NFL game summary for 12/05/1976:
Freddie Solomon scored touchdowns three different ways, amassing 252 combined yards to counteract O.J. Simpson's 203 yards rushing and a 424-yard Buffalo offense. Solomon got his first score on a 79-yard punt return to break a 10-10 tie and put the Dolphins in the lead for good. Don Strock then found Solomon with a 53-yard scoring pass early in the third quarter, and the second year wide receiver finished his scoring with a 59-yard end-around run. Simpson broke the 200-yard barrier for the second game in a row and sixth time in his career on an eight-yard run in the final minutes of the game.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 168.8 (5) | 133.2 (18) | 302.1 (14) | 36 |
| DEFENSE | 176.2 (24) | 149.6 (12) | 325.8 (21) | 39 | |
 | OFFENSE | 153.8 (14) | 160.7 (11) | 314.4 (13) | 20 |
| DEFENSE | 159.7 (20) | 194.5 (27) | 354.2 (26) | 24 |
Line: Dolphins by 8
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills (2-11-0) | 10 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
| Miami Dolphins (6-7-0) | 3 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 45 |
( 3- 0) BUF George Jakowenko 28 yard field goal
( 3- 3) MIA Garo Yepremian 53 yard field goal
(10- 3) BUF O.J. Simpson 75 yard rush (George Jakowenko kick)
(10-10) MIA Duriel Harris 37 yard pass from Don Strock (Garo Yepremian kick)
(10-17) MIA Freddie Solomon 79 yard punt return (Garo Yepremian kick)
(13-17) BUF George Jakowenko 49 yard field goal
(13-24) MIA Freddie Solomon 53 yard pass from Don Strock (Garo Yepremian kick)
(13-31) MIA Don Strock 2 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
(20-31) BUF Reuben Gant 11 yard pass from Gary Marangi (George Jakowenko kick)
(20-38) MIA Freddie Solomon 59 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
(27-38) BUF Bob Chandler 15 yard pass from Gary Marangi (George Jakowenko kick)
(27-45) MIA Don Nottingham 1 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
BUF MIA
First Downs: 23 19
Rushes-yards: 42-269 29-218
Yards/rush: 6.4 7.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 13-29-155-2 11-22-219-1
Sacked-yards: 0-0 1-12
Net pass yards: 155 207
Net yards/pass: 5.3 9.0
Total net yards: 424 425
Total plays: 71 (59% run) 52 (55% run)
Yards/play: 6.0 8.2
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 0-0
Turnovers: 2 1
Penalties-yards: 7-38 6-50
Attendance: 43,475
Passing:
BUF: Gary Marangi, 13 of 29 for 155 yards and 2 TDs (2 int) MIA: Don Strock, 11 of 22 for 219 yards and 2 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 24 for 203 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Kinney, 12 for 40 yards; Gary Marangi, 5 for 28 yards; Eddie Ray, 1 for -2 yards MIA: Gary Davis, 7 for 79 yards; Norm Bulaich, 6 for 33 yards; Benny Malone, 5 for 10 yards; Stan Winfrey, 4 for 25 yards; Don Nottingham, 4 for 10 yards and 1 TD; Freddie Solomon, 1 for 59 yards and 1 TD; Don Strock, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD; Clayton Heath, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
BUF: Bob Chandler, 4 for 68 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Kinney, 3 for 26 yards; Reuben Gant, 2 for 26 yards and 1 TD; O.J. Simpson, 2 for 12 yards; John Holland, 1 for 13 yards; Paul Seymour, 1 for 10 yards MIA: Freddie Solomon, 5 for 114 yards and 1 TD; Duriel Harris, 2 for 66 yards and 1 TD; Larry Seiple, 1 for 25 yards; Andre Tillman, 1 for 10 yards; Gary Davis, 1 for 6 yards; Don Nottingham, 1 for -2 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Roland Hooks, 4 for 121 yards; Tom Ruud, 3 for 39 yards; Bo Cornell, 1 for 14 yards MIA: Duriel Harris, 2 for 95 yards; Don Nottingham, 2 for 38 yards; Gary Davis, 1 for 26 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: John Holland, 1 for 3 yards; Roland Hooks, 1 for 1 yard MIA: Freddie Solomon, 1 for 79 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Babb, 1 for 25 yards; Dick Anderson, 1 for 11 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Keith Moody, 1 for 0 yards MIA: Ken Ellis, 1 for 40 yards; Bob Matheson, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
BUF: Marv Bateman, 5 for 230 yards MIA: Larry Seiple, 3 for 107 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: George Jakowenko, 2/2 MIA: Garo Yepremian, 1/2
BUF: Gary Marangi, 13 of 29 for 155 yards and 2 TDs (2 int) MIA: Don Strock, 11 of 22 for 219 yards and 2 TDs (1 int)
Rushing:
BUF: O.J. Simpson, 24 for 203 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Kinney, 12 for 40 yards; Gary Marangi, 5 for 28 yards; Eddie Ray, 1 for -2 yards MIA: Gary Davis, 7 for 79 yards; Norm Bulaich, 6 for 33 yards; Benny Malone, 5 for 10 yards; Stan Winfrey, 4 for 25 yards; Don Nottingham, 4 for 10 yards and 1 TD; Freddie Solomon, 1 for 59 yards and 1 TD; Don Strock, 1 for 2 yards and 1 TD; Clayton Heath, 1 for 0 yards
Receiving:
BUF: Bob Chandler, 4 for 68 yards and 1 TD; Jeff Kinney, 3 for 26 yards; Reuben Gant, 2 for 26 yards and 1 TD; O.J. Simpson, 2 for 12 yards; John Holland, 1 for 13 yards; Paul Seymour, 1 for 10 yards MIA: Freddie Solomon, 5 for 114 yards and 1 TD; Duriel Harris, 2 for 66 yards and 1 TD; Larry Seiple, 1 for 25 yards; Andre Tillman, 1 for 10 yards; Gary Davis, 1 for 6 yards; Don Nottingham, 1 for -2 yards
Kick returns:
BUF: Roland Hooks, 4 for 121 yards; Tom Ruud, 3 for 39 yards; Bo Cornell, 1 for 14 yards MIA: Duriel Harris, 2 for 95 yards; Don Nottingham, 2 for 38 yards; Gary Davis, 1 for 26 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: John Holland, 1 for 3 yards; Roland Hooks, 1 for 1 yard MIA: Freddie Solomon, 1 for 79 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Babb, 1 for 25 yards; Dick Anderson, 1 for 11 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Keith Moody, 1 for 0 yards MIA: Ken Ellis, 1 for 40 yards; Bob Matheson, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
BUF: Marv Bateman, 5 for 230 yards MIA: Larry Seiple, 3 for 107 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: George Jakowenko, 2/2 MIA: Garo Yepremian, 1/2