NFL game summary for 10/29/1978:
The pinpoint passing of Brian Sipe and a season-high 309-yard ground attack enabled Cleveland to overpower Buffalo and maintain a second place tie with Houston in the AFC Central. Sipe (12 of 15 for 217 yards and three touchdowns) helped guide the Browns to a 20-7 halftime lead on touchdown passes to Reggie Rucker and Calvin Hill. Mike Pruitt ran for a career-high 173 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown, while Greg Pruitt rushed 13 times for 87 yards. Thom Darden, the AFC's leading interceptor, picked off two passes to run his total to seven. Buffalo's Bob Chandler caught seven passes for 114 yards, his second game over 100 yards in 1978.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
Line: Browns by 6
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buffalo Bills (3-6-0) | 0 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 20 |
Cleveland Browns (5-4-0) | 7 | 13 | 14 | 7 | 41 |
( 0- 7) CLE Reggie Rucker 16 yard pass from Brian Sipe (Don Cockroft kick)
( 0-13) CLE Calvin Hill 15 yard pass from Brian Sipe (kick failed)
( 7-13) BUF Terry Miller 2 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick)
( 7-20) CLE Mike Pruitt 1 yard rush (Don Cockroft kick)
( 7-27) CLE Reggie Rucker 44 yard pass from Brian Sipe (Don Cockroft kick)
( 7-34) CLE Mike Pruitt 71 yard rush (Don Cockroft kick)
(13-34) BUF Dennis Johnson 1 yard rush (kick failed)
(13-41) CLE Calvin Hill 3 yard pass from Mark Miller (Don Cockroft kick)
(20-41) BUF Lou Piccone 5 yard pass from Dave Mays (Tom Dempsey kick)
BUF CLE First Downs: 28 28 Rushes-yards: 25-82 47-309 Yards/rush: 3.3 6.6 Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 17-38-224-2 14-17-234-0 Sacked-yards: 2-23 1-11 Net pass yards: 201 223 Net yards/pass: 5.0 12.4 Total net yards: 283 532 Total plays: 65 (38% run) 65 (72% run) Yards/play: 4.4 8.2 Fumbles-lost: 4-1 1-1 Turnovers: 3 1 Penalties-yards: 7-64 12-135 Attendance: 51,409
Passing:
BUF: Joe Ferguson, 13 of 23 for 185 yards (2 int); Dave Mays, 4 of 15 for 39 yards and 1 TD CLE: Brian Sipe, 12 of 15 for 217 yards and 3 TDs; Mark Miller, 2 of 2 for 17 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
BUF: Terry Miller, 11 for 23 yards and 1 TD; Curtis Brown, 7 for 33 yards; Dennis Johnson, 4 for 6 yards and 1 TD; Roland Hooks, 3 for 20 yards CLE: Mike Pruitt, 21 for 173 yards and 2 TDs; Greg Pruitt, 13 for 87 yards; Calvin Hill, 6 for 21 yards; Larry Collins, 5 for 15 yards; Brian Sipe, 1 for 11 yards; Ozzie Newsome, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
BUF: Bob Chandler, 7 for 114 yards; Reuben Gant, 3 for 29 yards; Roland Hooks, 2 for 29 yards; Lou Piccone, 2 for 18 yards and 1 TD; Frank Lewis, 1 for 15 yards; Terry Miller, 1 for 10 yards; Curtis Brown, 1 for 9 yards CLE: Ozzie Newsome, 4 for 96 yards; Reggie Rucker, 4 for 89 yards and 2 TDs; Calvin Hill, 2 for 18 yards and 2 TDs; Greg Pruitt, 2 for 2 yards; Dave Logan, 1 for 15 yards; Mike Pruitt, 1 for 14 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Roland Hooks, 2 for 28 yards; Dennis Johnson, 1 for 18 yards; Steve Powell, 1 for 18 yards; Terry Miller, 1 for 17 yards; Mike Franckowiak, 1 for 0 yards CLE: Keith Wright, 2 for 49 yards; Larry Collins, 1 for 13 yards
Punt returns:
CLE: Keith Wright, 2 for 49 yards
Interceptions:
CLE: Thom Darden, 2 for 32 yards
Punting:
BUF: Rusty Jackson, 4 for 175 yards CLE: Johnny Evans, 2 for 59 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: Joe Ferguson, 13 of 23 for 185 yards (2 int); Dave Mays, 4 of 15 for 39 yards and 1 TD CLE: Brian Sipe, 12 of 15 for 217 yards and 3 TDs; Mark Miller, 2 of 2 for 17 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
BUF: Terry Miller, 11 for 23 yards and 1 TD; Curtis Brown, 7 for 33 yards; Dennis Johnson, 4 for 6 yards and 1 TD; Roland Hooks, 3 for 20 yards CLE: Mike Pruitt, 21 for 173 yards and 2 TDs; Greg Pruitt, 13 for 87 yards; Calvin Hill, 6 for 21 yards; Larry Collins, 5 for 15 yards; Brian Sipe, 1 for 11 yards; Ozzie Newsome, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
BUF: Bob Chandler, 7 for 114 yards; Reuben Gant, 3 for 29 yards; Roland Hooks, 2 for 29 yards; Lou Piccone, 2 for 18 yards and 1 TD; Frank Lewis, 1 for 15 yards; Terry Miller, 1 for 10 yards; Curtis Brown, 1 for 9 yards CLE: Ozzie Newsome, 4 for 96 yards; Reggie Rucker, 4 for 89 yards and 2 TDs; Calvin Hill, 2 for 18 yards and 2 TDs; Greg Pruitt, 2 for 2 yards; Dave Logan, 1 for 15 yards; Mike Pruitt, 1 for 14 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Roland Hooks, 2 for 28 yards; Dennis Johnson, 1 for 18 yards; Steve Powell, 1 for 18 yards; Terry Miller, 1 for 17 yards; Mike Franckowiak, 1 for 0 yards CLE: Keith Wright, 2 for 49 yards; Larry Collins, 1 for 13 yards
Punt returns:
CLE: Keith Wright, 2 for 49 yards
Interceptions:
CLE: Thom Darden, 2 for 32 yards
Punting:
BUF: Rusty Jackson, 4 for 175 yards CLE: Johnny Evans, 2 for 59 yards
Field Goals: