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.

1965: Bills Shut Out Chargers to Repeat as AFL Champions

The American Football League Championship game on December 26, 1965 featured a rematch of the previous year’s participants. This time it was the Buffalo Bills, now defending champs, going on the road to face the San Diego Chargers.

The Bills easily topped the Eastern Division with a 10-3-1 record. They were still coached by Lou Saban and QB Jack Kemp (pictured at right), a former Charger, was again lining up behind center and coming off of a season in which he received AFL Player of the Year recognition. But temperamental star FB Cookie Gilchrist had been dealt to Denver and not adequately replaced and injuries cost the offense the services of flanker Elbert Dubenion and split end Glenn Bass for most of the season. Flanker Bo Roberson and rookie TE Paul Costa helped to fill the void, but it was once again the rugged defense that allowed Buffalo to dominate its division. The unit that contained AFL All-Stars in DT Tom Sestak, LB Mike Stratton, CB Butch Byrd, and safety George Saimes was solid throughout. In addition, pioneering soccer-style PK Pete Gogolak led the AFL with 28 field goals.

San Diego won the Western Division for a third consecutive season by going 9-2-3. Under the direction of Head Coach Sid Gillman, the Chargers had the league’s highest-scoring offense. QB John Hadl was developing into a top passer and flanker Lance Alworth was the premier player at his position, possibly in either league. HB Paul Lowe led the AFL in rushing and versatile FB Keith Lincoln was formidable when healthy, which had not been the case through much of ‘65. The defense was strongest on the line, featuring DE Earl Faison and DT Ernie Ladd, and linebackers Chuck Allen and Frank Buncom led a capable group. Moreover, the Chargers had beaten and tied the Bills during the regular season and, playing for the championship at home, were 6.5-point favorites to win.

There were 30,361 fans in attendance on a pleasant day at Balboa Stadium. The game settled into a defensive battle with no scoring in the first quarter. CB Speedy Duncan of the Chargers intercepted a Jack Kemp pass at the San Diego 33, but San Diego had to punt from midfield. On their next series, starting from deep in their own territory, Paul Lowe took off on a 47-yard run, but the Bills tossed John Hadl for consecutive losses and the home team had to punt again. Coach Gillman chose to have rookie FB Jim Allison handle the punting rather than Hadl, in order to keep the quarterback rested, but when the first two kicks went just 19 and nine yards, respectively, Hadl took over that chore.

Early in the second quarter, a promising series for the Chargers reached the Buffalo 28 but Herb Travenio missed a 35-yard field goal attempt that was partially deflected. The teams exchanged punts until late in the period when the Bills put together a six-play, 80-yard drive. FB Wray Carlton had two eight-yard carries and Kemp passed to Paul Costa, who made an outstanding catch for a 22-yard gain. Following two short running plays, Kemp then threw down the middle to TE Ernie Warlick in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown. Pete Gogolak kicked the extra point.

Following a short possession, the Chargers punted and Butch Byrd gathered in the 40-yard kick at his 26, evaded two tackles, and sped down the right sideline for a 74-yard touchdown. Gogolak converted again and the visitors were staked to a 14-0 lead.

On San Diego’s next offensive play, Hadl’s pass was intercepted by LB Harry Jacobs, who returned it to the Chargers’ 20, but the Bills were unable to pad their lead when Gogolak missed on a 24-yard try for a field goal. The Chargers advanced to the Buffalo 24 in the waning seconds of the first half as Hadl threw to Lance Alworth for 22 yards, ran for another 13, and completed two more short passes. But Travenio was wide on a 31-yard field goal attempt to close out the half.

The Chargers had the first possession in the third quarter and punted. The Bills went right to the air and a Kemp pass to Bo Roberson gained 49 yards to the San Diego 24, and while the Bills didn’t reach the end zone, they came away with an 11-yard field goal by Gogolak (pictured at left) that expanded Buffalo’s margin to 17-0.

Duncan returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards to the Buffalo 48 and Keith Lincoln ran for 10 yards on first down. But after advancing to the 29, the Chargers tried to convert a fourth-and-one situation and a mix-up in the backfield caused them to lose five yards and turn the ball over on downs. It proved to be their last opportunity to get back into the game.

Following a punt by Buffalo’s Paul Maguire that pinned the Chargers back at their one yard line, the Bills blitzed Hadl, who hurried a long pass from his end zone that Byrd intercepted and returned to the San Diego 23. The Chargers continued to play tough on defense, but the Bills further added to their lead with a 39-yard Gogolak field goal.

Down by 20-0 as the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Chargers again turned the ball over on downs in their own territory and Buffalo capped the scoring with a Gogolak field goal from 32 yards. San Diego never again threatened in the remaining time and Buffalo won by a final score of 23-0.

The Bills led in total yards (260 to 223) and first downs (23 to 12). They also recorded five sacks, at a loss of 45 yards, to two by San Diego. The Chargers turned the ball over twice, to one by Buffalo, and were unable to take advantage of scoring opportunities.

Jack Kemp was not especially efficient with his passing, completing 8 of 19 throws, but they were good for 155 yards and a touchdown against one interception. Bo Roberson had three catches for 88 yards and Ernie Warlick contributed three receptions for 35 yards and a TD. Wray Carlton led the Bills with 63 rushing yards on 16 carries. Butch Byrd (pictured below) made significant contributions with an interception that he returned 24 yards and the touchdown on the punt return. Pete Gogolak was successful on three of his five field goal attempts.

For the Chargers, John Hadl, harried by the fierce pass rush, was successful on 11 of 23 throws for 140 yards and gave up two interceptions. Lance Alworth, who was double-teamed throughout the contest, caught four passes for 82 yards and Paul Lowe gained 57 yards on 12 carries, although most of that total came on one play.

“I can’t believe it,” said Jack Kemp regarding the final score. “Nobody expects to shut out the Chargers.”

“We just got beat,” stated a disappointed Coach Gillman of the Chargers. “We lost to a fine football team. The Bills have excellent personnel and coaching. What else is there to say?”

The AFL Championship game triumph proved to be the end for Coach Saban, who resigned to become head coach at the University of Maryland. Joel Collier, the assistant coach who had been in charge of the defense, was elevated to the top job. The Bills once again finished first in the Eastern Division but lost the title game to Kansas City and went into decline, not posting another winning record until 1973. The defeat for the AFL Championship also marked a transition for the Chargers. After having appeared in five of the league’s first six title contests, they did not appear in another. San Diego remained a respectable team but was blocked by the Chiefs and Raiders in the Western Division even while posting records above .500 for the remaining four AFL seasons before the merger with the NFL in 1970. The Chargers did not reach the postseason again until 1979.

1967: Bills Rally in Fourth Quarter to Defeat Jets

The refurbished Buffalo Bills hosted the New York Jets in an American Football League season-opening game on September 10, 1967. Coached by Joe Collier for the second year, the Bills had won the last three Eastern Division titles but, after advancing to consecutive league championships in 1964 and ‘65, failed to win the AFL title game in ’66, thus costing them a spot in the first Super Bowl. The team made major trades during the offseason in an effort to upgrade at key positions. QB Tom Flores and split end Art Powell were obtained from Oakland and HB Keith Lincoln from San Diego.  All three were highly regarded veterans and Flores moved ahead of QB Jack Kemp (pictured above), who had been behind center during the previous successful seasons. The Bills even had a new placekicker in Mike Mercer, an experienced hand who performed ably for the Chiefs in 1966.

New York, entering the fifth year under Head Coach Weeb Ewbank, was coming off of a 6-6-2 record in ’66, which was a step up from four consecutive five-win seasons. Talented QB Joe Namath had a strong arm and quick release that could yield big gains through the air but also gave up many interceptions. There were outstanding receivers in flanker Don Maynard and split end George Sauer, and an effective running tandem in FB Matt Snell and HB Emerson Boozer. However, the defense had been a sore spot and would need to improve if the club was to rise further in the standings.

There were 45,478 fans in attendance at War Memorial Stadium and they saw both teams miss scoring opportunities in the first quarter. Mike Mercer attempted a 46-yard field goal for the Bills that was blocked by DB Cornell Gordon and New York’s Jim Turner was wide to the left on a 16-yard field goal try.

During the second quarter, the Jets put together a 10-play, 57-yard series that was helped along by a pass interference penalty on LB John Tracey. Three plays later, Joe Namath threw to Don Maynard, who outmaneuvered CB Booker Edgerson for a 19-yard touchdown. Turner added the extra point.

Buffalo responded with a promising possession, but after Keith Lincoln (pictured at left) ran for 23 yards to the New York 35, a holding penalty and two sacks moved the Bills back. On the next series, the Jets took just five plays to advance 71 yards. Namath again connected with Maynard, this time for a 56-yard TD with 21 seconds left in the first half. Turner’s conversion staked New York to a 14-0 lead at halftime.

The Bills were unable to put together sustained drives with Flores behind center and a twisted knee suffered late in the second quarter forced him to the bench. Jack Kemp took his place in the second half, although the results were not immediately different. One of his passes was intercepted by safety Jim Hudson, and the result was that the Jets increased their lead less than five minutes into the third quarter when Turner kicked a 32-yard field goal.

The home team continued to struggle on offense and another New York interception, this time by Cornell Gordon, who was injured on the play, nearly led to another score but Turner missed a field goal attempt from 40 yards.

Down 17-0 after three quarters, the Bills came to life early in the final period. They advanced 46 yards in five plays, although it nearly was for naught when Lincoln fell while running a pass route and Solomon Brannan, the replacement for Gordon, dropped a potential interception. On the next play, Kemp passed to Art Powell for a 24-yard touchdown and Mercer added the point after.

The Jets had to punt following their next possession and Curley Johnson’s 29-yard kick was returned seven yards by CB Butch Byrd to the New York 37. On the next play Kemp threw long to Powell in the end zone for another TD. Mercer’s conversion narrowed the tally to 17-14 with 4:39 on the clock.

New York fought back as Namath completed two passes and a personal foul penalty again moved the visitors into scoring territory. However, Turner once again failed on an attempted field goal, this time from 35 yards. The Bills were forced to punt but Paul Maguire’s kick traveled 50 yards and was downed at the New York one yard line. The Jets had to punt in turn, and while three plays by Buffalo gained nothing, Mercer kicked a 51-yard field goal (a new club record at the time) to tie the score with 2:27 remaining to play.

Another series by the Jets resulted in a punt and the Bills had the ball at their 18 with 1:20 to go. Kemp tossed a swing pass to Lincoln that gained 24 yards and then threw to TE Paul Costa, who made a leaping catch for 21 yards. With the clock down to four seconds, Mercer booted a 43-yard field goal and Buffalo won by a final score of 20-17.

New York had the edge in total yards (287 to 248) although the Bills led in first downs (15 to 14). Buffalo also suffered the only two turnovers of the game and sustained four sacks by the Jets while recording two of its own.  However, while Mike Mercer (pictured at right) kicked the two big field goals for Buffalo, Jim Turner missed on three of his four attempts.

Jack Kemp completed 12 of 23 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns while giving up two interceptions in relief of Tom Flores, who was 6 of 11 for 40 yards and no TDs (or interceptions) in the first half. Keith Lincoln rushed for 81 yards on 13 carries and netted another 23 yards on three pass receptions. Flanker Elbert Dubenion caught 6 passes for 54 yards while Art Powell gained 91 yards on his 5 receptions that included the two touchdowns.

For the Jets, Joe Namath was successful on 11 of 23 throws for 153 yards and two TDs while having none picked off. Don Maynard caught 5 of those passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Matt Snell topped the rushers with 95 yards on 19 attempts and Emerson Boozer contributed 53 yards on his 16 carries.

While Buffalo fans might have felt optimistic following the come-from-behind win, particularly with newcomers Art Powell, Keith Lincoln, and Mike Mercer having starring roles (if not Tom Flores), the season went downhill from there. The Bills lost their next three games on their way to a 4-10 record that tied with Miami for third place in the Eastern Division that they had previously dominated. While Lincoln and Mercer performed well, Powell lasted for six games before going out with a knee injury that required surgery and Flores, suffering from a sore arm, completed only 34.4 percent of his 64 passes and threw for no touchdowns while giving up eight interceptions, thus being relegated to the bench. Adding insult to injury, QB Daryle Lamonica, the backup who was sent to Oakland in the deal for Flores and Powell, had a MVP season as the Raiders won the AFL Championship.

The Jets went 5-0-1 over the next six weeks and appeared to be the successors to the Bills, who they defeated in the rematch at New York, until a late-season collapse caused them to finish second to Houston with an 8-5-1 tally. Joe Namath passed for a record 4007 yards but threw for more interceptions (28) than touchdowns (26). Don Maynard (pictured at left) caught 71 passes, second only to teammate George Sauer, for a league-leading 1434 yards and 10 TDs.

1964: Bills Defeat Patriots in Showdown for AFL Eastern Division Title

The American Football League’s Eastern Division title was on the line as the Buffalo Bills met the Boston Patriots on December 20, 1964. The Patriots had won the previous meeting of the teams, blemishing Buffalo’s undefeated record in doing so, and had also beaten Buffalo in a divisional playoff the previous year after the teams tied for first place. Now the Bills were 11-2, after getting off to a 9-0 start, and Boston was right behind at 10-2-1, so once again the winner of the season-ending showdown would advance to the AFL Championship game.

Buffalo’s head coach for the third year was Lou Saban, and the Bills ranked at the top of the league in both offense and defense. Starting QB Jack Kemp (pictured above) was benched the previous week in favor of Daryle Lamonica, who often relieved if the offense needed a spark, but the 29-year-old veteran was back behind center at Boston. FB Cookie Gilchrist was the key to the strong running attack and there were good receivers in flanker Elbert Dubenion, split end Glenn Bass, and TE Ernie Warlick. The tough defense was especially strong on the line and in the backfield. Rookie PK Pete Gogolak, a pioneering soccer-style kicker, added additional scoring ability.

Boston was coached by Mike Holovak and was the hotter team down the stretch, having won five straight contests. 34-year-old QB Babe Parilli was a savvy veteran and flanker Gino Cappelletti the AFL’s most prolific scorer, between catching passes for touchdowns and his reliable placekicking. The defense was a good one and, like the Bills, featured a strong defensive line as well as excellent MLB Nick Buoniconti, who led a linebacker corps known for its blitzing.

There was a crowd of 38,021 fans in attendance on a snowy day at Fenway Park. The field was slippery, making the footing treacherous. The teams traded punts to start the game before Jack Kemp threw to Elbert Dubenion for a 57-yard touchdown and Pete Gogolak added the extra point. The Patriots responded with a seven-play, 72-yard drive. In a third-and-ten situation, Babe Parilli completed a pass to split end Art Graham for 22 yards and, three plays later, connected with TE Tony Romeo for a 37-yard TD. However, Boston tried for a two-point conversion and Parilli’s pass intended for Gino Cappelletti was incomplete, leaving the Bills in the lead by 7-6.

On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Kemp again went long for Dubenion (pictured at left), and it resulted in a gain of 52 yards to the Boston 20. Runs by Kemp and Cookie Gilchrist and a pass to Glenn Bass advanced the ball to the three, but after Gilchrist lost a yard on two carries, Kemp’s third down throw into the end zone was intercepted by FS Ron Hall.

The Patriots couldn’t move on offense and punted. Once again the Bills came through with a big pass play, with Kemp this time throwing to Ernie Warlick for 44 yards to the Boston 10. This time the visitors didn’t come up empty, with Kemp gaining the last yard for a touchdown. Gogolak’s point after made the score 14-6.

Parilli connected on passes for 15 yards to flanker Jim Colclough and 14 to Gino Cappelletti, but the drive stalled thereafter and the Patriots punted. Kemp threw a pass that was picked off by CB Don Webb, giving the Patriots the ball at the Buffalo 35, but two plays later the Bills returned the favor when FS George Saimes intercepted a Parilli throw.

Buffalo put together a long series that covered 65 yards in 14 plays. Kemp completed three passes, including one to Bass for 33 yards, and HB Wray Carlton carried six times. The advance halted at the Boston five and Gogolak kicked a 12-yard field goal with 24 seconds left on the clock. The Bills took a 17-6 lead into halftime.

The Patriots went three-and-out and punted to start the third quarter, regained possession on another interception by Hall, but had to punt again. Kemp connected on passes to Bass (pictured below) that covered 38 and 13 yards, but after reaching the Boston 21, a holding penalty backed the Bills up and they had to punt.

Boston reached the Buffalo 39 on the next series, with the big play a pass from Parilli to Cappelletti for 22 yards, but Cappelletti’s try for a 46-yard field goal hit the crossbar and was no good. As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Bills had to punt again but regained possession four plays later when Parilli’s pass was intercepted by CB Charley Warner, who ran it back 38 yards to the Boston 17. Five plays later, Kemp scored another TD from a yard out and, with Gogolak’s kick, the Bills were ahead by 24-6.

With their backs to the wall, the Patriots struck back as Parilli threw to Colclough for a 43-yard gain and to Cappelletti for 17 yards to reach the Buffalo 11. But the next three passes fell incomplete and FB Larry Garron fumbled after making a catch on fourth down. Saimes recovered for the Bills, who were able to run vital time off the clock before punting it back. Boston scored a touchdown on its next series, with Parilli tossing a pass to Romeo that covered 15 yards, and also threw to Colclough for a two-point conversion. But with less than three minutes remaining to play, it was a case of too-little, too-late. The Bills won by a final score of 24-14.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (380 to 319) and first downs (17 to 15). The Patriots, playing from behind for most of the game, ran the ball only 11 times for 33 yards. Each team turned the ball over three times.

Jack Kemp completed 12 of 24 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown, giving up three interceptions, and scored the two short rushing TDs. Glenn Bass had 6 catches for 103 yards and Elbert Dubenion gained 127 yards on his three receptions that included a long touchdown. Cookie Gilchrist rushed for 52 yards on 20 carries and Wray Carlton contributed 31 yards on 15 attempts.

For the Patriots, Babe Parilli was successful on 19 of 39 throws for 294 yards and two TDs, and was picked off twice. Jim Colclough (pictured at right) caught 6 passes for 134 yards and Tony Romeo gained 60 yards and scored twice on his three receptions. Larry Garron led the club with 26 yards on 8 rushing attempts.

“My everlasting thanks to you for beating Boston,” exclaimed Lou Saban to his players, who awarded him the game ball. Saban had been the original head coach of the Patriots, who fired him during the 1961 season, which added not only an additional element to the rivalry between the teams, but a personal note for the coach.

The Bills went on to defeat the San Diego Chargers for the AFL Championship, and did so again the next year. Boston dropped to 4-8-2 before rebounding to contend once more in 1966.

As was the case against the Patriots, Jack Kemp wasn’t a high-percentage passer, completing 44.2 percent over the course of the season, but when he connected, the yardage could be sizable. He led the AFL in yards per attempt (8.5) and yards per completion (19.2, which was a full three yards more than the runner-up). He was named to the AFL All-Star Game, as was Elbert Dubenion, who gained 1139 yards on his 42 catches for a league-leading 27.1 average gain. Glenn Bass averaged 20.9 yards on his 43 receptions for 897 yards. Between them, they scored a total of 17 touchdowns (Dubenion with 10, Bass 7).

Babe Parilli led the AFL in passing yards (3465) and TD passes (31). Gino Cappelletti, who received Player of the Year recognition, scored 155 points, which were 53 more than Pete Gogolak in second place. He scored seven touchdowns among his 49 catches for 865 yards (17.7 avg.) and also led the league with 25 field goals.

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. 

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: 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. 

MVP Profile: Jack Kemp, 1965

Quarterback, Buffalo Bills

Age:  30

8^th season in pro football (7^th active), 6^th in AFL, 4^th (3^rd complete) with Bills

College: Occidental

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 201

Prelude:

The road to pro football success was a difficult one for Kemp, taken in the 17^th round of the 1957 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions after playing collegiately at little Occidental College. He saw scant action in the preseason but, after Head Coach Buddy Parker resigned and then took over in Pittsburgh, he was traded to the Steelers and threw a total of 18 passes during his rookie year. Waived a game into the 1958 season, he caught on with the New York Giants and saw no action as a member of the taxi squad. Failing to catch on with Calgary of the CFL in ’59, he sat out the season and went back to college, but appeared to get another chance at the NFL with the 49ers before being declared ineligible due to his having signed earlier with the CFL. With the advent of the AFL in 1960, Kemp finally got his chance with the Los Angeles Chargers and led the league in passing while throwing for 3018 yards and 20 TDs (along with 25 interceptions) and a league-leading 7.4 yards per attempt. The Chargers won the Western Division and he was named All-AFL. The Chargers moved to San Diego for ’61 and repeated as division champs while Kemp was selected to the AFL All-Star Game. A finger injury suffered during the 1962 season caused him to be waived by the Chargers in an attempt to save a roster spot, but he was claimed by several clubs and awarded to the Buffalo Bills. Kemp was an AFL All-Star in 1963 and ’64 and the team tied for the Eastern Division title in ’63, losing to the Patriots in the resulting playoff, and then won the AFL Championship in 1964. Highly mobile and quick to take off from the pocket, Kemp also had a strong arm, good leadership skills, and was tough, playing through injuries throughout his career, although also prone to throwing interceptions.

1965 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 391 [3]

Most attempts, game – 49 at Denver 9/19

Completions – 179 [2]

Most completions, game – 22 vs. NY Jets 9/26, vs. Kansas City 12/12

Yards – 2368 [4]

Most yards, game – 295 vs. Kansas City 12/12

Completion percentage – 45.8 [5]

Yards per attempt – 6.1 [5]

TD passes – 10 [7]

Most TD passes, game – 3 vs. Kansas City 12/12

Interceptions – 18 [4]

Most interceptions, game – 2 on 7 occasions

Passer rating – 54.8 [6]

200-yard passing games – 6

Rushing

Attempts – 36

Most attempts, game - 6 (for 5 yds.) vs. NY Jets 9/26

Yards – 49

Most yards, game – 20 yards (on 4 carries) at Oakland 11/14

Yards per attempt – 1.4

TDs – 4 [9, tied with Matt Snell, Billy Joe & Pete Beathard]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 1

Yards – -9

TDs - 0

Points

TDs – 4

Points – 24

Postseason: 1 G (AFL Championship at San Diego)

Pass attempts – 19

Pass completions – 8

Passing yards – 155

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 1

Awards & Honors:

AFL Player of the Year: AP

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

AFL All-Star Game

Bills went 10-3-1 to finish first in the Eastern Division. Won AFL Championship over San Diego Chargers (23-0).

Aftermath:

The Bills won a third straight Eastern Division title in 1966, and Kemp was again an AFL All-Star, but the team lost to Kansas City in the league title game. The club declined quickly thereafter, and Kemp missed all of 1968 with a knee injury. He came back for one last year in ’69 before retiring to go into politics. Overall, for his pro career he passed for 21,218 yards with 114 TDs and 183 interceptions, but while he tossed more interceptions than touchdowns in every season of his career, the statistics didn’t tell the whole story as he was also successful with a 65-37-3 record as a starter, compiling two AFL championships, six AFL All-Star Game selections and two All-AFL selections. He went on to a long second career as a Congressman, cabinet member, and Vice Presidential nominee. His son Jeff became a quarterback in the NFL.

--

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 2/8/14]

1964: Bills Shut Down Chargers to Win AFL Championship

On December 26, 1964 the Buffalo Bills, champions of the American Football League’s Eastern Division, hosted the defending AFL champions, the San Diego Chargers. It was truly a study in contrasts between the Bills, a ball-control team with an outstanding defense, and San Diego, with its potent offense.

Coached by Lou Saban, the Bills had gone 12-2 and defeated the Chargers twice during the season, but didn’t clinch the division until a win over the Patriots in the final contest. The offense was conservative but effective, leading the league in ground-gaining and scoring. Hard-hitting 250-pound FB Cookie Gilchrist (pictured above) was the AFL’s leading rusher (981 yards). QB Jack Kemp, formerly of the Chargers, was a good field general and if a change of pace was necessary, backup QB Daryle Lamonica was capable of effective relief. An additional weapon was rookie PK Pete Gogolak out of Cornell who brought his then-unique soccer-style placekicking to pro football and was successful on 65.5 % of his field goal attempts (19 of 29), making the ball-control offense all the more effective. The rugged defense that allowed the fewest points in the AFL had an outstanding line that included ends Ron McDole and Tom Day and tackles Tom Sestak and Jim Dunaway, and had other stars in LB Mike Stratton and FS George Saimes.

Head Coach Sid Gillman’s Chargers were not as dominant as they had been in ’63. They got off to a 1-2-1 start but then ran off six straight wins to take control of the Western Division. While the streaky club lost three of its last four contests, it was good enough for an 8-5-1 record. The Chargers still had an outstanding offense that was transitioning from 36-year-old Tobin Rote to 24-year-old John Hadl at quarterback. They also had the exciting flanker Lance Alworth to pass to and the running game featured all-purpose FB Keith Lincoln, the hero of the 1963 title game with 329 yards from scrimmage, and HB Paul Lowe. And while defense may have been an afterthought, there were outstanding players in DT Ernie Ladd, DE Earl Faison, linebackers Chuck Allen and Frank Buncom, and CB Dick Westmoreland. Injuries were an issue, however, and San Diego would be going into the title game without Alworth, who had injured his left knee.

There were 40,242 in attendance at War Memorial Stadium and it didn’t look promising for the home team as the Chargers quickly drove to a score. Lincoln took off for a 38-yard gain on San Diego’s first play from scrimmage and he accumulated four more running and 11 on a pass reception before Rote threw to TE Dave Kocurek for a 26-yard touchdown that put the Chargers ahead 7-0 at just 2:11 into the first quarter (for good measure Lincoln, also the club’s placekicker, added the extra point).

However, on San Diego’s next series, a play occurred that changed the complexion of the contest. In a second down situation, Rote threw a flare pass toward Lincoln and as the ball arrived Mike Stratton delivered a jarring hit to the star running back that knocked him out of the game with a broken rib (he did kick off to start the second half, but that was the extent of his action for the rest of the day). Once Lincoln was gone, the Chargers offense was unable to sustain a long drive the remainder of the game. (Stratton pictured below just a moment before hitting Lincoln)


The Bills scored on a 12-yard field goal by Pete Gogolak and the score was 7-3 after one quarter of play. DB Speedy Duncan returned the ensuing kickoff all the way to the Buffalo 35, where he was brought down by LB Paul Maguire, but Rote was intercepted by DB Charley Warner to end the threat.

The Bills began to move the ball again as Gilchrist carried for a 31-yard gain and Kemp threw to TE Ernie Warlick for 27 yards to the San Diego eight yard line. The Chargers held, however, and on fourth-and-four the Bills lined up for a Gogolak field goal attempt. However, holder Daryle Lamonica bootlegged instead and was stopped just short of a first down.

The Chargers were again unable to generate offense and punted. Kemp threw to flanker Elbert Dubenion for 18 yards, runs by HB Wray Carlton and Gilchrist gained another 11, Dubenion ran for 8 on an end-around, and Kemp threw to Gilchrist for 15 yards. Carlton finished off the drive with a four-yard touchdown run (pictured below) that put the Bills ahead, 10-7.


Later in the period, Buffalo added a 17-yard field goal by Gogolak following a 39-yard carry by Gilchrist. With time running out in the half, the Chargers threatened with the aid of a pass interference penalty. However, once more the Bills ended the threat with an interception as Stratton picked off a Rote pass at his 20.

Gillman had started Rote due to his greater experience, but late in the third quarter, John Hadl replaced the ineffective veteran at quarterback for the Chargers. There was no further scoring until 5:28 into the fourth quarter. Kemp connected with end Glenn Bass for a 51-yard gain to the San Diego one yard line. Two plays later, Kemp carried the ball in for the TD that effectively sealed the win for Buffalo.

Gilchrist was finally forced out of the game with bruised ribs in the fourth quarter, once the result was assured. With 26 seconds left, the celebrating Buffalo fans broke through the police line and began tearing down the goal posts while the Chargers were attempting their last play. Buffalo had won the AFL title for the first time by a score of 20-7.

The Bills outgained San Diego (387 yards to 259) and had more first downs (21 to 15). They played outstanding ball-control football, rushing for 219 of those yards and not turning the ball over. Meanwhile, the vaunted Chargers passing game was held to 135 net yards and they suffered three turnovers, all on interceptions.

Cookie Gilchrist ran for 122 yards on 16 carries and caught two passes for 22 more. Wray Carlton added 70 yards and a touchdown on his 18 rushing attempts. Jack Kemp completed 10 of 20 passes for 188 yards and, while he didn’t complete any for TDs, he didn’t give up any interceptions. Elbert Dubenion had three pass receptions for 56 yards and Glenn Bass gained 70 yards on his two catches.

It was telling that, even though he was gone before the game was midway through the first quarter, Keith Lincoln still ended up leading the Chargers in rushing with 47 yards on just three carries. Paul Lowe ran 7 times for 34 yards and Lincoln’s replacement, FB Keith Kinderman, gained 14 yards on four carries. Kinderman also caught 4 passes for 52 yards while Dave Kocurek gained 52 yards as well on his two receptions that included the one TD. Tobin Rote was successful on just 10 of 26 passes for 118 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. John Hadl went to the air 10 times and completed three for 31 yards with one picked off. Lost in the defeat were Speedy Duncan’s three kickoff returns for 147 yards – a 49.0 average.

Afterward, a jubilant Lou Saban said he was glad the Chargers had scored first. “It jarred us quick. It jarred us to our senses – woke us up.”

The teams went on to win their respective divisions in 1965 and met for the AFL title in San Diego. In perhaps a more stunning result, the Bills dominated the Chargers even more thoroughly by a 23-0 score. By that point, Gilchrist was gone, having been dealt to Denver in the offseason. But despite a lesser running game, the defense was still strong enough to carry the club. And while Keith Lincoln was back in the San Diego backfield in ’65, and still capable when healthy, injuries would diminish his effectiveness for the remainder of his career.

1960: Chargers Come From Behind to Beat Broncos, Clinch Division Title

The Los Angeles Chargers had an 8-4 record and seemed poised to win the Western Division in the first year of the new American Football League as they hosted the Denver Broncos on December 10, 1960. Under Head Coach Sid Gillman, they started slowly and were 2-3 before winning six of their next seven games to take control of the division. The club developed a quick-striking offense guided by NFL-castoff QB Jack Kemp (pictured at right) and featuring rookie HB Paul Lowe. However, fielding an exciting and winning team was not enough to bring fans to the huge Memorial Coliseum, and the Chargers regularly played before a large expanse of empty seats.

The Broncos came into the game at 4-7-1, meanwhile, having started off respectably at 4-2 before losing five of their next six, with a tie interspersed. Head Coach Frank Filchock’s team had far more penurious ownership than the Chargers and were esthetically lacking in their ugly brown and gold (more appropriately yellow) uniforms with the infamous vertically-striped socks. QB Frank Tripucka, a veteran of both the NFL and CFL (as was Filchock), passed often, mostly to end Lionel Taylor. HB/PK Gene Mingo was another notable performer, but at this point Denver was a losing team that was playing out the schedule – and looking to be a spoiler. LA had won the first meeting of the two teams in Denver by a close score of 23-19.

There was a typically sparse turnout of 9928 at the Coliseum for the Saturday game. Denver took the early lead thanks to a 41-yard field goal by Mingo and added to it when Tripucka connected with Taylor for a 49-yard touchdown.

However, the Chargers came right back with Kemp throwing to FB Howie Ferguson for a 39-yard TD and, before the first quarter was over, gained the lead on a three-yard run by Lowe that made it 14-10.

Mingo put the Broncos back in front in the second quarter with a one-yard plunge and added the extra point that made it 17-14. It was Mingo adding more points with a 12-yard field goal before flanker Royce Womble caught a 12-yard scoring pass from Kemp to again put LA in the lead at 21-20. 41-year-old placekicking specialist Ben Agajanian added a 23-yard field goal to make it a four-point game before Mingo kicked another three-pointer, this time from 13 yards near the end of the first half, and the Chargers narrowly led by 24-23 at halftime.

The game continued to be a close, back-and-forth affair until midway through the fourth quarter. In the third quarter, Denver went back in front thanks to a pass play from Tripucka to end Jim Greer that covered 21 yards. Agajanian booted a field goal of 40 yards for the Chargers to start off the final period and Mingo responded in kind from 28 yards. The Chargers were behind by 33-27 with just under seven minutes remaining.

In the key play of the game, the Chargers took advantage of a shanked 20-yard punt by George Herring, who was reacting to a fierce rush led by DB Bob Zeman, giving them possession on the Denver 35. San Diego methodically drove to a touchdown with Kemp going in from a yard out. Agajanian’s extra point put LA in front by a point at 34-33.

LA then scored again thanks to an interception less than two minutes later as DE Maury Schleicher picked off a deflected Tripucka pass and returned it five yards to the Denver 20. Kemp followed up with a 15-yard TD throw to end Don Norton running a slant pattern behind the goal post, effectively finishing off the Broncos. The Chargers won the game by a score of 41-33 and clinched a berth in the AFL title game.

The Chargers had actually lost out on two additional scores before finally putting the feisty Broncos away. Zeman picked up a fumble and ran 52 yards for an apparent TD, but the play had been whistled dead. The other occurred when Mingo fielded a kickoff but fumbled on his three yard line. The ball rolled into the end zone and the Chargers appeared to recover but an offside penalty negated the play.

Denver outgained the Chargers with 391 yards to 347, although Los Angeles had more first downs (22 to 20) and fewer turnovers (two, to four by the Broncos). Denver also sacked Kemp four times while the Chargers got to Tripucka once.


Paul Lowe (pictured at left) rushed for 106 yards on 19 carries that included a touchdown. Jack Kemp completed 15 of 32 passes for 205 yards with three TDs and two intercepted. Don Norton had 5 catches for 81 yards and a score.

For Denver, Frank Tripucka went to the air 35 times and completed 17 for 291 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions apiece. Lionel Taylor (pictured below) typically paced the pass receivers as he recorded 9 catches for 171 yards and a TD, and as a result increased his league-leading season total to 88, which exceeded the existing NFL record of 84 that was set by Tom Fears of the Rams ten years earlier. FB Dave Rolle carried the ball 17 times for 68 yards and Gene Mingo added 37 yards on 12 attempts, one of which was a touchdown that was part of the 21 points in all that he scored.


The Chargers ended the regular season with a 10-4 record and went on to lose the first AFL Championship game to the Houston Oilers. Following the season, the franchise relocated to San Diego. The Broncos were last in the Western Division at 4-9-1.

By the system in use at the time, Jack Kemp led the AFL in passing (by today’s system, he ranked fourth) while placing second in attempts (406), completions (211), yards (3018), and completion percentage (52.0). He also led the league by averaging 7.4 yards per attempt while he tossed 20 touchdown passes but also 25 interceptions. Leading him in most categories was Frank Tripucka, who topped the AFL in attempts (478), completions (248), yards (3038), and interceptions (34).

Paul Lowe placed second among the new league’s rushers with 855 yards on just 136 carries, giving him an AFL-best 6.3 yards-per-carry. He scored eight rushing TDs (as did Kemp). Lionel Taylor finished at the top of the pass receivers for the first of five times (four consecutive) with 92 catches. His 1235 yards ranked third and 12 touchdown receptions tied for second with Houston’s Bill Groman. Gene Mingo led the AFL in scoring with 123 points that included a league-leading 18 field goals. He also scored six touchdowns and 33 extra points.