1992 NFL season

The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.

Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that weekend off. This marked the first time since the 1966 NFL season and the AFL seasons of 1966 and 1967 that there were byes in week 1; in those years, byes were necessary every week since there were an odd number of teams (this would happen again between 1999 and 2001).

Atlanta opened the Georgia Dome.

The season ended with Super Bowl XXVII when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills 52-17 at the Rose Bowl. This would be the third of the Bills four Super Bowl losses.

Major rule changes

• The NFL ceases to use the instant replay system that was in effect since the 1986 NFL season to review questionable on-field calls. Instant replay would not return to the league until the 1999 NFL season.
• To reduce injuries, any offensive player who is lined up in the backfield before the snap cannot chop block a defensive player who is already engaged above the waist by another offensive player.

Final regular season standings

There was an unusual deviation between good teams and bad teams in the NFL in 1992. Only one team, the Denver Broncos; finished with eight wins and eight losses, nine teams had at least 11 wins, and eight teams had at least 11 losses. Only six teams had between seven, eight or nine wins in 1992.

W = Wins, L = Losses, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

Clinched playoff seeds are marked in parentheses and shaded in green. No ties occurred this season.

Tiebreakers

• Pittsburgh was the top AFC playoff seed, and Miami was the second AFC playoff seed ahead of San Diego, based on conference (10–2 to Dolphins' 9–3 to Chargers' 9–5).
• Miami finished ahead of Buffalo in the AFC East based on better conference record (9–3 to Bills' 7–5).
• Houston was the second AFC Wild Card based on head-to-head victory over Kansas City (1–0).
• Washington was the third NFC Wild Card based on better conference record than Green Bay (7–5 to Packers' 6–6).
• Tampa Bay finished ahead of Chicago and Detroit in the NFC Central based on better conference record (5–9 to Bears' 4–8 and Lions' 3–9).
• Atlanta finished ahead of L.A. Rams in the NFC West based on better record against common opponents (5–7 to Rams' 4–8).

Playoffs

* Indicates overtime victory; see The Comeback (American football)

Awards

External links

• 1992 team efficiency ratings and Commentary at Football Outsiders

References

• NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
• NFL History 1991–2000 (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
• Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
• 1992 NFL season at Pro-Football Reference