The 1973 NFL season was the 54th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl VIII when the Miami Dolphins defeated the Minnesota Vikings.
[edit] Major rule changes
[edit] Jersey numbering system
- A jersey numbering system is adopted (players who played in the 1972 NFL season are grandfathered in):
- 1-19: Quarterbacks and specialists
- 20-49: Running backs and defensive backs
- 50-59: Centers and linebackers
- 60-79: Defensive linemen and offensive linemen other than centers
- 80-89: Wide receivers and tight ends
- Numbers 0, 00, and 90-99 are no longer allowed to be issued, even though these numbers were rarely issued anyways. Numbers 90-99 would be allowed again in 1984 for defensive lineman and linebackers in addition to the above mentioned numbers.
- Defensive players cannot jump or stand on a teammate while trying to block a kick.
- The clock is to start at the snap following a change of possession.
- If there is a foul by the offensive team, and it is followed by a change of possession, the period can be extended by one play by the other team.
- If the receiving team commits a foul after the ball is kicked, possession will be presumed to have changed; the receiving team keeps the ball.
[edit] 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 | Tie (Dal, StL) | 2-0-0 | MINNESOTA | 2-0-0 | LOS ANGELES | 2-0-0 | Tie (Dal, StL) | 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 | 5-0-0 | 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 | 8-2-0 | 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 | (Buf, Mia) | 1-0-0 | (Cle, Pit) | 1-0-0 | DENVER | 1-0-0 | 2 teams | 1-0-0 |
| 2 | N.Y. 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 | Tie (Buf, Mia) | 3-1-0 | PITTSBURGH | 4-0-0 | KANSAS CITY | 3-1-0 | Tie (Buf, Mia) | 3-1-0 |
| 5 | Tie (Buf, Mia) | 4-1-0 | PITTSBURGH | 4-1-0 | KANSAS CITY | 3-1-1 | Tie (Buf, Mia) | 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 |
[edit] 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
[edit] Tiebreakers
- N.Y. Jets finished ahead of Baltimore in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2-0).
- Cincinnati finished ahead of Pittsburgh in the AFC Central based on better conference record (8-3 to Steelers' 7-4).
- Kansas City finished ahead of Denver in the AFC West based on better division record (4-2 to Broncos' 3-2-1).
- Dallas finished ahead of Washington in the NFC East based on better point differential in head-to-head games (13 points).
- San Francisco finished ahead of New Orleans in the NFC West based on better division record (2-4 to Saints' 1-5).
[edit] Playoffs
- Note: Prior to the 1975 season, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly rotation.
[edit] References
