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1972 Atlanta Falcons season

{{short description|NFL team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = Atlanta Falcons

| year = 1972

| logo = Atlanta-Falcons-mediaguide-1972.jpg

| caption = Media guide for the 1972 Atlanta Falcons, featuring quarterback Bob Berry and star right tackle George Kunz.

| record = 7–7

| division_place = 2nd NFC West

| coach = Norm Van Brocklin

| general_manager = Norm Van Brocklin

| owner = Rankin M. Smith Sr.

| stadium = Atlanta Stadium

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| pro_bowlers = T George Kunz
TE Jim R. Mitchell
DE Claude Humphrey
LB Tommy Nobis

| shortnavlink = Falcons seasons

}}

The 1972 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's seventh year in the National Football League (NFL). The team failed to improve on their previous season's output of 7–6–1, finishing 7–7 and failing to reach the playoffs.[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/1972.htm 1972 Atlanta Falcons] Standing at 7–5 the Falcons traveled to San Francisco with the NFC West division title on the line. However, the Falcons were never in the game and saw their playoff hopes dim with a 20–0 shutout loss. Facing the Kansas City Chiefs in their final game of the season, Running Back Dave Hampton surpassed the 1,000-yard mark. However, a play later he was thrown for a six-yard loss to end the season with 995 yards, as the Falcons lost and finished 7–7.

Offseason

=== NFL Draft ===

advantage in time of possession did not score any offensive points

{{main article|1972 NFL Draft}}

{{NFL team draft start

| year = 1972

| teamname = Atlanta Falcons

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 15

| player = Clarence Ellis

| position = Safety

| college = Notre Dame

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 2

| pick = 40

| player = Pat Sullivan

| position = Quarterback

| college = Auburn

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 2

| pick = 41

| player = Steve Okoniewski

| position = Defensive tackle

| college = Montana

| notes =

| maderoster = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 2

| pick = 42

| player = Rosie Manning

| position = Defensive tackle

| college = Northeastern State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 3

| pick = 67

| player = Les Goodman

| position = Running back

| college = Yankton

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft end

| probowl = no

| hof = no

}}

Personnel

= Staff =

{{NFL final staff

| year = 1972

| team = Atlanta Falcons

| front_office =

| head_coach =

  • Head coach – Norm Van Brocklin

| offensive =

| defensive =

}}

= Roster =

{{NFL final roster

| year = 1972

| team = Atlanta Falcons

| prefix =

| active =

| inactive =

| PS =

|Quarterbacks =

{{NFLplayer|17|Bob Berry|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer| 7|Pat Sullivan|d=American football|rookie=y}}

|Running Backs=

{{NFLplayer|28|Willie Belton}}

{{NFLplayer|43|Dave Hampton}}

{{NFLplayer|25|Art Malone|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|23|Joe Profit}}

{{NFLplayer|44|Eddie Ray}}

{{NFLplayer| 5|Harmon Wages}}

|Wide Receivers=

{{NFLplayer|82|Ken Burrow}}

{{NFLplayer|81|Wes Chesson}}

{{NFLplayer|45|Ray Jarvis|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|80|Todd Snyder|d=American football}}

|Tight Ends=

{{NFLplayer|83|Larry Mialik|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|86|Jim Mitchell|d=tight end}}

|Offensive Linemen=

{{NFLplayer|68|Ted Fritsch|d2=Jr.|rookie=y|C}}

{{NFLplayer|65|Len Gotshalk|T}}

{{NFLplayer|56|Dennis Havig|G}}

{{NFLplayer|75|George Kunz|T}}

{{NFLplayer|64|Andy Maurer|G}}

{{NFLplayer|61|Bill Sandeman|T}}

{{NFLplayer|57|Jeff Van Note|C}}

|Defensive Linemen=

{{NFLplayer|88|Glen Condren|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|87|Claude Humphrey|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|69|Mike Lewis|d=American football|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|77|Rosie Manning|rookie=y|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|66|John Small|d=American football|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|79|Chuck Walker|d=American football|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|71|John Zook|DE}}

|Linebackers=

{{NFLplayer|54|Grady Allen}}

{{NFLplayer|51|Duane Benson}}

{{NFLplayer|50|Greg Brezina}}

{{NFLplayer|58|Don Hansen}}

{{NFLplayer|60|Tommy Nobis}}

|Defensive Backs=

{{NFLplayer|34|Ray Brown|d=safety|S}}

{{NFLplayer|32|Ray Easterling|rookie=y|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|29|Clarence Ellis|rookie=y|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|31|Willie Germany|rookie=y|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|27|Tom Hayes|d=cornerback|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|35|Tony Plummer}}

{{NFLplayer|36|Ken Reaves|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|30|Larry Shears}}

|Special Teams=

{{NFLplayer|37|Bill Bell|d=American football|K}}

{{NFLplayer| 6|John James|d=American football|rookie=y|P}}

|Reserve Lists =

|Practice Squad =

{{NFLplayer|--|Henry Sovio|rookie=y|TE}}

}}

Schedule

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=1972|border=2}}"| Week

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=1972|border=2}}"| Date

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=1972|border=2}}"| Opponent

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=1972|border=2}}"| Result

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=1972|border=2}}"| Record

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=1972|border=2}}"| Venue

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=1972|border=2}}"| Attendance

style="background:#cfc"

! 1

| September 17

| at Chicago Bears

| W 37–21

| 1–0

| Soldier Field

| 55,701

style="background:#fcc"

! 2

| September 24

| at New England Patriots

| L 20–21

| 1–1

| Schaefer Stadium

| 60,999

style="background:#cfc"

! 3

| October 1

| Los Angeles Rams

| W 31–3

| 2–1

| Atlanta Stadium

| 57,122

style="background:#fcc"

! 4

| October 8

| Detroit Lions

| L 23–26

| 2–2

| Atlanta Stadium

| 58,850

style="background:#cfc"

! 5

| October 15

| at New Orleans Saints

| W 21–14

| 3–2

| Tulane Stadium

| 66,294

style="background:#cfc"

! 6

| October 22

| at Green Bay Packers

| W 10–9

| 4–2

| Milwaukee County Stadium

| 47,967

style="background:#fcc"

! 7

| October 29

| San Francisco 49ers

| L 14–49

| 4–3

| Atlanta Stadium

| 58,850

style="background:#fcc"

! 8

| November 5

| at Los Angeles Rams

| L 7–20

| 4–4

| Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

| 75,018

style="background:#cfc"

! 9

| November 12

| New Orleans Saints

| W 36–20

| 5–4

| Atlanta Stadium

| 58,850

style="background:#fcc"

! 10

| {{tooltip|November 20|Monday}}

| at Washington Redskins

| L 13–24

| 5–5

| RFK Stadium

| 53,034

style="background:#cfc"

! 11

| November 26

| Denver Broncos

| W 23–20

| 6–5

| Atlanta Stadium

| 58,850

style="background:#cfc"

! 12

| December 3

| Houston Oilers

| W 20–10

| 7–5

| Atlanta Stadium

| 58,850

style="background:#fcc"

! 13

| December 10

| at San Francisco 49ers

| L 0–20

| 7–6

| Candlestick Park

| 61,214

style="background:#fcc"

! 14

| December 17

| Kansas City Chiefs

| L 14–17

| 7–7

| Atlanta Stadium

| 58,850

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Atlanta Falcons|year=1972|border=2}}"

|colspan="7"| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

= Standings =

{{1972 NFC West standings}}

{{1972 NFC Central standings}}

{{1972 NFC East standings}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Atlanta Falcons}}

{{Atlanta Falcons seasons}}

{{1972 NFL season by team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1972 Atlanta Falcons Season}}

Category:Atlanta Falcons seasons

Atlanta Falcons

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