1983 New Orleans Saints season

The 1983 New Orleans Saints season was the team’s 17th as a member of the National Football League. They improved on their previous season’s output of 4–5, winning eight games.[1] Despite the improvement, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the seventeenth consecutive season.

1983 New Orleans Saints season
OwnerJohn Mecom, Jr.
Head coachBum Phillips
General managerBum Phillips
Home fieldLouisiana Superdome
Results
Record8–8
Division place3rd NFC West
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersLB Rickey Jackson

With an 8–7 record going into the final game of the season at the Superdome against the Los Angeles Rams, the Saints, with a win, would have finished with their first winning season and their first playoff berth. However, Rams kicker Mike Lansford kicked a 42-yard field goal with :06 left to defeat the Saints 26-24, and advance to the playoffs. Other than that field goal, the Rams did not score a single point on offense, instead scoring via a punt return for a touchdown, two interception returns for touchdowns, and a safety.

Two weeks earlier the Saints lost to the New England Patriots in shocking conditions with sleet and snow[2] – with the only score being set up by Patriot Ricky Smith returning the initial kickoff to the 3-yard line. As of 2017, this game remains the most recent 7–0 result in NFL history,[3] with only two games since seeing just one score,[4] both a single field goal.[note 1]

Another damaging loss came on Monday Night Football in week 12, when the New York Jets rallied from a 14-point deficit by scoring 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, capped off by a 76-yard punt return touchdown by Kirk Springs, to stun the Saints 31-28. The Saints had a chance to force overtime in the closing seconds, but Morten Andersen missed badly to the left on a 51-yard field goal attempt.

Offseason

NFL draft
Main article: 1983 NFL draft
1983 New Orleans Saints draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
2 38 Steve Korte  Center Arkansas
3 65 John Tice  Tight end Maryland
3 66 Cliff Austin  Running back Clemson
4 98 Gary Lewis  Defensive tackle Oklahoma State
8 206 David Greenwood  Defensive back Wisconsin
      Made roster  

[5]

Personnel

Staff
1983 New Orleans Saints staff
Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches
  • Defensive Coordinator – Wade Phillips
  • Defensive Line – Willie Zapalac
  • Linebackers – John Paul Young
  • Defensive Backfield – Lance Van Zandt

Special teams coaches

  • Special Teams – Harold Richardson

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and Conditioning – Russell Paternostro

Roster
1983 New Orleans Saints roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists

{{{reserve_lists}}}


Practice squad



Rookies in italics

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Attendance
1 September 4, 1983 St. Louis Cardinals W 28–17
60,430
2 September 11, 1983 at Los Angeles Rams L 30–27
45,572
3 September 18, 1983 Chicago Bears W 34–31
64,692
4 September 25, 1983 at Dallas Cowboys L 21–20
62,136
5 October 2, 1983 Miami Dolphins W 17–7
66,489
6 October 9, 1983 at Atlanta Falcons W 19–17
51,654
7 October 16, 1983 San Francisco 49ers L 32–13
68,154
8 October 23, 1983 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 24–21
48,242
9 October 30, 1983 at Buffalo Bills L 27–21
49,413
10 November 6, 1983 Atlanta Falcons W 27–10
67,062
11 November 13, 1983 at San Francisco 49ers L 27–0
40,022
12 November 21, 1983 New York Jets L 31–28
68,606
13 November 27, 1983 Minnesota Vikings W 17–16
59,502
14 December 4, 1983 at New England Patriots L 7–0
24,579
15 December 11, 1983 at Philadelphia Eagles W 20–17
45,182
16 December 18, 1983 Los Angeles Rams L 26–24
70,148

Standings
NFC West
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
San Francisco 49ers(2) 10 6 0 .625 4–2 8–4 432 293 W3
Los Angeles Rams(5) 9 7 0 .563 5–1 8–4 361 344 W1
New Orleans Saints 8 8 0 .500 2–4 7–5 319 337 L1
Atlanta Falcons 7 9 0 .438 1–5 4–8 370 389 W1

Notes
  1. These 3–0 scores occurred in 1993 when the Jets defeated the Redskins and in 2007 when the Steelers defeated the Dolphins.

References
  1. 1983 New Orleans Saints
  2. ‘Kickoff Return Practices Pay Off as Patriots Slip Past Saints 7–0’; St. Petersburg Times, December 5, 1983, p. 5C
  3. Pro Football Reference; Games with Final Score 7–0
  4. Pro Football Reference; Games with Final Score 3–0
  5. "1983 New Orleans Saints draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
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