1973 Pittsburgh Steelers season

Offseason

NFL Draft

Preseason

Schedule

Game summaries

Regular season

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday September 16, 1973): Detroit Lions

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 48,913
• Referee: Fred Wyant
• TV announcers:

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 11 3–0
• Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run (Gerela kick)10–0
• Detroit – Jessie 84 pass from Landry (Mann kick)10–7
• Detroit – FG Mann 40 10–10
• Pittsburgh – McMakin 24 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)17–10
• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 6 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)24–10

Week 2 (Sunday September 23, 1973): Cleveland Browns

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 49,396
• Referee: Tommy Bell
• TV announcers:

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 12 3–0
• Cleveland – FG Cockroft 43 3–3
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 4 run (Gerela kick)10–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 40 13–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 26 16–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 44 19–3
• Pittsburgh – Lewis 8 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)26–3
• Cleveland – FG Cockroft 28 26–6
• Pittsburgh – Lewis 53 pass from Hanratty (Gerela kick)33–6

Week 3 (Sunday September 30, 1973): Houston Oilers

at the Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 39,331
• Referee: Jim Tunney
• TV announcers:

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 20 3–0
• Houston – Alston 7 pass from Pastorini (Butler kick)7–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 47 7–6
• Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run (kick failed)12–7
• Pittsburgh – Russell 45 interception return (Gerela kick)19–7
• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 26 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)26–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 26 29–7
• Pittsburgh – Edwards 86 interception return (Gerela kick)36–7

Week 4 (Sunday October 7, 1973): San Diego Chargers

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 48,795
• Referee: Pat Haggerty
• TV announcers:

Game summary

Johnny Unitas playing for San Diego is knocked out of the game after completing only 3 of 15 passes for 24 yards and 3 interceptions.

'Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 12 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)7–0
• Pittsburgh – Bradshaw 1 run (Gerela kick)14–0
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 38 17–0
• Pittsburgh – Steve Davis 1 run (Gerela kick) 24–0
• Pittsburgh – Wagner recovered blocked punt in end zone (Gerela kick)31–0
• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 37 pass from Hanratty (Gerela kick)38–0
• San Diego – LeVias 13 pass from Fouts (Wersching kick)38–7
• San Diego – Jones 3 run (Wersching kick)38–14
• San Diego – Holmes 1 run (Wersching kick)38–21

Week 5 (Sunday October 14, 1973): Cincinnati Bengals

at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 55,819
• Referee: Dick Jorgensen
• TV announcers:

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 20 3–0
• Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 19 6–0
• Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 20 9–0
• Cincinnati – Clark 3 run (Muhlmann kick)16–0
• Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 41 19–0
• Pittsburgh – P. Pearson 1 run (Gerela kick)19–7

Week 6 (Sunday October 21, 1973): New York Jets

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 48,682
• Referee: John McDonough
• TV announcers:

Game summary

Scoring Drives:

• New York Jets – Riggins 1 run (Howfield kick)7–0
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 27 7–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 29 7–6
• New York Jets – Caster 28 pass from Demory (Howfield kick) 14–6
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 36 14–9
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 13 14–12
• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 16 pass from Hanratty (Gerela kick)19–14
• Pittsburgh – Harris 2 run (Gerela kick)26–14

Week 7 (Sunday October 28, 1973): Cincinnati Bengals

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 45,761
• Referee: Norm Schachter
• TV announcers:

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 15 3–0
• Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 17 3–3
• Cincinnati – FG Muhlmann 41 6–3
• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 51 pass from Hanratty (Gerela kick)10–6
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 18 13–6
• Pittsburgh – Fuqua 1 run (Gerela kick)20–6
• Cincinnati – E. Johnson 16 pass from Anderson (Muhlmann kick) 20–13

Week 8 (Monday November 5, 1973): Washington Redskins

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 49,220
• Referee: Tommy Bell
• TV announcers: ABC Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, Don Meredith

Game summary

Joe Gilliam (Jefferson Street) makes his Monday night debut.

'Scoring Drives:

• Washington – FG Knight 30 3–0
• Pittsburgh – P. Pearson 7 pass from Hanratty (Gerela kick) 7–3
• Washington – FG Knight 12 7–6
• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 24 pass from Hanratty (Gerela kick)14–6
• Washington – FG Knight 16 14–9
• Pittsburgh – B. Pearson 46 pass from Gilliam (Gerela kick) 21–9
• Washington – Brown 17 pass from Kilmer (Knight kick)21–16

Week 9 (Sunday November 11, 1973): Oakland Raiders

at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 47,535
• Referee: Bernie Ulman
• TV announcers:

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 14 pass from Hanratty (Gerela kick)7–0
• Oakland – FG Blanda 40 7–3
• Pittsburgh – Harris 1 run (Gerela kick)14–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 17 17–3
• Oakland – Biletnikoff 27 pass from Lamonica (snap fumbled)17–9

Week 10 (Sunday November 18, 1973): Denver Broncos

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 48,580
• Referee: Fred Silva
• TV announcers:

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Denver – FG Turner 32 3–0
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 15 3–3
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 13 6–3
• Denver – FG Turner 11 6–6
• Denver – Little 10 run (Turner kick)13–6
• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 42 pass from Hanratty (Gerela kick)13–13
• Denver – FG Turner 46 16–13
• Denver – Odoms 2 pass from Johnson (Turner kick)23–13

Week 11 (Sunday November 25, 1973): Cleveland Browns

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 67,773
• Referee: Jim Tunney
• TV announcers:

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 9 pass from Gilliam (Gerela kick)7–0
• Cleveland – Phipps 1 run (Cockroft kick)7–7
• Cleveland – Pruitt 15 pass from Phipps (Cockroft kick)7–14
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 24 10–14
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 14 13–14
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 20 16–14
• Cleveland – Pruitt 19 run (Cockroft kick)21–16

Week 12 (Monday December 3, 1973): Miami Dolphins

at the Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 68,901
• Referee: Ben Dreith
• TV announcers: Howard Cosell,Don Meredith,Frank Gifford

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Miami – Anderson 27 interception return (Yepremian kick)7–0
• Miami – FG Yepremian 28 10–0
• Miami – FG Yepremian 46 13–0
• Miami – Mandich 2 pass from Griese (Yepremian kick)20–0
• Miami – Anderson 38 interception return (Yepremian kick)27–0
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 37 27–3
• Miami – FG Yepremian 14 30–3
• Pittsburgh – P. Pearson 5 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)30–10
• Pittsburgh – Harris 21 run (Gerela kick)30–17
• Pittsburgh – B. Pearson 17 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) 30–24
• Pittsburgh – Safety, White tackled Griese in end zone 30–26

Week 13 (Sunday December 9, 1973): Houston Oilers

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 38,004
• Referee: Bob Frederic
• TV announcers:

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 49 3–0
• Houston – Alston 11 pass from Pastorini (Butler kick)7–3
• Pittsburgh – B. Pearson 15 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)10–7
• Pittsburgh – Steve Davis 3 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)17–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 31 20–7
• Pittsburgh – Ham recovered fumble in end zone (Gerela kick)27–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 20 30–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 42 33–7

Week 14 (Saturday December 15, 1973): San Francisco 49ers

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 52,252
• Referee: Tommy Bell
• TV announcers:

Game summary

John Brodie's number was retired prior to game

'Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Rowser 71 interception return (Gerela kick)7–0
• San Francisco – Hall recovered blocked punt in end zone (Gossett kick)7–7
• Pittsburgh – P. Pearson 1 run (Gerela kick)14–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 27 17–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 27 20–7
• Pittsburgh – Lewis 50 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)27–7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 35 30–7
• Pittsburgh – Steve Davis 1 run (Gerela kick)37–7
• San Francisco – Atkins 3 run (Gossett kick)37–14

Standings

Postseason

Game summaries

Week 15 (Sunday December 23, 1973): Oakland Raiders

at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 50,094
• Referee: Pat Haggerty
• TV announcers:

Game summary

'Scoring Drives:

• Oakland – Hubbard 1 run (Blanda kick)7–0
• Oakland – FG Blanda 25 10–0
• Pittsburgh – B. Pearson 4 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)10–7
• Oakland – FG Blanda 31 13–7
• Oakland – FG Blanda 22 16–7
• Oakland – Brown 54 interception return (Blanda kick)23–7
• Oakland – FG Blanda 10 26–7
• Pittsburgh – Lewis 26 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)26–14
• Oakland – Hubbard 1 run (Blanda kick)33–14

References