1973 Green Bay Packers season
NFL team season
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The 1973 Green Bay Packers season was their 55th season overall and their 53rd season in the National Football League. The defending division champions posted a 5–7–2 record under third-year head coach Dan Devine, earning them a third-place finish in the NFC Central division.
| 1973 Green Bay Packers season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Dan Devine |
| Home stadium | Lambeau Field Milwaukee County Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 5–7–2 |
| Division place | 3rd NFC Central |
| Playoffs | Did not qualify |
To date, the 1973 Packers along with the Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, and Denver Broncos 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
Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke retired during training camp in late August.[1] Bart Starr left as quarterbacks coach to other business interests, which included a network broadcasting position with CBS.
NFL draft
| 1973 Green Bay Packers draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | Barry Smith | Wide receiver | Florida State | |
| 3 | 74 | Tom MacLeod | Linebacker | Minnesota | |
| 6 | 152 | Tom Toner | Linebacker | Idaho State | |
| 7 | 177 | John Muller | Tackle | Iowa | |
| 8 | 202 | Hise Austin | Cornerback | Prairie View A&M | |
| 9 | 230 | Rick Brown | Linebacker | Iowa | |
| 10 | 255 | Larry Allen | Linebacker | Illinois | |
| 11 | 280 | Phil Engle | Defensive tackle | South Dakota State | |
| 12 | 308 | Larry McCarren * | Center | Illinois | |
| 13 | 333 | Tim Alderson | Defensive back | Minnesota | |
| 14 | 358 | James Anderson | Defensive tackle | Northwestern | |
| 15 | 386 | Reggie Echols | Wide receiver | UCLA | |
| 16 | 411 | Keith Pretty | Tight end | Western Michigan | |
| 17 | 436 | Harold Sampson | Defensive tackle | Southern | |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
Undrafted free agents
| Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| James Bulger | Quarterback | Notre Dame |
| Steve Hammitt | Center | Nevada |
Roster
Regular season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 17 | New York Jets | W 23–7 | 1–0 | Milwaukee County Stadium | 47,124 |
| 2 | September 23 | Detroit Lions | T 13–13 | 1–0–1 | Lambeau Field | 55,495 |
| 3 | September 30 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 3–11 | 1–1–1 | Metropolitan Stadium | 48,176 |
| 4 | October 7 | at New York Giants | W 16–14 | 2–1–1 | Yale Bowl | 70,050 |
| 5 | October 14 | Kansas City Chiefs | T 10–10 | 2–1–2 | Milwaukee County Stadium | 46,583 |
| 6 | October 21 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 7–24 | 2–2–2 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 80,558 |
| 7 | October 28 | at Detroit Lions | L 0–34 | 2–3–2 | Tiger Stadium | 43,616 |
| 8 | November 4 | Chicago Bears | L 17–31 | 2–4–2 | Lambeau Field | 56,267 |
| 9 | November 11 | St. Louis Cardinals | W 25–21 | 3–4–2 | Lambeau Field | 52,922 |
| 10 | November 18 | at New England Patriots | L 24–33 | 3–5–2 | Schaefer Stadium | 60,525 |
| 11 | November 26 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 6–20 | 3–6–2 | Candlestick Park | 49,244 |
| 12 | December 2 | New Orleans Saints | W 30–10 | 4–6–2 | Milwaukee County Stadium | 46,092 |
| 13 | December 8 | Minnesota Vikings | L 7–31 | 4–7–2 | Lambeau Field | 53,830 |
| 14 | December 16 | at Chicago Bears | W 21–0 | 5–7–2 | Soldier Field | 29,157 |
- Monday (September 17, November 26), Saturday (December 8)
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • Packers | 3 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 23 |
- Date: September 17
- Location: Milwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Game start: 8:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C), wind 16 mph (26 km/h)
- TV announcers (ABC): Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford & Don Meredith.
| 1 | GB | Chester Marcol 9-yard field goal | Packers 3–0 | |
| 2 | GB | Rich McGeorge 19-yard pass from Scott Hunter (Chester Marcol kick) | Packers 10–0 | |
| 2 | GB | Chester Marcol 37-yard field goal | Packers 13–0 | |
| 3 | GB | Chester Marcol 10-yard field goal | Packers 16–0 | |
| 4 | GB | John Brockington 1-yard run (Chester Marcol kick) | Packers 23–0 | |
| 4 | NYJ | David Knight 17-yard pass from Al Woodall (Bobby Howfield kick) | Packers 23–7 | |
Week 4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Packers | 7 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 16 |
| Giants | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
- Date: October 7
- Location: Yale Bowl, New Haven, Connecticut
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C), wind 5 mph (8.0 km/h)
| 1 | NYG | Don Herrmann 17-yard pass from Norm Snead (Pete Gogolak kick) | Giants 7–0 | |
| 1 | GB | Jon Staggers 20-yard run (Chester Marcol kick) | Tie 7–7 | |
| 3 | GB | Chester Marcol 20-yard field goal | Packers 10–7 | |
| 3 | GB | Chester Marcol 11-yard field goal | Packers 13–7 | |
| 4 | NYG | Bob Grim 10-yard pass from Norm Snead (Pete Gogolak kick) | Giants 14–13 | |
| 4 | GB | Chester Marcol 32-yard field goal | Packers 16–14 | |
Week 9
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| • Packers | 10 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 25 |
- Date: November 11
- Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 34 °F (1 °C), wind 12 mph (19 km/h)
| 1 | GB | John Brockington 1-yard run (Chester Marcol kick) | Packers 7–0 | |
| 1 | GB | Chester Marcol 12-yard field goal | Packers 10–0 | |
| 1 | STL | Donny Anderson 30-yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick) | Packers 10–7 | |
| 2 | GB | Jerry Tagge 1-yard run (kick failed) | Packers 16–7 | |
| 2 | GB | Chester Marcol 32-yard field goal | Packers 19–7 | |
| 2 | GB | Chester Marcol 24-yard field goal | Packers 22–7 | |
| 4 | STL | Ahmad Rashad 23-yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick) | Packers 22–14 | |
| 4 | STL | Terry Metcalf 2-yard run (Jim Bakken kick) | Packers 22–21 | |
| 4 | GB | Chester Marcol 9-yard field goal | Packers 25–21 | |
Week 12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saints | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| • Packers | 3 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 30 |
- Date: December 2
- Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 36 °F (2 °C), wind 12 mph (19 km/h)
| 1 | GB | Chester Marcol 14-yard field goal | Packers 3–0 | |
| 2 | GB | Al Matthews 58-yard interception return (Chester Marcol kick) | Packers 10–0 | |
| 2 | GB | Chester Marcol 39-yard field goal | Packers 13–0 | |
| 2 | NO | Bill McClard 22-yard field goal | Packers 13–3 | |
| 3 | NO | Jubilee Dunbar 29-yard pass from Archie Manning (Bill McClard kick) | Packers 13–10 | |
| 3 | GB | Jerry Tagge 41-yard run (Chester Marcol kick) | Packers 20–10 | |
| 4 | GB | Jim Carter 42-yard interception return (Chester Marcol kick) | Packers 27–10 | |
| 4 | GB | Chester Marcol 33-yard field goal | Packers 30–10 | |
Week 14
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Packers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Date: December 16
- Location: Soldier Field, Chicago
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 24 °F (−4 °C), wind 13 mph (21 km/h)
| 1 | GB | Jon Staggers 20-yard pass from Jerry Tagge (Chester Marcol kick) | Packers 7–0 | |
| 2 | GB | Les Goodman 3-yard run (Chester Marcol kick) | Packers 14–0 | |
| 4 | GB | Jon Staggers 36-yard pass from Jerry Tagge (Chester Marcol kick) | Packers 21–0 | |
Standings
| NFC Central | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 6–0 | 10–1 | 296 | 168 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 6 | 7 | 1 | .464 | 3–2–1 | 6–4–1 | 271 | 247 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 5 | 7 | 2 | .429 | 1–4–1 | 4–6–1 | 202 | 259 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 1–5 | 1–9 | 195 | 334 | L6 |
