1973 NFL season

1973 National Football League season
Regular season
Duration September 16 – December 16, 1973
Playoffs
Start date December 22, 1973
AFC Champions Miami Dolphins
NFC Champions Minnesota Vikings
Super Bowl VIII
Date January 13, 1974
Site Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas
Champions Miami Dolphins
Pro Bowl
Date January 20, 1974
Site Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

The 1973 NFL season was the 54th regular season of the National Football League. The season featured O.J. Simpson becoming the first player to rush for 2,000 yards in one season. Buffalo moved their home games into Rich Stadium. After playing their first two home games at Yankee Stadium, the New York Giants played the rest of their home games at the Yale Bowl. The season ended with Super Bowl VIII when the Miami Dolphins repeated as league champions by defeating the Minnesota Vikings 24-7 at the Rice Stadium in Houston Texas. The Pro Bowl took place on January 20,1974 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The AFC beat the NFC 15-13.

Major rule changes

Jersey numbering system

Television Blackout rules

Up until the 1972 season, all NFL games (including championship games and Super Bowls) were blacked-out on television in each team's home city. In 1973, the league changed their policy to black out games in the team's home city only if tickets to the game had not sold out. This expanded the league's television presence in teams' home cities on gameday.

The policy was put into effect when, in 1972, the Washington Redskins made the playoffs for only the second time in 27 seasons. Because all home games were blacked-out, politicians — including devout football fan President Richard Nixon — were not able to watch their home team win. NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle refused to lift the blackout, despite a plea from United States Attorney General Richard Kleindienst. Kleindienst was to suggest that the United States Congress re-evaluate the NFL's antitrust exemption. Rozelle agreed to lift the blackout for Super Bowl VII on an "experimental basis." But Congress intervened before the 1973 season anyway, passing Public Law 93-107, which eliminated the blackout of games in the home market so long as the game was sold out by 72 hours before game time.[1]

Division races

Starting in 1970, and until 2002, there were three divisions (Eastern, Central and Western) in each conference. The winners of each division, and a fourth "wild card" team based on the best non-division winner, qualified for the playoffs. The tiebreaker rules were changed to start with head-to-head competition, followed by division records, common opponents records, and conference play.

National Football Conference

Week Eastern Central Western Wild Card
1 4 teams 1–0–0 2 teams 1–0–0 2 teams 1–0–0 5 teams 1–0–0
2 Dallas, St. Louis (tie) 2–0–0 Minnesota 2–0–0 Los Angeles 2–0–0 Dallas, St. Louis (tie) 2–0–0
3 Dallas 3–0–0 Minnesota 3–0–0 Los Angeles 3–0–0 St. Louis 2–1–0
4 Washington* 3–1–0 Minnesota 4–0–0 Los Angeles 4–0–0 Dallas 3–1–0
5 Washington 4–1–0 Minnesota 5–0–0 Los Angeles 5–0–0 Dallas 3–2–0
6 Washington 5–1–0 Minnesota 6–0–0 Los Angeles 6–0–0 Dallas 4–2–0
7 Washington 5–2–0 Minnesota 7–0–0 Los Angeles 6–1–0 Dallas* 4–3–0
8 Washington* 5–3–0 Minnesota 8–0–0 Los Angeles 6–2–0 Atlanta* 5–3–0
9 Washington* 6–3–0 Minnesota 9–0–0 Los Angeles 7–2–0 Atlanta* 6–3–0
10 Washington* 7–3–0 Minnesota 9–1–0 Los Angeles 8–2–0 Atlanta* 7–3–0
11 Washington 8–3–0 Minnesota 10–1–0 Los Angeles 9–2–0 Atlanta 8–3–0
12 Washington* 9–3–0 Minnesota 10–2–0 Los Angeles 10–2–0 Atlanta* 8–4–0
13 Dallas* 9–4–0 Minnesota 11–2–0 Los Angeles 11–2–0 Washington 9–4–0
14 Dallas 10–4–0 Minnesota 12–2–0 Los Angeles 12–2–0 Washington 10–4–0

American Football Conference

Week Eastern Central Western Wild Card
1 Buffalo, Miami (tie) 1–0–0 Cleveland, Pittsburgh (tie) 1–0–0 Denver 1–0–0 2 teams 1–0–0
2 NY Jets 1–1–0 Pittsburgh 2–0–0 4 teams 1–1–0 7 teams 1–1–0
3 Buffalo 2–1–0 Pittsburgh 3–0–0 Kansas City 2–1–0 3 teams 2–1–0
4 Buffalo, Miami (tie) 3–1–0 Pittsburgh 4–0–0 Kansas City 3–1–0 Buffalo, Miami (tie) 3–1–0
5 Buffalo, Miami (tie) 4–1–0 Pittsburgh 4–1–0 Kansas City 3–1–1 Buffalo, Miami (tie) 4–1–0
6 Miami 5–1–0 Pittsburgh 5–1–0 Kansas City 3–2–1 Cincinnati* 4–2–0
7 Miami 6–1–0 Pittsburgh 6–1–0 Oakland 4–2–1 Buffalo 5–2–0
8 Miami 7–1–0 Pittsburgh 7–1–0 Oakland 5–2–1 Buffalo 5–3–0
9 Miami 8–1–0 Pittsburgh 8–1–0 Oakland* 5–3–1 Kansas City* 5–3–1
10 Miami 9–1–0 Pittsburgh 8–2–0 Kansas City 6–3–1 Cleveland 6–3–1
11 Miami 10–1–0 Pittsburgh 8–3–0 Denver 6–3–2 Cleveland 7–3–1
12 Miami 11–1–0 Cincinnati* 8–4–0 Oakland 7–4–1 Pittsburgh 8–4–0
13 Miami 11–2–0 Cincinnati* 9–4–0 Oakland 8–3–1 Pittsburgh 9–4–0
14 Miami 12–2–0 Cincinnati* 10–4–0 Oakland 9–4–1 Pittsburgh 10–4–0

Final standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

 x  – clinched wild card berth,  y  – clinched division title

AFC East
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Miami Dolphins 1220.857343150
Buffalo Bills 950.643259230
New England Patriots 590.357258300
New York Jets 4100.286240306
Baltimore Colts 4100.286226341
AFC Central
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Cincinnati Bengals 1040.714286231
x-Pittsburgh Steelers 1040.714347210
Cleveland Browns 752.571234255
Houston Oilers 1130.071199447
AFC West
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Oakland Raiders 941.679292175
Kansas City Chiefs 752.571231192
Denver Broncos 752.571354296
San Diego Chargers 2111.179188386
NFC East
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Dallas Cowboys 1040.714382203
x-Washington Redskins 1040.714325198
Philadelphia Eagles 581.393310393
St. Louis Cardinals 491.321286365
New York Giants 2111.179226362
NFC Central
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Minnesota Vikings 1220.857296168
Detroit Lions 671.464271247
Green Bay Packers 572.429202259
Chicago Bears 3110.214195334
NFC West
TeamWLTPCTPFPA
y-Los Angeles Rams 1220.857388178
Atlanta Falcons 950.643318224
San Francisco 49ers 590.357262319
New Orleans Saints 590.357163312

Tiebreakers

Coaching Changes

After 11 years as head coach of the New York Jets, Weeb Ewbank decided to retire.

Playoffs

Note: Prior to the 1975 season, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly rotation.
Divisional Playoffs Conf. Championship Games Super Bowl VIII
December 22 – Metropolitan Stadium        
 Washington  20
December 30 – Texas Stadium
 Minnesota  27  
 Minnesota  27
December 23 – Texas Stadium
     Dallas  10  
 Los Angeles  16
January 13 – Rice Stadium
 Dallas  27  
 Minnesota  7
December 22 – Oakland Coliseum    
   Miami  24
 Pittsburgh  14
December 30 – Miami Orange Bowl
 Oakland  33  
 Oakland  10
December 23 – Miami Orange Bowl
     Miami  27  
 Cincinnati  16
 Miami  34  
 

Awards

Most Valuable PlayerO.J. Simpson, Running Back, Buffalo
Coach of the YearChuck Knox, L.A. Rams
Offensive Player of the YearO.J. Simpson, Running Back, Buffalo
Defensive Player of the YearDick Anderson, Safety, Miami
Offensive Rookie of the YearChuck Foreman, Running Back, Minnesota
Defensive Rookie of the YearWally Chambers, Defensive Tackle, Chicago

References

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