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1973 New England Patriots season

{{short description|Season of National Football League team the New England Patriots}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = New England Patriots

| year = 1973

| record = 5–9

| division_place = 3rd AFC East

| coach = Chuck Fairbanks

| general manager = Chuck Fairbanks

| owner = Billy Sullivan

| stadium = Schaefer Stadium

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| pro bowlers = None

| AP All-pros = None

| shortnavlink = Patriots seasons

}}

The 1973 New England Patriots season was the franchise's 4th season in the National Football League and 14th overall. The patriots ended the season with a record of five wins and nine losses and a third place finish in the AFC East Division. It was the first year under head coach and general manager Chuck Fairbanks, hired in January after six seasons as head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners.

Selections in the 1973 NFL draft included John Hannah, Sam Cunningham, Ray Hamilton, and Darryl Stingley. The assistant coaches on offense included future NFL head coaches Ron Erhardt, Sam Rutigliano,

and Red Miller.

Offseason

= NFL Draft =

{{main article|1973 NFL Draft}}

{{NFL team draft start

| year = 1973

| teamname = New England Patriots

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 4

| player = John Hannah

| position = Guard

| college = Alabama

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| probowl = yes

| hof = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 11

| player = Sam Cunningham

| position = Fullback

| college = USC

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| probowl = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 19

| player = Darryl Stingley

| position = Wide receiver

| college = Purdue

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 3

| pick = 57

| player = Brad Dusek

| position = Defensive back

| college = Texas A&M

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 5

| pick = 108

| player = Doug Dumler

| position = Center

| college = Nebraska

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 8

| pick = 186

| player = Isaac Brown

| position = Running back

| college = Western Kentucky

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 9

| pick = 212

| player = David Callaway

| position = Tackle

| college = Texas A&M

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 10

| pick = 238

| player = Dan Ruster

| position = Defensive back

| college = Oklahoma

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 11

| pick = 264

| player = Homer May

| position = Tight end

| college = Texas A&M

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 12

| pick = 290

| player = Bruce Barnes

| position = Punter

| college = UCLA

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 13

| pick = 316

| player = Adam Lowry

| position = Defensive back

| college = Texas

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 14

| pick = 342

| player = Ray Hamilton

| position = Defensive end

| college = Oklahoma

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 15

| pick = 368

| player = Condie Pugh

| position = Running back

| college = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Norfolk State Spartans|title=Norfolk State}}

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 16

| pick = 394

| player = Mike Kutter

| position = Defensive end

| college = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Concordia Cobbers|title=Concordia Moorhead}}

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 17

| pick = 420

| player = Eddie McAshan

| position = Quarterback

| college = Georgia Tech

| notes =

| maderoster = no

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft end

| hof = yes

}}

Staff

{{NFL final staff

|Year=1973

|TeamName=New England Patriots

|Front Office=

|Head Coaches=

|Offensive Coaches=

|Defensive Coaches=

|Special Teams Coaches=

}}

Roster

{{NFL season roster

| year = 1973

| team = New England Patriots

| quarterbacks =

{{NFLplayer|14|Brian Dowling|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|16|Jim Plunkett}}

{{NFLplayer|11|Dick Shiner}}

| running_backs =

{{NFLplayer|31|Josh Ashton}}

{{NFLplayer|39|Sam Cunningham|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|42|Mack Herron|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|24|Bob McCall|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|36|John Tarver|FB}}

{{NFLplayer|43|Claxton Welch}}

| wide_receivers =

{{NFLplayer|33|Reggie Rucker}}

{{NFLplayer|84|Darryl Stingley|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|18|Randy Vataha}}

| tight_ends =

{{NFLplayer|80|Bob Adams|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|86|Bob Windsor}}

| offensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|61|Sam Adams Sr.|G}}

{{NFLplayer|78|Willie Banks|d=American football|G}}

{{NFLplayer|58|Doug Dumler|rookie=y|C}}

{{NFLplayer|70|Leon Gray|rookie=y|T}}

{{NFLplayer|73|John Hannah|d=American football|rookie=y|G}}

{{NFLplayer|67|Bill Lenkaitis|C}}

{{NFLplayer|77|Tom Neville|d=offensive tackle|T}}

{{NFLplayer|60|Len St. Jean|G}}

| defensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|85|Julius Adams|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|63|Rick Cash|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|66|Nate Dorsey|rookie=y|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|71|Ray Hamilton|d=defensive tackle|rookie=y|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|72|Mel Lunsford|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|75|Arthur Moore|d=American football|rookie=y|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|76|Dave Rowe|d=American football|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|65|Donnell Smith|DE}}

| linebackers =

{{NFLplayer|51|Ron Acks}}

{{NFLplayer|50|Edgar Chandler}}

{{NFLplayer|59|Bob Geddes}}

{{NFLplayer|55|Will Foster|d=American football|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|57|Steve Kiner}}

{{NFLplayer|52|Steve King|d=American football|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|59|Brian Stenger}}

{{NFLplayer|53|John Tanner|d=gridiron football, born 1945}}

| defensive_back =

{{NFLplayer|49|Ralph Anderson|d=defensive back|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|27|Ron Bolton|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|29|Greg Boyd|d=defensive back|rookie=y|S}}

{{NFLplayer|22|Sandy Durko|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|23|George Hoey|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|38|Don Martin|d=American football|rookie=y|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|28|Dave Mason|d=American football|rookie=y|S}}

| special_teams =

{{NFLplayer|3|Bruce Barnes|d=American football|rookie=y|P}}

{{NFLplayer|8|Bill Bell|d=American football|K}}

{{NFLplayer|2|Jeff White|d=American football|rookie=y|K}}

| reserve_lists =

{{NFLplayer|--|Wayne Patrick|RB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|--|Bill Peterson|d=linebacker|OLB|IR}}

| practice_squad =

}}

Regular season

= Schedule =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1973|border=2}}"| Week

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1973|border=2}}"| Date

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1973|border=2}}"| Opponent

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1973|border=2}}"| Result

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1973|border=2}}"| Record

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1973|border=2}}"| Venue

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1973|border=2}}"| Attendance

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1973|border=2}}"| Game Recap

style="background:#fcc"

! 1

| September 16

| Buffalo Bills

| L 13–31

| 0–1

| Schaefer Stadium

| {{center|56,119}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197309160nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 2

| September 23

| Kansas City Chiefs

| L 7–10

| 0–2

| Schaefer Stadium

| {{center|57,918}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197309230nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 3

| September 30

| at Miami Dolphins

| L 23–44

| 0–3

| Miami Orange Bowl

| {{center|62,508}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197309300mia.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 4

| October 7

| Baltimore Colts

| W 24–16

| 1–3

| Schaefer Stadium

| {{center|57,044}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197310070nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 5

| October 14

| New York Jets

| L 7–9

| 1–4

| Schaefer Stadium

| {{center|58,659}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197310140nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 6

| October 21

| at Chicago Bears

| W 13–10

| 2–4

| Soldier Field

| {{center|47,643}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197310210chi.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 7

| October 28

| Miami Dolphins

| L 14–30

| 2–5

| Schaefer Stadium

| {{center|57,617}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197310280nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 8

| November 4

| at Philadelphia Eagles

| L 23–24

| 2–6

| Veterans Stadium

| {{center|65,070}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197311040phi.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 9

| November 11

| at New York Jets

| L 13–33

| 2–7

| Shea Stadium

| {{center|51,034}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197311110nyj.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 10

| November 18

| Green Bay Packers

| W 33–24

| 3–7

| Schaefer Stadium

| {{center|60,525}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197311180nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 11

| November 25

| at Houston Oilers

| W 32–0

| 4–7

| Astrodome

| {{center|27,344}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197311250oti.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 12

| December 2

| San Diego Chargers

| W 30–14

| 5–7

| Schaefer Stadium

| {{center|58,150}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197312020nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 13

| December 9

| at Buffalo Bills

| L 13–37

| 5–8

|Rich Stadium

| {{center|72,470}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197312090buf.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 14

| December 16

| at Baltimore Colts

| L 13–18

| 5–9

| Memorial Stadium

| {{center|52,065}}

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197312160clt.htm Recap]

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1973|border=2}}"

|colspan="8"| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

= Standings =

{{1973 AFC East standings}}

NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, {{ISBN|0-7611-2480-2}}, p. 296

References

{{Reflist}}

{{New England Patriots}}

{{New England Patriots seasons}}

{{1973 NFL season by team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1973 New England Patriots Season}}

New England Patriots

Category:New England Patriots seasons

New England Patriots

Category:Sports competitions in Foxborough, Massachusetts

{{Americanfootball-season-stub}}

{{Massachusetts-sport-stub}}