielson (Benny Ricardo kick)
DET GB
First Downs: 14 16
Rushes-yards: 31-126 32-221
Yards/rush: 4.1 6.9
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-25-151-1 15-20-261-2
Sacked-yards: 6-50 0-0
Net pass yards: 101 261
Net yards/pass: 3.3 13.1
Total net yards: 227 482
Total plays: 62 (50% run) 52 (61% run)
Yards/play: 3.7 9.3
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 3-2
Turnovers: 1 4
Penalties-yards: 9-73 11-92
Attendance: 54,601
Passing:
DET: Gary Danielson, 8 of 17 for 113 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Greg Landry, 6 of 8 for 38 yards GB: David Whitehurst, 14 of 18 for 230 yards and 2 TDs (2 int); James Lofton, 0 of 1 for 0 yards; David Beverly, 1 of 1 for 31 yards
Rushing:
DET: Dexter Bussey, 14 for 59 yards; Horace King, 11 for 43 yards; Rick Kane, 3 for 6 yards; Gary Danielson, 2 for 14 yards; Lawrence Gaines, 1 for 4 yards GB: Terdell Middleton, 11 for 148 yards and 1 TD; Barty Smith, 9 for 24 yards and 1 TD; Nate Simpson, 7 for 27 yards; Jim Culbreath, 2 for 5 yards; David Whitehurst, 2 for 2 yards and 1 TD; James Lofton, 1 for 15 yards
Receiving:
DET: Freddie Scott, 3 for 58 yards and 1 TD; Dexter Bussey, 3 for 24 yards; Jesse Thompson, 2 for 20 yards; David Hill, 2 for 19 yards; Horace King, 2 for 9 yards; Luther Blue, 1 for 12 yards and 1 TD; Rick Kane, 1 for 9 yards GB: Barty Smith, 4 for 35 yards; Aundra Thompson, 3 for 111 yards and 2 TDs; Terdell Middleton, 2 for 38 yards; Rich McGeorge, 2 for 19 yards; James Lofton, 2 for 14 yards; Eric Torkelson, 1 for 31 yards; Jim Culbreath, 1 for 13 yards
Kick returns:
DET: Jesse Thompson, 2 for 43 yards; Luther Blue, 2 for 30 yards; Leonard Thompson, 1 for 14 yards GB: Steve Odom, 1 for 39 yards; Terdell Middleton, 1 for 22 yards; Barty Smith, 1 for 0 yards
Punt returns:
GB: Steve Odom, 6 for 66 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Paul Naumoff, 1 for 12 yards; Ed O'Neil, 1 for 6 yards GB: Johnnie Gray, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
DET: Tom Skladany, 7 for 296 yards GB: David Beverly, 2 for 41 yards
Field Goals:
GB: Chester Marcol, 0/1
DET: Gary Danielson, 8 of 17 for 113 yards and 2 TDs (1 int); Greg Landry, 6 of 8 for 38 yards GB: David Whitehurst, 14 of 18 for 230 yards and 2 TDs (2 int); James Lofton, 0 of 1 for 0 yards; David Beverly, 1 of 1 for 31 yards
Rushing:
DET: Dexter Bussey, 14 for 59 yards; Horace King, 11 for 43 yards; Rick Kane, 3 for 6 yards; Gary Danielson, 2 for 14 yards; Lawrence Gaines, 1 for 4 yards GB: Terdell Middleton, 11 for 148 yards and 1 TD; Barty Smith, 9 for 24 yards and 1 TD; Nate Simpson, 7 for 27 yards; Jim Culbreath, 2 for 5 yards; David Whitehurst, 2 for 2 yards and 1 TD; James Lofton, 1 for 15 yards
Receiving:
DET: Freddie Scott, 3 for 58 yards and 1 TD; Dexter Bussey, 3 for 24 yards; Jesse Thompson, 2 for 20 yards; David Hill, 2 for 19 yards; Horace King, 2 for 9 yards; Luther Blue, 1 for 12 yards and 1 TD; Rick Kane, 1 for 9 yards GB: Barty Smith, 4 for 35 yards; Aundra Thompson, 3 for 111 yards and 2 TDs; Terdell Middleton, 2 for 38 yards; Rich McGeorge, 2 for 19 yards; James Lofton, 2 for 14 yards; Eric Torkelson, 1 for 31 yards; Jim Culbreath, 1 for 13 yards
Kick returns:
DET: Jesse Thompson, 2 for 43 yards; Luther Blue, 2 for 30 yards; Leonard Thompson, 1 for 14 yards GB: Steve Odom, 1 for 39 yards; Terdell Middleton, 1 for 22 yards; Barty Smith, 1 for 0 yards
Punt returns:
GB: Steve Odom, 6 for 66 yards
Interceptions:
DET: Paul Naumoff, 1 for 12 yards; Ed O'Neil, 1 for 6 yards GB: Johnnie Gray, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
DET: Tom Skladany, 7 for 296 yards GB: David Beverly, 2 for 41 yards
Field Goals:
GB: Chester Marcol, 0/1