1973 San Diego Chargers season | |
---|---|
Owner | Eugene V. Klein |
General manager | Harland Svare |
Head coach | Harland Svare |
Home field | San Diego Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 2–11–1 |
Division place | 4th AFC West |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | None[1] |
AP All-Pros | None[2] |
The 1973 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's fourth season in the National Football League (NFL), and its 14th overall.
The team was coming off a season that ended with a 4–9–1 record. Although he was offered a five-year contract toward the end of the previous season, 1973 would prove to be Harland Svare's final season as the team's head coach.
The team obtained quarterback Johnny Unitas in a trade with the Baltimore Colts, but Unitas was a shell of his former greatness. In the middle of the season he was replaced at quarterback by a rookie Dan Fouts, the team's third-round pick in that year's draft.[3]
Offseason
[edit]NFL draft
[edit]1973 San Diego Chargers draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 25 | Johnny Rodgers | Wide receiver | Nebraska | Joined the Chargers in 1977 after initially playing in the Canadian Football League |
3 | 64 | Dan Fouts * † | Quarterback | Oregon | |
4 | 84 | Jim Thaxton | Tight end | Tennessee State | |
4 | 97 | Bill Singletary | Linebacker | Temple | |
5 | 123 | Willie McGee | Wide receiver | Alcorn State | |
5 | 125 | Jon Knoble | Linebacker | Weber State | |
6 | 135 | Marvin Roberts | Center | Michigan State | |
9 | 214 | Tab Bennett | Linebacker | Illinois | |
10 | 239 | Cliff Burnett | Defensive end | Montana | |
11 | 268 | Jay Douglas | Center | Memphis | |
12 | 293 | Lynn Ahrens | Tackle | Eastern Montana | |
13 | 318 | Alfred Reese | Running back | Tennessee State | |
14 | 343 | Tony Adams | Quarterback | Utah State | |
15 | 372 | Gary Parris | Tight end | Florida State | |
16 | 397 | Joe Petty | Defensive back | Arizona State University | |
17 | 422 | Barry Darrow | Tackle | Montana | |
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Roster
[edit]Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
Rookies in italics |
Regular season
[edit]Schedule
[edit]Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 16 | at Washington Redskins | L 0–38 | 0–1 | RFK Stadium | 53,589 | Recap |
2 | September 23 | Buffalo Bills | W 34–7 | 1–1 | San Diego Stadium | 47,588 | Recap |
3 | September 30 | Cincinnati Bengals | L 13–20 | 1–2 | San Diego Stadium | 46,733 | Recap |
4 | October 7 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 21–38 | 1–3 | Three Rivers Stadium | 48,795 | Recap |
5 | October 14 | Oakland Raiders | L 17–27 | 1–4 | San Diego Stadium | 50,672 | Recap |
6 | October 21 | Atlanta Falcons | L 0–41 | 1–5 | San Diego Stadium | 41,527 | Recap |
7 | October 28 | at Cleveland Browns | T 16–16 | 1–5–1 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 68,244 | Recap |
8 | November 4 | Kansas City Chiefs | L 0–19 | 1–6–1 | San Diego Stadium | 50,234 | Recap |
9 | November 11 | at Denver Broncos | L 19–30 | 1–7–1 | Mile High Stadium | 51,034 | Recap |
10 | November 18 | New Orleans Saints | W 17–14 | 2–7–1 | San Diego Stadium | 34,848 | Recap |
11 | November 25 | at Oakland Raiders | L 3–31 | 2–8–1 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 40,195 | Recap |
12 | December 2 | at New England Patriots | L 14–30 | 2–9–1 | Schaefer Stadium | 58,150 | Recap |
13 | December 9 | Denver Broncos | L 28–42 | 2–10–1 | San Diego Stadium | 44,954 | Recap |
14 | December 16 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 6–33 | 2–11–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 43,755 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
[edit]Week 1: at Washington Redskins
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Redskins | 21 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 38 |
at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C.
- Date: September 16
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 73 °F (22.8 °C), relative humidity 59%, wind 6 mph
- Game attendance: 53,589
- Referee: Norm Schachter
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 2: vs. Buffalo Bills
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bills | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Chargers | 7 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 34 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: September 23
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 67 °F (19.4 °C), relative humidity 71%, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 47,588
- Referee: Jack Reader
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bengals | 7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
Chargers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: September 30
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 67 °F (19.4 °C), relative humidity 70%, wind 9 mph
- Game attendance: 46,733
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 4: at Pittsburgh Steelers
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 21 |
Steelers | 17 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: October 7
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 60 °F (15.6 °C), relative humidity 63%, wind 7 mph
- Game attendance: 48,795
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 5: vs. Oakland Raiders
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 0 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 27 |
Chargers | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 17 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: October 14
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 66 °F (18.9 °C), relative humidity 71%, wind 8 mph
- Game attendance: 50,672
- Referee: John McDonough
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 6: vs. Atlanta Falcons
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcons | 7 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 41 |
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 7: at Cleveland Browns
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
Browns | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 16 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 8: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 6 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 19 |
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: November 4
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 61 °F (16.1 °C), relative humidity 62%, wind 6 mph
- Game attendance: 50,234
- Referee: Fred Swearingen
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 9: at Denver Broncos
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 3 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 19 |
Broncos | 10 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 30 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
- Date: November 11
- Game time: 2:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 52 °F (11.1 °C), relative humidity 41%, wind 7 mph
- Game attendance: 51,034
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 10: vs. New Orleans Saints
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saints | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
Chargers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 11: at Oakland Raiders
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Raiders | 7 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 31 |
at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: November 25
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 49 °F (9.4 °C), relative humidity 77%, wind 12 mph
- Game attendance: 40,195
- Referee: Fred Silva
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 12: at New England Patriots
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Patriots | 3 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 30 |
at Schaefer Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
- Date: December 2
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 33 °F (0.6 °C), relative humidity 47%, wind 13 mph, wind chill 23
- Game attendance: 58,150
- Referee: John McDonough
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 13: vs. Denver Broncos
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 7 | 13 | 19 | 3 | 42 |
Chargers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: December 9
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 63 °F (17.2 °C), relative humidity 34%, wind 5 mph
- Game attendance: 44,954
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 14: at Kansas City Chiefs
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
Chiefs | 10 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 33 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Standings
[edit]AFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
Oakland Raiders | 9 | 4 | 1 | .679 | 4–1–1 | 7–3–1 | 292 | 175 | W4 |
Kansas City Chiefs | 7 | 5 | 2 | .571 | 4–2 | 6–4–1 | 231 | 192 | W1 |
Denver Broncos | 7 | 5 | 2 | .571 | 3–2–1 | 7–2–1 | 354 | 296 | L1 |
San Diego Chargers | 2 | 11 | 1 | .179 | 0–6 | 1–9–1 | 188 | 386 | L4 |
References
[edit]- ^ "1973 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "1973 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ Fouts would go on to play 15 seasons for the Chargers, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.