All NFL game summaries for 12/31/1978:

Los Angeles quarterback Pat Haden threw two touchdown passes and running back Cullen Bryant rushed for 100 yards on 27 carries to lead the Rams to a divisional playoff win over Minnesota on a sunny 66-degree afternoon. The Los Angeles win broke a four-game losing streak in postseason play against the Vikings. The victory retained the Rams' home-field advantage for the NFC championship game in Los Angeles' quest for its first Super Bowl berth. In recent years, the Rams have lost two NFC title games to Minnesota (14-10 in 1974 and 24-13 in 1976) and one to Dallas (37-7 in 1975).

Haden sparked the Rams from a 10-10 halftime score to 24 second half points, while Los Angeles' defense held Minnesota to only 58 second half yards. On the day, Haden completed 15 of 29 for 209 yards, including touchdown tosses of 9 yards to wide receiver Willie Miller and 27 yards to Ron Jessie, who caught six passes for 108 yards.

Bryant gave the Rams a 17-10 lead 7:38 into the third quarter on a three-yard run. Rookie Frank Corral added field goals of 43 and 28 yards. Reserve running back Jim Jodat scored the Rams' final touchdown with 1:52 to go on a three-yard run. In the first quarter, safety Bill Simpson halted two Minnesota drives with interceptions at the Rams' 13 yard line and in the Los Angeles end zone. The Rams' balanced offense generated 409 yards (200 rushing, 209 passing). Los Angeles held a decisive 25-12 margin in first downs. However, the first half was evenly played with the Vikings gaining 196 yards to the Rams' 175. The Rams had excellent field position most of the game, with the scoring drives covering 59, 55, 44, 60, 43 and 78 yards.

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

Line: Rams by 7½

( 3- 0) MIN Rick Danmeier 42 yard field goal
( 3- 7) LA  Willie Miller 9 yard pass from Pat Haden (Frank Corral kick)
( 3-10) LA  Frank Corral 43 yard field goal
(10-10) MIN Ahmad Rashad 1 yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Rick Danmeier kick)
(10-17) LA  Cullen Bryant 3 yard rush (Frank Corral kick)
(10-24) LA  Ron Jessie 27 yard pass from Pat Haden (Frank Corral kick)
(10-27) LA  Frank Corral 28 yard field goal
(10-34) LA  Jim Jodat 3 yard rush (Frank Corral kick)

                     MIN             LA
First Downs:         12              25
Rushes-yards:        16-36           48-200
Yards/rush:          2.2             4.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     18-37-219-2     15-29-209-1
Sacked-yards:        1-11            0-0
Net pass yards:      208             209
Net yards/pass:      5.5             7.2
Total net yards:     244             409
Total plays:         54 (29% run)    77 (62% run)  
Yards/play:          4.5             5.3
Fumbles-lost:        2-0             1-0
Turnovers:           2               1
Penalties-yards:     2-12            4-35

Attendance: 69,631

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Houston captured its second straight postseason road victory and advanced into its first AFC championship game with an impressive win over New England, the AFC Eastern champion. The Oilers would play the Steelers in Pittsburgh for the AFC title in a rematch of Central Division rivals. Houston quarterback Dan Pastorini completed 10 of 13 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns as the Oilers jumped to a 21-0 halftime lead. After a scoreless first period, Pastorini hit wide receiver Ken Burrough on a 71-yard touchdown pass and connected with tight end Mike Barber on 19 and 13-yard touchdown strikes. New England narrowed the gap to 24-14 early in the final quarter on two scoring passes -- a 24-yard option toss from running back Andy Johnson to wide receiver Harold Jackson and another 24-yarder from number two quarterback Tom Owen to tight end Russ Francis. Linebacker Gregg Bingham's 19-yard interception return to New England's 18-yard line with 5:07 remaining stopped the Patriots' rally and set up running back Earl Campbell's two-yard touchdown run three plays later.

Campbell, the 1978 NFL rushing champion with 1,450 yards in his rookie year, had 27 carries for 118 yards and Barber topped Houston's receivers with five catches for 83 yards. Owen (12 of 22 for 144 yards, one touchdown, one interception) replaced Steve Grogan late in the first half. The Oilers converted eight of nine third-down situations in rolling up their 21-0 halftime Iead. Safety Mike Reinfeldt set up two of those scores with interceptions.

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

Line: Patriots by 6

( 7- 0) HOU Ken Burrough 71 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Toni Fritsch kick)
(14- 0) HOU Mike Barber 19 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Toni Fritsch kick)
(21- 0) HOU Mike Barber 13 yard pass from Dan Pastorini (Toni Fritsch kick)
(24- 0) HOU Toni Fritsch 30 yard field goal
(24- 7) NE  Harold Jackson 24 yard pass from Andy Johnson (David Posey kick)
(24-14) NE  Russ Francis 24 yard pass from Tom Owen (David Posey kick)
(31-14) HOU Earl Campbell 2 yard rush (Toni Fritsch kick)

                     HOU             NE
First Downs:         21              15
Rushes-yards:        54-174          20-83
Yards/rush:          3.2             4.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     12-15-200-1     16-35-206-3
Sacked-yards:        3-30            4-26
Net pass yards:      170             180
Net yards/pass:      9.4             4.6
Total net yards:     344             263
Total plays:         72 (75% run)    59 (33% run)  
Yards/play:          4.8             4.5
Fumbles-lost:        1-0             2-0
Turnovers:           1               3
Penalties-yards:     2-25            8-92

Attendance: 60,881

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