NFL game summary for 09/16/1973:
Mike Phipps hit Frank Pitts with two TD passes and also ran for 55 yards when his receivers were covered. Bert Jones, the Colts' rookie QB, threw one TD pass to Cotton Speyrer but was sacked five times while the Browns held Baltimore to a net passing total of four yards. Browns' cornerback Clarence Scott pulled his opening day routine. Last year he scored with a blocked field goal, this time he returned an interception 45 yards for a TD. Ted Hendricks blocked Don Cockroft's punt for a Colts' TD in the third quarter.
Line: Browns by 6
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Baltimore Colts (0-1-0) | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
 Cleveland Browns (1-0-0) | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
( 0- 7) CLE Frank Pitts 26 yard pass from Mike Phipps (Don Cockroft kick)
( 7- 7) BAL Cotton Speyrer 33 yard pass from Bert Jones (George Hunt kick)
( 7-10) CLE Don Cockroft 14 yard field goal
( 7-17) CLE Clarence Scott 45 yard interception return (Don Cockroft kick)
(14-17) BAL Ted Hendricks 2 yard return of blocked punt (George Hunt kick)
(14-24) CLE Frank Pitts 8 yard pass from Mike Phipps (Don Cockroft kick)
BAL CLE
First Downs: 10 20
Rushes-yards: 36-125 42-147
Yards/rush: 3.5 3.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 6-22-56-1 12-26-150-0
Sacked-yards: 5-52 0-0
Net pass yards: 4 150
Net yards/pass: 0.1 5.8
Total net yards: 129 297
Total plays: 63 (57% run) 68 (61% run)
Yards/play: 2.0 4.4
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 3-3
Turnovers: 1 3
Penalties-yards: 10-73 8-60
Attendance: 74,303
Passing:
BAL: Bert Jones, 6 of 22 for 56 yards and 1 TD (1 int) CLE: Mike Phipps, 12 of 26 for 150 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
BAL: Don Nottingham, 16 for 64 yards; Don McCauley, 16 for 53 yards; Bert Jones, 3 for 24 yards; David Lee, 1 for -16 yards CLE: Hugh McKinnis, 11 for 27 yards; Leroy Kelly, 9 for 6 yards; Ken Brown, 8 for 40 yards; Mike Phipps, 7 for 55 yards; Billy Lefear, 7 for 19 yards
Receiving:
BAL: Raymond Chester, 2 for 14 yards; Cotton Speyrer, 1 for 33 yards and 1 TD; Lydell Mitchell, 1 for 8 yards; Don Nottingham, 1 for 5 yards; Don McCauley, 1 for -4 yards CLE: Fair Hooker, 5 for 62 yards; Frank Pitts, 4 for 56 yards and 2 TDs; Milt Morin, 2 for 37 yards; Hugh McKinnis, 1 for -5 yards
Kick returns:
BAL: Bruce Laird, 4 for 114 yards CLE: Steve Holden, 1 for 27 yards; Billy Lefear, 1 for 14 yards
Punt returns:
BAL: Bruce Laird, 4 for 6 yards CLE: Billy Lefear, 3 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
CLE: Clarence Scott, 1 for 45 yards and 1 TD
Punting:
BAL: David Lee, 7 for 301 yards CLE: Don Cockroft, 7 for 238 yards
Field Goals:
BAL: George Hunt, 0/2 CLE: Don Cockroft, 1/1
BAL: Bert Jones, 6 of 22 for 56 yards and 1 TD (1 int) CLE: Mike Phipps, 12 of 26 for 150 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
BAL: Don Nottingham, 16 for 64 yards; Don McCauley, 16 for 53 yards; Bert Jones, 3 for 24 yards; David Lee, 1 for -16 yards CLE: Hugh McKinnis, 11 for 27 yards; Leroy Kelly, 9 for 6 yards; Ken Brown, 8 for 40 yards; Mike Phipps, 7 for 55 yards; Billy Lefear, 7 for 19 yards
Receiving:
BAL: Raymond Chester, 2 for 14 yards; Cotton Speyrer, 1 for 33 yards and 1 TD; Lydell Mitchell, 1 for 8 yards; Don Nottingham, 1 for 5 yards; Don McCauley, 1 for -4 yards CLE: Fair Hooker, 5 for 62 yards; Frank Pitts, 4 for 56 yards and 2 TDs; Milt Morin, 2 for 37 yards; Hugh McKinnis, 1 for -5 yards
Kick returns:
BAL: Bruce Laird, 4 for 114 yards CLE: Steve Holden, 1 for 27 yards; Billy Lefear, 1 for 14 yards
Punt returns:
BAL: Bruce Laird, 4 for 6 yards CLE: Billy Lefear, 3 for 9 yards
Interceptions:
CLE: Clarence Scott, 1 for 45 yards and 1 TD
Punting:
BAL: David Lee, 7 for 301 yards CLE: Don Cockroft, 7 for 238 yards
Field Goals:
BAL: George Hunt, 0/2 CLE: Don Cockroft, 1/1