1972 New York Jets

1972 New York Jets season
Head Coach	Weeb Ewbank
Home Field	Shea Stadium
Results
Record	7–7
Place	2nd AFC East
Playoff Finish	did not qualify
Timeline
Previous Season	Next Season
1971	1973

The 1972 New York Jets season was the 13th season for the team and the third in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 6–8 record from 1971 under legendary head coach Weeb Ewbank. The Jets star quarterback Joe Namath was healthy for a full season for the first time in three years but the rest of the squad was decimated by injuries and, after a fast start, the Jets finished with a record of 7–7. They were eliminated from the play-offs in the season's thirteenth week, a Monday Night Game with the Raiders in which a battered and bruised Namath threw for 403 yards and nearly pulled off the upset. After the game Raiders coach John Madden went into the Jets locker room and shook Namath's hand out of respect; it was the only time in his coaching career Madden ever did that. Eliminated from post season play, the Jets coaches decided Namath would sit out the final game of the season to make sure no serious injuries were incurred prior to the 1973 season.

Roster

1972 New York Jets final roster
	Quarterbacks 15 Bob Davis 12 Joe Namath 18 Al Woodall Running backs 40 Hank Bjorklund 32 Emerson Boozer 34 Steve Harkey 42 Cliff McClain 44 John Riggins FB 41 Matt Snell Wide receivers 7 Eddie Bell 13 Don Maynard 88 Rich Caster 29 Rocky Turner Tight ends 83 Jerome Barkum		Offensive linemen 75 Winston Hill T 67 Dave Herman G 63 Roy Kirksey G 71 John Mooring T 66 Randy Rasmussen G 52 John Schmitt C 76 Bob Svihus T Defensive linemen 80 John Elliott DT 85 Ed Galigher DT 86 Joey Jackson DT 57 John Little DT 84 Mark Lomas DE 81 Gerry Philbin DE 53 Bill Zapalac DE		Linebackers 62 Al Atkinson 51 Ralph Baker 56 Paul Crane 55 John Ebersole 60 Larry Grantham 50 Mike Taylor Defensive backs 19 Chris Farasopoulos 33 W.K. Hicks 48 Gus Hollomon 46 Rich Sowells 21 Steve Tannen CB 45 Earlie Thomas CB 27 Phil Wise Special teams 3 Bobby Howfield K 20 Steve O'Neill P		Reserve lists Practice squad Rookies in italics Active, Inactive, Practice squad

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Game site	Attendance
1	1972-09-17	at Buffalo Bills	W 41–24	War Memorial Stadium	46,206
2	1972-09-24	at Baltimore Colts	W 44–34	Memorial Stadium	56,626
3	1972-10-01	at Houston Oilers	L 26–20	Astrodome	51,423
4	1972-10-08	Miami Dolphins	L 27–17	Shea Stadium	63,841
5	1972-10-15	at New England Patriots	W 41–13	Schafer Stadium	60,999
6	1972-10-22	Baltimore Colts	W 24–20	Shea Stadium	62,948
7	1972-10-29	New England Patriots	W 34–10	Shea Stadium	62,867
8	1972-11-05	Washington Redskins	L 35–17	Shea Stadium	63,962
9	1972-11-12	Buffalo Bills	W 41–3	Shea Stadium	62,853
10	1972-11-19	at Miami Dolphins	L 28–24	Miami Orange Bowl	80,010
11	1972-11-23	at Detroit Lions	L 37–20	Tiger Stadium	54,418
12	1972-12-03	New Orleans Saints	W 18–17	Shea Stadium	62,496
13	1972-12-11	at Oakland Raiders	L 24–16	Oakland Coliseum	54,843
14	1972-12-17	Cleveland Browns	L 26–10	Shea Stadium	62,614

Standings

AFC East
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA
Miami Dolphins	14	0	0	1.000	385	171
New York Jets	7	7	0	.500	367	324
Baltimore Colts	5	9	0	.357	235	252
Buffalo Bills	4	9	1	.321	257	377
New England Patriots	3	11	0	.214	192	446

External links

• 1972 statistics