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Record: 8-7-0, Finished 2nd in NFC Central Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 336 points (22.4/g), 13th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 335 points (22.3/g), 16th.
Differential of 1 points (0.1/g), 12th.
Expected W-L: 7.5-7.5.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +4 (0.3/g), 12th.
Coached by Jerry Burns (8-7-0)
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1987 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Wade Wilson | 28 | 6 | 7 | 140 for 264, 2,106 yards, 14 td, 13 int, & 41 rushes for 263 yards and 5 td | Minnesota Vikings / 8th / 210th pick / 1981 |
| QB | Tommy Kramer | 32 | 10 | 5 | 40 for 81, 452 yards, 4 td, 3 int, & 10 rushes for 44 yards and 2 td | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 27th pick / 1977 |
| RB | Darrin Nelson | 28 | 5 | 9 | 131 rushes for 642 yards, 2 td, & 26 catches for 129 yards and 0 td | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 7th pick / 1982 |
| FB | Alfred Anderson | 26 | 3 | 10 | 68 rushes for 319 yards, 2 td, & 7 catches for 69 yards and 0 td | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 67th pick / 1984 |
| WR | Anthony Carter* | 27 | 2 | 11 | 38 catches for 922 yards, 7 td | Miami Dolphins / 12th / 334th pick / 1983 |
| WR | Leo Lewis | 31 | 6 | 12 | 24 catches for 383 yards, 2 td, & 5 rushes for -7 yards and 0 td | |
| TE | Steve Jordan* | 26 | 5 | 12 | 35 catches for 490 yards, 2 td | Minnesota Vikings / 7th / 179th pick / 1982 |
| LT | Gary Zimmerman*+ | 26 | 1 | 12 | 1 fumble recovered | New York Giants / 1st / 3rd pick / 1984 Supp |
| LG | Dave Huffman | 30 | 8 | 12 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 43rd pick / 1979 |
|
| C | Kirk Lowdermilk | 24 | 2 | 12 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 59th pick / 1985 |
|
| RG | Greg Koch | 32 | 10 | 6 | Green Bay Packers / 2nd / 39th pick / 1977 |
|
| RG | Terry Tausch | 28 | 5 | 5 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 39th pick / 1982 |
|
| RT | Tim Irwin | 29 | 6 | 12 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 74th pick / 1981 |
|
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Doug Martin | 30 | 7 | 12 | 9.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 9th pick / 1980 |
| LDT | Henry Thomas | 22 | Rook | 12 | 2.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 72nd pick / 1987 |
| RDT | Keith Millard | 25 | 2 | 8 | 3.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 13th pick / 1984 |
| RDT | Stafford Mays | 29 | 7 | 7 | 7.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | St. Louis Cardinals / 9th / 225th pick / 1980 |
| RDE | Chris Doleman* | 26 | 2 | 12 | 11.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 4th pick / 1985 |
| LLB | Jesse Solomon | 24 | 1 | 12 | 2.0 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 12th / 318th pick / 1986 |
| MLB | Scott Studwell* | 33 | 10 | 11 | 1.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 9th / 250th pick / 1977 |
| RLB | David Howard | 26 | 2 | 7 | 0.0 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 67th pick / 1984 Supp |
| LCB | Wymon Henderson | 26 | Rook | 8 | 0.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| LCB | Issiac Holt | 25 | 2 | 6 | 0.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 30th pick / 1985 |
| RCB | Carl Lee | 26 | 4 | 12 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 7th / 186th pick / 1983 |
| SS | Joey Browner*+ | 27 | 4 | 12 | 1.0 sacks, 6 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 19th pick / 1983 |
| FS | John Harris | 31 | 9 | 12 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Seattle Seahawks / 7th / 173rd pick / 1978 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Chuck Nelson | 27 | 4 | 0 | 13 of 24 field goals & 36 of 37 extra points | Los Angeles Rams / 4th / 87th pick / 1983 |
| P | Greg Coleman | 33 | 10 | 0 | 45 punts for a 39.7 average, 1 blocked | Cincinnati Bengals / 14th / 398th pick / 1976 |
| PR | Leo Lewis | 31 | 6 | 12 | 22 punt returns for a 12.5 average and 1 td | |
| KR | Neal Guggemos | 23 | 1 | 1 | 36 kick returns for a 22.4 average and 0 td |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Ache | 25 | LB | 3 | 0 | 229 | 6-3 | Southwest Missouri State | 3/16/1962 | Rook | |
| Tony Adams | 37 | QB | 3 | 3 | 198 | 6-0 | Texas,Utah State | 3/9/1950 | 12 | San Diego Chargers / 14th / 343rd pick / 1973 |
| Alfred Anderson | 26 | RB | 10 | 10 | 219 | 6-1 | Baylor | 8/4/1961 | 3 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 67th pick / 1984 |
| Sam Anno | 22 | LB | 6 | 0 | 236 | 6-2 | USC | 1/26/1965 | Rook | |
| Walker Lee Ashley | 27 | LB | 12 | 0 | 234 | 6-0 | Penn State | 7/28/1960 | 4 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 73rd pick / 1983 |
| Ray Berry | 24 | LB | 11 | 0 | 227 | 6-2 | Baylor | 10/28/1963 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 44th pick / 1987 |
| Rufus Bess | 31 | DB | 3 | 2 | 184 | 5-9 | South Carolina State | 9/13/1956 | 8 | |
| Don Bramlett | 25 | DT | 3 | 1 | 270 | 6-2 | Memphis | 10/5/1962 | Rook | |
| James Brim | 24 | WR | 3 | 3 | 187 | 6-3 | Wake Forest | 2/28/1963 | Rook | |
| Larry Brown | 24 | WR | 1 | 0 | 180 | 5-11 | Mankato State | 9/4/1963 | Rook | |
| Joey Browner*+ | 27 | DB | 12 | 12 | 221 | 6-2 | USC | 5/15/1960 | 4 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 19th pick / 1983 |
| Dave Bruno | 24 | P | 2 | 0 | 235 | 6-1 | Moriane Valley Community College (IL) | 3/19/1963 | Rook | |
| Tim Bryant | 25 | LB | 1 | 0 | 217 | 6-1 | Southern Miss,Vanderbilt | 5/5/1962 | Rook | |
| Derek Burton | 24 | T | 3 | 3 | 270 | 6-2 | Oklahoma State | 8/10/1963 | Rook | |
| Anthony Carter* | 27 | WR | 12 | 11 | 168 | 5-11 | Michigan | 9/17/1960 | 2 | Miami Dolphins / 12th / 334th pick / 1983 |
| Dan Coleman | 25 | DE | 3 | 1 | 249 | 6-4 | Murray State | 8/14/1962 | Rook | |
| Greg Coleman | 33 | P | 9 | 0 | 185 | 6-0 | Florida A&M | 9/9/1954 | 10 | Cincinnati Bengals / 14th / 398th pick / 1976 |
| Fabray Collins | 26 | LB | 3 | 1 | 215 | 6-2 | Southern Illinois | 9/16/1961 | Rook | |
| Ron Daugherty | 29 | WR | 3 | 0 | 185 | 6-3 | Northeast Illinois | 3/17/1958 | Rook | |
| Dale Dawson | 23 | K | 3 | 0 | 213 | 6-0 | Eastern Kentucky | 11/2/1964 | Rook | |
| Jim Dick | 23 | LB | 3 | 2 | 230 | 6-1 | North Dakota State | 6/18/1964 | Rook | |
| Chris Doleman* | 26 | DE-LB | 12 | 12 | 289 | 6-5 | Pittsburgh | 10/16/1961 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 4th pick / 1985 |
| D.J. Dozier | 22 | RB | 9 | 3 | 200 | 6-0 | Penn State | 9/21/1965 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 14th pick / 1987 |
| Clifton Eley | 26 | TE | 2 | 0 | 230 | 6-5 | Mississippi State | 6/21/1961 | Rook | |
| David Evans | 28 | DB | 3 | 3 | 178 | 6-0 | Central Arkansas | 5/1/1959 | 1 | |
| Rick Fenney | 23 | RB | 11 | 0 | 235 | 6-1 | Washington | 12/7/1964 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 8th / 211th pick / 1987 |
| Steve Finch | 26 | WR | 1 | 1 | 200 | 6-0 | Elmhurst | 1/2/1961 | Rook | |
| Jamie Fitzgerald | 22 | DB | 2 | 0 | 180 | 6-0 | Idaho State | 4/30/1965 | Rook | |
| Chris Foote | 31 | C-G | 6 | 0 | 256 | 6-3 | USC | 12/2/1956 | 7 | Baltimore Colts / 6th / 144th pick / 1980 |
| Steve Freeman | 34 | DB | 12 | 0 | 185 | 5-11 | Mississippi State | 5/8/1953 | 12 | New England Patriots / 5th / 117th pick / 1975 |
| Phil Frye | 29 | RB | 1 | 1 | 180 | 5-11 | Utah State | 12/20/1958 | Rook | |
| Rich Gannon | 22 | QB | 4 | 0 | 210 | 6-3 | Delaware | 12/20/1965 | Rook | New England Patriots / 4th / 98th pick / 1987 |
| Willie Gillespie | 26 | WR | 1 | 1 | 170 | 5-9 | Tennessee-Chattanooga | 10/24/1961 | 1 | |
| Neal Guggemos | 23 | DB | 12 | 1 | 187 | 6-0 | St. Thomas | 6/14/1964 | 1 | |
| Jim Gustafson | 26 | WR | 12 | 0 | 177 | 6-1 | St. Thomas | 3/16/1961 | 1 | |
| Mark Hanson | 22 | G | 1 | 0 | 260 | 6-2 | Mankato State | 2/3/1965 | Rook | |
| Sam Harrell | 30 | RB | 1 | 1 | 217 | 6-2 | East Carolina | 2/7/1957 | 6 | Minnesota Vikings / 11th / 288th pick / 1980 |
| John Harris | 31 | DB | 12 | 12 | 200 | 6-2 | Arizona State | 6/13/1956 | 9 | Seattle Seahawks / 7th / 173rd pick / 1978 |
| Steve Harris | 25 | RB | 2 | 0 | 194 | 5-11 | Northern Iowa | 12/12/1962 | Rook | |
| Mike Hartenstine | 34 | DE | 5 | 0 | 251 | 6-3 | Penn State | 7/27/1953 | 12 | Chicago Bears / 2nd / 31st pick / 1975 |
| Wymon Henderson | 26 | DB | 12 | 8 | 190 | 5-10 | UNLV | 12/15/1961 | Rook | |
| Carl Hilton | 23 | TE | 11 | 1 | 232 | 6-3 | Houston | 2/8/1964 | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 7th / 179th pick / 1986 |
| Issiac Holt | 25 | DB | 9 | 6 | 200 | 6-2 | Alcorn State | 10/4/1962 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 30th pick / 1985 |
| David Howard | 26 | LB | 10 | 7 | 232 | 6-2 | Long Beach State,Oregon State | 12/8/1961 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 67th pick / 1984 Supp |
| Dave Huffman | 30 | G-C | 12 | 12 | 280 | 6-6 | Notre Dame | 4/4/1957 | 8 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 43rd pick / 1979 |
| Tim Irwin | 29 | T | 12 | 12 | 300 | 6-7 | Tennessee | 12/13/1958 | 6 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 74th pick / 1981 |
| Hassan Jones | 23 | WR | 12 | 0 | 198 | 6-0 | Florida State | 7/2/1964 | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 5th / 120th pick / 1986 |
| Wayne Jones | 27 | G | 6 | 0 | 270 | 6-4 | Utah | 2/10/1960 | Rook | Miami Dolphins / 10th / 276th pick / 1982 |
| Steve Jordan* | 26 | TE | 12 | 12 | 236 | 6-3 | Brown | 1/10/1961 | 5 | Minnesota Vikings / 7th / 179th pick / 1982 |
| Keith Kidd | 25 | WR | 1 | 0 | 195 | 6-1 | Arkansas | 9/10/1962 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 9th / 235th pick / 1984 |
| Greg Koch | 32 | T-G | 9 | 6 | 270 | 6-4 | Arkansas | 6/14/1955 | 10 | Green Bay Packers / 2nd / 39th pick / 1977 |
| Tommy Kramer | 32 | QB | 6 | 5 | 200 | 6-2 | Rice | 3/7/1955 | 10 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 27th pick / 1977 |
| Terry LeCount | 31 | WR | 1 | 0 | 178 | 5-10 | Florida | 7/9/1956 | 9 | San Francisco 49ers / 4th / 91st pick / 1978 |
| Carl Lee | 26 | DB | 12 | 12 | 185 | 5-11 | Marshall | 2/6/1961 | 4 | Minnesota Vikings / 7th / 186th pick / 1983 |
| Leo Lewis | 31 | WR | 12 | 12 | 170 | 5-8 | Missouri | 9/17/1956 | 6 | |
| Fletcher Louallen | 25 | DB | 3 | 3 | 195 | 6-0 | West Alabama | 9/12/1962 | Rook | |
| Terry Love | 29 | DB | 1 | 0 | 205 | 6-2 | Murray State | 8/25/1958 | Rook | |
| Kirk Lowdermilk | 24 | C | 12 | 12 | 269 | 6-3 | Ohio State | 4/10/1963 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 59th pick / 1985 |
| Mark MacDonald | 26 | G | 12 | 1 | 267 | 6-4 | Boston College | 4/30/1961 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 5th / 115th pick / 1985 |
| Chris Martin | 27 | LB | 12 | 4 | 236 | 6-2 | Auburn | 12/19/1960 | 4 | |
| Doug Martin | 30 | DE-NT | 12 | 12 | 260 | 6-3 | Washington | 5/22/1957 | 7 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 9th pick / 1980 |
| Marc May | 29 | TE | 3 | 3 | 230 | 6-4 | Purdue | 1/1/1958 | Rook | |
| Stafford Mays | 29 | DE-DT-NT | 12 | 7 | 252 | 6-2 | Washington | 3/13/1958 | 7 | St. Louis Cardinals / 9th / 225th pick / 1980 |
| Mike McCurry | 24 | G | 3 | 3 | 258 | 6-3 | Indiana | 3/26/1963 | Rook | |
| Phil Micech | 26 | DE | 3 | 3 | 265 | 6-5 | Wisconsin-Platteville | 8/11/1961 | Rook | |
| Keith Millard | 25 | DT-NT-DE | 9 | 8 | 260 | 6-6 | Washington State | 3/18/1962 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 13th pick / 1984 |
| Larry Miller | 25 | QB | 2 | 0 | 220 | 6-4 | Northern Iowa | 2/8/1962 | Rook | |
| Ted Million | 24 | G | 1 | 0 | 260 | 6-4 | Duke | 5/9/1963 | Rook | |
| Fred Molden | 24 | DT | 2 | 0 | 272 | 6-2 | Jackson State,Southern Miss | 8/12/1963 | Rook | |
| Leonard Moore | 24 | RB | 1 | 1 | 222 | 6-0 | Jackson State | 1/27/1963 | Rook | |
| Mike Mularkey | 26 | TE | 9 | 0 | 245 | 6-4 | Florida | 11/19/1961 | 4 | San Francisco 49ers / 9th / 229th pick / 1983 |
| Najee Mustafaa | 23 | DB | 7 | 0 | 190 | 6-1 | Georgia Tech | 6/20/1964 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 4th / 100th pick / 1987 |
| Peter Najarian | 24 | LB | 5 | 3 | 233 | 6-2 | Minnesota | 12/22/1963 | Rook | |
| Chuck Nelson | 27 | K | 12 | 0 | 175 | 5-11 | Washington | 2/23/1960 | 4 | Los Angeles Rams / 4th / 87th pick / 1983 |
| Darrin Nelson | 28 | RB | 10 | 9 | 184 | 5-9 | Stanford | 1/2/1959 | 5 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 7th pick / 1982 |
| Tim Newton | 24 | DT-NT | 9 | 0 | 280 | 6-0 | Florida | 3/23/1963 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 6th / 164th pick / 1985 |
| Tony Norman | 32 | DE | 2 | 0 | 270 | 6-5 | Iowa State | 1/27/1955 | Rook | |
| Frank Ori | 23 | G | 3 | 3 | 244 | 6-2 | Northern Iowa | 3/20/1964 | Rook | |
| Rickey Parks | 23 | WR | 2 | 1 | 179 | 6-1 | Ark-Pine Bluff | 2/19/1964 | Rook | |
| Kurt Ploeger | 25 | DE-DT | 1 | 1 | 259 | 6-5 | Gustavus Adolphus | 12/1/1962 | 1 | Dallas Cowboys / 6th / 144th pick / 1985 |
| Kelly Quinn | 24 | LB | 3 | 2 | 220 | 6-1 | Michigan State | 8/20/1963 | Rook | |
| Randy R. Rasmussen | 27 | C-G | 5 | 0 | 253 | 6-7 | Minnesota | 9/27/1960 | 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 8th / 220th pick / 1984 |
| Allen Rice | 25 | RB | 12 | 2 | 203 | 5-10 | Baylor | 4/5/1962 | 3 | Minnesota Vikings / 5th / 140th pick / 1984 |
| Greg Richardson | 23 | WR | 2 | 0 | 171 | 5-7 | Alabama | 10/6/1964 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 6th / 156th pick / 1987 |
| Gerald Robinson | 24 | DE-DT | 4 | 0 | 262 | 6-3 | Auburn | 5/4/1963 | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 1st / 14th pick / 1986 |
| Ted Rosnagle | 26 | DB | 3 | 3 | 205 | 6-3 | Portland State | 9/29/1961 | 2 | |
| John Scardina | 29 | T | 3 | 3 | 265 | 6-4 | Concordia (WI),Lincoln (MO) | 7/26/1958 | Rook | |
| Ed Schenk | 27 | TE | 3 | 0 | 230 | 6-4 | Baldwin-Wallace,Central Florida | 12/20/1960 | Rook | |
| Randy Scott | 28 | LB | 2 | 1 | 223 | 6-1 | Alabama | 1/31/1959 | 6 | |
| Bucky Scribner | 27 | P | 4 | 0 | 207 | 6-0 | Kansas | 7/11/1960 | 4 | Green Bay Packers / 11th / 299th pick / 1983 |
| Ron Selesky | 22 | C | 2 | 0 | 266 | 6-1 | North Central | 9/4/1965 | Rook | |
| Mike Slaton | 23 | DB | 1 | 0 | 194 | 6-2 | South Dakota | 9/25/1964 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 9th / 232nd pick / 1986 |
| Jimmy K. Smith | 27 | RB | 1 | 1 | 205 | 6-0 | Elon,Purdue | 9/25/1960 | 3 | Washington Redskins / 4th / 102nd pick / 1984 |
| Wayne Smith | 30 | DB | 6 | 1 | 171 | 6-0 | Purdue,Wisconsin-LaCrosse | 5/9/1957 | 7 | Detroit Lions / 11th / 278th pick / 1980 |
| Jesse Solomon | 24 | LB | 12 | 12 | 240 | 6-0 | Florida State | 11/4/1963 | 1 | Minnesota Vikings / 12th / 318th pick / 1986 |
| Timothy Starks | 24 | DB | 1 | 0 | 175 | 5-9 | Kent State | 12/30/1963 | Rook | |
| Joe Stepanek | 24 | DT | 1 | 1 | 268 | 6-5 | Minnesota | 11/6/1963 | Rook | |
| Scott Studwell* | 33 | LB | 12 | 11 | 228 | 6-2 | Illinois | 8/27/1954 | 10 | Minnesota Vikings / 9th / 250th pick / 1977 |
| Dennis Swilley | 32 | C-G-T | 6 | 0 | 253 | 6-3 | North Texas,Texas A&M | 6/28/1955 | 10 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 55th pick / 1977 |
| Terry Tausch | 28 | G-T | 5 | 5 | 275 | 6-5 | Texas | 2/5/1959 | 5 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 39th pick / 1982 |
| Andre Thomas | 27 | RB | 1 | 0 | 205 | 6-0 | Mississippi | 11/28/1960 | Rook | |
| Henry Thomas | 22 | DT-NT | 12 | 12 | 277 | 6-2 | LSU | 1/12/1965 | Rook | Minnesota Vikings / 3rd / 72nd pick / 1987 |
| John Turner | 31 | DB | 2 | 0 | 197 | 6-0 | Miami (FL) | 2/22/1956 | 9 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 48th pick / 1978 |
| Mike Turner | 27 | G | 1 | 0 | 255 | 6-3 | LSU | 9/10/1960 | Rook | |
| Adam Walker | 24 | RB | 2 | 0 | 220 | 5-11 | Carthage | 4/9/1963 | Rook | |
| Jimmy Walker | 30 | DT | 2 | 2 | 265 | 6-2 | Arkansas | 12/30/1957 | Rook | |
| Kevin Webster | 25 | G | 3 | 3 | 260 | 6-2 | Northern Iowa | 3/6/1962 | Rook | |
| Brad White | 29 | NT-DT | 1 | 1 | 256 | 6-2 | Tennessee | 8/18/1958 | 6 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers / 12th / 310th pick / 1981 |
| Brett Wilson | 27 | RB | 3 | 1 | 220 | 6-0 | Illinois | 12/29/1960 | Rook | |
| Wade Wilson | 28 | QB | 12 | 7 | 210 | 6-3 | Texas A&M-Commerce | 2/1/1959 | 6 | Minnesota Vikings / 8th / 210th pick / 1981 |
| Jeff Womack | 24 | RB | 2 | 1 | 188 | 5-9 | Memphis | 6/26/1963 | Rook | |
| Gary Zimmerman*+ | 26 | T | 12 | 12 | 294 | 6-6 | Oregon | 12/13/1961 | 1 | New York Giants / 1st / 3rd pick / 1984 Supp |
| Team Total | 26.4 | 15 | 224.8 | 6-1.6 | 2.5 |