1973 Pittsburgh Steelers season

Pittsburgh's pass-defense numbers that year were stunning. Opposing passers compiled the following stat-line:

• 164 of 359 for 1,923 yards, 5.36 , 11 and 37

The figure that leaps screaming off the sheet is the amazing 37 picks in 14 games. The 2009 Jets, by comparison, allowed a puny 8 TDs in 16 games, but hauled in just 17 picks.
Pittsburgh's all-time best pass defense was an equal-opportunity unit: Mike Wagner led the team with 8 INT, but 10 other guys recorded at least one pick. Amazing. Eleven defenders boasted at least one INT for Pittsburgh that season. The entire starting secondary recorded 24 picks alone, and Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount was last on the list: Wagner, safety Glen Edwards, cornerback John Rowser and Blount.

Personnel

Staff

Roster

Offseason

NFL Draft

Preseason

Game summaries

Regular season

Game summaries

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7 vs Bengals

Week 8 vs Washington Redskins

Week 9 at Raiders

Week 10

Game summary

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

  Week 11

Game summary

• Pittsburgh – Shanklin 9 pass from Gilliam – Steelers 7–0
• Cleveland – Phipps 1 run – Tie 7–7
• Cleveland – Pruitt 15 pass from Phipps – Browns 14-7
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 24 – Browns 14-10
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 14 – Browns 14-13
• Pittsburgh – FG Gerela 20 – Steelers 16–14
• Cleveland – Pruitt 19 run – Browns 21–16

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

Game summary

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

  Week 13

Game summary

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

  Week 14

Game summary

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

  Standings

Postseason

AFC Divisional: @ Oakland Raiders

• References:

  Scoring Drives

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