1975 NFL Season
Leaders
Passing Yards: Hart (SLC) - 3,126...Jones (BLC) - 3,038...Anderson (CIN) - 2,901...Morton (NYG) - 2,745...Tarkenton (MIN) - 2,741
Rushing Yards: Simpson (BUF) - 1,455...Foreman (MIN) - 1,358...Otis (SLC) - 1,334...Mitchell (BLC) - 1,168...Harris (PIT) - 1,159
Receiving Yards: Gray (SLC) - 1,147...Washington (SFO) - 891...Young (PHI) - 883...Carmichael (PHI) - 882...Payne (GNB) - 878
Scoring: Dempsey (LAM) - 124...Simpson (BUF) - 120...Gerela (PIT) - 102...Bakken (SLC) - 102...Fritsch (DAL) - 96
Interceptions: Blount (PIT) - 14...Bryant (MIN) - 10...Scott (MIA) - 10...Greene (BUF) - 9...Lanier (KAN) - 9
Sacks: Dutton (BLC) - 16...Eller (MIN) - 13...Bethea (HOU) - 12...Youngblood (LAM) - 11...Martin (DAL) - 11
Division Winners
AFC East - Miami (11-3)
AFC Central - Cincinnati (11-3)
AFC West - Oakland (9-5)
AFC Wildcard - Baltimore (10-4)
NFC East - St.Louis (11-3)
NFC Central - Detroit (10-4)
NFC West - Los Angeles (13-1)
NFC Wildcard - Minnesota (10-4)
PLAYOFFS
Oakland (20) at Miami (33)
Baltimore (48) at Cincinnati (16)
Detroit (14) at St.Louis (13)
Minnesota (13) at Los Angeles (27)
Passing Yards: Hart (SLC) - 3,126...Jones (BLC) - 3,038...Anderson (CIN) - 2,901...Morton (NYG) - 2,745...Tarkenton (MIN) - 2,741
Rushing Yards: Simpson (BUF) - 1,455...Foreman (MIN) - 1,358...Otis (SLC) - 1,334...Mitchell (BLC) - 1,168...Harris (PIT) - 1,159
Receiving Yards: Gray (SLC) - 1,147...Washington (SFO) - 891...Young (PHI) - 883...Carmichael (PHI) - 882...Payne (GNB) - 878
Scoring: Dempsey (LAM) - 124...Simpson (BUF) - 120...Gerela (PIT) - 102...Bakken (SLC) - 102...Fritsch (DAL) - 96
Interceptions: Blount (PIT) - 14...Bryant (MIN) - 10...Scott (MIA) - 10...Greene (BUF) - 9...Lanier (KAN) - 9
Sacks: Dutton (BLC) - 16...Eller (MIN) - 13...Bethea (HOU) - 12...Youngblood (LAM) - 11...Martin (DAL) - 11
Division Winners
AFC East - Miami (11-3)
AFC Central - Cincinnati (11-3)
AFC West - Oakland (9-5)
AFC Wildcard - Baltimore (10-4)
NFC East - St.Louis (11-3)
NFC Central - Detroit (10-4)
NFC West - Los Angeles (13-1)
NFC Wildcard - Minnesota (10-4)
PLAYOFFS
Oakland (20) at Miami (33)
Baltimore (48) at Cincinnati (16)
Detroit (14) at St.Louis (13)
Minnesota (13) at Los Angeles (27)
AFC Championship - Baltimore Colts at Miami Dolphins
January 4, 1976 at The Orange Bowl...Temp 71, Partly Cloudy...7 mph wind
This makes the sixth straight season the the Dolphins have advanced to the AFC Championship game. As in 1970, a win will put them in the Super Bowl right back here at their home stadium in two weeks. Despite their success, the Dolphins have only made the Super Bowl once, back in the 1972 season, which they won. Still they have been on one impressive streak. Before all was said in done. This will go down as one of the greatest Championship games ever played.
The Dolphins got the opening kick and on the 4th play of the game Bob Griese was intercepted by Tom Macleod. Macleod returned the pick 39 yards for a Baltimore touchdown, giving the Colts an early 7-0 lead. Griese redeemed himself moments later when after getting the ball back, he connected with Nat Moore for a 62 yard touchdown. Five minutes into the game and we are tied at 7-7. The Colts first time with the ball was uneventful and the Dolphins got the ball back. Griese threw his 2nd interception as Nelson Munsey picked him off and returned the ball to the Miami 20 yard line. On the very next play, Lydell Mitchell got the ball on an outside run and went all the way for a 20 yard touchdown. It's now 14-7 Baltimore in front and would stay that way into the 2nd quarter. The Dolphin's Garo Yepremian kicked a 40 yard field goal to make the score 14-10. The Colt's Toni Linhart followed that by missing kicks of 33 and 44 yards, keeping the game at that score with just under two minutes left in the half. The Dolphins took over at their own 27 yard line and Griese got them moving in the two minute offense. A 15 yard pass to Howard Twilley, a 21 yard draw play to Mercury Morris, and a 16 yard pass to Andre Tillman moved the Dolphins to the Baltimore one yard line. With 35 seconds left in the half, Don Nottingham ran in to put the Dolphins on top 16-14. Yepremian then missed the extra point. At the half, Miami has the two point lead and you know that missed kick is going to loom large. Meanwhile, Baltimore's kicker Linhart was having his own issues. On the Colts opening drive of the 2nd half he missed his 3rd field goal of the game. But after stopping Miami's first drive and getting the ball back, the Colts regained the lead on a two yard touchdown pass from Bert Jones to Bill Olds. Colts now lead 21-16. Griese then threw his third interception, this time Lloyd Mumphord did the honors, and the Colts turned that turnover into points as Mitchell scored his second touchdown of the game. The Colts now were up 28-16. Miami got the ball back and turned to their ground game. Norm Bulaich and Nottingham carried the load and Griese threw a seven yard touchdown to Nat Moore. Miami now trailed 28-23 as the game headed to the 4th quarter. Early in the 4th Miami stunned the Colts with a 34 yard touchdown run by Nottingham. Suddenly the Dolphins now had a 30-28 lead. It was a short lived lead as the Colts got the ball back and took just under two minutes to score. Thanks in part by a long 55 yard run by Mitchell, they took the lead on a Jones to Roger Carr five yard touchdown. The Colts move back in front 35-30 with 12:09 to play in the game. The Dolphins came right back, moving down the field on the arm of Griese. Passes of 13 yards to Moore and 23 yards to Freddie Solomon got them down to the Colts 11 yard line. Three plays later, Nottingham scored his third touchdown of the day and the Dolphins had a 37-35 lead with 7:48 to play. The Colts got the ball and were forced to punt. Lighting then struck as Solomon returned the punt 66 yards for a touchdown. Suddenly the Dolphins had a 44-35 lead with just 6:19 left to play. The Colts got the ball back and Miami settled into a safe defensive posture forcing Baltimore to burn time as they moved down the field in little chunks. But move down the field they did and Jones eventually ran in from two yards out to make the score 44-42 with now just 3:17 remaining in the game. Baltimore elected to kick off deep instead of going for the onside kick. Miami ran three plays and the Colts burned all their timeouts, but got the ball back as the Dolphins had to punt on 4th and two. Larry Seiple's kick went out of bounds at the Baltimore 22 yard line with 2:31 to play and the Colts down just two points. (Remember that missed extra point?!) Jones led the Colts offense onto the field two completions gained 21 yards, but then a sack by Bob Matheson and an incomplete pass left them with 3rd and 11 and 1:50 left in the game. Jones hooked up with Glenn Doughty for 12 yards picking up the first down. Then with 1:26 left the Colts were faced with a 3rd and six. Again Jones came went to Doughty, this time gaining 14 yards. With 1:17 left Baltimore now had the ball on the Miami 28 yard line. On first down, Jones threw away the ball. Roosevelt Leaks then gained eight, and then Jones threw the ball away again. With 4th and two from the Miami 20 yard line and 59 seconds left, Linhart came on for a 37 yard field goal. Toni had already missed three kicks today, but this one sailed straight and true. Baltimore leads 45-44. After the kick off, Miami's offense took the field with 35 seconds to play and the ball on their own 39 yard line. Three straight incompletions left them with 4th down. Stan White intercepted Griese at the Colts 44 yard line. But instead of falling down, he ran with the ball and was hit and fumbled. Jim Mandich recovered with nine seconds left, giving Miami one last shot. Griese's hail mary was batted away and the Colts had the one point win, heading off the Super Bowl and leaving the Dolphins losers of the AFC Championship game again. MVP: Lydell Mitchell HB (Baltimore) Rushing: 143 yards, TD...Receiving 7 catches, 32 yards, TD For Baltimore, Mitchell 143 yards rushing, TD...Jones 23/34, 198 yards, 3 TD...Mitchell 7 catches, TD...Carr 4 catches, 44 yards, TD...Chester 4 catches, 75 yards. For Miami, Morris 75 yards rushing...Nottingham 61 yards rushing, 3 TD...Griese 18/27, 275 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT...Moore 4 catches, 96 yards, 2 TD...Solomon 3 catches, 79 yards, PR TD...Scott 9 TKL, HUR, PD |
|
NFC Championship - Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams
January 4, 1976, at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum...Temp 53, Clear...no wind
The Rams are making their 4th NFC Championship game appearance and their 3rd straight, but have only one once. The Lions are making their 2nd appearance, having won in '72.
The game began slowly for the Rams as they turned the ball over twice in a two minute span midway through the first quarter. However, the Lions could only muster a 22 yard field goal by Errol Mann which gave them a 3-0 lead. That would be the score after the first quarter, but the quarter ended with the Rams having a first and goal at Lions three yard line. On the first play of the second quarter Lawrence McCutcheon ran in for a touchdown and the Rams were now in front 7-3. Tom Dempsey kicked a 45 yard field goal on the Ram's next possession to make the score 10-3. It stayed that way until late in the half. Levi Johnson intercepted James Harris and returned it all the way down to the Rams 19 yard line with 2:51 left in the half. On the next play Altie Taylor rumbled in for a touchdown and the game was tied up at 10-10. That would be the score at the half. The Lions received the second half kick and were eventually forced to punt. The Rams then took the lead back when Harris connected with Ron Jessie for a 25 yard touchdown pass. The Lions again couldn't move the ball on their next possession and the Rams scored again. McCutcheon's second touchdown of the game, this one a short two yard run, put the Rams up 23-10. Dempsey missed the extra point and the game headed to the 4th quarter. The Lions defense came through with another interception when Dick Jauron picked off Harris and returned it to the Rams 16 yard line. The Rams defense held their ground, forcing Detroit into a 4th and goal from the two yard line. The Lions opted for the points and Mann kicked a 19 yard field goal to make it a 23-13 game. The Lions never could score again. Their last possession ended on an incomplete pass from Joe Reed to Charlie Sanders at the 2:08 mark. The Rams killed the clock from their. They will go on to face Baltimore in Super Bowl X. MVP: Lawrence McCutcheon HB (LA Rams) Rushing: 143 yards, 2 TD For Detroit, Altie Taylor 34 yards rushing...Joe Reed 9/25, 93 yards...Bill Munson 4/11, 39 yards...Jon Staggers 3 catches for 26 yards...Jim Laslavic 10 TKL, STF For Los Angeles, Lawrence McCutcheon 21 carries, 143 yards rushing, 2 TD...Cullen Bryant 45 yards rushing...Jim Bertelsen 71 yards rushing...James Harris 6/16, 117 yards, TD, 3 INT...Ron Jessie 66 yards receiving, TD... |
|
Super Bowl X - Baltimore Colts v Los Angeles Rams
January 18, 1976 at The Orange Bowl...Temp 76, Clear...no wind
It's a perfect day at the Orange Bowl for Super Bowl X. 76 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The Rams are making their second Super Bowl appearance. They lost Super Bowl VIII to the Oakland Raiders. Baltimore is appearing for the first time.
The Rams received the opening kick and had things could not have gone worse. On the third play Lawrence McCutcheon was hurt and lost for the game. Then their drive stopped when Bruce Laird intercepted James Harris setting up the Colts at the Rams 40 yard line. The Colts cashed in on the great field position on their third play of the game. Bert Jones threw a 39 yard touchdown pass to Glenn Doughty putting them up 7-0. The teams alternated possessions and then the Rams got on the scoreboard with a 22 yard field goal by Tom Dempsey. That would be all the scoring in the first. The quarter ends with the Colts up 7-3. Both defenses continued to play well but the Colts were able to add a 45 yard field goal from Toni Linhart with 4:51 left in the half, upping their lead to 10-3. The Rams then struck for a big play when Harris and Harold Jackson combined on a 45 yard touchdown pass. The sudden score tied the game at 10-10 and that would remain the score as the teams headed into the locker room for half time. The second half began and after a three and out by Baltimore, the Rams took the lead on a 42 yard Dempsey field goal. The Colts answered with a 37 yard field goal by Linhart, tying the game at 13-13. The field goals kept on coming as the Rams responded with another Dempsey field goal, moving back in front 16-13. The Colts got the ball back and snapped the field goal flurry with a 37 yard Jones to Roger Carr touchdown pass just before the 3rd quarter ended. The game moves to the 4th quarter with the Colts up 20-16. The Rams had the ball twice without being able to mount much offense. The Colts then took over after a Duane Carrell punt, pinned back at their 17 yard line. Jones and Mitchell then got the Baltimore offense on track. Mitchell carried the ball twice, and Jones threw five straight passes (two to Mitchell), chewing up yards and the clock. With 2:31 left in the game the Colts had the ball third and three from the Rams 20 yard line. Mitchell was called on again and he busted a sweep outside the Rams defense that was caught looking for an inside run. Mitchell's touchdown put the Colts up 27-16 and the writing was on the wall. After the Rams could not make a first down, Linhart iced the game with a 22 yard field goal. The Baltimore Colts win Super Bowl X by a score of 30-16. MVP: Bert Jones QB (Baltimore) Passing: 263 yards, 2 TD, 128 rating. Rushing 16 yards For Baltimore, Mitchell 43 yards rushing, TD...Olds 35 yards rushing...Jones 18/26, 263 yards, 2 TD...Chester 55 yards receiving...Doughty 80 yards receiving, TD...Carr 55 yards receiving, TD. For Los Angeles, Bryant 31 yards rushing...Harris 13/30, 222 yards, TD, INT, sacked 4 times...Jackson 3 catches, 116 yards, TD...Robertson 12 TKL, PD...Elmendorf 10 TKL, Sck... |