Every 1972 NFL race charted week by week: AFC Central, AFC East, AFC West, AFC Wild Card, NFC Central, NFC East, NFC West and NFC Wild Card. Final standings, from a season that ran September 17 to December 17, 1972.
Loading season data…
AFC Central standings, 1972
Team
W
L
T
Pct
GB
L10
Streak
Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT)y
11
3
0
.786
-
9-1
W4
Cleveland Browns (CLE)x
10
4
0
.714
1
8-2
W2
Cincinnati Bengals (CIN)
8
6
0
.571
3
5-5
W1
Houston Oilers (HOU)
1
13
0
.071
10
0-10
L11
Final standings.
Clinch key
x
clinched a playoff place
y
clinched the division
Turning points
The lead changed hands twice.
The Pittsburgh Steelers trailed by as many as 1 game in Week 2.
The Pittsburgh Steelers took first place for good in Week 12.
The Cleveland Browns won 6 games in a row from Week 6 to Week 11, the longest run of the race.
The Cincinnati Bengals led by 1 game as late as Week 5.
The Pittsburgh Steelers went 7-1 from Week 4 to Week 12, turning a deficit of 1 game into a lead of 1 game.
Three teams held first place.
The Pittsburgh Steelers spent 11 of the season's 14 charted weeks in first place.