NFL game summary for 09/23/1973:
Bruce Gossett's fifth field goal with 26 seconds to play enabled the 49ers to offset a super effort by Floyd Little, who scored two TDs boosting his total to five in two games. The Broncos opened up a 13-0 lead in the second quarter but John Brodie brought San Francisco back with 30 straight points. Two scores by Little and a TD pass from Charley Johnson to Gene Washington put Denver back on top with 4:12 left.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 98.0 (22) | 154.0 (10) | 252.0 (19) | 0 |
| DEFENSE | 171.0 (17) | 108.0 (10) | 279.0 (14) | 4 | |
 | OFFENSE | 153.0 (12) | 190.0 (7) | 343.0 (9) | 1 |
| DEFENSE | 133.0 (12) | 211.0 (24) | 344.0 (19) | 1 |
Line: 49ers by 8
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers (1-1-0) | 0 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 36 |
| Denver Broncos (1-1-0) | 10 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 34 |
( 0- 7) DEN Jerry Simmons 18 yard pass from Charley Johnson (Jim Turner kick)
( 0-10) DEN Jim Turner 34 yard field goal
( 0-13) DEN Jim Turner 28 yard field goal
( 3-13) SF Bruce Gossett 22 yard field goal
(10-13) SF Jimmy Thomas 5 yard rush (Bruce Gossett kick)
(17-13) SF John Brodie 1 yard rush (Bruce Gossett kick)
(20-13) SF Bruce Gossett 39 yard field goal
(23-13) SF Bruce Gossett 14 yard field goal
(30-13) SF Vic Washington 1 yard rush (Bruce Gossett kick)
(30-20) DEN Floyd Little 1 yard rush (Jim Turner kick)
(33-20) SF Bruce Gossett 46 yard field goal
(33-27) DEN Gene Washington 19 yard pass from Charley Johnson (Jim Turner kick)
(33-34) DEN Floyd Little 1 yard rush (Jim Turner kick)
(36-34) SF Bruce Gossett 39 yard field goal
SF DEN
First Downs: 16 22
Rushes-yards: 39-135 32-115
Yards/rush: 3.5 3.6
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-35-212-1 17-36-240-5
Sacked-yards: 0-0 0-0
Net pass yards: 212 240
Net yards/pass: 6.1 6.7
Total net yards: 347 355
Total plays: 74 (52% run) 68 (47% run)
Yards/play: 4.7 5.2
Fumbles-lost: 2-0 3-1
Turnovers: 1 6
Penalties-yards: 8-73 4-32
Attendance: 51,706
Passing:
SF: John Brodie, 13 of 34 for 164 yards (1 int); John Isenbarger, 1 of 1 for 48 yards DEN: Charley Johnson, 16 of 35 for 212 yards and 2 TDs (5 int); Bobby Anderson, 1 of 1 for 28 yards
Rushing:
SF: Vic Washington, 16 for 41 yards and 1 TD; Larry Schreiber, 12 for 46 yards; Jimmy Thomas, 6 for 27 yards and 1 TD; John Brodie, 4 for 14 yards and 1 TD; Doug Cunningham, 1 for 7 yards DEN: Floyd Little, 17 for 62 yards and 2 TDs; Joe Dawkins, 8 for 24 yards; Bobby Anderson, 6 for 26 yards; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 3 yards
Receiving:
SF: Larry Schreiber, 3 for 34 yards; Vic Washington, 3 for 29 yards; John Isenbarger, 3 for 6 yards; Ted Kwalick, 2 for 67 yards; Gene Washington, 2 for 10 yards; Jimmy Thomas, 1 for 66 yards DEN: Haven Moses, 4 for 53 yards; Floyd Little, 4 for 42 yards; Gene Washington, 3 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Riley Odoms, 2 for 37 yards; Jerry Simmons, 2 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Billy Masters, 1 for 28 yards; Joe Dawkins, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
SF: Ralph McGill, 2 for 36 yards DEN: Otis Armstrong, 2 for 46 yards; Fred Forsberg, 1 for 12 yards
Punt returns:
SF: Bruce Taylor, 1 for 12 yards; Ralph McGill, 1 for 1 yard DEN: Bill Thompson, 3 for 53 yards
Interceptions:
SF: Jimmy Johnson, 2 for 45 yards; Bruce Taylor, 2 for 0 yards; Skip Vanderbundt, 1 for 7 yards DEN: Bill Laskey, 1 for 3 yards
Punting:
SF: Tom Wittum, 6 for 276 yards DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 4 for 143 yards
Field Goals:
SF: Bruce Gossett, 5/5 DEN: Jim Turner, 2/2
SF: John Brodie, 13 of 34 for 164 yards (1 int); John Isenbarger, 1 of 1 for 48 yards DEN: Charley Johnson, 16 of 35 for 212 yards and 2 TDs (5 int); Bobby Anderson, 1 of 1 for 28 yards
Rushing:
SF: Vic Washington, 16 for 41 yards and 1 TD; Larry Schreiber, 12 for 46 yards; Jimmy Thomas, 6 for 27 yards and 1 TD; John Brodie, 4 for 14 yards and 1 TD; Doug Cunningham, 1 for 7 yards DEN: Floyd Little, 17 for 62 yards and 2 TDs; Joe Dawkins, 8 for 24 yards; Bobby Anderson, 6 for 26 yards; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 3 yards
Receiving:
SF: Larry Schreiber, 3 for 34 yards; Vic Washington, 3 for 29 yards; John Isenbarger, 3 for 6 yards; Ted Kwalick, 2 for 67 yards; Gene Washington, 2 for 10 yards; Jimmy Thomas, 1 for 66 yards DEN: Haven Moses, 4 for 53 yards; Floyd Little, 4 for 42 yards; Gene Washington, 3 for 39 yards and 1 TD; Riley Odoms, 2 for 37 yards; Jerry Simmons, 2 for 35 yards and 1 TD; Billy Masters, 1 for 28 yards; Joe Dawkins, 1 for 6 yards
Kick returns:
SF: Ralph McGill, 2 for 36 yards DEN: Otis Armstrong, 2 for 46 yards; Fred Forsberg, 1 for 12 yards
Punt returns:
SF: Bruce Taylor, 1 for 12 yards; Ralph McGill, 1 for 1 yard DEN: Bill Thompson, 3 for 53 yards
Interceptions:
SF: Jimmy Johnson, 2 for 45 yards; Bruce Taylor, 2 for 0 yards; Skip Vanderbundt, 1 for 7 yards DEN: Bill Laskey, 1 for 3 yards
Punting:
SF: Tom Wittum, 6 for 276 yards DEN: Billy Van Heusen, 4 for 143 yards
Field Goals:
SF: Bruce Gossett, 5/5 DEN: Jim Turner, 2/2