Owner John Mecom, Jr. Start date 1983 | Record 8–8 Playoff finish did not qualify Home field Mercedes-Benz Superdome | |
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Similar 1975 New Orleans Saints se, 1979 New Orleans Saints se, 1973 New Orleans Saints se, 1968 New Orleans Saints se, 1994 New Orleans Saints se | ||
The 1983 New Orleans Saints season was the team's 17th as a member of the National Football League. They improved on their previous season's output of 4–5, winning eight games. Despite the improvement, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the seventeenth consecutive season. With an 8-7 record going into the final game of the season at the Superdome against the Los Angeles Rams, the Saints, with a win, would have finished with their first winning season and their first playoff berth. However, Rams kicker Mike Lansford kicked a 42-yard field goal with :06 left to defeat the Saints 26-24, and advance to the playoffs. Other than that field goal, the Rams did not score a single point on offense, instead scoring via a punt return for a touchdown, two interception returns for touchdowns, and a safety.