Top 8 regular season Power Rankings, 1973

[74_75_78_79_]

A pretty obvious #1. Vikings, their SB-opponent-to-be, and Rams who Minn did beat at home, 10-9, in that 'battle of 6-0s' are the two other 12-2 teams. And then you have four 10-4s followed by Raiders at 9-4-1; but they did beat Miami in Week #2. But they did lose at home to the 'Burgh, 17-9, in Week #9 ('Immaculate'-revenge will come playoff-time).

And how about them '73 Steelers, with that 8-1 start? An all-time-best stat in the SB era...their pass-D holding all opposing QBs to a combined 33.1 rating! Eight Pro Bowlers - Bruce Van Dyke & Ronnie Shanklin two of 'em - in this 'calm before the storm' season in which they would end up being humbled by that 3-game-skid which ended, however, on an encouraging note - almost coming back on the road against the Champs on MNF (and without Stallworth/Swann yet at Terry's disposal, mind you; no Webster, Lambert, Shell yet either)!

For those, and I'm sure it'll be all of you, who box-out both non-playoff winners Buf & Atl...who do you pick between these two?

Well...this completes all '70s seasons with these, here, regular season Power Rankings. And when I post 1996 which will be next, that'll complete all of the 20th Century post-merger (except '82, that is).

[ChrisBabcock]

that'll complete all of the 20th Century post-merger (except '82, that is).

Why not do a 1982?

[ChrisBabcock]

1. Dolphins
2. Rams... who did lose close head to head to Minnesota but had a stronger finish to the season.
3. Vikings
4. Steelers
5. Raiders... beat Miami early in the year for Miami’s first loss in forever.
6. Cowboys
7. Redskins
8. Bengals... I was tempted to put them higher because of a shutout of Minnesota in December but I think that was an anomaly.

[74_75_78_79_]

that'll complete all of the 20th Century post-merger (except '82, that is).

Why not do a 1982?

No, we can. Just meant that it would still be the exception after we do '96 next. I still think it would be a good one to do; strictly judging by what 9-week sample there was (and that many may not place 'out-of-nowhere' Wash at #1 due to their many close-wins by kicking a lot of FGs vs not-so-great competition; seasoned Dallas winning at RFK, 24-10). Don't worry, we'll do it.

Anyways...first-things-first. Here are my PRs for the regular-season nine years prior to '82...

1) Dolphins, of course!
2a) Vikings
2b) Rams
4) Cowboys
5) Bengals
6) Steelers
7) Raiders
8) Falcons

I won't actually place Rams above Vikings (despite Minn beating them head-to-head) as you yourself did, Chris; but in also considering LA's body-of-work otherwise, I'll at least not place Vikings a full spot above them either. '73 a quite different '70s year for these two, each having quality-wins on their plate.

Rams bury Atl in their win over them, beat Dallas as well ('Boys rallying just to make it a 37-31 final score), and that finale over Cleveland does indeed 'count'! As that game was going on in the Coliseum, Clev at 7-4-1 needed to win along with needing 9-4 Steelers, just up north, to lose to SF. Cincy already had division wrapped.

As for Vikes, in addition to beating Rams, would wallop Browns the very next week along with beating Oakland in the opener. Yes, getting crushed at Cincy hurts them but it's also the Rams being #1 in both O & D yardage-wise (and #1 in many other D categories in '73) and losing their two Wk7 & 8 games by a combined...3 PTS!! Yes, Rams get '2b' with Vikes getting 'a' if only because of their actual win vs them; and they owning Rams in seasons leading-up. Not sure what you all, who were around for it, thought leading up to SBVIII; but I'm thinking I'd be assuming that Bud's troops at least give the defending-Champs somewhat of a game, especially after winning at Big D, 27-10. Same thing had Rams got there.

Steelers...that remarkable defense-stat which I pointed out OP, eight PBers, their three-straight wins over Bengals, Wash (MNF), and at Raiders to make it 8-1, they almost coming back at Miami which would have cut it at just a two-game skid, and finally trouncing their last two opponents albeit weak ones almost earned them #4 with me. Both they and Dolphins finish at 11-3 had Steelers completed the comeback; but due to the current 'rotation', I'm guessing it still would have been Miami's 'turn' for home-field. Not that it matters anyway, Raiders were better between they and the 'Burgh in '73 when it mattered most as well as Miami being even better - also winning their CC by a 27-10 score.

Because Dallas buried Cincy Wk8, and because they have been such a regular at deep-playoff-runs last so many years, and also beating the 'Burgh a year earlier, I have to place them at #4 instead. Cincy also gets nod over the 'Burgh due to that 6-0 finish which included them beating Bills on the road and stomping both Vikings then 7-3-2 Browns the following week, and also beating two other winners, Steelers themselves and KC, earlier on.

Had Steelers actually beat Miami, a different story (they're at #3 or even better, Dolphins...#4!) but "almost" shouldn't count at the expense of the team that actually did hold off the comeback hence actually win the game! Also goes for the team that actually DID win the division; a team that may very well go down as Paul Brown's best-ever Bengal squad. Steelers were just about there in '73 but not yet (still needed next year's draft). Maybe they should be 5b; we'll see.

Leaving Washington out may be unpopular. But beating Dallas early is all they got to their credit as far as QWs are concerned. That and Falcons looking quite dangerous! I can't help but to NOT hold it against Atlanta - those Wk12 & 13 home-losses to Buf then getting blown-out by a not-yet-good (not even mediocre) StL team.

62-7 opening day at Tulane!! Putting up three additional 40+ outputs in later weeks, and beating both Rams & Vikings! Yes, just can't help but to include them in this.

However, the Raiders truly did earn their (three above-500-teams) West division title hence a playoff berth hence a higher spot than that at-the-time, so-far best Falcon team. First, Oakland crushes KC penultimate week thus eliminating them, and then in the finale they, at 8-4-1, beat the 7-4-2 Broncos to finish things off in-style! Yes, after another look, '73 seemed to be a fine regular-season; and with a suspenseful, playoff-implications-filled final week to boot! As is the case with hockey - there's nothing wrong with TIES!

[CSKreager]

The playoff rotation of that era really screwed over the Bengals/Steelers. Oakland had the worst record of any 1973 playoff team, yet they got to host Pittsburgh and the AFC's top two teams record wise had to play each other?

That was probably the weakest Raider playoff team from 1967-1977 (The only playoff team that had to go down to the wire in the AFC West), yet they basically benefitted and ended up with an undeserving trip to the Orange Bowl in the AFC-CG.

[74_75_78_79_]

The playoff rotation of that era really screwed over the Bengals/Steelers. Oakland had the worst record of any 1973 playoff team, yet they got to host Pittsburgh and the AFC's top two teams record wise had to play each other?

That was probably the weakest Raider playoff team from 1967-1977 (The only playoff team that had to go down to the wire in the AFC West), yet they basically benefitted and ended up with an undeserving trip to the Orange Bowl in the AFC-CG.

Funny, caught the very beginning of that '73 AFCC with Curt Gowdy (Al DeRogatis at his side) saying that everyone in the Miami area is calling this the 'real' Super Bowl and also saying that most experts call these the two best teams in the league. Yes, one year before Madden's infamous quote. Meanwhile, you got a 12-2 Vikings team who just got done beating Dallas on the road, 27-10; not to mention they beating the Raiders opening day. I guess despite having only lost just one SB so far, the Vikes already had a rep for not winning the big one thanks to '70 & '71 - one and done in each case, both at the Met. Still...Raiders had yet to make it to the top themselves with their only SB-appearance coming even before the Vikes'. Had I been around then, having been following for years leading up, I can't imagine me not seeing Minn as the better team than Oakland. Come Super Bowl time, I'm sure I would have looked as it's two participants as the top-2 teams in the league.

[BD Sullivan]

The playoff rotation of that era really screwed over the Bengals/Steelers. Oakland had the worst record of any 1973 playoff team, yet they got to host Pittsburgh and the AFC's top two teams record wise had to play each other?

That was probably the weakest Raider playoff team from 1967-1977 (The only playoff team that had to go down to the wire in the AFC West), yet they basically benefitted and ended up with an undeserving trip to the Orange Bowl in the AFC-CG.

Funny, caught the very beginning of that '73 AFCC with Curt Gowdy (Al DeRogatis at his side) saying that everyone in the Miami area is calling this the 'real' Super Bowl and also saying that most experts call these the two best teams in the league. Yes, one year before Madden's infamous quote. Meanwhile, you got a 12-2 Vikings team who just got done beating Dallas on the road, 27-10; not to mention they beating the Raiders opening day. I guess despite having only lost just one SB so far, the Vikes already had a rep for not winning the big one thanks to '70 & '71 - one and done in each case, both at the Met. Still...Raiders had yet to make it to the top themselves with their only SB-appearance coming even before the Vikes'. Had I been around then, having been following for years leading up, I can't imagine me not seeing Minn as the better team than Oakland. Come Super Bowl time, I'm sure I would have looked as it's two participants as the top-2 teams in the league.

The Vikes also struggled to put away the Redskins at home in the first round of the playoffs. Early in the fourth quarter, they trailed 13-1`0 before coming away with a 27-20 victory.