| 1973 New York Giants season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Head coach | Alex Webster |
| Home stadium | Yankee Stadium (2 games), Yale Bowl (5 games) |
| Results | |
| Record | 2–11–1 |
| Division place | 5thNFC East |
| Playoffs | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | None |
The1973New York Giantsseason was the franchise's 49th season in theNational Football League (NFL). The season saw the Giants attempting to improve on their 8–6 record from1972. However, the Giants suffered one of the worst seasons in franchise history, finishing 2–11–1.
The two wins were against theHouston Oilers and theSt. Louis Cardinals while the tie was againstarchrivalPhiladelphia in week two. That was the last Giants game atYankee Stadium, which underwent a multi-year renovation, requiring a temporary move to theYale Bowl inConnecticut.[1]Palmer Stadium atPrinceton University inNew Jersey had also been considered.[2]
The Giants' two wins in 1973 equaled the second fewest the team had ever posted and it was their worst record since1966 (1–12–1). To add injury to insult, former quarterbackFran Tarkenton, who was traded after the1971 season,[3] led theMinnesota Vikings (12–2) to theNFC title; they defeated the Giants 31–7 in the Yale Bowl in the regular season finale.[4]
Fifth-year head coachAlex Webster, a longtime Giant running back, was forced to resign,[5] replaced in mid-January byBill Arnsparger, thedefensive coordinator of the two-timeSuper Bowl championMiami Dolphins.[6][7]
The Giants were at the Yale Bowl again in1974, moved toShea Stadium in1975 (co-tenant with theJets,Mets, andYankees), and toGiants Stadium in New Jersey in1976.
| 1973 New York Giants draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 40 | Brad Van Pelt * | Linebacker | Michigan State | |
| 3 | 69 | Rich Glover | Defensive tackle | Nebraska | |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least onePro Bowl during career | |||||
| Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| Leo Gasienica | Quarterback | Rutgers |
| Quarterbacks(QB) Running backs(RB) Wide receivers(WR) Tight ends(TE) | Offensive linemen(OL)
| Linebackers(LB) Defensive backs(DB)
Special teams(ST) | Practice squad
Reserve
|
WithYankee Stadium undergoing refurbishment after the1973 baseball season, the Giants played their final game there on September 23, against thePhiladelphia Eagles, a23–23 tie.[8] The Giants played their final five home games that season at theYale Bowl inNew Haven, Connecticut.[9] On November 18, they defeated theSt. Louis Cardinals24–13, their only victory ever recorded at Yale Bowl. They were winless in seven home games there in1974, and moved toShea Stadium for one season in1975.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 16 | Houston Oilers | W 34–14 | 1–0 | Yankee Stadium | 57,979 | |
| 2 | September 23 | Philadelphia Eagles | T 23–23 | 1–0–1 | Yankee Stadium | 62,289 | |
| 3 | September 30 | atCleveland Browns | L 10–12 | 1–1–1 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 76,065 | |
| 4 | October 7 | Green Bay Packers | L 14–16 | 1–2–1 | Yale Bowl | 70,050 | |
| 5 | October 14 | Washington Redskins | L 3–21 | 1–3–1 | Yale Bowl | 70,168 | |
| 6 | October 21 | atDallas Cowboys | L 28–45 | 1–4–1 | Texas Stadium | 58,741 | |
| 7 | October 28 | atSt. Louis Cardinals | L 27–35 | 1–5–1 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 47,589 | |
| 8 | November 4 | atOakland Raiders | L 0–42 | 1–6–1 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 51,200 | |
| 9 | November 11 | Dallas Cowboys | L 10–23 | 1–7–1 | Yale Bowl | 70,128 | |
| 10 | November 18 | St. Louis Cardinals | W 24–13 | 2–7–1 | Yale Bowl | 65,795 | |
| 11 | November 25 | atPhiladelphia Eagles | L 16–20 | 2–8–1 | Veterans Stadium | 63,086 | |
| 12 | December 2 | atWashington Redskins | L 24–27 | 2–9–1 | RFK Stadium | 53,590 | |
| 13 | December 10 | atLos Angeles Rams | L 6–40 | 2–10–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 73,328 | |
| 14 | December 16 | Minnesota Vikings | L 7–31 | 2–11–1 | Yale Bowl | 70,041 | |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are inbold text. | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 6–2 | 8–3 | 382 | 203 | W3 |
| Washington Redskins | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 6–2 | 8–3 | 325 | 198 | W1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 5 | 8 | 1 | .393 | 3–4–1 | 3–7–1 | 310 | 393 | L1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | 9 | 1 | .321 | 3–5 | 4–7 | 286 | 365 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 2 | 11 | 1 | .179 | 1–6–1 | 1–9–1 | 226 | 362 | L4 |
| NFC Central | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 6–0 | 10–1 | 296 | 168 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 6 | 7 | 1 | .464 | 3–2–1 | 6–4–1 | 271 | 247 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 5 | 7 | 2 | .429 | 1–4–1 | 4–6–1 | 202 | 259 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 1–5 | 1–9 | 195 | 334 | L6 |
| NFC West | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 5–1 | 9–2 | 388 | 178 | W6 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 4–2 | 7–4 | 318 | 224 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 2–4 | 4–7 | 262 | 319 | L2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 1–5 | 4–7 | 163 | 312 | L1 |
