1976 Detroit Lions season

1976 Detroit Lions season
Head coach	Rick Forzano and Tommy Hudspeth
Results
Record	6–8
Division place	3rd NFC Central
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1976 Detroit Lions season was the 47th season in franchise history. After the first four games of the season, Rick Forzano resigned under pressure of owner William Clay Ford, and was replaced by one time BYU head coach and Lions assistant Tommy Hudspeth.^[1] In spite of a stellar season by quarterback Greg Landry, that year's NFL Comeback Player Of The Year, the team was still mired in mediocrity, fininsing 6–8.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	School
1

Regular season

During the Thanksgiving Day game on November 25, O.J. Simpson of the Buffalo Bills set a record with the most rushing yards in one Thanksgiving Day game, by rushing for 273 yards vs. the Lions.^[2]

In spite of their poor overall record the Lions offense set a statistical record for Passer Rating Differential (40.9, 14th best 196—2011). Such a high rating is usually reserved for playoff teams or Super Bowl winners;

Top 25 Teams in Passer Rating Differential (1960–present)

Ranking Team OPR DPR Differential Record Won title

• 1 1960 Browns 109.5 51.7 57.8 8–3–1 –
• 2 1966 Packers 102.1 46.1 56.0 12–2 Yes
• 3 1987 49ers 106.2 53.8 52.4 13–2 –
• 4 1989 49ers 114.8 68.5 46.3 14–2 Yes
• 5 1975 Vikings 90.8 46.2 44.6 12–2 –
• 6 1975 Steelers 86.7 42.8 43.9 12–2 Yes
• 7 1994 49ers 111.4 68.1 43.3 13–3 Yes
• 8 1999 Rams 106.6 64.1 42.5 13–3 Yes
• 9 1975 Bengals 89 46.9 42.1 11–3 –
• 10 1963 Giants* 94.4 52.7 41.7 11–3 Yes
• 11 1962 Packers 84.9 43.4 41.5 13–1 Yes
• 12 1976 Lions 84.6 43.7 40.9 6–8 --
• 13 1963 Bears 75.6 34.8 40.8 11–1–2 Yes
• 14 1996 Packers 95.7 55.4 40.3 13–3 Yes
• 15 1974 Redskins 90 49.9 40.1 10–4 –
• 16 1972 Dolphins 86.9 47.4 39.5 14–0 Yes
• 17 1988 Vikings 80.4 41.2 39.2 11–5 –
• 18 1991 Redskins 98 58.9 39.1 14–2 Yes
• 19 1960 Eagles 87.9 49.1 38.8 10–2 Yes
• 20 2007 Patriots* 116 78.1 37.9 16–0 Yes
• 21 2002 Buccaneers 86.3 48.4 37.9 12–4 Yes
• 22 2009 Saints 106 68.6 37.4 13–3 Yes
• 23 1984 Dolphins* 108.5 71.4 37.1 14–2 Yes
• 24 1977 Cowboys 85.3 48.2 37.1 12–2 Yes
• 25 1967 Rams 84.4 47.5 36.9 11–1–2 –

Note: The 1963 Giants, 2007 Patriots and 1984 Dolphins lost in their respective title games.^[3]

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 12, 1976	at Chicago Bears	L 10–3	54,125
2	September 19, 1976	Atlanta Falcons	W 24–10	50,840
3	September 26, 1976	Minnesota Vikings	L 10–9	77,292
4	October 3, 1976	at Green Bay Packers	L 24–14	55,041
5	October 10, 1976	New England Patriots	W 30–10	60,174
6	October 17, 1976	at Washington Redskins	L 20–7	45,908
7	October 24, 1976	at Seattle Seahawks	W 41–14	61,280
8	October 31, 1976	Green Bay Packers	W 27–6	74,992
9	November 7, 1976	at Minnesota Vikings	L 31–23	46,735
10	November 14, 1976	at New Orleans Saints	L 17–16	42,048
11	November 21, 1976	Chicago Bears	W 14–10	78,042
12	November 25, 1976	Buffalo Bills	W 27–14	66,875
13	December 5, 1976	at New York Giants	L 24–10	66,069
14	December 11, 1976	Los Angeles Rams	L 20–17	73,470

Standings

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings^(2)	11	2	1	.821	5–1	9–2	305	176	W2
Chicago Bears	7	7	0	.500	4–2	7–5	253	216	L1
Detroit Lions	6	8	0	.429	2–4	5–7	262	220	L2
Green Bay Packers	5	9	0	.357	1–5	4–8	218	299	W1

Roster

Detroit Lions roster
Quarterbacks Running Backs Wide Receivers Tight Ends		Offensive Linemen Defensive Linemen		Linebackers Defensive Backs Special Teams		Reserve Lists Currently vacant Rookies in italics

References

1. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 114
2. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 377
3. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/kerry_byrne/06/23/most.important.stat.passer.rating.differential/index.html

• Detroit Lions on Pro Football Reference
• Detroit Lions on jt-sw.com
• Detroit Lions on The Football Database