NFL game summary for 10/07/1973:
Randy Vataha sped 46 yards for a clinching touchdown after recovering a teammate's fumble and John Tarver scored on two short runs to give Patriots' coach Chuck Fairbanks his first NFL win. Rookie Bert Jones rallied the Colts with a 22-yard TD pass to Cotton Speyrer and had the ball on the Patriots' 36 when New England held on downs with five seconds left. George Hunt booted three FGs for the Colts.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 154.0 (11) | 94.3 (23) | 248.3 (22) | 14 |
| DEFENSE | 105.7 (5) | 189.3 (23) | 295.0 (15) | 6 | |
 | OFFENSE | 96.7 (23) | 188.3 (6) | 285.0 (12) | 9 |
| DEFENSE | 270.0 (26) | 102.7 (3) | 372.7 (24) | 4 |
Line: Even
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Colts (1-3-0) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 16 |
| New England Patriots (1-3-0) | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
( 0- 3) NE Jeff White 40 yard field goal ( 3- 3) BAL George Hunt 38 yard field goal ( 3-10) NE John Tarver 1 yard rush (Jeff White kick) ( 6-10) BAL George Hunt 27 yard field goal ( 6-17) NE John Tarver 3 yard rush (Jeff White kick) ( 9-17) BAL George Hunt 38 yard field goal ( 9-24) NE Randy Vataha 46 yard fumble return (Jeff White kick) (16-24) BAL Cotton Speyrer 22 yard pass from Bert Jones (George Hunt kick)
BAL NE
First Downs: 11 19
Rushes-yards: 36-111 43-146
Yards/rush: 3.1 3.4
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 8-19-109-0 6-13-73-0
Sacked-yards: 3-28 3-28
Net pass yards: 81 45
Net yards/pass: 3.7 2.8
Total net yards: 192 191
Total plays: 58 (62% run) 59 (72% run)
Yards/play: 3.3 3.2
Fumbles-lost: 1-1 8-3
Turnovers: 1 3
Penalties-yards: 3-32 4-46
Attendance: 57,044
Passing:
BAL: Bert Jones, 8 of 19 for 109 yards and 1 TD NE: Jim Plunkett, 6 of 13 for 73 yards
Rushing:
BAL: Don McCauley, 15 for 36 yards; Lydell Mitchell, 14 for 42 yards; Bert Jones, 3 for 11 yards; Hubert Ginn, 2 for 11 yards; Jack Mildren, 1 for 10 yards; Glenn Doughty, 1 for 1 yard NE: Josh Ashton, 15 for 45 yards; John Tarver, 14 for 55 yards and 2 TDs; Sam Cunningham, 6 for 7 yards; Mack Herron, 4 for 17 yards; Jim Plunkett, 3 for 9 yards; Darryl Stingley, 1 for 13 yards
Receiving:
BAL: Don McCauley, 3 for 23 yards; Glenn Doughty, 1 for 48 yards; Cotton Speyrer, 1 for 22 yards and 1 TD; Lydell Mitchell, 1 for 9 yards; Raymond Chester, 1 for 4 yards; Hubert Ginn, 1 for 3 yards NE: Reggie Rucker, 3 for 36 yards; Bob Windsor, 1 for 18 yards; Josh Ashton, 1 for 14 yards; John Tarver, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
BAL: Hubert Ginn, 3 for 56 yards; John Andrews, 1 for 13 yards NE: Mack Herron, 3 for 82 yards; Bob Windsor, 1 for 0 yards
Punt returns:
BAL: Bruce Laird, 3 for 5 yards NE: Mack Herron, 3 for 80 yards; Sandy Durko, 1 for 5 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
BAL: David Lee, 5 for 235 yards NE: Bruce Barnes, 4 for 132 yards
Field Goals:
BAL: George Hunt, 3/3 NE: Jeff White, 1/2
BAL: Bert Jones, 8 of 19 for 109 yards and 1 TD NE: Jim Plunkett, 6 of 13 for 73 yards
Rushing:
BAL: Don McCauley, 15 for 36 yards; Lydell Mitchell, 14 for 42 yards; Bert Jones, 3 for 11 yards; Hubert Ginn, 2 for 11 yards; Jack Mildren, 1 for 10 yards; Glenn Doughty, 1 for 1 yard NE: Josh Ashton, 15 for 45 yards; John Tarver, 14 for 55 yards and 2 TDs; Sam Cunningham, 6 for 7 yards; Mack Herron, 4 for 17 yards; Jim Plunkett, 3 for 9 yards; Darryl Stingley, 1 for 13 yards
Receiving:
BAL: Don McCauley, 3 for 23 yards; Glenn Doughty, 1 for 48 yards; Cotton Speyrer, 1 for 22 yards and 1 TD; Lydell Mitchell, 1 for 9 yards; Raymond Chester, 1 for 4 yards; Hubert Ginn, 1 for 3 yards NE: Reggie Rucker, 3 for 36 yards; Bob Windsor, 1 for 18 yards; Josh Ashton, 1 for 14 yards; John Tarver, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
BAL: Hubert Ginn, 3 for 56 yards; John Andrews, 1 for 13 yards NE: Mack Herron, 3 for 82 yards; Bob Windsor, 1 for 0 yards
Punt returns:
BAL: Bruce Laird, 3 for 5 yards NE: Mack Herron, 3 for 80 yards; Sandy Durko, 1 for 5 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
BAL: David Lee, 5 for 235 yards NE: Bruce Barnes, 4 for 132 yards
Field Goals:
BAL: George Hunt, 3/3 NE: Jeff White, 1/2