1972 Detroit Lions season

The 1972 Detroit Lions season was their 43rd in the National Football League (NFL). The team improved on their previous season's output of 7–6–1, winning eight games.^[1] The team missed the playoffs for the second straight season. It would also be the team's last winning season until 1980

1972 Detroit Lions season
Head coach	Joe Schmidt
Results
Record	8–5–1
Division place	2nd NFC Central
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
← 1971 Lions seasons 1973 →

Linebacker Wayne Walker established a new team record for games played at 200. It was also the final season for longtime defensive back Dick LeBeau.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Main article: 1972 NFL Draft

1972 Detroit Lions draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	16	Herb Orvis	DE	Colorado
3	65	Ken Sanders	DE	Howard Payne	from Philadelphia
6	145	Charles Potts	DB	Purdue
7	172	Charles Stoudmire	WR	Portland State
8	197	Henry Stuckey	DB	Missouri
9	224	Bill McClintock	DB	Drake
10	249	Jim Teal	LB	Purdue
11	276	Bob Waldron	DT	Tulane
12	301	Paul Bradley	WR	SMU
13	328	John Kirschner	TE	Memphis State
14	353	Eric Kelley	OT	Whitworth
15	380	Steve Roach	LB	Kansas
16	405	Leon Jenkins	DB	West Virginia
17	432	Mike Tyler	DB	Rice
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Notes

• Detroit traded QB Greg Barton to Philadelphia in exchange for the Eagles' second- and third-round selections (40th and 65th) and second-round selection in 1971.
• Detroit traded the 40th selection received from Philadelphia to Atlanta in exchange for RB Paul Gipson.
• Detroit traded its second-round selection (41st) to Atlanta in exchange for CB Rudy Redmond, RB Sonny Campbell and Atlanta's fourth-round selection in 1973.
• Detroit traded its third-round selection (68th) to Philadelphia in exchange for QB Bill Cappleman.
• Detroit traded its fourth-round selection (93rd) to Dallas in exchange for WR Ron Jessie.
• Detroit traded its fifth-round selection (120th) to Los Angeles in exchange for DT Dick Evey.

Roster

Detroit Lions roster
Quarterbacks 17 Bill Cappleman 11 Greg Landry 19 Bill Munson Running backs 36 Steve Owens 42 Altie Taylor 34 Mickey Zofko Wide receivers 86 Al Barnes 89 Ron Jessie 25 Earl McCullough 49 Larry Walton Tight ends 87 Craig Cotton 81 John Hilton 88 Charlie Sanders		Offensive linemen 54 Ed Flanagan C 76 Rocky Freitas T 68 Frank Gallagher G 58 Gene Hamlin C 66 Bob Kowalkowski G 65 Dave Thompson T 71 Chuck Walton G 75 Jim Yarbrough T Defensive linemen 73 Bob Bell DT 77 John Gordon DT 74 Larry Hand DT 83 Jim Mitchell DE 88 Herb Orvis DT 82 Ken Sanders DE 84 Joe Schmiesing DT 72 Larry Woods DT		Linebackers 53 Mike Lucci 50 Paul Naumoff 55 Wayne Walker 51 Adrian Young Defensive backs 20 Lem Barney CB 31 Leon Jenkins 44 Dick LeBeau 27 Charlie Potts 46 Rudy Redmond CB 47 Wayne Rasmussen SS 28 Mike Weger FS Special teams 12 Errol Mann K 18 Herman Weaver P		Reserve lists currently vacant rookies in italics

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 17	New York Giants	W 30–16	54,418
2	September 24	Minnesota Vikings	L 10-34	54,418
3	October 1	at Chicago Bears	W 38–24	55,701
4	October 8	at Atlanta Falcons	W 26–23	58,850
5	October 16	Green Bay Packers	L 23-24	54,418
6	October 22	San Diego Chargers	W 34–20	54,371
7	October 30	at Dallas Cowboys	L 24-28	65,378
8	November 5	Chicago Bears	W 14–0	54,418
9	November 12	at Minnesota Vikings	L 14-16	49,784
10	November 19	New Orleans Saints	W 27–14	53,752
11	November 23	New York Jets	W 37–20	54,418
12	December 3	at Green Bay Packers	L 7-33	56,263
13	December 10	at Buffalo Bills	T 21–21	41,583
14	December 17	at Los Angeles Rams	W 34–17	71,761

Season summary

Week 13 at Bills

See also: 1972 Buffalo Bills season

Week Thirteen: Detroit Lions (7–5) at Buffalo Bills (3–9)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	0	7	7	7	21
Bills	0	7	7	7	21

at War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, New York

• Date: December 10
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 32 °F (0 °C)
• Game attendance: 41,583
• Box Score

Game information

First quarter No scoring Second quarter DET – Earl McCullouch 9-yard pass from Greg Landry (Errol Mann kick). Lions 7–0. Drive: BUF – J.D. Hill 58-yard pass from Dennis Shaw (John Leypoldt kick). Tie 7–7. Drive: Third quarter BUF – Bob Chandler 39-yard pass from Dennis Shaw (John Leypoldt kick). Bills 14–7. Drive: DET – Nick Eddy 36-yard pass from Greg Landry (Errol Mann kick). Tie 14–14. Drive: Fourth quarter BUF – Jan White 2-yard pass from Dennis Shaw (John Leypoldt kick). Bills 21–14. Drive: DET – Ron Jessie 37-yard pass from Greg Landry (Errol Mann kick). Tie 21–21. Drive: Top passers DET – Greg Landry – 8/25, 150 yards, 3 TD BUF – Dennis Shaw – 18/32, 239 yards, 3 TD Top rushers DET – Greg Landry – 9 rushes, 46 yards BUF – O.J. Simpson – 27 rushes, 116 yards Top receivers DET – Ron Jessie – 2 receptions, 51 yards, TD BUF – J.D. Hill – 8 receptions, 129 yards, TD

Standings

NFC Central
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Green Bay Packers	10	4	0	.714	5–1	8–3	304	226	W3
Detroit Lions	8	5	1	.607	2–4	6–5	339	290	W1
Minnesota Vikings	7	7	0	.500	4–2	6–5	301	252	L2
Chicago Bears	4	9	1	.321	1–5	3–7–1	225	275	L1

See also

• 1972 in Michigan

References

1. 1972 Detroit Lions