1966: Stofa Throws for 4 TDs as Dolphins Defeat Oilers

The Miami Dolphins were finishing up their inaugural AFL season as they hosted the Houston Oilers on December 18, 1966. As was typical of expansion teams, the Dolphins struggled and had lost six straight games to be 2-11 heading into the last week. Head Coach George Wilson, who once guided the Lions to a NFL title, had some talent to work with, especially in the defensive backfield. TE Dave Kocurek, formerly of the Chargers, was an able veteran and HB Joe Auer showed all-purpose skill, but fullback was a chronic problem and Cookie Gilchrist, who arrived at midseason, was an established talent but also, at age 31, showing wear. Quarterback was the biggest problem of all, and injuries had severely depleted the position.  Ex-Jet Dick Wood started the year, but completed only 36 percent of his passes and yielded to first draft choice Rick Norton, who went down with a broken jaw, and the coach’s son, George Wilson Jr., who led the team to two wins before being sidelined.

QB John Stofa (pictured above) had been unheralded coming out of the Univ. at Buffalo in 1964, but performed well with minor league teams. He had tried out with the Dolphins, but was let go after two weeks in training camp, failed in a further trial with the Steelers in the NFL, and started the season with the Lakeland Brahmans of the North American Football League while teaching school on the side. He had good size at 6’3” and 210 and performed impressively for the Brahmans, throwing for 2029 yards and 23 touchdowns (including 451 yards and 7 TDs in one game against the hapless Chattanooga Redskins) before being re-signed by Miami. Now, with Wood unable to play due to a rib injury, Stofa was getting a chance to start in the finale.

The Oilers, coached for the second time around by Wally Lemm, were having their problems and had lost to the Dolphins in their previous meeting, the first of seven straight defeats that had them arriving in Miami with a 3-10 tally. Houston started off the year with a veteran-laden roster, and now younger players were getting an opportunity. Most notably, third-year QB Don Trull was finally starting ahead of 39-year-old George Blanda, and rookie FB Hoyle Granger was seeing more action in place of Charley Tolar and John Henry Johnson, aged 29 and 37, respectively.

There were 20,045 fans in attendance at the Orange Bowl with weather in the 70s. The Oilers had the first possession and punted. After Cookie Gilchrist ran twice for a net of zero yardage, John Stofa completed his first three passes before giving up an interception to FS Jim Norton.

Houston again had to punt and the Dolphins reached Oilers’ territory thanks to a 20-yard run by Joe Auer and a Stofa pass to Dave Kocurek for 11 yards. But after getting to the Houston 36, Stofa was sacked by DE Gary Cutsinger for a loss of 11 yards and the Dolphins punted.

HB Ode Burrell  (pictured at right) returned the kick 29 yards to the Houston 41 and it took just three plays to travel the remaining 59 yards. Don Trull threw to Hoyle Granger, who picked up 25 yards, Burrell ran for seven, and then Trull connected once more with Granger, who went 27 yards for a touchdown. George Blanda added the extra point and the visitors took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Dolphins went three-and-out on their next possession, with Stofa chased out of bounds for a 19-yard loss on one play, and a fake punt by George Wilson Jr. picked up 16 yards and gave up the ball to Houston at the Miami 34. Trull completed a third down pass to TE Bob Poole for 10 yards, FB John Henry Johnson ran for another 10, and Trull then threw to flanker Larry Elkins for an 11-yard TD. Blanda’s point after put the Oilers further ahead by 14-0.

Down by two touchdowns, the Dolphins responded with an 80-yard drive in nine plays. Following four running plays, Stofa connected on passes to Gilchrist for 18 yards, split end Karl Noonan for 12, and FB Billy Joe for 12 yards to the Houston 27. After a carry by Gilchrist gained nothing, Stofa went to the air again and it was complete to Auer for a 27-yard touchdown. Miami faked a kick for the conversion and Wilson, the holder as well as backup quarterback and punter, threw to Joe for two points, making it a 14-8 tally.

A short possession by the Oilers was followed by a punt, giving the Dolphins the ball at midfield. Auer ran for seven yards, but Stofa missed on two passes and Gene Mingo’s 50-yard field goal attempt was short. Houston regained possession with 2:10 left in the first half and advanced 90 yards. Trull completed passes to Burrell for 34 and 30 yards and to TE Bob McLeod for a two-yard TD with nine seconds remaining on the clock. Blanda’s PAT made the halftime score 21-8.

The Dolphins had the ball first in the third quarter and Stofa completed three passes, one to Auer for 17 yards who also had a 21-yard gain on a running play around end. A facemask penalty on the Oilers and a four-yard run by Auer got the ball to the Houston nine, but Stofa’s pass intended for Gilchrist was picked off by LB Ronnie Caveness. The Oilers were only able to reach their 31 before punting, and the Dolphins punted it back after a short possession.

With Burrell and Granger carrying the load on the ground, Houston made it just past midfield before having to try for a long field goal. Blanda’s attempt from 53 yards failed and the Dolphins scored again in three plays. Stofa threw to flanker Frank Jackson for 20 yards, Gilchrist rushed for six, and another throw to Jackson was good for a 48-yard touchdown. Mingo kicked the point after and Houston’s lead was cut to 21-15.

Miami got the ball back quickly when, on the second play following the ensuing kickoff, CB Jimmy Warren intercepted a Trull pass. As the game moved into the fourth quarter, the Dolphins were unable to get any farther than the Houston 47 and punted.

The Oilers drove 80 yards in 12 plays. Trull (pictured at left) had completions to McLeod for 13 yards, split end Charley Frazier for 11 yards, and McLeod again for 34, and Granger ran effectively. After a nine-yard carry by Johnson got the ball to the Miami one, Trull kept the ball himself to gain the final yard for a TD. Blanda added the PAT and the visitors again had a substantial lead of 28-15 with 6:15 remaining to play.

On the next Miami series, Stofa filled the air with passes, completing five of them. Noonan had two catches, the longest for 13 yards to convert a third down, and Gilchrist grabbed one for 20 yards. Stofa picked up 14 yards on a run to the Houston nine, but it appeared that it was all for naught when four straight passes fell incomplete. However, the last one drew a defensive holding penalty and on the next play, Stofa threw to TE Bill Cronin for a four-yard touchdown. Mingo added the extra point and the score was now 28-22 with three minutes to go.

The Oilers went three-and-out on their next series and, with the clock now down to 1:56, the Dolphins took over at their 45 following the resulting punt. An incompletion was followed by a 22-yard gain on a Stofa screen pass to Gilchrist. But Stofa was then sacked by DT Ernie Ladd and DE Don Floyd and a completion to Gilchrist lost another five yards. Facing third-and-23, Stofa connected with Jackson for 39 yards for a first down at the Houston 14. From there, and with the enthusiastic crowd cheering him on, Stofa completed his fourth touchdown pass, connecting with Auer, and Mingo added the all-important conversion that put the home team ahead by a point.

There were still 33 seconds remaining as the Oilers got the ball once more, but they were unable to get out of their end of the field and Miami came away the winner by a score of 29-28. 

The Dolphins led in total yards (417 to 307) and first downs (25 to 20). Each team recorded three sacks, turned the ball over two times, and drew five penalties. The decision to go for two points after the first touchdown proved fortuitous for the Dolphins.

John Stofa completed 22 of 38 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. Joe Auer (pictured at right) rushed for 87 yards on 13 carries and also had four catches for 71 yards and two TDs. Cookie Gilchrist led the Dolphins with 6 pass receptions for 60 yards and also gained 23 yards on 9 rushing attempts. Frank Jackson accumulated 110 yards on four catches that included a score. On defense, DT Al Dotson and FS Willie West each had ten tackles.

For the Oilers, Don Trull was successful on 12 of 24 throws for 215 yards and three TDs while being intercepted once. Hoyle Granger ran for 46 yards on 8 carries and added another 52 yards and a touchdown on his two receptions while Ode Burrell picked up 45 yards on 9 rushes and gained 73 yards on three catches. Bob McLeod had four receptions that were good for 58 yards and a score.    

“He was great!” exclaimed Dick Wood about John Stofa. “All along I thought he was great. He’s big, has a strong arm, and throws well.”

While Purdue QB Bob Griese was drafted in the first round for 1967, Stofa parlayed his season-ending success into the starting job for the opening game. However, a broken ankle in the first quarter ended his season and Griese, pressed into service, was impressive. Stofa was traded to yet another expansion team, the Cincinnati Bengals, for 1968 and saw his most extensive AFL action with them. Released after the season, he returned to Miami to back up Griese for two years. Ultimately, he passed for 1758 yards and 12 touchdowns, giving up 11 interceptions, with the Dolphins and Bengals.

The season-ending win for the Dolphins put them in a tie with Houston for fourth place in the AFL Eastern Division at 3-11. Miami marginally improved to 4-10 in 1967, while the Oilers jumped all the way to first place with a 9-4-1 record, fueled by an outstanding defense and the good running of Hoyle Granger. However, Don Trull proved deficient as the starting quarterback and lost the job to Pete Beathard, who was obtained from the Chiefs.

Rookie of the Year: Bobby Burnett, 1966

Halfback, Buffalo Bills

Age:  23

College: Arkansas

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 208

Prelude:

A college tailback who rushed for 1282 yards, including 947 as a senior, Burnett was taken by the Bills in the fourth round of the 1966 AFL draft (as well as in the 10^th round of the NFL draft by the Chicago Bears). While fast, he lacked experience as a blocker, but made a quick adjustment to the pro game and moved into the starting backfield.

1966 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 187 [3]

Most attempts, game – 27 (for 138 yds.) vs. San Diego 10/16

Yards – 766 [4]

Most yards, game – 138 yards (on 27 carries) vs. San Diego 10/16

Average gain – 4.1 [8]

TDs – 4 [10, tied with four others]

100-yard rushing games – 1

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 34 [18]          

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 54 yds.) vs. Boston 10/8, (for 25 yds.) at NY Jets 10/30

Yards – 419

Most yards, game – 82 (on 3 catches) at Oakland 11/24

Average gain – 12.3

TDs – 4 [13, tied with nine others]

Scoring

TDs – 8 [11, tied with four others]

Points – 48 [20, tied with four others]

Postseason: 1 G (AFL Championship vs. Kansas City)

Rushing attempts – 3

Rushing yards – 6

Average gain rushing – 2.0

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 6

Pass receiving yards – 127

Average yards per reception – 21.2

Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:

AFL Rookie of the Year: UPI

1^st team All-AFL: NY Daily News

2^nd team All-AFL: League, AP, NEA, UPI

AFL All-Star Game

Bills went 9-4-1 to finish first in the AFL Eastern Division. Lost AFL Championship to Kansas City Chiefs (31-7).

Aftermath:

Burnett suffered cracked ribs during training camp in 1967 and then a major knee injury during a season in which he was limited to 96 rushing yards and 11 pass receptions. He was chosen by the Cincinnati Bengals in the expansion draft for the 1968 season but, with his knee still in recovery, Burnett never played for them. He joined the Denver Broncos for 1969, lasted three games, and retired, with the knee injury having effectively ended his pro career after the outstanding rookie campaign. Beyond his rookie statistics, he gained just 105 yards on 50 carries (2.1 avg.) and caught 11 passes for 114 yards, scoring no further touchdowns.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

1967: Chiefs Overcome Bills for AFL Championship

The Buffalo Bills, winners of two consecutive American Football League championships, were looking to make it three as they faced the Kansas City Chiefs on January 1, 1967. In this first season since the merger between the NFL and AFL was announced in June of 1966, a further honor would go to the game’s winner, as the champions of the two leagues were to meet for the first time in what was already being unofficially referred to as a “Super Bowl”.

The Bills had won titles in 1964 and ’65 with Lou Saban as head coach, but he had departed and been replaced by Joel Collier for 1966. QB Jack Kemp struggled with a sore arm, but was still an outstanding leader and field general, and the club ran the ball effectively with Rookie of the Year HB Bobby Burnett and FB Wray Carlton. The defense continued to be the team’s bedrock and allowed the fewest points in the AFL. Buffalo topped the Eastern Division with a 9-4-1 record, just beating out the Patriots.

Kansas City, coached by the innovative Hank Stram, had a fine veteran quarterback in Len Dawson (pictured above) and had also benefited from the addition of a talented rookie in the backfield, HB Mike Garrett, the Heisman Trophy winner out of USC. Otis Taylor emerged as an excellent flanker in his second year.  The defense contained all-league performers in DE Jerry Mays, DT Buck Buchanon, LB Bobby Bell, and FS Johnny Robinson. The Chiefs placed first in the Western Division at 11-2-1.

There were 42,080 fans in attendance at War Memorial Stadium on a cold and wet day in Buffalo. Bills DT Dudley Meredith fumbled the short opening kickoff, giving the Chiefs the ball at the Buffalo 29. Three plays later, Kansas City gained the initial advantage when Len Dawson passed to TE Fred Arbanas for a 29-yard touchdown.

Buffalo struck back quickly, however, with Jack Kemp throwing to flanker Elbert Dubenion (pictured at left) for a 69-yard TD. Booth Lusteg’s extra point tied the score at 7-7. The Bills blitzed Dawson heavily, and the KC quarterback was forced to audible often as the game settled into a defensive battle.

Early in the second quarter, Mike Garrett returned a punt to the Buffalo 45 and, following a couple of runs plus a toss to Arbanas (who was knocked out of the game with a shoulder separation on the play), Dawson fired off a pass just before being hit by LB Harry Jacobs that Otis Taylor caught for a 29-yard touchdown. Mike Mercer added his second PAT of the game and the Chiefs were back up by seven points in the second quarter.

On Kansas City’s next series, the Bills missed an opportunity when CB Tom Janik failed to intercept a poorly thrown Dawson pass with open field in front of him at the KC 21. The score remained 14-7 in favor of the visitors.

A key turn of events occurred with time running down in the half. Kemp completed two passes to Bobby Burnett that picked up 50 yards to the KC 12, and seemed to be on the verge of evening the score once again. But two plays later, Kemp’s throw into the end zone intended for split end Bobby Crockett was intercepted by Johnny Robinson, who returned it 72 yards to the Buffalo 28. Mercer kicked a 32-yard field goal with three seconds left on the clock and, instead of the game potentially being tied, the Chiefs went into halftime with a 17-7 lead.

The contest had been competitive in the first half, but the Chiefs took control in the second half, utilizing their running game effectively. Kansas City used the I-formation to good effect, with Mike Garrett (pictured at right) and FB Curtis McClinton lining up directly behind Dawson and not shifting until just before the snap. The third quarter was scoreless as both defenses asserted themselves, with the Chiefs putting particularly heavy pressure on Kemp.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Chiefs took possession at their 37 and drove 63 yards in seven plays, the biggest one a Dawson throw to split end Chris Burford for 45 yards to the Buffalo four. Garrett plunged for the final yard and the visitors extended their lead to 24-7 with nine minutes remaining.

Buffalo mounted a drive in response but SS Bobby Hunt recovered a fumble by end Glenn Bass, who was hit hard by CB Fred “The Hammer” Williamson, and returned it to the Bills’ 21. Three plays later, Garrett took a handoff, reversed field twice, and broke away for an 18-yard touchdown that clinched the game for the Chiefs.

The Bills fought back, but continued to come up empty. Kemp’s last pass of the game was picked off by DB Emmitt Thomas and Kansas City won by a final score of 31-7.

The Chiefs had the edge in total yards (277 to 255) and first downs (14 to 9) in what was largely a defensive struggle. Buffalo recorded nine sacks, to four by Kansas City, but the Bills turned the ball over four times, to none by KC.

Len Dawson completed 16 of 24 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, and ran the ball five times for 28 yards. Otis Taylor had 5 catches for 78 yards and a TD and Chris Burford contributed 76 yards on his four receptions. Mike Garrett rushed for 39 yards on 13 carries that included the two fourth quarter touchdowns and also caught four passes for 16 yards. Curtis McClinton added 38 yards on 11 rushing attempts.

For the Bills, Jack Kemp was successful on 12 of 27 throws for 253 yards and a TD while giving up two interceptions. Wray Carlton ran for 31 yards on 9 carries and while Bobby Burnett (pictured at left) gained only six yards on three running attempts, he caught 6 passes for 127 yards. Elbert Dubenion, with the long early TD, had 79 yards on his two pass receptions.

“Our game plan was to throw first and run second, and we used 10 to 12 formations off the I,” explained Coach Hank Stram.

“Our new formation really fooled them,” added Len Dawson. “Buffalo is a great team at reading regular formations. They seem to know where every play is going and this can kill you. But today we fooled them.”

Two weeks later, the Chiefs met the NFL Champion Green Bay Packers in what was officially dubbed the AFL-NFL World Championship Game, but would retroactively be called Super Bowl I. Kansas City kept it close for a half before the Packers asserted their dominance and won by a 35-10 score. The Chiefs dropped to second place in the Western Division with a 9-5 record in 1967, but tied for first in ’68 and won the last AFL title (as well as Super Bowl IV) in 1969.

The loss in the AFL Championship game marked the end of an era for Buffalo. The Bills, despite efforts to retool the roster through trades, dropped to 4-10 in ’67. They would not post another winning record until 1973 and next appeared in a postseason game in ’74. 

1966: Dolphins Defeat Broncos for Franchise’s First Win

As an American Football League expansion team, the Miami Dolphins were going through the typical growing pains in their inaugural season. They were 0-5 as they hosted the Denver Broncos on October 16, 1966. Head Coach George Wilson’s team was the usual first-year grouping of unwanted veterans and inexperienced young players. Quarterback was a problem area as veteran Dick Wood was found wanting and the coach’s son, George Wilson Jr., was getting a shot. Fullback was another problem area, as Billy Joe (pictured above), formerly of the Broncos and Bills, did not appear to be the answer. Coach Wilson had considered starting ex-Bears FB Rick Casares, but he missed the team’s Saturday practice and lost his starting chance. The defense had been the more impressive unit thus far, but even then the new team had suffered some bad defeats.

The Broncos were 7.5-point favorites coming into the game, although they were hardly any better. They were 1-4 and had already undergone a coaching change with Mac Speedie resigning after the second game and assistant coach Ray Malavasi taking his place. They also had problems at quarterback, where injury-prone John McCormick was starting. HB Abner Haynes’ best years were behind him, as were split end Lionel Taylor’s, and they were missing FB Cookie Gilchrist, highly productive in 1965 but who was holding out (and, as rumored at the time of the game in Miami, was about to be dealt to the Dolphins). The team that seemed constantly to be in rebuilding mode had 17 rookies on the roster.

There were 23,393 fans in attendance at the Orange Bowl. The teams traded punts to start the first quarter. On their second series, a well-executed screen pass from George Wilson Jr. to Billy Joe resulted in a 67-yard touchdown. Gene Mingo added the extra point to give the Dolphins the early 7-0 lead.

It immediately got worse for the Broncos when Abner Haynes fumbled the ensuing kickoff and TE Bill Cronin recovered for the Dolphins at the Denver 20. Three plays later, Mingo added more points with a 25-yard field goal.

Neither team was able to move effectively until the Broncos got a break when Miami HB Joe Auer fumbled the ball away at his own 22. John McCormick completed a pass to TE Al Denson and Haynes finished off the ensuing series with a five-yard touchdown carry. Gary Kroner added the extra point to narrow Miami’s lead to 10-7.

Heading into the second quarter, neither team was able to get out of its own end of the field. The Dolphins nearly scored again on a long carry by Joe in the second quarter, but a 62-yard run down the sideline was nullified by an illegal use of hands penalty. However, three plays later Miami got another big play when Wilson threw to flanker John Roderick for a 64-yard gain to the Denver six, but another Auer fumble that LB Archie Matsos recovered for the Broncos ended their chance to score again.

Neither team moved the ball to start the third quarter and Denver’s second series concluded with McCormick being intercepted by LB Tom Erlandson, giving the Dolphins possession at the Broncos’ 37. On the second play, Wilson took off for a 19-yard run and six plays later Auer scored a touchdown from a yard out. Mingo’s PAT extended the home team’s lead to 17-7.

The Broncos again fumbled the ball away on the ensuing kickoff, but the Dolphins fumbled it back to them two plays later. 38-year-old QB Tobin Rote relieved McCormick. Rote had played for Miami’s Coach Wilson in Detroit, made successful stops in the CFL and San Diego in the intervening years, and was lured out of retirement by the Broncos.  With the old pro at the helm, the Broncos reached the Miami 49 before Rote was sacked on consecutive plays for losses totaling 18 yards. Denver once again had to punt the ball away as the game entered the fourth quarter.

Both teams remained stymied on offense and McCormick re-entered the game, only to be intercepted on consecutive possessions by CB Dick Westmoreland. The second gave the Dolphins the ball at the Denver 16 and, four plays later, Auer ran for another TD from three yards out. With less than two minutes remaining on the clock, it only served to further bury the visitors as Miami came away with a 24-7 win.

In a game in which both teams had difficulty sustaining drives, the Dolphins outgained Denver (217 yards to 118) although the Broncos had the edge in first downs (11 to 10). Denver turned the ball over six times, to four suffered by Miami, and the Dolphins, who had recorded only two sacks in their previous games, had five, as opposed to three by the Broncos.

George Wilson Jr. (pictured below, handing off to Joe Auer) completed 9 of 18 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown with one intercepted; he also rushed for 21 yards on three carries. Billy Joe had only 15 rushing yards on 11 attempts, but caught three passes for 60 yards and the big first quarter touchdown. TE Dave Kocurek had four catches for 46 yards while John Roderick led the Dolphins in receiving yards with 64 on his lone reception. Joe Auer rushed for 32 yards on 17 carries that included two touchdowns, but he also had problems with fumbling. Defensively, DE Ed Cook unofficially was in on three of the sacks, DT Al Dotson, recently reactivated, was in on two along with his eight tackles and three assists, and Dick Westmoreland had the two fourth quarter interceptions.

For the Broncos, John McCormick had a dismal passing performance as he was successful on just 9 of 25 throws for 90 yards and gave up four interceptions. Tobin Rote was one-of-two for 12 yards and was sacked four times. Abner Haynes gained 38 rushing yards on 14 carries that included a TD and also caught three passes for 28 yards. Lionel Taylor also had three pass receptions, for 45 yards.

“We felt we could win this one before the game and they went out and did a fine job,” said Coach George Wilson of his team in the jubilant locker room. “The defense was great. Billy Joe’s was the big play (the 67-yard touchdown in the first quarter). It was a hell of a call.”

“When you get a taste of honey, you’re like a snowball going downhill,” said an elated Billy Joe. “You can throw all those mistakes of the past out the window. We got the momentum now.”

The Dolphins won again the next week at Houston but lost the remainder of their games until the season finale to finish at 3-11 and tied with the Oilers at the bottom of the Eastern Division. Denver continued to struggle and ended up last in the Western Division with a 4-10 record.

George Wilson Jr. was the starting quarterback for two of Miami’s wins but went down with an injury. As it was, he completed only 41.1 percent of his passes for 764 yards with five touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Billy Joe, who fell by the wayside following Cookie Gilchrist’s arrival, rushed for 232 yards on 71 carries (3.3 avg.) and caught 13 passes for 116 yards and the long touchdown against the Broncos – his only one of the season. Joe Auer led the team in rushing with 416 yards, caught 22 passes for 263 more yards, and led the club with nine touchdowns.

1966: Namath Throws 5 TD Passes as Jets Rout Oilers

The New York Jets had made a big splash in 1965 when they signed QB Joe Namath (pictured at right) to a huge contract out of Alabama. The young quarterback had shown plenty of potential during his rookie season, but both he and Head Coach Weeb Ewbank’s Jets were still a work in progress. There was a solid veteran core with flanker Don Maynard, FB Bill Mathis, G Sam DeLuca, and LB Larry Grantham, and they were joined by talented younger players such as split end George Sauer, FB Matt Snell, OT Winston Hill, G Dave Herman, and C John Schmitt on offense and DE Verlon Biggs and MLB Al Atkinson on defense. Two 1966 rookies would have an immediate impact on the offense in HB Emerson Boozer, who brought much-needed outside speed, and TE Pete Lammons.

The Jets won their first game at Miami and were hosting the Houston Oilers for their home-opening contest on September 18, 1966. It seemed as though the Oilers would provide a good test, for they had already played two games and were off to a strong start. Wally Lemm had returned as head coach after a four-year hiatus with the NFL Cardinals. He first became coach during the 1961 season and led Houston to ten straight wins, including the AFL Championship game. Now he was looking to turn around a team that had endured three straight losing years. The Oilers still had 39-year-old George Blanda at quarterback and 31-year-old Charley Hennigan at flanker. But defense had dominated in the early going, most notably the line that contained 6’5”, 270-pound Pat Holmes, who had played four years in the CFL, and 6’9”, 315-pound ex-Charger Ernie Ladd at the tackle positions. Houston had soundly beaten Denver and Oakland by a combined score of 76-7 and was expected to give the Jets a tough contest.

There was a big crowd of 54,681 on hand at Shea Stadium for the battle of unbeaten teams. Houston scored first on a 49-yard field goal by Blanda. But Namath, who had hyper-extended his right knee when the two teams played in the preseason, set the tone with a 67-yard touchdown pass to Sauer in which he had plenty of time in the pocket.

In the second quarter, Blanda booted another field goal, from 30 yards, to narrow New York’s lead to 7-6. Late in the period the Jets put together an 85-yard drive in 11 plays. A screen pass to Matt Snell was good for a 25-yard TD to cap the series with just over two minutes remaining in the half.

The Jets weren’t done scoring before halftime, however, as Al Atkinson intercepted a Blanda pass at the Houston 33 on the first play following the ensuing kickoff. Namath threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Pete Lammons and the home team held a 21-6 lead at the intermission.

Less than two minutes into the third quarter, Namath tossed another scoring pass, this time to Don Maynard for 55 yards. The Jets had broken the game open in a span of four minutes of playing time, from the second to third quarters, and they were far from done. Namath threw another scoring pass to Maynard, this time covering 37 yards, and Jim Turner added a 32-yard field goal.

The Oilers didn’t penetrate deeper than the New York 30 until ten minutes into the third quarter. Blanda tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to HB Sid Blanks, but it was a case of too-little, too-late. The Jets took a 38-13 lead into the final period.

Backup QB Mike Taliaferro came in for Namath in the fourth quarter and New York scored twice more. Emerson Boozer ran for a 39-yard touchdown and Taliaferro tossed an 18-yard TD pass to TE Curley Johnson (his only catch of the year - he was better known as the team’s punter). The Jets came away with a very convincing 52-13 win.

New York’s offensive line did an outstanding job of neutralizing Ladd and Holmes, and thus exposed Houston’s weakness in the defensive backfield. Defensively, another newcomer to the Jets, veteran CB Johnny Sample, had two key interceptions – the first of them stopped Houston’s deepest penetration of the first half after the Oilers had reached the New York 30.

The Jets significantly outgained Houston (466 yards to 207) and had more first downs (23 to 16). The Oilers turned the ball over five times and suffered four quarterback sacks while New York didn’t turn the ball over at all and the line gave up no sacks.

Joe Namath didn’t complete a high percentage of his passes, hitting on 12 of 31 attempts, but they were good for 283 yards and five touchdowns with none intercepted. Don Maynard (pictured below) was the top receiver with 7 catches for 156 yards and two TDs. Matt Snell rushed for 67 yards on 15 carries and also caught two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown. Emerson Boozer added 49 yards on five attempts that included a TD.

For the Oilers, George Blanda was successful on 15 of 34 throws for 144 yards with a touchdown and four interceptions before being relieved by Don Trull. Sid Blanks didn’t accomplish much running the ball, with three carries for six yards, but was the team’s top receiver with 7 catches for 61 yards and a TD out of the backfield. Split end Charley Frazier gained 64 yards on his three receptions. FB Charley Tolar ran for 34 yards on 10 attempts.

“Our whole offensive line was great,” enthused Weeb Ewbank afterward. “You have to especially give Sam DeLuca and Dave Herman credit for keeping Ladd and Holmes out.”

“I’m not too pleased about my accuracy,” summed up Joe Namath. “I’m not satisfied with those statistics but we won and that’s important.”

The win over the Oilers put the Jets in first place in the Eastern Division and they were 4-0-1 before finally losing – at Houston, no less. That was the first of four straight defeats and five in six games as New York finished up at 6-6-2 and in third place.

The defeat at New York was the first ever for Wally Lemm as coach of the Oilers, but it would prove to be far from the last. They lost twice more before beating the Jets at home and didn’t win again the rest of the way, ending up at the bottom of the division along with the expansion Dolphins at 3-11. Don Trull replaced George Blanda as the starting quarterback during the second half of the year and that marked the beginning of a major housecleaning that swept away such stalwarts as Blanda, Charley Hennigan, and Charley Tolar after the season.

Joe Namath’s development was apparent as he led the AFL in pass attempts (471), completions (232), and yards (3379) while tossing 19 touchdown passes. However, he remained very much a developmental project as he also led the league by tossing 27 interceptions.

MVP Profile: Jim Nance, 1966

Fullback, Boston Patriots


Age: 24 (Dec. 30)
2nd season in pro football & with Patriots
College: Syracuse
Height: 6’1” Weight: 245

Prelude:
More successful as a heavyweight wrestler than a football player in college, Nance was chosen in the 19th round of the 1965 AFL draft by the Patriots (he was a fourth-round choice of the Bears in the NFL as well). His weight was up to 258 pounds (from 235 in college) when he joined Boston as a rookie (prompting Head Coach Mike Holovak to threaten to convert him into a guard) and he had a disappointing first year, rushing for 321 yards while averaging just 2.9 yards per carry in ‘65. However, he lost weight and gained the starting fullback job for 1966, and behind an improved offensive line.

1966 Season Summary
Appeared in all 14 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing
Attempts – 299 [1]
Most attempts, game - 38 (for 208 yds.) vs. Oakland 10/30
Yards – 1458 [1]
Most yards, game – 208 yards (on 38 carries) vs. Oakland 10/30
Average gain – 4.9 [3]
TDs – 11 [1]
200-yard rushing games – 1
100-yard rushing games – 8

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 8
Most receptions, game – 4 (for 67 yds.) at San Diego 9/10
Yards – 103
Most yards, game – 67 (on 4 catches) at San Diego 9/10
Average gain – 12.9
TDs – 0

All-Purpose Yards – 1561 [1]

Scoring
TDs – 11 [3, tied with Art Powell]
Points – 66 [10, tied with Art Powell]

Awards & Honors:
AFL Player of the Year: AP, UPI, Sporting News
1st team All-AFL: League, AP, NEA, NY Daily News, UPI
AFL All-Star Game

Patriots went 8-4-2 and finished a close second in the AFL Eastern Division while placing second in the league in rushing (1963 yards).

Aftermath:
Nance again led the AFL with 1216 yards rushing in 1967 and was a consensus first-team All-AFL selection as well as selectee to the AFL All-Star game, but the team’s record dropped to 3-10-1. Slowed by an injury, his production was less in ’68, but he rebounded somewhat with a league-leading 193 carries in 1969, for 750 yards. He lasted two more steadily-declining years with the Patriots in 1970 and ’71, sat out 1972, and was a reserve with the Jets in ’73. Nance moved on to the WFL, playing for the Houston Gamblers/Shreveport Steamer franchise in 1974 and ’75, and ranked third in the league in rushing with 1240 yards in ’74. Overall, he gained 5401 yards rushing in the AFL/NFL and 2007 in the WFL.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself).

[Updated 2/11/14]

1966: Dolphins Score Quick TD, But Lose Debut to Raiders

September 2, 1966 marked the regular season debut of the American Football League’s first expansion team, the Miami Dolphins. Coached by George Wilson, who once led the NFL Lions to a championship, the Dolphins, like all first-year teams, were made up of a combination of veteran castoffs and inexperienced young talent.

The quarterback position included examples of both, with strong-armed but immobile Dick Wood, a fifth-year veteran most recently with the Raiders and, for two years before that, the Jets, slated to start and rookie Rick Norton, the club’s first draft choice out of Kentucky, who was the primary backup. Miami had been successful in signing 11 of its draft choices, which in addition to Norton notably included another Kentucky star, LB Frank Emanuel, and split end Howard Twilley out of Tulsa.

There were 26,776 in attendance at the Orange Bowl on a Friday night to welcome the new club as it hosted the Oakland Raiders. Oakland, with a new head coach in John Rauch, was coming off of an 8-5-1 season in 1965 and was a 17-point favorite against the newcomers.

It didn’t take long for the Dolphins to excite the home crowd. HB Joe Auer, a 25-year-old Miami-area resident who had been a reserve with the Buffalo Bills, started things off with a bang by returning the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown (pictured above). Only Oakland’s DB Rodger Bird came close to stopping him, missing a tackle at the 10 before Auer dove into the end zone and was greeted by entertainer Danny Thomas, one of the team’s co-owners.

Things went quickly downhill from there. While the Raiders offense sputtered, especially when a first quarter bomb from QB Cotton Davidson was dropped by a wide-open (and normally reliable) split end Art Powell at the Miami 35 yard line, the Dolphins proved adept at beating themselves. Wood was intercepted four times in the first half, twice each by safety Howie Williams and CB Dave Grayson.

The interceptions proved critical, cutting off two promising drives and leading to 10 points for the Raiders in the second quarter. Twice Oakland took possession on the Miami 16, leading to a 16-yard field goal by Mike Mercer and a two-yard TD run by FB Hewritt Dixon. The Raiders led narrowly by 10-7 at halftime.


The rookie Norton took over at quarterback for the Dolphins in the second half. Early in the third quarter, Miami got a break when CB Jim Warren intercepted a Davidson pass. The Dolphins established their ground game in the ensuing drive as Auer and FB Billy Joe ran the ball effectively. However, seventh-year veteran Gene Mingo missed a 19-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the game.

Tom Flores replaced Davidson at quarterback and led the Raiders on an 11-play, 81-yard drive that included passes of 17 yards to Powell, 19 yards to FB Roger Hagberg, and 12 yards to TE Tom Mitchell. The possession resulted in a 15-yard TD pass to Powell with 3:27 remaining in the period, extending Oakland’s lead to 17-7.

The Dolphins resorted to trickery as the head coach’s son, George Wilson Jr., who was also the punter and a backup quarterback, took off on a fake punt and ran 37 yards to the Raiders’ 11. But Mingo missed another short field goal attempt, this time from 15 yards. Still, Miami got on the board again and made the game close when Norton tossed a two-yard scoring pass to aging ex-Bears FB Rick Casares for a TD that cut Oakland’s lead to 17-14.

Near the end, the Raiders finally clinched the win when Flores threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Mitchell to cap a 72-yard drive with just over two minutes left to play. The extra point attempt failed and the final score was 23-14.

“Except for the alertness of Williams and Grayson, we would have been in real trouble,” said a relieved John Rauch afterward.

The Raiders outgained Miami (257 yards to 182), especially dominating in net passing yards (241 to 88). However, they ran the ball poorly, gaining just 16 yards on 22 attempts to 94 yards by the Dolphins, and for as much as Miami was damaged by five turnovers, Oakland hurt itself with six.


Cotton Davidson completed only 7 of 19 passes for 80 yards with no TDs and three interceptions. Tom Flores was more effective, going to the air 20 times and completing 11 for 161 yards with two touchdowns against one that was picked off. Art Powell made up for his early drop with 8 catches for 104 yards and a TD. Roger Hagberg led the anemic rushing attack with 23 yards on six carries.

For the newcomers, Dick Wood completed just 4 of 13 passes for 49 yards and, of course, had the four interceptions. Rick Norton was successful on 7 of 19 throws for 52 yards with a TD as well as an interception. George Wilson Jr., with his one carry on the fake punt, led the Dolphins in rushing with 37 yards. Billy Joe gained 31 yards on 9 attempts and Joe Auer, who started things off in spectacular fashion with the kickoff return touchdown, ran for 25 yards on 10 carries and caught two passes for 30 more to lead the team in pass receiving yardage. The old pro, 35-year-old Rick Casares, caught the most passes, with three for 21 yards and a score.

It took until the sixth week of the season for the Dolphins to finally win their first game, and they ended up at 3-11 and tied for last in the AFL’s Eastern Division with the Houston Oilers. The Raiders once again went 8-5-1 to place second in the Western Division.

The quarterback position remained unsettled for Miami all through the inaugural season, with four different players starting. Joe Auer ended up being the club’s leading rusher (416 yards) and scorer (nine touchdowns for 54 points), but the fullback position was held down by several players along the way. Only the defensive backfield truly came together, as Jim Warren and safety Willie West were AFL All-Stars.

1965: Miami Awarded AFL Franchise for ’66 Season

By 1965, the American Football League was looking to expand beyond its original base of eight franchises. While there was some interest in putting a team in Philadelphia, the primary focus was on Atlanta (also rumored as a possible relocation spot for the struggling Denver Broncos). Commissioner Joe Foss went so far as to announce that the president of Cox Broadcasting Company, Leonard Reinsch, would be awarded an AFL franchise.

However, the NFL and its commissioner, Pete Rozelle, also had an interest in Atlanta and at the end of June a franchise was awarded to Rankin Smith. The loss of Atlanta to the NFL served as a major embarrassment to Commissioner Foss, and added to the groundswell that eventually led to his resignation. It also necessitated finding another suitable city (the potential ownership group in Philadelphia also withdrew its bid).

Attention soon turned to Miami. On August 16, 1965 the league awarded its ninth franchise to Joe Robbie and entertainer Danny Thomas for $7.5 million. The personable Thomas contrasted with the temperamental Robbie, an attorney from Minneapolis long acquainted with Joe Foss. The team would begin play in 1966 and would have use of the Orange Bowl as its home field. A contest that attracted nearly 20,000 entrants came up with the nickname of Dolphins for the new club.

Joe Thomas was hired away from the NFL’s Vikings to become director of player personnel, and took up the task of preparing for the team’s first draft of college talent as well as the expansion draft of unprotected players from the other AFL teams. George Wilson, the highly respected former head coach of the Detroit Lions, was hired as the first coach of the Dolphins.


The expansion draft pulled in established veterans like G Billy Neighbors from the Patriots, FB Billy Joe and flanker Bo Roberson from Buffalo, WR Frank Jackson and DE Mel Branch of the Chiefs, LB Wahoo McDaniel from the Jets, QB Dick Wood from Oakland, and TE Dave Kocurek of the Chargers. It also yielded some younger veterans who would prove valuable, such as OT Norm Evans, S Willie West, and cornerbacks Jimmy Warren and Dick Westmoreland.

In the college draft, they lost their first draft pick, FB Jim Grabowski of Illinois, to the Packers, but did sign Kentucky QB Rick Norton, Tennessee LB Frank Emanuel, and offensive end Howard Twilley, who had broken collegiate receiving records at Tulsa.

As with all expansion teams, the first season in 1966 was a hard one, and the Dolphins went 3-11 to tie Houston for last place in the Eastern Division. The team went through four starting quarterbacks - the veteran Wood threw the most passes, but only three were for touchdowns as against 13 interceptions. Rookie Norton saw action until suffering a broken jaw at midseason. It was then the turn of the coach’s son, George Wilson Jr., who led the club to two of its wins before also going down with an injury, at which point John Stofa got his shot. Stofa had played two years of minor league football before being cut by the Dolphins in the preseason and was brought back when injuries depleted the corps of available passers; his sensational performance in throwing four touchdown passes in the season-concluding win made him the front runner for the job in ’67. But overall, Miami passers combined for a dismal 39.4 % completion percentage, lowest in the AFL, while they led the league in passes intercepted with 32.

HB Joe Auer had run the opening kickoff of Miami’s very first regular season game back for a touchdown and, over the course of the year, led the club in rushing with 416 yards on 121 carries. Veteran FB Cookie Gilchrist was obtained from Denver at midseason and provided occasional power between the tackles; they had started out with the very over-the-hill former Chicago Bears star, Rick Casares, as the starting fullback. The seventh-year tight end, Kocurek, was the top receiver with 27 catches for 320 yards.


While the offense struggled, the defense was capable, especially the backfield. Willie West had an outstanding year as the free safety, intercepting eight passes, and Westmoreland and Warren were good cornerbacks. The Dolphins intercepted a total of 31 passes (led by West’s eight) and four were returned for touchdowns.

There had been concern regarding the drawing power of a pro football team in Miami, which at the time was considered more of a college football locale due to the presence of the University of Miami. The Dolphins averaged 25,551 per game at the Orange Bowl and while they weren’t yet a winning team, they could at least generate some excitement.

1967: Packers Defeat Chiefs in 1st Super Bowl

The merger between the NFL and AFL that was announced in June of 1966 was set to take place in stages. Final merger into an enlarged National Football League was to take place in 1970; a common draft and interleague preseason games would occur in 1967. But the first major occurrence was to be a game between the league champions following the ’66 season.

What would officially come to be known as Super Bowl I was already being popularly referred to as the “Super Bowl” when the first was held on January 15, 1967. At the time, however, the proper name was the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. It was played on a sunny day at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles before a non-sellout crowd of 61,946 and was televised by two networks. It was also widely assumed that the NFL champion Green Bay Packers would likely defeat the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, but of course no one could truly know, adding to the element of curiosity.

Green Bay had led the Western Conference with a 12-2 record under Head Coach Vince Lombardi, and defeated Dallas in a close contest for the older league’s title. It was the second straight championship for the Packers and fourth of the Lombardi era that had commenced in 1959. QB Bart Starr led the NFL in passing and threw just three interceptions on the season. FB Jim Taylor and HB Paul Hornung were showing signs of age and wear (Hornung sat out the postseason), but were ably supplemented by HB Elijah Pitts and high-priced rookies HB Donny Anderson and FB Jim Grabowski. But the veteran core on both offense and defense provided a solid, stable team that was used to winning.

It was fitting that the Chiefs represented the AFL, since their owner, Lamar Hunt, was also the league’s founder. Coached by Hank Stram since the franchise’s conception, they handily won the Western Division with an 11-2-1 tally and defeated Buffalo, the team that had won the previous two AFL titles, in the Championship game. Solid on both sides of the ball, they also had their league’s top passer in QB Len Dawson. Flanker Otis Taylor and split end Chris Burford were dependable receivers, and rookie HB Mike Garrett provided speed to the outside to supplement FB Curtis McClinton and HB Bert Coan. Most notable on the defense were DT Buck Buchanan, LB Bobby Bell, and FS Johnny Robinson.

The first casualty of the day was Green Bay split end Boyd Dowler, who reinjured a sore shoulder while blocking on the second play of the game and didn’t return. However, veteran replacement Max McGee (pictured at top), who had caught only four passes during the ’66 season, scored the first touchdown in Super Bowl history about nine minutes into the first quarter when he reached back to snag an underthrown pass from Starr while running a post pattern and ended up with a 37-yard TD.

The Chiefs, effectively utilizing their “floating pocket” and play-action passes that kept the Packers defense guessing, drove 66 yards in six plays during the second quarter to even the score. Dawson threw key passes to Garrett and Taylor, and the touchdown came on a seven-yard pass to McClinton.

Green Bay came right back with an 11-play drive that included passes by Starr for 10 yards to McGee in a third-and-six situation, 15 yards to flanker Carroll Dale on third-and-ten, and 11 yards to TE Marv Fleming on third-and-five. Jim Taylor ran the final 14 yards around the left end for the touchdown and a 14-7 lead.

Kansas City wasn’t done yet, moving 50 yards in five plays that ended with a 31-yard field goal by Mike Mercer with 54 seconds remaining in the half. The score stood at a surprisingly close 14-10 at halftime. Moreover, the Chiefs had outgained the Packers (181 yards to 164) and also led in first downs (11 to 9).

The Packers made the decision to blitz heavily in the second half, and it paid off with the play that turned the tide decisively in their direction early in the third quarter. The Chiefs had moved briskly to their own 49 yard line after taking the second half kickoff. Dawson’s pass intended for TE Fred Arbanas was tipped by the heavy pass rush and intercepted by safety Willie Wood, who returned it to the Kansas City five (pictured below). Elijah Pitts scored on the next play, and the Chiefs didn’t mount a threat for the rest of the game, punting after each of their last six possessions.


Green Bay scored twice more, on a 13-yard pass from Starr to McGee and a one-yard run by Pitts that made the final score 35-10. Most satisfying to many of the Packers was when brash CB Fred “The Hammer” Williamson, who had been a non-factor in the game, was knocked out of action on a power sweep by Donny Anderson.

When it was all over, the Packers outgained Kansas City, 358 yards to 239. Bart Starr (pictured below), the game’s MVP, completed 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards with two TDs and an interception. Jim Taylor was the game’s top ground gainer with 56 yards on 17 carries and a score, while Elijah Pitts ran for 45 yards on 11 attempts and two touchdowns. Max McGee had an outstanding day in place of Dowler, catching 7 passes for 138 yards and two TDs.


For the Chiefs, Len Dawson (pictured at bottom) tossed 27 passes and completed 16 of them for 211 yards with a touchdown and the big interception. The team had just 72 yards on 19 rushes, with Dawson the top ground gainer with 24 yards on three carries; Mike Garrett and Curtis McClinton had 17 and 16 yards, respectively, each on six runs. Chris Burford led the receivers with 4 catches for 67 yards, while Otis Taylor was right behind at 4 for 57.

Afterward, Vince Lombardi said, “In my opinion, the Chiefs don’t rate with the top names in the NFL. They are a good football team with fine speed, but I’d have to say NFL football is better.”

Willie Wood perhaps best summed up the feelings of the Packers players when he said, “We didn’t play any bush leaguers, and we were happy to accomplish what we did. You could probably hear the giant sigh of relief in the dressing room when the game was over.”

Hank Stram saw his team’s weaknesses exposed by Green Bay and began making upgrades in the offseason. The Chiefs didn’t return to the Super Bowl until the 1969 season, but when they did, the result was very different. Green Bay was back again in ’67, in what would be Lombardi’s last year coaching the team.