1963: Raiders Score 31 Points in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Chargers

The Oakland Raiders were the American Football League’s most improved team as they hosted the San Diego Chargers on December 8, 1963. Under new Head Coach Al Davis, the Raiders had a new look and attitude, and a 7-4 record which, for a club that had won a total of three games over the last two seasons, was noteworthy enough. The duo of Tom Flores and Cotton Davidson handled the quarterbacking and HB Clem Daniels (pictured above) had emerged as a top rusher and receiver out of the backfield while split end Art Powell was a productive receiver. The defense, although better, was still a work in progress.

San Diego, at 9-2, was the team the Raiders were trying to catch, and they had upset the Chargers earlier in the year on the road. Head Coach Sid Gillman’s club featured an explosive offense directed by 35-year-old QB Tobin Rote. The receiving corps led by flanker Lance Alworth was outstanding and the running back combination of HB Paul Lowe and FB Keith Lincoln productive. The defense was tough, led by a rugged front line that featured DE Earl Faison and DT Ernie Ladd. 

There were 20,249 fans in attendance at Frank Youell Field in Oakland in what was viewed as the biggest game thus far in the Raiders’ brief history. However, it was the Chargers striking quickly on the game’s opening possession. Tobin Rote threw to Keith Lincoln on the first play to pick up 26 yards to the Oakland 26 and, while the visitors lost yardage on the next two plays, Rote passed to split end Don Norton on a third-and-16 play that resulted in a 32-yard touchdown. George Blair added the extra point for the early 7-0 advantage.

The teams exchanged punts before the Raiders, taking possession at their 40, drove to the San Diego 30. Clem Daniels threw an option pass to Art Powell for 10 yards in a third-and-seven situation and QB Tom Flores connected with Daniels for 14 yards to the San Diego 33. Mike Mercer kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it a 7-3 game.

The Chargers again punted following a short series and Oakland was driving as the game headed into the second quarter but also was forced to punt from midfield after Flores was sacked on third down. San Diego proceeded to drive 89 yards in six plays. Rote passed to Lance Alworth for a big pickup of 54 yards to the Oakland 35 and then connected with TE Dave Kocurek for another nine yards. Rote carried for five yards and a first down, threw to Norton for seven yards, and two plays later FB Bobby Jackson ran 14 yards for a TD. Blair again successfully converted and the visitors were up by 14-3.

Oakland responded with a scoring drive of 70 yards in six plays. Flores completed consecutive passes to Daniels, the longest for 21 yards, and while a holding penalty cost the Raiders 15 yards, Flores completed a throw to FB Alan Miller for 20 yards while facing second-and-22. A Daniels carry lost a yard, but on fourth down Flores fired down the middle for Powell (pictured below) and the result was a 45-yard touchdown. Mercer added the point after and the San Diego lead was narrowed to 14-10.

Alworth returned the ensuing kickoff 34 yards to give the Chargers good starting field position at their 44 and Rote immediately threw to Paul Lowe for 12 yards. But the series stalled at the Oakland 38 and Blair was wide on a 45-yard field goal attempt. The Raiders reached the San Diego 39 on their next possession but turned the ball over on downs and, with time running down in the first half, the Chargers moved 61 yards in five plays. Rote hit Norton twice, for 22 and 36 yards, to reach the Oakland three and, after losing ground on a running play, it was Rote to TE Jacque MacKinnon for a five-yard TD. Blair missed the extra point but the Chargers took a 20-10 lead into halftime.

The Raiders, with Cotton Davidson now at quarterback, had the first possession in the third quarter and thanks primarily to a run by Daniels for 23 yards they advanced into San Diego territory. But a holding penalty moved them back after reaching the 24 and after a long throw by Davidson intended for Powell in the end zone fell incomplete, Mercer was short on a 48-yard try for a field goal.

The teams again traded punts before the Chargers advanced 75 yards in six plays. A pass interference penalty helped San Diego along and Rote completed a pass to Kocurek for 40 yards. Rote finished the series off with a toss to Alworth for a 15-yard touchdown and, with Blair successful on the extra point, the Chargers carried a seemingly-comfortable 27-10 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Raiders had to punt early in the final period but got the ball back when Jackson fumbled after gaining 24 yards on a screen pass and safety Tom Morrow recovered for Oakland. Daniels took off on a 35-yard run and while Davidson was sacked by Earl Faison on the next play, he connected with Powell in the end zone on third down for a 10-yard TD. Mercer converted and the Raiders were down by ten points at 27-17.

On the second play of San Diego’s next possession, Lowe fumbled and safety Joe Krakoski recovered for the Raiders at the Chargers’ 23. Davidson tossed three incomplete passes but Mercer kicked a 30-yard field goal to narrow the margin to 27-20.

A short series by the Chargers resulted in a punt and Paul McGuire, after fielding a bad snap, kicked short to his own 43. Davidson threw a swing pass to Miller for six yards on second down and scrambled for 12 yards to the 22. Another pass and a run by Daniels got the ball to the nine, and from there Davidson ran for a touchdown. Mercer added the point after and the score was tied at 27-27.

Another short San Diego possession resulted in a punt and a good return by CB Claude Gibson had 15 yards tacked on due to a face mask penalty on the Chargers. Three plays later, Davidson passed to Powell in the end zone for a 40-yard TD. With Mercer’s kick, the Raiders were now in front by 34-27.

John Hadl was at quarterback when the reeling Chargers had the ball next, and he completed his first two passes, the longest of 18 yards to Norton to reach the Oakland 38. But the next three throws were incomplete and, on fourth down, Hadl’s pass was intercepted by LB Clancy Osborne, who returned it 48 yards to the San Diego 12. Miller ran for a two-yard touchdown that was the final nail in San Diego’s coffin. With the 31-point fourth quarter explosion, Oakland came away the winner by a final score of 41-27.

The Raiders led in total yards (406 to 336) and first downs (24 to 17). They held San Diego’s vaunted running attack to just 45 yards while gaining 154 yards of their own. San Diego also turned the ball over three times, with catastrophic results in the fourth quarter, while Oakland had no turnovers. However, the Raiders were penalized eight times, at a cost of 101 yards, to two flags thrown on the Chargers.

Tom Flores was 11 of 23 for 173 yards and a touchdown before being relieved by Cotton Davidson, who completed 6 of 17 passes for 95 yards and two TDs and ran seven times for 41 yards and a score. Clem Daniels rushed for 90 yards on 17 carries and had 7 catches for another 90 yards and also completed a 10-yard pass. Art Powell caught 6 passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns.

For the Chargers, Tobin Rote was successful on 17 of 25 throws for 284 yards and three TDs. Don Norton (pictured at right) had 6 pass receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown and Lance Alworth contributed three catches for 71 yards and a TD as well. However, Bobby Jackson led the team in rushing with 33 yards on five attempts that included a score while Paul Lowe was held to five yards on six carries and Keith Lincoln to no yards on two attempts.

“I didn’t really feel we were out of it at any time,” said Oakland’s Coach Davis. “We were always in there but just couldn’t do things right for awhile.”

The stunning win kept the Raiders in contention in the Western Division and they won their last two games, for a total of eight straight, to finish with a 10-4 record. However, San Diego also won its remaining contests and topped the division at 11-3. The Chargers went on to demolish the Boston Patriots to win the AFL Championship.

With Tom Flores passing for 2101 yards and Cotton Davidson 1276, the Raiders accumulated 3377 yards through the air and a league-leading 31 touchdowns. Clem Daniels set a new AFL record with 1099 rushing yards and also led the circuit by averaging 22.8 yards on 30 pass receptions. Art Powell topped the league with 16 touchdown receptions and 1304 receiving yards on his second-ranked 73 catches.

1960: Texans Edge Broncos as Late Field Goal Attempt Fails

The Dallas Texans of the new American Football League were coming off of three straight losses and had a 2-4 record as they faced the Denver Broncos on October 30, 1960. Owned by the league’s founder, Lamar Hunt, and coached by Hank Stram, the Texans had a good defense and an exciting all-purpose weapon on offense in rookie HB Abner Haynes (pictured above). Split end Chris Burford was good, too, but QB Cotton Davidson lacked consistency and passing accuracy.

Denver, coached by Frank Filchock, was less talented overall but had a better record at 4-2. QB Frank Tripucka, a 32-year-old CFL veteran, directed the attack with little ground support (especially at fullback), other than ex-Green Bay HB Al Carmichael. Unheralded end Lionel Taylor was coming on as a possession receiver.

It was a cold, clear day at Bears Stadium with 13,002 fans in attendance. The Texans took the opening kickoff and drove into Denver territory with Abner Haynes and FB Jack Spikes running effectively. But facing second-and-11 at the 17, Cotton Davidson’s deflected pass was intercepted by safety Al Romine. However, Dallas got the ball back two plays later when Al Carmichael fumbled and LB Ted Greene recovered at the Denver 37. The Texans didn’t come up empty, scoring in four plays. The biggest was a screen pass from Davidson to Haynes that covered 34 yards and Spikes scored a touchdown standing up from a yard out. Spikes, who doubled as placekicker, added the extra point and the visitors led by 7-0.

The teams exchanged punts before the Broncos put together a 61-yard drive in three plays. Frank Tripucka threw to end Lionel Taylor for 14 yards and, after another long pass was almost picked off, Carmichael (pictured below), making up for the earlier fumble, broke away for a 47-yard TD. Gene Mingo converted to tie the score.

As the game moved into the second quarter, a three-and-out series by the Texans ended with a punt and the Broncos did the same. However, DB Clem Daniels fumbled the kick and OT Eldon Danenhauer recovered for Denver at the Dallas 31. Tripucka completed passes to Gene Mingo, a halfback as well as kicker, and Carmichael to reach the 16, but Taylor lost two yards on an end-around and Tripucka’s next two aerials were overthrown. Mingo attempted a 26-yard field goal that was wide to the right and the home team came up empty.

The clubs again traded punts before the Texans put together an eight-play, 64-yard drive. Haynes ran the ball five times for 19 yards and caught a swing pass for another ten, and his last carry of three yards was good for a touchdown. Spikes added the point after to put Dallas back in front by 14-7.

The Broncos drove into Dallas territory on their next series. Tripucka passed to Mingo for 18 yards to midfield on a third-and-eight play and two defensive holding penalties on the Texans helped keep the drive alive. But after reaching the 24, HB Bob Stransky fumbled after catching a pass and DT Ray Collins recovered for Dallas. The first half ended with Dallas still in front by seven.

Denver started the third quarter off with a short possession and punted. Starting from their 20, the Texans moved methodically down the field. Davidson threw to Chris Burford for 15 yards to convert a third-and-seven situation and, after Haynes and Spikes ran the ball to the Denver 22, Davidson completed a third-down pass to Haynes for 14 yards to give the visitors a first-and-goal at the eight. Davidson’s first down pass was incomplete, but he connected with Haynes on second down for a five-yard gain to the three.  Spikes plowed down to the one and, electing to go for it on fourth down, Davidson kept the ball on a quarterback sneak but was stopped a foot short of the goal line.

The Broncos ran three times and punted, and the Texans regained possession at the Denver 49. Once again the Texans chipped away as Spikes gained eight yards and Haynes six. Davidson threw to Burford for a 25-yard gain to the ten yard line but the drive stalled at the four and Spikes booted an 11-yard field goal. Dallas was now up by 17-7.

On Denver’s second play following the ensuing kickoff, Tripucka’s pass was intercepted by Daniels at the Broncos’ 26. However, the opportunity for the Texans to pad the lead was lost when Haynes fumbled and DE Chuck Gavin recovered for the Broncos at the Denver 16.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, a Tripucka bomb was intercepted by CB Duane Wood at the Dallas 10. The Texans picked up nine yards and punted, but retained possession when Carmichael fumbled and OT Jerry Cornelison recovered at his 42. Two plays later, CB John Pyeatt intercepted a throw by Davidson to give the Broncos the ball at their 24.

It didn’t look promising when Tripucka was sacked on first down by DE Paul Miller for a ten-yard loss, but after Mingo gained back four yards, on third-and-16 Tripucka threw to Carmichael for 22 yards. Carmichael picked up another five yards shortly thereafter and then Tripucka connected with HB Bob McNamara on a play that covered 55 yards for a touchdown. Mingo converted and the Broncos were now three points behind with 8:48 to play.

The Texans managed to convert two third downs as they ran the clock down to just over three minutes on their next series, but after reaching the Denver 47 they had to punt. Tripucka came out throwing, completing six passes, two of them on third down plays, to get the Broncos to the Dallas 21. McNamara dropped a pass at the 15 and Carmichael lost a yard on a draw play, setting up a 29-yard game-tying field goal attempt by Mingo. The kick was wide to the left and Dallas came away with a 17-14 win.

The Texans had the edge in total yards (308 to 302) and first downs (19 to 13). Denver turned the ball over five times, to four suffered by Dallas, while the Broncos recorded four sacks, to two by the Texans.

Abner Haynes was typically productive in his all-purpose role, rushing for 81 yards on 27 carries that included a touchdown, catching 7 passes for 96 yards, and returning two kickoffs for 38 yards. Cotton Davidson completed 12 of 23 throws for 187 yards and gave up two interceptions. Chris Burford contributed 78 yards on four pass receptions. Jack Spikes (pictured below) gained 50 yards on 18 rushes that included a TD and also kicked a field goal in addition to both extra points.

For the Broncos, Frank Tripucka was successful on 14 of 31 aerials for a TD as well as two interceptions. Al Carmichael ran for 61 yards on six attempts that included a touchdown and also caught three passes for 40 yards. Gene Mingo had a team-leading four receptions for 50 yards in addition to 42 rushing yards on 8 attempts, but missed both of his field goal tries. Bob McNamara had the most receiving yards with 55 on his lone scoring catch.

The team’s fortunes shifted as the season continued. Dallas went on to win its next two games, including the rematch with the Broncos, and finished strong for an overall 8-6 record that placed second in the Western Division. Meanwhile, Denver didn’t win another game, while tying one, and ended up at the bottom of the division at 4-9-1.

Abner Haynes had a spectacular first year, leading the AFL in rushing with 875 yards on 156 carries (5.6 avg.) and in all-purpose yards (2100) thanks to his team-leading 55 catches for 576 yards, 215 yards on 14 punt returns (a league-leading 15.4 avg.), and 19 kickoff returns that totaled 434 yards. He scored 12 touchdowns and was named AFL Player of the Year by UPI.

Al Carmichael ran for 211 yards on 41 attempts (5.1 avg.) and added 616 yards on 32 pass receptions (19.3 avg.), scoring a total of seven TDs, before a leg injury ended his season in the tenth game. Gene Mingo had better kicking performances as he led the AFL with 18 field goals, a 64.3 field goal percentage, and 123 points. Frank Tripucka led the league in pass attempts (478), completions (248), and yards (3038), but also interceptions (34). 

1960: Chargers Come From Behind to Defeat Texans

On September 10, 1960 two of the most highly-regarded teams in the new American Football League made their regular season debut at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The Los Angeles Chargers were coached by Sid Gillman, the most experienced of the new circuit’s head coaches as he had previously led the NFL Rams and had one Western Conference title under his belt. LA had signed a fair amount of good young talent, some with pro experience, including QB Jack Kemp (pictured above) who had brief stints in the NFL and CFL after coming out of Occidental.

The visiting Dallas Texans were owned by AFL founder Lamar Hunt and coached by Hank Stram, a highly-regarded college assistant who had most recently been at Purdue. The team had a distinctively Lone Star State composition, starting with QB Cotton Davidson, formerly of Baylor, and including rookie FB Jack Spikes from TCU and quick-footed HB Abner Haynes of North Texas State. Dallas rolled impressively through the preseason without a loss.

There were 17,724 in attendance for the Saturday night game. The Texans went three-and-out on their first possession and Los Angeles fumbled the ball away to end its first series. Taking over at the LA 42, Dallas advanced to the 20 but a 27-yard field goal attempt by Jack Spikes was no good.

Following a punt by the Chargers, the Texans drove 60 yards in eight plays. They ran the ball effectively and Cotton Davidson completed three passes, including one for 16 yards to end Max Boydston and a 12-yard touchdown throw to end Chris Burford. Spikes missed the extra point try and the score remained 6-0 heading into the second quarter.

Following another LA punt early in the period, Dallas, starting from its own six yard line, put together a long drive. The Texans converted four third downs as Davidson completed four passes and ran for three yards on a quarterback sneak. Spikes ran for a touchdown from a yard out and this time was successful in adding the PAT. The visitors were ahead by 13-0.

The teams traded punts before the Chargers came through with a big play. Jack Kemp connected with end Ralph Anderson for a 46-yard TD and, with Ben Agajanian’s extra point, the Dallas lead was cut to six points.

The Texans responded by going 80 yards in 12 plays. Davidson (pictured below) started off with a screen pass to Abner Haynes that gained 17 yards and followed up with a throw to Boydston to the LA 47. With time running out in the half, Davidson primarily kept the ball in the air. Spikes ran for three yards to convert a fourth-and-one at the LA 26 and three plays later Davidson passed to Haynes for a 17-yard touchdown. Spikes again converted the extra point and the score stood at 20-7 in favor of Dallas at the half.

The Chargers went three-and-out to start the third quarter and again the Texans drove into scoring position. Reaching the LA 22, Dallas lined up to attempt a field goal but a bad snap sailed past holder Hunter Enis and gave Los Angeles the ball at the Dallas 49. However, the Chargers were unable to capitalize when their drive reached the 29 and Agajanian’s try for a field goal was blocked.

Following a punt by the Texans, the Chargers advanced to the Dallas eight. But HB Paul Lowe was stopped for no gain, Kemp tossed two incomplete passes, and on fourth-and-goal Kemp was sacked to end the threat. The Dallas lead appeared to be safe heading into the fourth quarter.

The Texans again punted and the Chargers took over at their 32. Kemp completed three straight passes to get the ball into Dallas territory. It seemed as though LA would again come up empty when Kemp threw an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-two play at the Dallas 43, but the Texans were called for pass interference and the series kept going. Lowe ran for seven yards and then tossed an option pass to Anderson for 24 yards to the eight yard line. Three plays later Kemp scrambled for a seven-yard touchdown and Agajanian’s extra point made the tally 20-14.

The Texans went three-and-out on their next possession and punted once more but had the Chargers backed up to their ten yard line. LA used 15 plays to cover the 90 yards. Along the way, a Kemp fumble was erased by a penalty on the Texans and a third-and-15 situation was converted when Kemp connected with flanker Royce Womble for a 36-yard gain to the Dallas 41. Again a pass interference penalty on a fourth-down play kept the Chargers alive and Kemp finally tossed a four-yard scoring pass to FB Howie Ferguson. Agajanian’s critical extra point try was successful and Los Angeles was ahead by one with just over two minutes remaining on the clock. The Texans still had a chance but Davidson threw an interception to seal the 21-20 win for the Chargers.

Los Angeles outgained the Texans (354 yards to 294) and had the edge in first downs (22 to 21). Each team turned the ball over once, although the Texans were penalized seven times to two flags thrown on the home team.

Jack Kemp completed 24 of 41 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted; he also ran the ball 7 times for 19 yards and a TD. Royce Womble caught 7 passes for 92 yards and Ralph Anderson gained 103 yards on 5 receptions that included a score. Unheralded HB Paul Lowe led the ground game with just 20 yards on 8 carries while Howie Ferguson was right behind with his 19 yards on 8 attempts.

For the Texans, Cotton Davidson was successful on 22 of 40 throws for 230 yards and two TDs with one interception. Jack Spikes (pictured below) ran for 62 yards on 9 carries and scored a touchdown. Abner Haynes only rushed for 15 yards on three attempts but had 7 pass receptions for 62 yards and a score.

The Chargers lost their next two games and were 2-3 before winning eight of their last nine and topping the Western Division at 10-4. They lost the AFL title game to the Houston Oilers. They also relocated to San Diego for the 1961 season, having failed to draw in Los Angeles despite having an exciting offensive team.

Jack Kemp led the AFL in passing and was an All-League selection, throwing for 3018 yards and 20 touchdowns. Paul Lowe would carry more of the load on offense as the season progressed and finished second in the league with 855 rushing yards.

Dallas finished second in the division at 8-6. Abner Haynes ended up not only being Rookie of the Year but Player of the Year as well as he paced the AFL in rushing with 875 yards and in all-purpose yards with 2100. 

1963: Raiders Upset Chargers in Wild Cliffhanger

The Oakland Raiders were a franchise transformed in 1963. After three seasons in the American Football League that produced a 9-33 record and little fan support, 34-year-old Al Davis was hired away from the San Diego Chargers to become head coach and general manager. He brought a new attitude as well as a new look to the club, and it was beginning to show on the field. By the time the Raiders faced Davis’ old team, the Chargers, on October 27 the record was just 3-4 – but that was two more wins than they had in all of 1962.

San Diego, under Head Coach Sid Gillman, was a powerful and well-balanced team with a 5-1 record. Veteran QB Tobin Rote directed an offense that was potent both on the ground with HB Paul Lowe and all-purpose FB Keith Lincoln as well as through the air thanks to flanker Lance Alworth. Moreover, the Raiders had never beaten the Chargers, going back six games in series history, and most of the scores had been lopsided.

There were 30,182 fans at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. They saw the Raiders get a major break following a first quarter interception by LB Archie Matsos, who lateraled to CB Claude “Hoot” Gibson for a 13-yard return to the San Diego 25. After two short carries by HB Clem Daniels, split end Art Powell, who was double-covered all day, put Oakland on the board by catching a 20-yard pass from QB Tom Flores.

Keith Lincoln returned the ensuing kickoff for San Diego 43 yards to near midfield. In a series highlighted by a 17-yard run by Paul Lowe and 13-yard Keith Lincoln carry, the Chargers advanced to the Oakland 16 where the defense stiffened and George Blair kicked a 23-yard field goal.

A punt by the Raiders from deep in their own territory gave the Chargers good starting field position at their own 42 on their next possession. Rote threw to Alworth for 15 yards and Lowe ran for 10. On first down, Rote fired to Alworth in the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown and, with the successful extra point, San Diego was in front by 10-7.

Following the touchdown by Alworth, Al Davis moved CB Fred Williamson to cover him, with good results as the fleet receiver was essentially shut down the rest of the way.

In the second quarter, Williamson set up Oakland’s second touchdown with an interception at the San Diego 30. Daniels got the ball to the 10 on two carries and, after advancing to the five, Flores threw to FB Alan Miller for a TD. The Raiders were back in front at 14-10.

The Chargers retook the lead by 17-14 after a pass from QB John Hadl, subbing for Rote, to TE Jacque MacKinnon that covered 69 yards and concluded the first half scoring. In addition, Oakland’s Flores had to leave the game late in the second quarter due to a head injury and was replaced by Cotton Davidson.

On the second play of the third quarter, CB Dick Harris returned an interception 23 yards for a TD to make it 23-14. Blair’s extra point attempt failed following a bad snap. A fumble recovery by Gibson set up a 39-yard scoring pass from Davidson to flanker Dobie Craig that, with Mike Mercer’s successful PAT, brought the Raiders back to within two points behind. George Blair kicked another field goal for San Diego, this time from 36 yards, to make it a five-point game at 26-21 heading into the final period.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Powell (pictured below) scored another touchdown, this time on an outstanding 46-yard catch on a pass from Davidson in which he pulled the ball in over his shoulder while well-covered by two defenders. The Raiders were back in front at 28-26.

Oakland’s lead didn’t last long, however. San Diego’s Lincoln took off on a 51-yard scoring run on the next series. Following a key defensive stand by the Raiders, they got the ball back with just under four minutes remaining on the clock. Daniels took off on a 41-yard run to the San Diego 20. Davidson, unable to find any receivers on the next play, ran for 11 yards to the nine. Two plays lost a yard before Davidson, with 1:52 left on the clock, scrambled for time and threw to FB Glenn Shaw in the end zone for a ten-yard touchdown. A two-point conversion attempt failed, but Oakland had the lead.

There was still time for the Chargers, but Rote was tossed for a 20-yard loss and then Gibson intercepted a pass with a minute left to seal the exciting 34-33 win for the Raiders.

The Chargers had more total yards (380 to 296) and first downs (18 to 13) than Oakland, but they also turned the ball over six times against three turnovers by the Raiders.

In relief of Tom Flores, who was successful on three of 11 passes for 31 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, Cotton Davidson (pictured at left) was very effective, completing 5 of 10 throws for 115 yards with three good for TDs against one intercepted. He also gained 27 yards on five runs. Clem Daniels was outstanding as he rushed for 125 yards on 19 carries. Art Powell caught three passes for 77 yards, two of them for scores.

As for the Chargers, Tobin Rote, who encountered heavy pressure, had a subpar performance as he completed 6 of 14 passes for 67 yards and a TD with four interceptions. Keith Lincoln was sensational in rushing for 130 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, but while Paul Lowe gained 82 yards on 12 attempts, most of that came in the first half - he was largely a nonfactor in the last two quarters. Thanks to the long TD reception, Jacque MacKinnon had 111 yards on three catches while Lance Alworth gained 50 yards, also on three receptions.

“San Diego’s a great football team, but we’ve got a great bunch on our club and they just wanted that game so badly today they wouldn’t quit,” summed up Al Davis.

The win for Oakland was the second straight of an eventual eight in a row to close out the season and included another victory over the Chargers at home. The Raiders, at 10-4, ended up second to San Diego (11-3) in the AFL Western Division. The Chargers routed the Boston Patriots in the league’s title game.

Clem Daniels went on to lead the AFL in rushing with 1099 yards on 215 carries (5.1 avg.). Art Powell ranked second with 73 pass receptions for a league-leading 1304 yards and 16 touchdowns. Both were All-AFL selections and Daniels received Player of the Year consideration from The Sporting News.

1962: Raiders Defeat Patriots in Season Finale to End 19-Game Losing Streak

The 1962 AFL season was the nadir for the Oakland Raiders franchise. Entering the final game on December 16 at Frank Youell Field against the visiting Boston Patriots, they had lost 19 consecutive games going back to the ninth contest of 1961.

At least the franchise was finally playing home games in Oakland. A late addition to the American Football League, after the Minneapolis group dropped out to join the NFL, the Raiders had played in San Francisco the first two seasons (Kezar Stadium in ’60, Candlestick Park in ’61). Amid rumors that the team would relocate to another city, Oakland officials assured the owners that a new stadium was in the works (what would eventually be the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum) and a temporary home would be made available in the meantime (Frank Youell Field, capacity 22,000).

On the field, the team had struggled. Marty Feldman had succeeded original Head Coach Eddie Erdelatz after the Raiders were blown out in the first two games of the ’61 season, but he was let go five games into the 1962 campaign after compiling a 2-15 record. Assistant Red Conkright was promoted into the top job, which was a thankless proposition. Starting QB Tom Flores was forced to sit out the year with a lung infection. While the team made an early season deal with the Dallas Texans for QB Cotton Davidson (pictured below), who had lost his starting job to Len Dawson, he had problems with chronic injuries and a weak receiving corps.


To be sure, there was talent on the team. C Jim Otto was a first team All-AFL selection in 1960 and ’61, and would be once again in ’62 (and beyond). Guard Wayne Hawkins was considered one of the best in the league as well. Clem Daniels (pictured above) emerged as a talented halfback and chief running threat. On defense, CB Fred “the Hammer” Williamson and DT Chuck McMurtry were standouts.

In the finale against Boston, the Raiders received a couple of breaks in that starting QB Babe Parilli (an original Raider in ’60) was injured and wouldn’t be facing them, and the team had been eliminated from postseason contention the day before. Boston had been in a close race with the Oilers in the Eastern Division all year, but Houston defeated the New York Titans in a Saturday game that clinched the division title with an 11-3 record. The Patriots had no incentive to win, and it was apparent – as backup QB Tom Yewcic, who started on that day, put it later, “nobody wanted to play”.

It was a rainy, miserable day with 8000 fans in attendance. Oakland won resoundingly, 20-0. Daniels was the standout, scoring both touchdowns, one on a 74-yard pass play from Davidson in the second quarter, and the other on a seven-yard run in the third quarter. 43-year-old placekicker Ben Agajanian (whose career spanned stints in the AAFC and NFL as well as AFL) booted field goals of 19 and 21 yards to round out the scoring.

The Raiders accumulated 288 yards of offense, with Daniels gaining just 54 yards on 26 rushing attempts but, thanks to the long TD pass, catching three passes for 95 yards. Davidson completed 9 of 23 passes for 230 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Boston’s Yewcic had 13 pass completions in 35 attempts for just 108 yards and two pickoffs. The Patriots gained 82 yards on the ground in 18 carries, with HB Jim Crawford leading the way at 6 rushes for 35 yards. Split end Gino Cappelletti led all receivers with 5 catches, for 53 yards.

The win not only ended the long losing streak, but was the first shutout of an opponent in franchise history. Happy fans blared their car horns to celebrate in the parking lot afterward.

The Raiders ended up with a 1-13 record and, naturally, in last place in the Western Division. Boston finished at 9-4-1 and second place in the East. Clem Daniels ranked fourth in the AFL with 766 yards rushing.

Things got better for the Raiders in the offseason. The owners finally coaxed Al Davis away from Sid Gillman’s coaching staff at San Diego, and the 33-year-old head coach and general manager made personnel changes and brought a whole new attitude to the team. The immediate turnaround was impressive – Oakland astounded the pro football world in 1963 by going 10-4. They were still a few years away from being a true contender, but it would not be long before the sad state of affairs that culminated in the 1-13 season in 1962 would become a distant memory.