This spectacular video of the 1973 NFL season is one of the most exciting you'll ever see! It's got great game footage, super cool music and stats that will blow you away.
1973 my first year of Jr. High and my Vikes got Chuck Foreman, what a year it was and a great one for football fans. Lawrence McCutceion was a very underrated back but was he a good one, reminded me of Larry Brown the year before for the redskins, just give him the ball play after play he was indestructable. Another great video, Mark!!! wow!! And great Merlin Olsen jersey!!! Karl Kassulke he was a big loss for the viking defense at Safety, he was their enforcer and hardest backfield hitter.
Thanks, Hammer! I was a kid in MN and #44 was the gamebreaker they had been looking for at RB ever since their inception. McElhenny was past his prime by the time he got to MN.
@@markgardner9460 - I only fist got into the Vikes in 69 when they first played the Rams that year. Joe Kapp quickly became my hero. The early Vike teams with Tark i never ever seen or heard of. OJ has a unreal year that year i was so excited for him, but a couple years later i got a bit turned off it because the DOlphins defensive players said that the Bills werent even trying to win games they were just going for the rushing record of 2000. That kinda brought me down on it anyhow.
In the Bills defense of what the Dolphins defensive players were asserting, the Bills had a rookie QB who was struggling. Bills QB's only threw 4 TD's all year, so their best scoring bet was to hand the ball to O.J. and hope that he busted a long one or put together a bunch of nice runs. It worked well for them in '73 because their record was 9 wins and 5 losses. In week 6 against Miami, Bills QB's were sacked 9X and could only muster ONE net passing yard.
That was a great season. I love the Butkus interception "hey, look what I got chump" classic. I loved watching Terry Metcalf, all around great player. Man the Rams & Dolphins D was tough, so was Minnesota, Dallas, and Oakland. Does anybody else like the Bills & Eagles plain uni's? Cool drip. Thanks brother, you're appreciated.
Yes! I love the uncluttered Eagles uniforms and their white helmet. So simple, but highly effective for me. The Bills uniforms were OK, too, but the helmet logo was so much better after they ditched the ink blot test design.
1973 was a great year for watching the Football Cardinals and seeing Terry Metcalf run the ball. He had it all, great speed, good hands and excellent vision. Ahh...the 70's. I still think it was the best decade for women, too. Their hair, clothes and attitude. Another great video, Mark.
Thank you! I agree with you on all counts. The Cardinals Running Backs were diverse and effective with Metcalf, as you described, along with bruising Jim Otis and Donny Anderson who was somewhat in between them in terms of running style. I loved watching the exciting Cardiac Cardinals.
"Quite"interesting,"that all the "backs" were "rookies" in this "comp" was able to"assess"everyone" on their own" merit"..along with other"gems"of good"info""!! "Good Work"Mark"!!
Vintage OJ sheds a block and simultaneously breaks the knees and ankles of 3 other would be Colts tacklers, and then it's off to the races. Thank you, this video is truly exciting, so much so I'm commenting as I watch, stop and rewatch this great footage. 🤣It all brings up memories and the reminder that even with all the turmoil it was great to be a kid and teenager in the 1970's.
The '70's were crazy - so much stuff going on...and not all good, but it's still my favorite decade by far. Like you said, it was great to be growing up in the '70's.
1973, what a season it was! My favorite season as a Miami Dolphin fan. Why you ask, first of all in my opinion the 1973 version of their uniforms are the best they ever wore, second, teams knew they were going to run the football and still couldn't stop them, and 3rd, look how close they came to going undefeated in back to back seasons. The 2 loses were to the Raiders and Colts, in week 2 they lost by a score of 12-7, but beat the Raiders 27-10 in the AFC Championship game. They lost to Colts 16-3 in week 13 (14 game schedule back then) after shutting out the Colts in the previous 4 games! That's correct, starting with the 1971 AFC Championship game (21-0), twice in 1972 (23-0, 16-0) and in 1973 (44-0)! In my opinion best team ever!
Wonderful season . For what appeared to be a lifetime of waiting, the Vikings finally made it back to the SB. I was 12 and QB'd my 6th grade class.Just at the top of my game . After all this waiting, not only did they lose by almost the same score, but the SAME way. Living in Miami FL it was just brutal. Anyway super upload and choice of music.. Here, a Clint Jones sighting as a Charger .24:46
I noticed the Clint Jones sighting, too. He was wearing "C. Jones". The Vikes were hoping for more bang that what he gave them, but when they drafted Foreman in '73 they hit the jackpot. I think that's what they were hoping for when they drafted Jones #1 in '67 as the 2nd overall draft pick.
Things I have noticed watching your incredible throwback videos of today versus yesteryear How incredibly brutal those old Astroturf fields were How today every play on these videos would be some sort of penalty Every square inch of those old stadiums were not plastered with advertising Thanks for sharing another classic video to brighten up a rainy dreary day
Thank you for your comments - I enjoyed them. When I watch players landing on that hard Astroturf, I cringe - there is no give with the concrete that was underneath it. The old timers really paid their dues. Thanks again!
I truly would like to take this opportunity to thank you for creating this content and hosting this channel. I hold your productions in the same high regard that I hold the old NFL Films productions from Ed Sabol and narrator John Facenda!
Appreciate your time and effort with these videos that you put together. You can truly see the difference in every home team stadium, especially the grass stadiums which challenged all kickers, unlike these pristine corporate fields of today. 🙁 Thank you
I appreciate that! Yes, for the most part each team had a uniquely designed stadium. Sure, there were cookie cutter stadiums like Three Rivers Stadium, Riverfront Stadium and Veterans Stadium, but they were the exception.
1973 was the year I became a football fan. So many great games, so many great memories so many great hula hoops. I love the outdoor games on real grass and I will be watching this more than once.
Another terrific video, Mark. I was living in NYC in ‘73, watching a lot of Mets baseball. The Giants were having a nightmare season up at the Yale Bowl. Marty Domres (14) was a local kid who had played for the powder blue Columbia Lions - (back when they had sports teams). There were several NFL players back then from the Ivy League; Calvin Hill, Ed Marinaro, Brian Dowling. The times sure have changed.
Dick Jauron of Yale was a Lions rookie in '73, as I recall. Chuck Bednarik and Sid Luckman were HOF'ers from Ivy League colleges. I can't think of anyone else off hand. Dowling's 1974 Topps football card photo looks like he hadn't combed his hair in two weeks. Thank you, Denis!
Truly a great year, but the best ever? You open up another great robust debate! The following seasons, 1974 and 75 are contenders, as is 1969.....but you bring up a strong point on the running back angle alone for 1973! You are right on with that argument, many great ones just breaking into the league, and OJs unbelievable season. GREAT subject!
Perhaps sentimentality entered into the equation in my determination of 1973 being the most exciting, as it was the first season in which I began to understand the intricacies of the game and appreciate the beauty of the spot. I should have included rookie RB Otis Armstrong in the video, but he only had 90 yards rushing in 1973 and I couldn't find any footage of him. Another RB that was drafted in 1973 for which there was no footage is Paul Orndorf. Drafted by the Saints in the 12th round out of Tampa, he couldn't stick in the NFL, but he made it big in professional wrestling as "Mr. Wonderful".
@@markgardner9460to this day one of my favorite games ever! The Vikes knocking off San Francisco at Candlestick in 87( the Anthony Carter game!)was another favorite!
Dear Mark, I think this is the best of your videos that I've seen to date! 9.8 from this Canadian 🍁 judge 😉. I think the key difference that I noticed between the players in the NFL 50 years ago and today's players is that back then almost every player, including quarterbacks & kickers, knew the basics of football, namely how to block, tackle and keep your eye on the ball and don't lose it OR take it away with an interception or fumble recovery. Anyone can see this in your early coverage of the great running backs in 1973. They often ran with the ball in one hand, but protected it when they were about to be tackled and/or after they had been tackled. O.J. Simpson was certainly an amazing & exciting running back. Seeing him running so well on a snowy field is a highlight of his skills. Thanks for including Dick Butkus' last NFL interception. In my opinion any aspiring linebacker should study his career. My final observation is that the old helmet logos for teams like the BILLS are simple silhouettes, unlike the more stylized logos nowadays. I think they were more respectful of the animals they chose. I'll use an example from the CFL. The Calgary STAMPEDERS have always had a horse on their helmets, not just a horse's head like the Denver BRONCOS have now. Sincerely, George
Hello, George! Thank you for the high score! I think that it's one of my favorite videos. Watching O.J. scamper with ease through a slick, snow-covered artificial turf field is amazing to watch. The field conditions did not slow him or mis-direct him at all. He was so fluid and had great balance. Regarding the running backs who ran with the ball in one hand (often carrying it like a loaf of bread), it is similar to that of a tightrope walker utilizing a balancing pole. Carrying the ball as such allows for a more freer range of motion. As you stated, when contact was inevitable, the runner simply tucked the ball for protection. So many of the best 1970's running backs carried the ball with one hand outstretched from the body (O.J., Foreman, Metcalf, Payton, Pruitt, etc). Thanks again for your continued viewership and comments! Sincerely, Mark
I would argue that the NFL in 1973 was a better overall product than it is today. Players today are bigger, faster, stronger, and (maybe) more football savvy than at any time in the last 70 years, but the game we all see IMO is not better. It's an over-officiated, over-controlled , over-produced game today. From the uniforms, to the cheerleaders...it was all perfectly imperfect, elegant in its simplicity. Today there are no 'teams' just collections of players around stars like Mahomes and Brady. TV productions were less professionally done in 1973, but overall more 'fun' to watch back then. with fewer and (arguably) better commercials...it was just a better experience overall, IMHO.
@@markgardner9460 I like football as a game more tha I like football as entertainment. To me many of the storylines in the NFL today seem scripted somehow.
I don't understand the need for today's storylines. When I was younger, I just wanted to watch a football game with quality blocking and tackling. I don't want to hear about whose dating who or all of this other stuff that has nothing to do with the actual game. Thanks, Ron!
Ahhh 1973, sophomore year and first time getting my clock cleaned by the varsity! OJ....outrushed any and all opponents in the AFC by 1000 yards. And everybody knew he was getting the ball. Great channel, great video, great memories. Thanks!
Thank you! You bring up a great point: everybody knew that O.J. was getting the ball. QB Joe Ferguson was a rookie and hadn't figured out the NFL by a long shot. Also, their offensive line was very young - ages 22, 23, 25, 25 and 26 plus their Tight End was a 23 year old rookie. So, they lacked experience and chemistry. For these reasons, along with playing games in snow and mud, I think O.J. had the best season in NFL history.
Mark, another great video. The Cardinals had great skilled players with Metcalf, Gray and Rashad but they also had a terrific offensive line. Dierdorf, Banks, Mulligan, Dobler and McMillan. Between them they had combined 17 pro bowls, 4 all pros and 1 HoFer (Dierdorf). When great offensive lines are discussed it seems many overlook the Cardinals.
Thanks for the video and the statistics. The year 1973 was when I started collecting mini football helmets from vending machines. It was the last year the Eagles had white helmets with green wings.
That was the same year I bought those mini helmets. The Cardinals and Lions were my first two and those designs are so cool - much better than what they've replaced them with.
I was only 5yrs old in '73 but watching the early 70's highlights were great. I didnt start watching football until the 77 playoffs but i started watching ESPN(and HBO's Inside the NFL) in the early 80's and that's how i found out about early-mid 70's NFL!🏈🏈The bump and run was at it's peak and teams ran almost more than they threw. Some of those tackles and hitting back then would get you suspended today. Possibly banned.🏈🏈
I am a little bit older than you I started watching in ‘72 . The 77 playoffs were a good time to start hopefully you saw Raiders @ Colts on Christmas Eve. The Ghost to the post game 👍
@@Buc27blount The only games i saw that playoff year were the Bears-Cowboys, part of the AFC champ., and Super Bowl XII. It was during this time i became a Bronco fan and yes i was pissed when they lost the Super Bowl. The Cowboys defense dominated but Butch Johnson did NOT catch that ball for the touchdown! 🏈👎🏾
Great video - whenever I pore over the 1973 stars some really good teams and some really bad teams maybe a bit less in the middle. My only game at RFK was October 21, 1973 but wasn’t a fan yet…
as a lifelong Dolphins fan '73 was the high water mark! Kuechenberg blocked Alan Page all game with a fractured forearm that had a steel rod implanted in it! And how is it that hes not in the HOF?? One quick note to Mark (the boss): its Daryle Lamonica with an E.
1973 for one particular team was the year the offense got some much needed and unforgettable playmakers. By '73 The Cowboys offense was a bit stale. Outside of Roger, the only major weapons they had were Calvin Hill, Walt "Skoal" Garrison. Then came 1973 and the arrival of Drew Pearson, Billy Joe Dupree, and Golden Richards. On defense came Harvey Martin. When #79 was at his best he was unblockable. Harvey had one of the fastest 1st steps. And the seeds were planted for a great run from '73 to the end of the decade.
@@markgardner9460 It might have been closer. But the Vikings were 12-2 that year and that defense was so good. Lilly's best days were behind him. Don't think he would've made that much difference. If Calvin played, it might look like the game they played at Texas Stadium in '74. The Cowboys were a team in transition. Lots of aging Vets were at the ends of their careers. They got a good boost to the offense in '73. But needed the same on defense. Lots of that would come with the "Dirty Dozen Draft in '75.
@@stevenzimmerman4057 And when they weren't playing each other, they took turns knocking the Rams out of the post-season. Think of this. Between 1969-1978 there was only one Super Bowl, that didn't feature the Vikings or Cowboys. Now that I call a two team domination.
My parents weren't born for three more years! It's fascinating to see this real football! You are wearing a San Diego football jersey. Are you from the San Diego area? Great job once again! I am always looking forward to these videos ! Joey in Cleveland
Yeah, this is real football - gotta love it. I'm actually wearing a Rams jersey of Hall of Fame Defensive Tackle Merlin Olsen; the shoulder design is similar to that of the Chargers. I am not from SoCal, but I'm glad that you enjoy the videos! Thank you for watching and commenting.
Exciting for sure when the mass number of great Running Backs of this era revolutionized smash mouth football and made it more sexy. Though 5:24 it's eerie to see Rookie Darryl Stingley celebrate with fellow rookie teammate Sam Cunningham.
I remember '73 when I was so young to NFL football I was so clung excitement unabated, joy with no bounds after the game with a football I took to the playgrounds For there we could be Csonka, Morris or Kiick I'll be Captain, and pick the new kid He looks smart, fast and quick Facenda I hear with each tackle I make As music keeps time with each defender I shake You go short and you go long Just past the pine trees That mark the endzone A long pass I throw Past the defender he's gone I'll aim for the bread basket As he's all alone Score a touchdown for all those who dream For one day we'll be Pro's And the fans they will scream Some would be Dolphins, Steelers or Chiefs But I'll be a Falcon And take the lead like a thief Dreams made on lawns of grass that we've sown With footballs made of leather, plastic or foam For our future is bright and we will be stars And our workplace will be a gridiron flanked by crossbars Late in the day the sun is gone Time to go in and reminisce until dawn Glory alive in young boy so small But one day I'll grow up and be big, fast, and tall Maybe a first round pick out of college I'll be Or a walk on free agent, a great story to see Decades gone by and now years ago My mind still remembers and memories still glow It's better to have visions that never come true Than to sit around with nothing and be sad and blue For there was nothing like it, from sea to shining sea. But now all these years later, the NFL holds nothing more for me. 😢
@markgardner9460 And thank you for all you do. I was 7 years old in 1973 and lived and died with Atlanta. It was the Falcons best season up to that point. Watching these videos is like watching home movies of your loved ones who have passed and gone in before us. I am hopeful that if there is football in Heaven every year will be 1973!
I watched the first half of the '73 MNF game between the Vikings and Falcons. The General did a number on his old team (and future team) that night by snapping the Vikings long winning streak.
@markgardner9460 Yes! My parents wouldn't let me watch Monday Night Football because it didn't come on until 9PM Eastern. But that night my parents made an exception and we all stayed up and watched the Falcons win! I remember going to school the next day and at P.E. playing football and I got to be Quarterback, on my fast pass attempt, we had no QB rushing, I dropped back and twisted, turned, scrambled and unleashed a long pass that was caught for a touchdown, I jumped up and down and said, "It was just like Bob Lee last night against the Vikings!"
My Chuck Foreman card was a biggie. Him and Yary. Bergey and Carmichael. Youngblood. White Shoes. Randy White was probably right there with Roger and then you had the two death cards Lambert and Mean Joe. Funny thing about a small town before 1979 and the ESPN Death Star coming online was we had paper heroes. You read about them in books like Meat On The Hoof and Instant Replay and any stat sheet in the local paper that had your name on it made you a paper hero for a little while...
You have done superbly well again my lad. Not only cheerleaders and marching girls, but hoooola hoops and frisbee girls. This is the third time you have served my request on a silver platter. The number 57 of Jeff Van Note was a coincidence. But this one surely was not. Thank you. I grew up in Atlanta and the Falcon QB's name became an insult in practice for anyone loafing. See you next time.
Here's to "Mad Dog" who was a great guy and teammate. He suffered from pneumonia and was in the hospital leading up to Super Bowl 9 against the Vikings. He lost 20 pounds and wasn't expected to play and did not get his picture taken for the team's game photo. All he did was to account for all of the points scored in the first half when he scored a safety. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that he returned to the hospital for an extended period of time.
After Butkus intercepts the ball, he taunts the offense by holding out the ball. Today, that would be a 15-yard penalty. By the way, the 1970s were more fun when running backs were more respected than today, and this was before Tom Brady's two-yard passes became common.
Hi Mark-I’m wearing my Dan Pastorini white Houston jersey for this video. And you’re right the Oilers were terrible in 1972 and 73. I think Ed Biles was the worst coach. By the way, the Rams Olssen jersey looks sweet.
Dante Pastorini had a lot of guts to stick through that Oilers mess into which he was drafted. He really took his lumps. Biles' Oilers were OK in '81 (7 & 9), but then they really went downhill after that for him (1 & 14). Thanks for the compliment!
OJ has ended up like another disgraced 1970s icon, Gary Glitter. Awful people, but masters of their crafts. 2,000 rushing yards in a 14-game season is wild.
@@markgardner9460 Ha! I remember him mostly from the goofy TCF Bank commercials he did for years where he'd poke fun at himself for never getting to play in games. I'm happy they put him in on occasion.
I remember those commercials. The one time the Vikes put him into a game, but probably shouldn't have was the 1972 game against the Dolphins when he was penalized for roughing the passer. That penalty kept the game-winning drive alive for Miami. No penalty? No perfect season for the Dolphins. Still, he was a big guy who plugged up things in the middle and would get the occasional sack, as the video showed. Thank you for bringing up those old TCF Bank commercials!!
Benchwarmer Bob insists the roughing the passer on Griese was a bad call...I actually watched the game but I don't remember the footage and I can't find it to confirm or refute his statement!
BB used to "give 'em the business" once the passer or ballcarrier was on the ground. The hit itself probably was nothing of consequence, but what he did afterwards most likely was. In Larry Brown's autobiography he tells of how "Lurts" really roughed him up one time in a pile up when Bob played for the Giants.
BTW, terrific tackle on Boobie Clark (35) at the Bronco goal line as he was about to score at 5:30. I checked and the hit was made by Denver’s Dale Hackbart (48), the old Viking, playing in his last year in the league. Solid tackle on a big back running at full speed.
Yes, that was a terrific tackle and I had no idea that it was Hackbart - nice digging! Another great tackle was by Mack Herron of the Patriots - the defender still scored, but it was an amazing effort!
I thought the '73 Rams were the best team they'd had - better than the 1967, or 1969 squads. They had better athletes, better speed. They owned the weak NFC West Division in the 70s - from '73-1979. A cavalcade of superstar running backs in 1973.
I remember watching the game in which Simpson eclipsed 2000 yards ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2lZpe-ikL2Y.html. Still not nearly as exciting as the Simpson Trial getting away with murdering two people. He died a POS.
