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.
General managerBum Phillips
Head coachBum 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 2021, 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  Safety 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

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 Record Venue Attendance
1 September 4 St. Louis Cardinals W 28–17 1—0 Louisiana Superdome 60,430
2 September 11 at Los Angeles Rams L 27–30 1—1 Anaheim Stadium 45,572
3 September 18 Chicago Bears W 34–31 (OT) 2—1 Louisiana Superdome 64,692
4 September 25 at Dallas Cowboys L 20–21 2—2 Texas Stadium 62,136
5 October 2 Miami Dolphins W 17–7 3—2 Louisiana Superdome 66,489
6 October 9 at Atlanta Falcons W 19–17 4—2 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 51,654
7 October 16 San Francisco 49ers L 13–32 4—3 Louisiana Superdome 68,154
8 October 23 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 24–21 5—3 Tampa Stadium 48,242
9 October 30 at Buffalo Bills L 21–27 5—4 Rich Stadium 49,413
10 November 6 Atlanta Falcons W 27–10 6—4 Louisiana Superdome 67,062
11 November 13 at San Francisco 49ers L 0–27 6—5 Candlestick Park 40,022
12 November 21 New York Jets L 28–31 6—6 Louisiana Superdome 68,606
13 November 27 Minnesota Vikings W 17–16 7—6 Louisiana Superdome 59,502
14 December 4 at New England Patriots L 0–7 7—7 Sullivan Stadium 24,579
15 December 11 at Philadelphia Eagles W 20–17 (OT) 8—7 Veterans Stadium 45,182
16 December 18 Los Angeles Rams L 24–26 8—8 Louisiana Superdome 70,148
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

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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