NFL playoffs, 1973-74

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The NFL playoffs following the 1973 NFL season led up to Super Bowl VIII. Like the previous NFL seasons, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly divisional rotation, excluding the wild card teams who would always play on the road.

Contents

[edit] Divisional playoffs

[edit] December 22, 1973

[edit] AFC: Oakland Raiders 33, Pittsburgh Steelers 14

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 7 0 7 14
Raiders 7 3 13 10 33

at Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California


Starting Quarterbacks:


The Raiders scored 16 unanswered points in the second half to defeat the Steelers. Oakland scored first on Marv Hubbard's 1-yard touchdown run in the opening period. But with the Raiders leading 10-0 in the second period, Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Barry Pearson to cut Oakland's lead 10-7 at halftime. However, Raiders kicker George Blanda added two more field goals, and cornerback Willie Brown blew the game wide open by intercepting a pass from Bradshaw and returning it 54 yards for a touchdown. After Blanda kicked his fourth field goal of the game to make the score 26-7, Bradshaw threw a 26-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. But the Raiders put the game away when Hubbard scored his second 1-yard touchdown run.

  • Scoring
    • OAK - Hubbard 1 run (Blanda kick)
    • OAK - FG Blanda 35
    • PIT - Pearson 4 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)
    • OAK - FG Blanda 31
    • OAK - FG Blanda 22
    • OAK - W. Brown 54 interception return (Blanda kick)
    • OAK - FG Blanda 10
    • PIT - Lewis 26 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)
    • OAK - Hubbard 1 run (Blanda kick)

[edit] NFC: Minnesota Vikings 27, Washington Redskins 20

1 2 3 4 Total
Redskins 0 7 3 10 20
Vikings 0 3 7 17 27

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota


Starting Quarterbacks:


Quarterback Fran Tarkenton threw 2 touchdowns in the fourth quarter to lead the Vikings to a victory. After a scoreless first quarter, Minnesota scored first on kicker Fred Cox's 19-yard field goal. But then a fumbled punt set up Larry Brown's 3-yard touchdown run to give the Redskins a 7-3 lead. The Vikings then took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched 79 yards to score on Bill Brown's 2-yard rushing touchdown. After the Redskins retook the lead, 13-10, with 2 field goals, Tarkenton threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to John Gilliam. Nate Wright's interception then set up Gilliam's 8-yard touchdown reception. Although Washington quarterback Billy Kilmer threw a 28-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter, Cox kicked his second field goal to close out the scoring.

  • Scoring
    • MIN - FG Cox 19
    • WAS - L. Brown 3 run (Knight kick)
    • MIN - B. Brown 2 run (Cox kick)
    • WAS - FG Knight 52
    • WAS - FG Knight 42
    • MIN - Gilliam 28 pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick)
    • MIN - Gilliam 8 pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick)
    • WAS - Jefferson 28 pass from Kilmer (Knight kick)
    • MIN - FG Cox 30

[edit] December 23, 1973

[edit] AFC: Miami Dolphins 34, Cincinnati Bengals 16

1 2 3 4 Total
Bengals 3 13 0 0 16
Dolphins 14 7 10 3 34

at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida


Starting Quarterbacks:


The Dolphins scored on three of their first four possessions, and shut out the Bengals in the second half. Miami scored first on quarterback Bob Griese's 13-yard touchdown pass to Paul Warfield. Then after Bengals kicker Horst Muhlmann scored a field goal, Dolphins running backs Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris each scored rushing touchdowns. However, Cincinnati scored 13 unanswered points before halftime: Neal Craig returned an interception 45-yards for a touchdown, and Muhlmann added 2 more field goals to pull the score to within 21-16. But Miami controlled the second half, scoring 13 unanswered points, including Griese's second touchdown pass of the game.

  • Scoring
    • MIA - Warfield 13 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick)
    • CIN - FG Muhlmann 24
    • MIA - Csonka 1 run (Yepremian kick)
    • MIA - Morris 4 run (Yepremian kick)
    • CIN - Craig 45 interception return (Muhlmann kick)
    • CIN - FG Muhlmann 46
    • CIN - FG Muhlmann 10
    • MIA - Mandich 7 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick)
    • MIA - FG Yepremian 50
    • MIA - FG Yepremian 46

[edit] NFC: Dallas Cowboys 27, Los Angeles Rams 16

1 2 3 4 Total
Rams 0 6 0 10 16
Cowboys 14 3 0 10 27

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas


Starting Quarterbacks:


The Cowboys avenged a 37-31 regular season loss to L.A. as two Rams turnovers in the first quarter gave the Cowboys a 14-0 lead. Lee Roy Jordan's interception of a John Hadl pass on the first play of the game led to Calvin Hill's 3-yard touchdown run. Mel Renfro then recovered a Lawrence McCutcheon fumble on the L.A. 35-yard line to set up the Cowboys again which later resulted in Drew Pearson's 4-yard touchdown reception. Toni Fritsch then added a 39-yard field goal to increase Dallas' lead by 17. But the Rams were able to cut the Cowboys lead 17-16 by the fourth quarter with David Ray's 3 field goals and Tony Baker's 5-yard rushing touchdown. However, quarterback Roger Staubach threw a short pass over the middle to Drew Pearson, and as the Rams were about to stop Pearson for a short gain, the two defenders collided and fell, allowing Pearson to scamper untouched for an 83-yard touchdown that effectively clinched the game. Fritsch added another field goal for the 27-16 final.

  • Scoring
    • DAL - Hill 3 run (Fritsch kick)
    • DAL - Pearson 4 pass from Staubach (Fritsch kick)
    • DAL - FG Fritsch 39
    • LA - FG Ray 33
    • LA - FG Ray 37
    • LA - FG Ray 40
    • LA - Baker 5 run (Ray kick)
    • DAL - Pearson 83 pass from Staubach (Fritsch kick)
    • DAL - FG Fritsch 12

[edit] Conference Championships

[edit] December 30, 1973

[edit] AFC: Miami Dolphins 27, Oakland Raiders 10

1 2 3 4 Total
Raiders 0 0 10 0 10
Dolphins 7 7 3 10 27

at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida


Starting Quarterbacks:


Running back Larry Csonka led the Dolphins to a victory with 117 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. Miami scored on their first drive of the game when quarterback Bob Griese's 27-yard run set up Csonka's 11-yard rushing touchdown. Csonka scored again late in the second half on a 2-yard touchdown run to make the score 14-0 at halftime. However, after the teams exchanged field goals, Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Siani to cut the lead, 17-10. In the fourth quarter, after Dolphins kicker Garo Yepremian made a 26-yard field goal, the Raiders were faced with fourth down and inches and were forced to "go for it". But the Miami defense stopped Oakland, and the Dolphins used their running game to take time off the clock and set up Csonka's third touchdown to clinch the game.

  • Scoring
    • MIA - Csonka 11 run (Yepremian kick)
    • MIA - Csonka 2 run (Yepremian kick)
    • OAK - FG Blanda 21
    • MIA - FG Yepremian 42
    • OAK - Siani 25 pass from Stabler (Blanda kick)
    • MIA - FG Yepremian 26
    • MIA - Csonka 2 run (Yepremian kick)

[edit] NFC: Minnesota Vikings 27, Dallas Cowboys 10

1 2 3 4 Total
Vikings 3 7 7 10 27
Cowboys 0 0 10 0 10

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas


Starting Quarterbacks:


The Vikings forced 4 interceptions and 2 fumbles en route to a 27-10 victory over the Cowboys. With the loss of running back Calvin Hill and defensive tackle Bob Lilly to injuries, Dallas could not get anything going. Minnesota jumped to a 10-0 lead by halftime with a Fred Cox field goal and an 86-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard rushing touchdown by Chuck Foreman. The Cowboys finally scored on Golden Richards' 63-yard punt return for a touchdown. But Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton then threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to John Gilliam. After Toni Fritsch's 17-yard field goal cut the lead to 17-10, Minnesota then converted two fourth quarter turnovers into 10 points: Bobby Bryant returned an interception 63-yards to the endzone, and Jeff Wright's interception set up Cox's 34-yard field goal.

  • Scoring
    • MIN - FG Cox 44
    • MIN - Foreman 5 run (Cox kick)
    • DAL - Richards 63 punt return (Fritsch kick)
    • MIN - Gilliam 54 pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick)
    • DAL - FG Fritsch 17
    • MIN - Bryant 63 interception return (Cox kick)
    • MIN - FG Cox 34

[edit] Super Bowl

Further information: Super Bowl VIII

Miami Dolphins (AFC) 24, Minnesota Vikings (NFC) 7, at Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas

[edit] Bracket

Note: Prior to the 1975 season, the home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly rotation.
Divisional Playoffs Conf. Championship Games Super Bowl VIII
                   
December 22 - Metropolitan Stadium        
 Washington Redskins  20
December 30 - Texas Stadium
 Minnesota Vikings  27  
 Minnesota Vikings  27
December 23 - Texas Stadium
   Dallas Cowboys  10  
 Los Angeles Rams  16
January 13 – Rice Stadium
 Dallas Cowboys  27  
 Minnesota Vikings  7
December 22 - Oakland Coliseum
   Miami Dolphins  24
 Pittsburgh Steelers  14
December 30 - Miami Orange Bowl
 Oakland Raiders  33  
 Oakland Raiders  10
December 23 - Miami Orange Bowl
   Miami Dolphins  27  
 Cincinnati Bengals  16
 Miami Dolphins  34  

[edit] References

National Football League playoffs
1941 • 1943 • 1947 • 1950 • 1952 • 1957 • 1958 • 1965 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969

1970-71 • 1971-72 • 1972-73 • 1973-74 • 1974-75 • 1975-76 • 1976-77 • 1977-78 • 1978-79 • 1979-80

1980-81 • 1981-82 • 1982-83 • 1983-84 • 1984-85 • 1985-86 • 1986-87 • 1987-88 • 1988-89 • 1989-90

1990-91 • 1991-92 • 1992-93 • 1993-94 • 1994-95 • 1995-96 • 1996-97 • 1997-98 • 1998-99 • 1999-2000

2000-01 • 2001-02 • 2002-03 • 2003-04 • 2004-05 • 2005-06 • 2006-07 • 2007-08 • 2008-09 • 2009-10
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