1983 NFL season

1983 National Football League season
Regular season
Duration	September 3 – December 19, 1983
Playoffs
Start date	December 24, 1983
AFC Champions	Los Angeles Raiders
NFC Champions	Washington Redskins
Super Bowl XVIII
Date	January 22, 1984
Site	Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Champions	Los Angeles Raiders
Pro Bowl
Date	January 28, 1984
Site	Aloha Stadium

The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins 38-9 at Tampa Stadium in Florida.

Major rule changes

In the last 30 seconds of a half (but not overtime), with the defensive team behind with no more time outs, a defensive foul cannot prevent the half to end except for the normal options that are available to the offensive team.
Pass interference will not be called if there was incidental contact, or if when players make simultaneous attempts to catch, tip, block, or bat the ball.
Players may not use a helmet, that is no longer worn by anyone, as a weapon to strike or hit an opponent; they risk ejection if they do.

Regular Season games not broadcast by Network TV

Date	Time	Teams	Local TV	Announcers
October 9, 1983	4:00 PM EDT	Kansas City @ Los Angeles Raiders	KCTV (Kansas City area) (blacked out in Los Angeles area)	Don Fortune (play-by-play) Len Dawson (analyst)

Division Races

Starting in 1978, ten teams qualified for the playoffs: the winners of each of the divisions, and two wild-card teams in each conference. The two wild cards would meet for the right to face whichever of the three division winners had the best overall record. The tiebreaker rules were based on head-to-head competition, followed by division records, common opponents records, and conference play.

National Football Conference

Week	Eastern		Central		Western		WildCard		WildCard
1	Cowboys, Eagles	1–0	3 teams	1–0	3 teams	1–0
2	Cowboys	2–0	4 teams	1–1	Rams	2–0
3	Cowboys	3–0	Vikings, Packers	2–1	4 teams	2–1
4	Cowboys	4–0	Vikings	3–1	49ers	3–1	Redskins	3–1	6 teams	2–2
5	Cowboys	5–0	Vikings, Packers	3–2	49ers	4–1	Redskins	4–1	5 teams	3–2
6	Cowboys	6–0	Vikings	4–2	3 teams	4–2	Redskins	5–1	4 teams	4–2
7	Cowboys	7–0	Vikings	5–2	49ers, Rams	5–2	3 teams	5–2	3 teams	4–3
8	Cowboys	7–1	Vikings	6–2	49ers	6–2	Redskins	6–2	Saints, Rams	5–3
9	Cowboys	8–1	Vikings	6–3	49ers	6–3	Redskins	7–2	Saints, Rams	5–4
10	Cowboys	9–1	Vikings	6–4	3 teams	6–4	Redskins	8–2	3 teams	6–4
11	Cowboys, Redskins	9–2	Vikings, Packers	6–5	49ers, Rams	7–4	Cowboys, Redskins	9–2	49ers, Rams	7–4
12	Cowboys, Redskins	10–2	Vikings	7–5	49ers, Rams	7–5	Cowboys, Redskins	10–2	49ers, Rams	7–5
13	Cowboys, Redskins	11–2	Vikings, Lions	7–6	Rams	8–5	Cowboys, Redskins	11–2	Lions, Vikings	7–6
14	Cowboys, Redskins	12–2	Lions	8–6	49ers, Rams	8–6	Cowboys, Redskins	12–2	49ers, Rams	8–6
15	Redskins	13–2	Lions, Packers	8–7	49ers	9–6	Cowboys	12–3	4 teams	8–7
16	Washington	14–2	Detroit	9–7	San Francisco	10–6	Dallas	12–4	Los Angeles	9–7

American Football Conference

Week	Eastern		Central		Western		WildCard		WildCard
1	3 teams	1–0	4 teams	0–1	3 teams	1–0
2	Dolphins	2–0	Steelers, Browns	1–1	Raiders, Broncos	2–0
3	Dolphins, Bills	2–1	Steelers, Browns	2–1	Raiders	3–0	6 teams	2–1
4	Dolphins, Bills	3–1	Browns	3–1	Raiders	4–0	3 teams	3–1	6 teams	2–2
5	4 teams	3–2	Steelers, Browns	3–2	Raiders	4–1	7 teams	3–2	4 teams	2–3
6	Bills, Colts	4–2	Steelers, Browns	4–2	Raiders	5–1	4 teams	4–2	5 teams	3–3
7	Bills	5–2	Steelers	5–2	Raiders	5–2	Dolphins, Colts	4–3	Browns, Seahawks	4–3
8	Dolphins, Bills	5–3	Steelers	6–2	Raiders	6–2	Dolphins, Bills	5–3	Broncos	5–3
9	Dolphins, Bills	6–3	Steelers	7–2	Raiders, Broncos	6–3	Dolphins, Bills	6–3	Raiders, Broncos	6–3
10	Dolphins	7–3	Steelers	8–2	Raiders	7–3	Bills, Colts	6–4	Seahawks, Broncos	6–4
11	Dolphins, Bills	7–4	Steelers	9–2	Raiders	8–3	Dolphins, Bills	7–4	5 teams	6–5
12	Dolphins	8–4	Steelers	9–3	Raiders	9–3	3 teams	7–5	3 teams	6–5
13	Dolphins	9–4	Steelers	9–4	Raiders	10–3	Browns	8–5	3 teams	7–6
14	Dolphins	10–4	Steelers	9–5	Raiders	11–3	3 teams	8–6	4 teams	7–7
15	Dolphins	11–4	Steelers	10–5	Raiders	11–4	Broncos	9–6	4 teams	8–7
16	Miami	12–4	Pittsburgh	10–6	Los Angeles	12–4	Seattle	9–7	Denver	9–7

Final standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA
AFC East
⁽²⁾ Miami Dolphins	12	4	0	.750	389	250
New England Patriots	8	8	0	.500	274	289
Buffalo Bills	8	8	0	.500	283	351
Baltimore Colts	7	9	0	.438	264	354
New York Jets	7	9	0	.438	313	331
AFC Central
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA
⁽³⁾ Pittsburgh Steelers	10	6	0	.625	355	303
Cleveland Browns	9	7	0	.563	356	342
Cincinnati Bengals	7	9	0	.438	346	302
Houston Oilers	2	14	0	.125	288	460
AFC West
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA
⁽¹⁾ Los Angeles Raiders	12	4	0	.750	442	338
⁽⁴⁾ Seattle Seahawks	9	7	0	.563	403	397
⁽⁵⁾ Denver Broncos	9	7	0	.563	302	327
San Diego Chargers	6	10	0	.375	358	462
Kansas City Chiefs	6	10	0	.375	386	367

Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA
NFC East
⁽¹⁾ Washington Redskins	14	2	0	.875	541	332
⁽⁴⁾ Dallas Cowboys	12	4	0	.750	479	360
St. Louis Cardinals	8	7	1	.531	374	428
Philadelphia Eagles	5	11	0	.313	233	322
New York Giants	3	12	1	.219	267	347
NFC Central
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA
⁽³⁾ Detroit Lions	9	7	0	.563	347	286
Green Bay Packers	8	8	0	.500	429	439
Chicago Bears	8	8	0	.500	311	301
Minnesota Vikings	8	8	0	.500	316	348
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2	14	0	.125	241	380
NFC West
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA
⁽²⁾ San Francisco 49ers	10	6	0	.625	432	293
⁽⁵⁾ Los Angeles Rams	9	7	0	.563	361	344
New Orleans Saints	8	8	0	.500	319	337
Atlanta Falcons	7	9	0	.438	370	389

Tiebreakers

Los Angeles Raiders was the first AFC seed over Miami based on head-to-head sweep (1–0).
Seattle was the first AFC Wild Card ahead of Denver based on better division record (5–3 to Broncos' 3–5) after Cleveland was eliminated from the three-way tie based on head-to-head record (Seattle and Denver 2–1 to Browns' 0–2).
New England finished ahead of Buffalo in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
Baltimore finished ahead of N.Y. Jets in the AFC East based on better conference record (5–9, .357 to Jets' 4–8, .333).
San Diego finished ahead of Kansas City in the AFC West based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
Minnesota ended up in fourth place in the NFC Central after being eliminated from the three-way tie based on conference record (Chicago 7–7 and Green Bay 6–6 to Vikings' 4–8).
Green Bay finished ahead of Chicago in the NFC Central based on better record against common opponents (5–5 to Bears' 4–6).

Playoffs

Main article: 1983–84 NFL playoffs

NOTE: The Los Angeles Raiders (the AFC 1 seed) did not play the Seattle Seahawks (the 4 seed) in the Divisional playoff round because both teams were in the same division.


			Divisional Playoffs
			Dec. 31 – Candlestick Park
NFC Wild Card Game						NFC Championship
			3	Detroit	23
Dec. 26 – Texas Stadium						Jan. 8 – RFK Stadium
			2	San Francisco	24
5	LA Rams	24				2	San Francisco	21
			Jan. 1 – RFK Stadium
4	Dallas	17				1	Washington	24	Super Bowl XVIII
			5	LA Rams	7
									Jan. 22 – Tampa Stadium
			1	Washington	51
									N1	Washington	9
			Dec. 31 – Miami Orange Bowl
AFC Wild Card Game						AFC Championship			A1	LA Raiders	38
			4	Seattle	27
Dec. 24 – Kingdome						Jan. 8 – L.A. Memorial Coliseum
			2*	Miami	20
5	Denver	7				4	Seattle	14
			Jan. 1 – L.A. Memorial Coliseum
4	Seattle	31				1	LA Raiders	30
			3	Pittsburgh	10

			1*	LA Raiders	38

Statistical leaders

Team

Points scored	Washington Redskins (541)
Total yards gained	San Diego Chargers (6,197)
Yards rushing	Chicago Bears (2,727)
Yards passing	San Diego Chargers (4,661)
Fewest points allowed	Miami Dolphins (250)
Fewest total yards allowed	Cincinnati Bengals (4,327)
Fewest rushing yards allowed	Washington Redskins (1,289)
Fewest passing yards allowed	New Orleans Saints (2,691)

Milestones

The following players set all-time records during the season:

Most Touchdowns, Season	John Riggins, Washington (24)
Most Rushing Touchdowns, Season	John Riggins, Washington (24)
Most Punt Return Yards, Season	Greg Pruitt, Los Angeles Raiders (666)
Most Total Field Goals Made, Season	Ali Haji-Sheikh, New York Giants (35)

Awards

Most Valuable Player	Joe Theismann, Quarterback, Washington
Coach of the Year	Joe Gibbs, Washington
Offensive Player of the Year	Joe Theismann, Quarterback, Washington
Defensive Player of the Year	Doug Betters, Defensive End, Miami
Offensive Rookie of the Year	Eric Dickerson, Running Back, LA Rams
Defensive Rookie of the Year	Vernon Maxwell, Linebacker, Baltimore Colts

References

NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
NFL History 1981–1990 (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
NFL Salaries, 1983, offense
NFL Salaries, 1983, defense

1983 NFL season

East	Central	West	East	Central	West
Baltimore	Cincinnati	Denver	Dallas	Chicago	Atlanta
Buffalo	Cleveland	Kansas City	NY Giants	Detroit	LA Rams
Miami	Houston	LA Raiders	Philadelphia	Green Bay	New Orleans
New England	Pittsburgh	San Diego	St. Louis	Minnesota	San Francisco
NY Jets		Seattle	Washington	Tampa Bay

National Football League seasons

Early era
(1920–1969)

Modern era
(1970–present)

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