Every 1976 NFL race charted week by week: AFC Central, AFC East, AFC West, AFC Wild Card, NFC Central, NFC East, NFC West and NFC Wild Card. Final standings, from a season that ran September 12 to December 12, 1976.
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AFC Central standings, 1976
Team
W
L
T
Pct
GB
L10
Streak
Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT)y
10
4
0
.714
-
9-1
W9
Cincinnati Bengals (CIN)
10
4
0
.714
-
7-3
W1
Cleveland Browns (CLE)
9
5
0
.643
1
8-2
L1
Houston Oilers (HOU)
5
9
0
.357
5
2-8
L2
Final standings.
Clinch key
y
clinched the division
Turning points
The lead changed hands twice.
The Pittsburgh Steelers trailed by as many as 3 games in Week 5.
The Pittsburgh Steelers won 9 games in a row from Week 6 to Week 14, the longest run of the race.
The Cincinnati Bengals led by 2 games as late as Week 11.
The Pittsburgh Steelers went 8-0 from Week 5 to Week 13, turning a deficit of 3 games into a level race.
Four teams held first place.
The Pittsburgh Steelers spent 2 of the season's 14 charted weeks in first place.