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1973 Atlanta Falcons season
NFL team season
NFL team season
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| team | Atlanta Falcons |
| year | 1973 |
| record | 9–5 |
| division_place | 2nd NFC West |
| coach | Norm Van Brocklin |
| general_manager | Norm Van Brocklin |
| owner | Rankin M. Smith Sr. |
| stadium | Atlanta Stadium |
| playoffs | *Did not qualify* |
| shortnavlink | Falcons seasons |
The 1973 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's eighth year in the National Football League (NFL). The team improved on their previous season's output of 7–7 and achieved their best record until 1980, but failed to reach a maiden playoff berth.
Atlanta opened the season with a massive 62-7 victory at New Orleans led by five interceptions of Archie Manning and 13 completions in 15 attempts with 3 touchdowns by Dick Shiner, who was the first quarterback in NFL history to be officially credited with a perfect 158.3 passer rating. He was relieved by Bob Lee in the second half. After this explosive showing, the Falcons lost three straight without scoring any touchdowns. Then Lee took over as starter and completed 11 of 13 passes with his own perfect 158.3 rating in a 46-6 blowout of Chicago. This sparked a seven-game winning streak which included defeating the Vikings when that team was 9–0 and looking at emulating the previous season‘s Dolphins’ perfect season.
Despite entering the last month of the regular season at 8–3, they were upset by the Buffalo Bills, forcing them into a race with the Washington Redskins for the wild card playoff spot. The NFL's tiebreaker format at the time, which favored teams with the best combined scoring offense and defense, necessitated a blowout win over a Cardinals team that had won only one of its last ten and was playing an unknown quarterback, Gary Keithley. However, while Keithley completed only ten of 32 passes (he and Lee recorded a 0.0 passer rating in the game), the Falcons were instead blown out 32–10 at home courtesy of an unexpected Cardinals rushing game and six field goals from Jim Bakken. Although the Falcons won the regular season finale to end the season at 9–5, Washington also won and qualified as the wild card with a 10–4 record.
Despite the Falcons’ success between 2008 and 2012, the win over the Vikings was the last time the Falcons defeated the last unbeaten NFL team until they defeated the 14–0 Carolina Panthers in week 16 of the 2015 season.
Offseason
NFL draft
Main article: 1973 NFL draft
Personnel
Staff
-
Chairman of the board – Rankin M. Smith Sr.
-
President – Frank E. Wall
-
General manager – Norm Van Brocklin
-
Head coach – Norm Van Brocklin
-
Offensive backfield – Billy Ray Barnes
-
Receivers – Harry Gilmer
-
Offensive line – Duane Putnam
-
Head defensive – Marion Campbell
-
Defensive line – Bob Griffin
-
Defensive backfield – Fred Bruney
Roster
Schedule
| Atlanta Falcons | year=1973 | border=2}}" | Week | Atlanta Falcons | year=1973 | border=2}}" | Date | Atlanta Falcons | year=1973 | border=2}}" | Opponent | Atlanta Falcons | year=1973 | border=2}}" | Result | Atlanta Falcons | year=1973 | border=2}}" | Record | Atlanta Falcons | year=1973 | border=2}}" | Venue | Atlanta Falcons | year=1973 | border=2}}" | Attendance | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 16 | at **[New Orleans Saints](1973-new-orleans-saints-season)** | **W** 62–7 | 1–0 | Tulane Stadium | 66,428 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 23 | at **[Los Angeles Rams](1973-los-angeles-rams-season)** | **L** 0–31 | 1–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 61,197 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| at [Detroit Lions](1973-detroit-lions-season) | **L** 6–31 | 1–2 | Tiger Stadium | 45,599 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 7 | **[San Francisco 49ers](1973-san-francisco-49ers-season)** | **L** 9–13 | 1–3 | Atlanta Stadium | 51,107 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 14 | [Chicago Bears](1973-chicago-bears-season) | **W** 46–6 | 2–3 | Atlanta Stadium | 58,850 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 21 | at [San Diego Chargers](1973-san-diego-chargers-season) | **W** 41–0 | 3–3 | San Diego Stadium | 41,527 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 28 | at **[San Francisco 49ers](1973-san-francisco-49ers-season) ** | **W** 17–3 | 4–3 | Candlestick Park | 56,825 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 4 | **[Los Angeles Rams](1973-los-angeles-rams-season)** | **W** 15–13 | 5–3 | Atlanta Stadium | 55,837 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 11 | at [Philadelphia Eagles](1973-philadelphia-eagles-season) | **W** 44–27 | 6–3 | Veterans Stadium | 63,114 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 19 | [Minnesota Vikings](1973-minnesota-vikings-season) | **W** 20–14 | 7–3 | Atlanta Stadium | 56,519 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 25 | at [New York Jets](1973-new-york-jets-season) | **W** 28–20 | 8–3 | Shea Stadium | 47,283 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 2 | [Buffalo Bills](1973-buffalo-bills-season) | **L** 6–17 | 8–4 | Atlanta Stadium | 54,607 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 9 | [St. Louis Cardinals](1973-st-louis-cardinals-nfl-season) | **L** 10–32 | 8–5 | Atlanta Stadium | 48,030 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 16 | **[New Orleans Saints](1973-new-orleans-saints-season)** | **W** 14–10 | 9–5 | Atlanta Stadium | 34,147 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| **Note:** Intra-division opponents are in **bold** text. |
Standings
References
References
- "Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints - September 16th, 1973".
- "Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons - October 14th, 1973".
- "Last Unbeaten NFL team in each season".
- Hudspeth, Ron. (December 9, 1973). "Falcons Must Rout to Stay Alive". [[The Atlanta Journal and Constitution]].
- “Bakken, Cardinals deflate Falcons’ Playoff Bubble”; in ''[[Toledo Blade]]''; December 10, 1973; p. 21
- Cunningham, George. (December 10, 1973). "Falcons Die Again in December, 32-10". [[The Atlanta Journal and Constitution]].
- (December 10, 1973). "Falcons' Wild-Card Hopes Jolted in Upset to Cards". [[Tallahassee Democrat]].
- Cunningham, George. (December 17, 1973). "9-5 and No Tomorrow". [[The Atlanta Journal and Constitution]].
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