| 1973 Houston Oilers season | |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Bill Peterson (0-5) Sid Gillman (1-8) |
| Home Field | Astrodome |
| Results | |
| Record | 1–13 |
| Place | 4th AFC Central |
| Playoff Finish | did not qualify |
| Timeline | |
| Previous Season | Next Season |
| 1972 | 1974 |
The 1973 Houston Oilers season was the fourth season in league and the 14th overall. The team matched their previous season's output of 1–13.[1] They missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, and it was Houston's second-consecutive 1-13 record.
Coach Bill Peterson left the team after an 0-5 start, and was replaced by coaching veteran Sid Gillman, who went 1-8 to finish the season. The Oilers' offense struggled in 1973, ranking last in rushing yards (1388), second worst in yards per play (3.9), and third-worst in both total yards (3307) and first downs (tied at 193).[2]
The '73 Oilers had one of the worst defenses of all time, statistically; they gave up 447 points during the season, the most ever for a 14-game season in the merger era (1970-1977).[3] Only three teams ever -- the 1966 Giants, the 1963 Broncos, and the 1961 Raiders -- gave up more points in a 14-game season.[4] Their point-differential of -248 points was the worst in the league that year, and remains one of the ten worst in NFL history.[5] (The second-worst team, the Philadelphia Eagles, gave up 393 points, or 3.8 fewer points per game.) Houston also gave up a league-high 26 touchdown passes in 1973.
NFL Draft[]
Schedule[]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 16, 1973 | at New York Giants | L 34–14 | |
| 2 | September 23, 1973 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 24–10 | |
| 3 | September 30, 1973 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 36–7 | |
| 4 | October 7, 1973 | Los Angeles Rams | L 31–26 | |
| 5 | October 14, 1973 | Denver Broncos | L 48–20 | |
| 6 | October 21, 1973 | at Cleveland Browns | L 42–13 | |
| 7 | October 28, 1973 | at Chicago Bears | L 35–14 | |
| 8 | November 4, 1973 | at Baltimore Colts | W 31–27 | |
| 9 | November 11, 1973 | Cleveland Browns | L 23–13 | |
| 10 | November 18, 1973 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 38–14 | |
| 11 | November 25, 1973 | New England Patriots | L 32–0 | |
| 12 | December 2, 1973 | Oakland Raiders | L 17–6 | |
| 13 | December 9, 1973 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 33–7 | |
| 14 | December 16, 1973 | Cincinnati Bengals | L 27–24 |
Standings[]
| AFC Central | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 286 | 231 | W-6 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 347 | 210 | W-2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 7 | 5 | 2 | .571 | 234 | 255 | L-2 |
| Houston Oilers | 1 | 13 | 0 | .071 | 199 | 447 | L-6 |
References[]
- ↑ 1973 Houston Oilers
- ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com: 1973 NFL season
- ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1970 to 1977, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points Allowed
- ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1960 to 1977, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points Allowed
- ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1940 to 2011, in the regular season, sorted by ascending Points Differential