Highlighted Year: Billy Cannon, 1967

Tight End, Oakland Raiders

Age: 30

8^th season in pro football, 4^th with Oilers

College: LSU

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 215

Prelude:

Cannon was a star all-purpose halfback in college who rushed for 1867 yards while averaging 5.2 yards-per-carry, caught 31 passes for 522 yards, and scored 21 touchdowns. He was a two-time consensus first-team All-American and winner of the 1959 Heisman Trophy, following a season in which he also returned a punt 89 yards to key a LSU win against Mississippi. Cannon was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams as the first overall pick of the 1960 NFL draft, but signed with both the Rams and Oilers of the new AFL. A judge’s decision awarded him to the Oilers and he had a fair rookie season, rushing for a team-leading 644 yards and scoring a touchdown in the AFL Championship game on an 88-yard pass play. He was a second-team All-AFL selection by the league. Cannon followed up in 1961 by leading the AFL in rushing (948 yards) and all-pupose yardage (2043) and he capped the year by scoring the only touchdown in Houston’s league title game win over the Chargers. Cannon suffered a back injury that limited his effectiveness in 1962, holding him to 474 rushing yards although he still caught 32 passes for 451 yards and scored a total of 13 touchdowns. He saw little action in an injury-plagued 1963 season and was traded to the Oakland Raiders, where he was tried at fullback with some success before being shifted to tight end in 1965. Cannon caught only 21 passes combined in his first two seasons at the new position.

1967 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 32

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 99 yds.) vs. Miami 11/19

Yards – 629 [13]

Most yards, game – 114 (on 4 catches) vs. Boston 9/17

Average gain – 19.7 [3]

TDs – 10 [3, tied with Don Maynard & Willie Frazier]

100-yard receiving games – 1

Scoring

TDs – 10 [4, tied with Don Maynard, Willie Frazier & Mike Garrett]

Points – 60 [12, tied with Willie Frazier & Mike Garrett]

Postseason: 2 G

Pass receptions – 4

Most pass receptions, game – 2 vs. Houston, AFL Championship; vs. Green Bay, Super Bowl

Pass receiving yards – 56

Most pass receiving yards, game – 31 vs. Houston, AFL Championship

Average yards per reception – 14.0

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-AFL: AP, UPI

2^nd team All-AFL: NY Daily News, Sporting News

Raiders went 13-1 to finish first in the AFL Western Division while leading the league in scoring (466 points) and TDs (68). Won AFL Championship over Houston Oilers (40-7). Lost Super Bowl to Green Bay Packers (33-14).

Aftermath:

Cannon spent two more years with the Raiders and was an AFL All-Star in 1969. He spent one last year with Kansas City as a backup in 1970. Altogether, he rushed for 2455 yards on 602 carries (4.1 avg.) with 17 TDs and caught 236 passes for 3656 yards (15.5 avg.) and 47 touchdowns. Cannon was a consensus first-team All-AFL selection after one season, received some first- or second-team recognition after three other seasons, and was chosen to two AFL All-Star Games. His son Billy Jr. played linebacker for the Cowboys for one year.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

Highlighted Year: Billy Cannon, 1961

Halfback, Houston Oilers

Age: 24

2^nd season in pro football & with Oilers

College: LSU

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 212

Prelude:

Cannon was a star all-purpose halfback in college who rushed for 1867 yards while averaging 5.2 yards-per-carry, caught 31 passes for 522 yards, and scored 21 touchdowns. He was a two-time consensus first-team All-American and winner of the 1959 Heisman Trophy, following a season in which he also returned a punt 89 yards to key a LSU win against Mississippi. Cannon was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams as the first overall pick of the 1960 NFL draft, but signed with both the Rams and Oilers of the new AFL. A judge’s decision awarded him to the Oilers and he had a fair rookie season, rushing for a team-leading 644 yards and scoring a touchdown in the AFL Championship game on an 88-yard pass play. He was a second-team All-AFL selection by the league and UPI.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 200 [2]

Most attempts, game – 25 (for 216 yds.) at NY Titans 12/10

Yards – 948 [1]

Most yards, game – 216 yards (on 25 carries) at NY Titans 12/10

Average gain – 4.7 [1]

TDs – 6 [4, tied with Jack Kemp]

200-yard rushing games – 1

100-yard rushing games – 3

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 43 [11, tied with Don Maynard]

Most receptions, game – 7 (for 122 yds.) vs. NY Titans 11/19

Yards – 586 [15]

Most yards, game – 122 (on 7 catches) vs. NY Titans 11/19

Average gain – 13.6 [16]

TDs – 9 [3, tied with Jim Colclough]

100-yard receiving games – 2

Passing

Attempts – 5

Completions – 0

Yards – 0

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 1 [20, tied with seven others]

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 18 [3, tied with Al Frazier]

Yards – 439 [5]

Most yards, game – 84 (on 3 ret.) vs. Boston 11/12

Average per return – 24.4 [6]

TDs – 0

Longest return – 47 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 9 [6]

Yards – 70 [9]

Most yards, game – 20 (on 1 ret.) vs. Buffalo 10/8

Average per return – 7.8

TDs – 0

Longest return – 20 yards

All-Purpose yards – 2043 [1]

Scoring

TDs – 15 [2]

Points – 90 [4]

Postseason: 1 G (AFL Championship at San Diego)

Rushing attempts – 15

Rushing yards – 48

Average gain rushing – 3.2

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 5

Pass receiving yards – 53

Average yards per reception – 10.6

Pass receiving TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-AFL: League, AP, UPI, NY Daily News, Sporting News

AFL All-Star Game

Oilers went 10-3-1 to finish first in the AFL Eastern Division while leading the league in total yards (6288), passing yards (4392), touchdowns (66), and scoring (513 points). Won AFL Championship over San Diego Chargers (10-3).

Aftermath:

Cannon suffered a back injury that limited his effectiveness in 1962, holding him to 474 rushing yards although he still caught 32 passes for 451 yards and scored a total of 13 touchdowns. He saw little action in an injury-plagued 1963 season and was traded to the Oakland Raiders, where he was tried at fullback with some success before being shifted to tight end in 1965. While Cannon caught only 21 passes combined in his first two seasons at the new position, his production increased significantly in 1967, when he had 32 catches for 629 yards and 10 TDs and received first-team All-AFL honors from UPI and the Associated Press. He spent two more years with the Raiders and was an AFL All-Star in 1969. Cannon spent one last year with Kansas City as a backup in 1970. Altogether, he rushed for 2455 yards on 602 carries (4.1 avg.) with 17 TDs and caught 236 passes for 3656 yards (15.5 avg.) and 47 touchdowns. Cannon was a consensus first-team All-AFL selection after one season, received some first- or second-team recognition after three other seasons, and was chosen to two AFL All-Star Games. His son Billy Jr. played linebacker for the Cowboys for one year.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Percentage, Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1960: Oilers Defeat Chargers for Home-Opening Win

The Houston Oilers faced the Los Angeles Chargers in their first home game of the inaugural American Football League season on September 18, 1960. Coached by Lou Rymkus, the Oilers had made one of the new league’s biggest splashes when they signed HB Billy Cannon, the Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU, away from the NFL’s Rams. They also had an established veteran in 33-year-old QB George Blanda (pictured at right), formerly of the Chicago Bears, who had been lured out of a year’s retirement and also doubled as a reliable placekicker. Nagged by injuries, Cannon had yet to show the expected form as a pro, but less-heralded first-year FB Dave Smith gained 104 yards on the ground in the first-week win over the Raiders.

The Chargers promised to be a significant test. A highly-regarded team under the direction of Head Coach Sid Gillman, formerly of the Rams, they featured QB Jack Kemp throwing to a capable group of receivers. The line, anchored by rookie OT Ron Mix, was a good one and the defense was especially effective in the secondary. LA had won all four of its preseason games and then came from behind the previous week to defeat the Dallas Texans in the regular season opener.

There were 20,156 fans in attendance at Jeppessen Stadium on a steamy 90-degree day. On their second possession, the Chargers put together the first scoring drive as Jack Kemp completed five of six passes for 47 yards. The last was to flanker Royce Womble in the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown and Ben Agajanian kicked the extra point.

On LA’s next series, following a punt by the Oilers, CB Mark Johnston intercepted a long pass by Kemp and returned it 33 yards to the Los Angeles 47. After an incompletion on first down, Blanda pitched out to Dave Smith, who ran 47 yards for a TD. Blanda added the game-tying point after.

The Oilers again got into scoring position thanks to a 51-yard punt return by Billy Cannon to the LA 27. A screen pass to FB Charley Tolar reached the three and the series ended when Blanda kept the ball himself for the final yard and a touchdown. Blanda converted and the home team was in front by 14-7.

As the game headed into the second quarter, the Chargers were forced to turn the ball over on downs at their 36 after FB Howie Ferguson was twice stopped short of gaining the necessary yard to keep the series going. Blanda passed to a leaping end John Carson for a first down at the two and it was the quarterback scoring once again from a yard out and adding the point after to extend the lead to 21-7.

The Chargers came back with a 62-yard drive as Kemp (pictured at left) connected on seven of eight throws, the last to end Ralph Anderson in the end zone. Agajanian’s kick narrowed the Houston margin to 21-14, and that remained the score at halftime.

The Oilers started the third quarter by advancing 71 yards in seven plays that included Blanda throwing to Carson for a 36-yard gain. For the third time, Blanda finished the series off with a one-yard touchdown on a quarterback sneak and added the extra point.

HB Ron Waller fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Houston recovered at the Los Angeles 19. The home team wasn’t able to reach the end zone, but Blanda kicked a 13-yard field goal and Houston was ahead by 31-14. Once again the Chargers turned the ball over on the kickoff, with HB Paul Lowe the culprit this time, and the Oilers again had possession at the LA 23. A clipping penalty moved them back to the 41, but Cannon, breaking three tackles, ran 39 yards to the two yard line. Tolar powered over for a one-yard TD, Blanda converted, and Houston, with 17 third quarter points, had a huge lead of 38-14.

The reeling Chargers finally put together a sustained drive, going 83 yards as Kemp passed to TE Howard Clark for a 50-yard gain and to Womble for a 19-yard touchdown, with Agajanian kicking the PAT. But the Oilers were able to run the clock down in the fourth quarter with backups Jacky Lee and Charlie Milstead in relief of Blanda.

Late in the game, Los Angeles put together a five-play, 89-yard scoring possession with the big play a pass from Kemp to FB Charlie Flowers that covered 55 yards for a touchdown. But with less than two minutes left to play, the verdict was long decided. Houston won by a final score of 38-28.

The Oilers had the edge in total yards (377 to 357), with 284 of Houston’s total coming on the ground, while the teams were even in first downs with 22 apiece. The third quarter proved critical as the Oilers scored 17 points and Los Angeles ran only seven plays to take an insurmountable lead. The Chargers turned the ball over four times, to two by Houston, although the Oilers were penalized ten times, at a cost of 88 yards, to five flags thrown on LA.

George Blanda didn’t have a high-percentage passing day, completing just 6 of 17 throws for 101 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, but he was effective when he connected. He also scored three TDs on quarterback sneaks among his 20 yards on five carries. Dave Smith (pictured below) topped the Houston rushers with 77 yards on 14 attempts that included a touchdown. Billy Cannon added 68 yards on 8 carries and returned a kickoff for 32 yards and two punts for 57. John Carson led the receivers with three catches for 54 yards.

For the Chargers, Jack Kemp completed 27 of 44 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns (all of which remained season highs) while giving up one interception. Ralph Anderson had 8 catches for 50 yards and a TD and Howard Clark gained 94 yards on his four receptions. Royce Womble contributed five catches for 65 yards and two TDs. It was a lackluster day for Los Angeles running the ball and Howie Ferguson led the club with 20 yards on 7 attempts.

The Oilers lost their next game but remained consistently strong throughout the season, topping the Eastern Division with a 10-4 record. The Chargers lost two of their next three contests but finished with eight wins in nine games (including the rematch with Houston) to also compile a 10-4 tally and top the Western Division (A key component of the second-half surge was the insertion of HB Paul Lowe into the starting lineup, adding potency to the running game). The two teams met for the AFL Championship, won by the Oilers. The Chargers departed LA for San Diego the following season.

George Blanda passed for 2413 yards and 24 touchdowns and ranked second in the AFL in field goals with 15 and scoring with 115 points. The three rushing TDs against the Chargers were truly an anomaly, as he had compiled a total of five in his years with the Bears and, after tallying one more during the 1960 season, never scored another in the remainder of his long career that ended in 1975.

1961: Oilers Repeat as AFL Champs with Win Over Chargers

The participating teams for the second American Football League Championship game on December 24, 1961 were the same that met in the inaugural contest the year before, although both had undergone notable changes. The San Diego Chargers, top team in the Western Division with a 12-2 record, had been based in Los Angeles in 1960. But after a year of low attendance and heavy financial loss, owner Barron Hilton shifted the club to San Diego. Coached by the innovative Sid Gillman, they still boasted a fine passing attack directed by QB Jack Kemp, who was also very mobile, and the running game was led by talented HB Paul Lowe. The defense was outstanding with the “Fearsome Foursome” of ends Earl Faison and Ron Nery and tackles Ernie Ladd and Bill Hudson manning the front line plus an excellent backfield that set a record with 49 interceptions during the season.

The defending champions, the Houston Oilers, had made a change at head coach. After getting off to a sluggish 1-3-1 start, Lou Rymkus was fired and replaced by Wally Lemm. The result was nine straight wins to finish out the regular season at 10-3-1 and again top the Eastern Division. 33-year-old QB George Blanda, who was briefly benched by Rymkus in the early going, set a record for touchdown passes with 36 during the regular season (which also exceeded the existing NFL standard). Flanker Charley Hennigan gained 1746 yards on his 82 pass receptions and split end Bill Groman caught 17 TD passes. HB Billy Cannon (pictured at top) led the AFL in rushing (948 yards) and all-purpose yards (2043). Houston also had a fine defensive line, led by DT Ed Husman and DE Don Floyd. The Oilers, who had beaten the Chargers by 20 points three weeks earlier, were favored by more than a touchdown in what was expected to be an offensive show.

There was a disappointing turnout of 29,556 fans in attendance at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. In the first quarter, the Oilers benefited from a turnover when Jack Kemp fumbled and Houston recovered at the San Diego 37. However, after reaching the 14 yard line, a Blanda pass was intercepted by CB Bud Whitehead, who returned it to the San Diego 48.

Now it was the Chargers with the momentum, and Kemp threw a screen pass to FB Keith Lincoln that picked up 13 yards. But on the next play, a long toss to the end zone was picked off by safety Fred Glick to end the threat. Later in the period, the Oilers again recovered a Kemp fumble, this time at the San Diego 24. After advancing five yards, Blanda lined up to attempt a field goal, but a bad snap was recovered by the Chargers. The first quarter, while eventful, remained scoreless.

The Oilers red-dogged with regularity on defense to disrupt San Diego’s passing attack. Ed Husman (pictured at left) was the most notable of the linemen who did so well at containing Kemp’s running as well as forcing him to rush his passes.

In the second quarter, San Diego’s Paul Maguire had trouble handling a bad snap from center in punt formation and kicked the ball a wobbly nine yards. Houston took over at the San Diego 39 and, while not able to move on offense, finally came up with points when Blanda kicked a 46-yard field goal four plays later.

The Oilers missed a scoring opportunity when, after driving 39 yards to the San Diego 22, Blanda again was picked off on a pass into the end zone, this time by safety Charlie McNeil. That was it for scoring chances in the second quarter until George Blair attempted a 44-yard field goal for the Chargers at the end of the half that was unsuccessful and the tally remained 3-0.

In the third quarter, Houston put together a sustained drive of 80 yards in nine plays. It concluded when Blanda, under pressure from San Diego’s pass rush, connected with Billy Cannon, who caught the ball at the 20 and went the distance for a 35-yard touchdown. Blanda added the extra point and the Oilers led by 10-0.

The Chargers finally got on the board early in the fourth quarter with a 12-yard Blair field goal. That series was set up by another McNeil interception, this time in Houston territory, and Kemp’s passing plus the running of HB Bo Roberson advanced the ball to the five yard line before having to kick.

With time running out, a 56-yard Jim Norton punt had the Chargers starting at their 37 in a final desperation drive. Kemp threw to FB Charlie Flowers for eight yards and Roberson for five more to reach midfield. A pass interference call on the Oilers moved San Diego to the Houston 38 with the clock down to one minute to play. But it all ended when DB Julian Spence intercepted a Kemp pass at the Houston 30, pulling the ball away from the intended target, TE Dave Kocurek. The Oilers repeated as AFL Champions by a surprisingly low final score of 10-3.

There were several altercations between players during the game, and afterward safety Bob Zeman appeared to go after one of the officials, while San Diego’s Coach Gillman launched a furious verbal assault at them as the participants left the field.

The teams were even with 256 total yards apiece while the Oilers had the edge in first downs with 18 to San Diego’s 15. Most notably, there were a total of 13 turnovers, with Houston giving up seven to six for the Chargers. Also (and likely adding to the fury of the Chargers toward the officials after the game), San Diego was penalized 10 times at a cost of 106 yards, to five flags thrown on the Oilers for 68 yards.

Billy Cannon was the game’s MVP as he rushed for 48 yards on 15 carries and caught 5 passes for 53 yards that included the only touchdown. George Blanda went to the air 40 times and completed 18 for 160 yards and a TD, but tossed 5 interceptions. FB Charley Tolar gained 52 yards on 16 rushing attempts and Charley Hennigan had 5 catches for 43 yards.

For the Chargers, Jack Kemp was successful on 17 of 32 throws for 226 yards while being intercepted four times. He also was well-contained, running for just five yards on four carries, and was sacked six times. Dave Kocurek caught 7 passes for 123 yards. Bo Roberson ran for 37 yards on 8 attempts and Paul Lowe gained 30 yards on five carries. Charlie McNeil (pictured at right), Bud Whitehead, and Bob Zeman each intercepted two passes apiece.

“Our pre-game strategy was to rush him (Kemp) early so he’d have to keep two backs to block,” explained Houston’s Coach Lemm. “We planned to go into deep coverage afterwards, but our rushes worked so well we stuck to it.”

“We made too many mistakes to beat a good football club,” summed up Sid Gillman from the losing side.

Wally Lemm left the Oilers for the NFL Cardinals in the offseason and was replaced by Frank “Pop” Ivy. Houston topped the Eastern Division for a third straight year, but lost an overtime thriller to the Dallas Texans in the AFL Championship game. San Diego dropped to 4-10 as injuries decimated the club, but bounced back to win the league title in 1963.

1960: Bills Upset Oilers with Two Fourth Quarter Field Goals

Coming up on the midpoint of the inaugural American Football League season, the Houston Oilers (5-1) had established themselves as the team to beat in the Eastern Division while the Buffalo Bills (2-4) were struggling. They met for the first time on October 30, 1960 at Buffalo’s War Memorial Stadium.

The Oilers, coached by Lou Rymkus, featured QB George Blanda, a veteran of 10 NFL seasons almost exclusively with the Bears, and rookie HB Billy Cannon, the Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU. Cannon was off to a slow start, but FB Dave Smith proved to be a good find and Blanda had outstanding receivers to throw to in flanker Charley Hennigan and split end Bill Groman.

Buffalo, under the direction of Head Coach Buster Ramsey, had a respectable defense that included DE LaVerne Torczon, DT Chuck McMurtry, MLB Archie Matsos, and FS Richie McCabe. However, offense was a problem, in particular quarterback. Ex-Brown Tom O’Connell started the year behind center and was a disappointment. Johnny Green played well in his first start of the season the week before, a convincing 38-9 win over the Raiders.

There were 23,001 fans in attendance and they saw the Oilers score first as Blanda connected with Hennigan on an eight-yard touchdown pass. The Bills responded when FB Wray Carlton went 70 yards for a touchdown with a screen pass from Green (the Green-to-Carlton combination on screen passes would prove effective throughout the game). However, the extra point attempt failed and Houston maintained a 7-6 lead.

Before the first quarter was over, Joe Hergert kicked a 36-yard field goal that put the Bills in front by 9-7. The Oilers retook the lead in the second quarter when Blanda threw to Cannon for a 21-yard touchdown.

Hergert suffered an injury and DB Billy Atkins (pictured at top), the team’s punter, took over the placekicking for Buffalo. His 18-yard field goal moved the Bills to two points behind the Oilers at 14-12 and then end Dick Brubaker caught a 10-yard pass from Green to make the score 19-14 at the half.

The Blanda-to-Cannon combination struck again in the third quarter, this time for a 53-yard touchdown and, with Blanda’s successful extra point, Houston moved back in front in the see-saw game at 21-19. The lead increased by three on a 50-yard Blanda field goal, still in the third period.

The Bills drove from their 26 into Houston territory early in the fourth quarter, ending with an Atkins field goal from 45 yards out. A shanked punt by Houston’s Ken Hall allowed Buffalo to take over at the Oilers’ 39 following a 20-yard return by Matsos. Another Green screen pass to Carlton got the ball down to the three. The Oilers defense held as Buffalo was only able to gain a yard on the next three plays. Although the crowd was yelling for the Bills to go for it, they took a delay-of-game penalty that set the ball back to the seven so that Atkins would have a better angle for his field goal attempt. It was successful from 15 yards with less than six minutes remaining to play and provided the final result, a 25-24 upset win for Buffalo.


Buffalo’s offense rose to the occasion as the Bills outgained the Oilers (352 yards to 287) and had more first downs (17 to 13). While they gained only 59 yards on the ground, the Bills netted 293 yards through the air (Green was sacked five times for 41 yards in losses). Blanda was sacked just once, but the Oilers turned the ball over five times, to three by Buffalo.

Johnny Green had a big performance, completing 18 of 49 passes for 334 yards with two touchdowns and one intercepted. Wray Carlton caught 6 passes for 177 yards and the one long TD while also rushing for 25 yards on six carries. Elbert Dubenion contributed 5 receptions for 76 yards. HB Wilmer Fowler was the team’s leading ground gainer with 36 yards on 10 attempts. Archie Matsos (pictured above) had a big day for the Bills, intercepting two passes and returning the short punt, thus setting up two touchdowns.

George Blanda had his worst passing game of the year, hitting on just 9 of 32 throws for 124 yards, and while three were good for TDs, four were intercepted. Dave Smith ran for 107 yards on 12 carries, and Billy Cannon also ran the ball 12 times, gaining 60 yards, and also caught three passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns.


The upset win wasn’t a turning point for the Bills – they won just twice more and finished in third place in the Eastern Division with a 5-8-1 record. Houston recovered to win the division comfortably at 10-4 and defeated the Chargers for the first AFL Championship.

Johnny Green (pictured at left) failed to sustain his success against the Oilers, partly because of an injury to his throwing arm suffered during the game. He ended up completing just 89 of 228 passes (39.0 percent) for 1267 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions apiece. Wray Carlton led the team in rushing with 533 yards and caught 29 passes for 477 yards (16.4 avg.). Billy Atkins ended up handling most of the placekicking as well as the punting and was successful on 6 of 13 field goal attempts and 27 of 33 extra points.

1961: George Blanda Throws 7 TD Passes Against NY Titans

The Houston Oilers, defending champions of the American Football League, had gotten off to a rough start in 1961. They were 1-3-1 after five games, and George Blanda (pictured above), the 33-year-old quarterback who had revived his pro football career in ’60 while leading the club to the title, was benched for two games.

However, owner Bud Adams fired Head Coach Lou Rymkus at that point and replaced him with Wally Lemm. There was an immediate turnaround, and by the time the Oilers hosted the New York Titans at Jeppesen Stadium on November 19, they had reeled off four straight wins. Blanda was back at the helm. In the preceding four contests, he had passed for 1076 yards (including 464 in a game at Buffalo alone) with 11 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

The Titans, coached by legendary QB Sammy Baugh, were 5-4 coming into the game. While the offense was capable of providing some excitement, in particular due to the presence of split end Art Powell and flanker Don Maynard, the defense was porous, especially the defensive backfield. Having started off 3-1, New York was in danger of falling out of contention in the Eastern Division.

There were 33,428 fans in attendance at the small venue as Houston took command quickly and decisively. Blanda tossed his first touchdown pass, of 28 yards to flanker Charley Hennigan, at the conclusion of an 80-yard drive early in the first quarter. With 4:40 remaining in the opening period, Blanda tossed a six-yard TD pass to HB Billy Cannon to conclude a six-play possession that covered 31 yards. Before the first quarter was over, the Oilers scored again as Blanda threw another pass to Cannon that covered 78 yards for a third touchdown.

The Titans offense didn’t threaten until midway through the second quarter. Flanker Don Maynard put New York on the board, making an outstanding catch on a four-yard pass from QB Al Dorow, but DE Don Floyd blocked the extra point attempt.


Blanda poured it on as he connected with split end Bill Groman for a 66-yard TD and with Cannon once more for a six-yard score. The tally at the end of the first half was 35-6 and the veteran quarterback had set a new AFL record with five touchdown passes.

Three minutes into the third quarter, Blanda threw for his sixth touchdown, connecting with Groman on a 46-yard play. He tossed his seventh, tying the NFL record held at that point by Sid Luckman of the Bears and Philadelphia’s Adrian Burk, in the fourth quarter on a play that covered 11 yards to Groman.

Dorow, who was constantly harassed by the aggressive Houston defense, tossed a second TD pass, of 11 yards to TE Thurlow Cooper, to salvage a slight bit of pride for the Titans. Houston won by a final score of 49-13.

The Oilers rolled up 555 yards, to 347 for New York, and the Titans further hurt their cause by turning the ball over four times, as opposed to just once by Houston. There was plenty of aggressive play on both sides, and several fights broke out, including one that cleared both benches. Altogether, 18 penalties were called, resulting in 193 yards (11 for 128 yards on Houston, 7 for 65 yards on the Titans). Three players were ejected.

In throwing for seven touchdowns, George Blanda completed 20 of 32 passes for 418 yards and was picked off once. Three Houston receivers gained over 100 yards – Bill Groman led the group with 5 catches for 152 yards and three TDs, followed by Charley Hennigan, who caught 8 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown, and Billy Cannon added 122 yards on 7 receptions with three scores. Cannon added another 41 yards on 14 rushes, behind FB Charley Tolar, who gained 58 yards on 11 carries, and FB Dave Smith with 49 yards on six attempts.

For the visitors, Al Dorow went to the air 47 times and had 21 completions for 278 yards with two TDs and three interceptions. HB Dick Christy led the club with 7 catches for 103 yards out of the backfield. FB Bill Mathis ran for 68 yards on 14 carries.

It was another big performance by the defending champions as they surged back into the Eastern Division race. Ultimately, the Oilers went undefeated the rest of the way, winning the division with a 10-3-1 record and again beating the Chargers for the AFL title. The Titans ended up in third place at 7-7.

The offense in particular achieved many superlatives. George Blanda threw 36 touchdown passes, exceeding the existing NFL record of 32, and also led the AFL in passing yards (3330), yards per attempt (9.2, almost two yards per pass better than the runners-up), yards per completion (17.8), and percentage of TD passes (9.9). Considering he had actually missed two full games due to being benched, it was an amazing overall performance. Blanda was selected as AFL Player of the Year by the Associated Press and UPI.


Bill Groman, with his three touchdown catches against New York, caught a TD pass in his 8th consecutive game. While he was shut out the next week, he ended up with 17 touchdown receptions to not only lead the league but tie the existing NFL record. Groman caught 50 passes for 1175 yards.

Charley Hennigan set a single-season record with 1746 receiving yards that not only was never beaten in the AFL, but wasn’t exceeded in the NFL until 1995. He ranked second in both receptions (82) and receiving touchdowns (12).

Billy Cannon led the AFL in rushing with 948 yards on 200 carries and was also the league’s all-purpose yardage leader with 2043. The 1959 Heisman Trophy-winner out of LSU scored a total of 15 touchdowns (6 rushing, 9 receiving). As his performance against the Titans demonstrated, Cannon was a potent pass receiving threat out of the backfield and caught 43 passes for 586 yards.

1961: Oilers Defeat Chargers for First AFL Championship

The American Football League wound up its first season with the Houston Oilers hosting the Los Angeles Chargers in the championship game at Jeppesen Stadium on New Year’s Day, January 1, 1961.

The Oilers, under Head Coach Lou Rymkus, cruised easily to the Eastern Division title with a 10-4 record (the second place New York Titans were 7-7). They boasted the most significant rookie signing of the inaugural season in HB Billy Cannon, the 1959 Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU. 33-year-old QB George Blanda had come out of a year’s retirement from the NFL’s Bears to direct the offense, throwing for 2413 yards and 24 touchdown passes along the way; he was also the new league’s second leading scorer with 115 points thanks to his consistent placekicking. Flanker Charley Hennigan and split end Bill Groman came out of nowhere to become productive receivers (Groman led the AFL in receiving yards with 1473).

The Chargers were coached by Sid Gillman, an innovator in the development of the passing game. QB Jack Kemp led the AFL in passing and was second in yards through the air (3018) and completion percentage (52.0). They also had an effective running game led by HB Paul Lowe, the second leading rusher with 855 yards on a league-leading average gain of 6.3 yards-per-carry. Unfortunately, the team drew poorly in Los Angeles playing at the Memorial Coliseum and competing against the NFL’s Rams.

There were 32,183 fans present in 50 degree weather for what proved to be a good game to cap the inaugural season. Defense dominated the first quarter, with 41-year-old Ben Agajanian kicking field goals of 38 and 22 yards to stake the Chargers to a 6-0 lead (Agajanian had kicked with the Los Angeles Dons of the AAFC in 1947-48 and also played in the NFL as one of the earliest kicking specialists).

Houston scored the first touchdown of the contest on a 17-yard pass play from Blanda to FB Dave Smith after a 40-yard drive in which the veteran quarterback passed 8 times in 12 plays. Blanda and Agajanian traded field goals, and at halftime the score stood at 10-9 in favor of the Oilers.

Both offenses opened up more in the second half. Blanda continued to rely on his passing game while Lowe ran effectively for the Chargers. Groman hauled in a 7-yard TD pass from Blanda, and the Chargers responded with a long drive capped by Lowe’s two-yard scoring run. Houston was still ahead by a point after three quarters, 17-16.


The biggest play of the game came early in the fourth quarter with the Oilers facing a third-and-nine situation at their own 12 yard line. Blanda hit Cannon on a pass out of the backfield and the prize rookie halfback outran the San Diego secondary for an 88-yard touchdown. Twice the Chargers drove into Houston territory, only to lose the ball on downs on each occasion. The last time was at the 22 yard line with a minute remaining; had the Chargers been able to score a touchdown they would have had the opportunity to try for a two-point conversion (an option the NFL didn’t adopt until 1994) and tie the game, but it was not to be. The Houston Oilers won the 1960 AFL Championship by a score of 24-16.

George Blanda (pictured dropping back to pass at top) directed the Oilers well, completing 16 of 31 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Thanks to the long scoring reception, Cannon (pictured above left) had 128 yards on three catches and also led the team with 50 rushing yards on 18 carries. Dave Smith had the most receptions with five, for 52 yards. Hennigan had a solid four catches for 71 yards and Groman was three for 37 and a TD.


Paul Lowe (pictured at right) was the star for the Chargers, rushing for 165 yards on 21 carries and a TD. Jack Kemp completed 21 of his 41 passes for 171 yards with two picked off. Split end Don Norton and flanker Royce Womble both caught a team-leading six passes, although TE Dave Kocurek had the most receiving yards with 57 on three receptions (Norton had 55 and Womble 29).

Both teams repeated as division champions in 1961, but the Chargers were based in San Diego by then. After losing $900,000 and seeing his team play before far too many empty seats in the huge Memorial Coliseum, owner Barron Hilton responded to overtures to move the franchise down the Pacific coast where there was more fan potential and no NFL competition.