I bet Boeing are now wishing they had lengthened the landing gear legs - to allow larger diameter fan engines to fit underneath, instead of forward of the wings - or brought in a FBW system (certainly in pitch), on the 73.
Or better still, started again: Boeing 797: a 150 -200 seat modern jet?
Saving money by not developing the above is, unfortunately, going to cost them many, many times more than that.