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1973 Denver Broncos season

NFL team season

1973 Denver Broncos season

NFL team season

FieldValue
teamDenver Broncos
year1973
record7–5–2
division_place3rd AFC West
coachJohn Ralston
general managerJohn Ralston
ownerGerald Phipps
stadiumMile High Stadium
playoffs*Did not qualify*
shortnavlinkBroncos seasons
Uniforms worn by the Denver Broncos during 1973

The 1973 Denver Broncos season was the team's 14th year in professional football and its fourth with the National Football League (NFL). Led by second-year head coach and general manager John Ralston, the Broncos posted a winning record for the first time in franchise history, with seven wins, five losses, and two ties, which tied for sixth-best in the conference. It was the first time in franchise history that they won more than five games. Denver tied for second in the AFC West (third with tiebreaker), 1½ games behind the Oakland Raiders.

After a 1-3 start, Denver went unbeaten in seven straight games. The last of these was a 14-10 win over Kansas City, only the third win in 28 games all-time vs. the Chiefs franchise. The win put the Broncos in first place in the division at 6-3-2. After a split of the next two games, the final game of the regular season was a 21-17 loss at Oakland, making the Raiders division champions.

One of the ties, in their first-ever game with the Cardinals, was the nearest Denver came to losing to that franchise until 2010, and also their only NFL appearance in St. Louis until 2000 against the relocated Rams at Edward Jones Dome.

To date, the 1973 Broncos along with the Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers are the last teams to record 2 ties in a single season. Overtime for regular season games was introduced the following year, and the occurrence of tie games decreased.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1973 NFL draft

Personnel

Staff / Coaches

  • Team Owner / Chairman of the Board – Gerald Phipps

  • Team President – Allan Phipps

  • Assistant General Manager/Director of Player Personnel – Fred Gehrke

  • Director of Scouting – Carroll Hardy

  • Vice President/General Manager/Head Coach – John Ralston

  • Offensive Coordinator/Backfield – Max Coley

  • Wide Receivers – Dick Coury

  • Offensive Line – Jerry Frei

  • Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs – Joe Collier

  • Defensive Line – Doc Urich

  • Linebackers – Bob Gambold

  • Special Teams – Myrel Moore :Source:

Roster

:Source:

Regular season

Main article: 1973 NFL season

Schedule

Denver Broncosyear=1973border=2}}"WeekDenver Broncosyear=1973border=2}}"DateDenver Broncosyear=1973border=2}}"OpponentDenver Broncosyear=1973border=2}}"ResultDenver Broncosyear=1973border=2}}"RecordDenver Broncosyear=1973border=2}}"VenueDenver Broncosyear=1973border=2}}"Attendance1234567891011121314
September 16[Cincinnati Bengals](1973-cincinnati-bengals-season)**W** 28–101–0Mile High Stadium49,059
September 23[San Francisco 49ers](1973-san-francisco-49ers-season)**L** 34–361–1Mile High Stadium50,966
September 30[Chicago Bears](1973-chicago-bears-season)**L** 14–331–2Mile High Stadium51,159
October 7at **[Kansas City Chiefs](1973-kansas-city-chiefs-season)****L** 14–161–3Arrowhead Stadium71,414
October 14at [Houston Oilers](1973-houston-oilers-season)**W** 48–202–3Astrodome32,801
**[Oakland Raiders](1973-oakland-raiders-season)****T** 23–232–3–1Mile High Stadium51,270
October 28at [New York Jets](1973-new-york-jets-season)**W** 40–283–3–1Shea Stadium55,108
November 4at [St. Louis Cardinals](1973-st-louis-cardinals-nfl-season)**T** 17–173–3–2Busch Memorial Stadium46,565
November 11**[San Diego Chargers](1973-san-diego-chargers-season)****W** 30–194–3–2Mile High Stadium51,034
November 18at [Pittsburgh Steelers](1973-pittsburgh-steelers-season)**W** 23–135–3–2Three Rivers Stadium48,580
November 25**[Kansas City Chiefs](1973-kansas-city-chiefs-season)****W** 14–106–3–2Mile High Stadium51,331
December 2[Dallas Cowboys](1973-dallas-cowboys-season)**L** 10–226–4–2Mile High Stadium51,508
December 9at **[San Diego Chargers](1973-san-diego-chargers-season)****W** 42–287–4–2San Diego Stadium44,954
December 16at **[Oakland Raiders](1973-oakland-raiders-season)****L** 17–217–5–2Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum51,910
**Note:** Intra-division opponents are in **bold** text.

Game summaries

Week 2 (Sunday, September 23, 1973): vs. [[1973 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]]

  • Point spread: Broncos +4
  • Time of game:
San Francisco 49ersyear=1973border=2}}"49ersGame statisticsDenver Broncosyear=1973border=2}}"BroncosFirst downsRushes–yardsPassing yardsPassesSacked–yardsNet passing yardsTotal yardsReturn yardsPuntsFumbles–lostPenalties–yardsTime of possession
1622
39–13532–115
212240
14–35–117–36–5
0–00–0
212240
347355
101114
6–46.04–35.8
2–03–1
8–734–32

Week 10 at Steelers

Standings

Awards and honors

  • UPI AFC Coach of the Year: John Ralston

References

References

  1. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=game&year_min=1940&year_max=2012&game_type=R&playoff_round=&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&game_day_of_week=&game_time=&time_zone=&game_location=&surface=&roof=&game_result=&overtime=&league_id=&team_id=crd&opp_id=den&conference_game=&division_game=&tm_is_playoff=&opp_is_playoff=&tm_is_winning=&opp_is_winning=&tm_scored_first=&tm_led=&tm_trailed=&c1stat=&c1comp=gt&c1val=&c2stat=&c2comp=gt&c2val=&c3stat=&c3comp=gt&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=game_date&order_by_asc=Y Arizona Cardinals versus Denver Broncos]
  2. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=game&year_min=1995&year_max=2012&game_type=R&playoff_round=&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&game_day_of_week=&game_time=&time_zone=&game_location=H&surface=&roof=&game_result=&overtime=&league_id=&team_id=ram&opp_id=den&conference_game=&division_game=&tm_is_playoff=&opp_is_playoff=&tm_is_winning=&opp_is_winning=&tm_scored_first=&tm_led=&tm_trailed=&c1stat=&c1comp=gt&c1val=&c2stat=&c2comp=gt&c2val=&c3stat=&c3comp=gt&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=game_date&order_by_asc=Y St. Louis Rams at home to Denver Broncos]
  3. "1973 Denver Broncos Press Guide".
  4. (October 23, 1973). "Turner's kick ties Raiders". Eugene Register-Guard.
  5. ''[[Pro-Football-Reference.com. Pro Football Reference]]''; [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197309230den.htm San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos – September 23, 1973]
Info: Wikipedia Source

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