1967: Defense & Special Teams Propel Oilers to Upset of Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs were the reigning AFL Champions and off to a 3-2 start as they hosted the Houston Oilers on October 22, 1967. Coached by Hank Stram, the Chiefs were a well-balanced club with precision-passing QB Len Dawson operating behind an outstanding line, and with a productive running game as well, while rookie PK Jan Stenerud added an extra scoring dimension. The defense was a good one and had gained size up front with the recent addition of mammoth DT Ernie Ladd. Kansas City had lost a high-scoring game to San Diego the previous week but was expected to return to winning form against the Oilers, a club they had beaten in their first game.

Houston was at 2-2-1 and had not posted a winning record in five years, including a 3-11 tally in 1966. Head Coach Wally Lemm, with the help of GM Don Klosterman, had transformed the defense, in particular adding rookie LB George Webster (pictured above) and young veteran CB Miller Farr, who was acquired from the Chargers. The offense remained a problem, however, and QB Pete Beathard was obtained from Kansas City two weeks earlier in the deal that sent Ladd to the Chiefs.

There were 46,365 fans in attendance at Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium. They saw the Chiefs start off the scoring with a 40-yard Jan Stenerud field goal, but the early lead was quickly erased when DB Zeke Moore returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. John Wittenborn’s extra point put the Oilers in front by 7-3.

Shortly thereafter, another big play on special teams helped the Oilers as DB Larry Carwell returned a punt 33 yards. The resulting possession ended with Wittenborn kicking a 45-yard field goal for a 10-3 score, which remained the tally heading into the second quarter.

Carwell’s next punt return covered 26 yards to the KC 49, again putting Houston into good field position. Five plays later, Pete Beathard threw a touchdown pass to HB Sid Blanks that covered 39 yards and Wittenborn again added the point after. It got worse for the Chiefs on their next possession when HB Mike Garrett ran into an official while running a pass pattern and FS Jim Norton intercepted a Dawson throw and returned it 23 yards for a TD. Wittenborn’s conversion had the Oilers up by 24-3.

The reeling Chiefs finally put together an 80-yard drive in 12 plays, the key one being a Dawson pass to split end Chris Burford that picked up 44 yards. Garrett ran for a five-yard touchdown and Stenerud added the PAT. Kansas City got a break when Moore fumbled the resulting kickoff and end Frank Pitts recovered, setting up a 13-yard field goal by Stenerud. The score was narrowed to 24-13 at halftime.

Late in the third quarter, the Chiefs put together a 12-play, 85-yard drive to narrow the margin further. Dawson had a 24-yard scramble to reach the Houston two, and from there Garrett (pictured at left) ran for another TD. KC then faked the kick on the extra point attempt in an effort to pick up two points, but Dawson’s pass intended for TE Fred Arbanas was broken up by George Webster.

There was no further comeback for the Chiefs, however, as the Houston defense kept them in check. In the fourth quarter, the Oilers were also able to keep an offensive series going thanks to a roughing-the-kicker penalty on a punt, and when they finally did kick the ball away a few plays later, the Chiefs had to start from their five. Kansas City had one last chance when Dawson connected with Burford for a 22-yard gain to reach Houston territory, but a fumble at the 31 with 2:50 left on the clock ended it and the Oilers held on to win by a final score of 24-19.

The Chiefs dominated statistically, with big leads in total yards (323 to 127) and first downs (19 to 7). But they also turned the ball over three times, one of which led directly to a Houston touchdown, while the Oilers suffered one turnover. Kick returns also played a key role for the Oilers, with the one TD on a kickoff and the two long punt returns that led to points.

Pete Beathard completed only three of 14 passes for 63 yards, but one was for a touchdown and none were intercepted. Flanker Monte Ledbetter had two catches for 24 yards and Sid Blanks gained 39 yards and scored a TD on his lone reception. FB Hoyle Granger led the Houston runners with 51 yards on 13 carries. Zeke Moore had the 92-yard kickoff return and Larry Carwell averaged 20.0 yards on his four punt returns. Jim Norton (pictured at right) helped with his punting, averaging 47.0 yards on 7 kicks, as well as contributing two key interceptions, one that was returned for a score and the other in the end zone to thwart a Kansas City scoring opportunity. Also on defense, George Webster had nine tackles and three pass deflections, MLB Garland Boyette was credited with 17 tackles, and CB W.K. Hicks had 13 tackles and broke up two passes.

For the Chiefs, Len Dawson was successful on 17 of 31 throws for 175 yards but had no TDs and gave up three interceptions. Mike Garrett gained 69 yards on 19 rushing attempts that included two touchdowns and FB Curtis McClinton contributed 48 yards on 10 carries. Flanker Otis Taylor had 6 catches for 40 yards while Chris Burford gained 97 yards on five receptions.

“I’d rather be lucky than good,” said Houston’s Coach Lemm. “We just got the early breaks and that did it for us.”

The luck was generally good for the Oilers during the rest of the regular season as they went 6-2 the rest of the way to win the Eastern Division with a 9-4-1 record. Houston’s defense led the AFL in both fewest rushing (7) and passing (10) touchdowns allowed, and gave up the least points overall (199). However, it couldn’t stop the Raiders in the AFL Championship game, which was a 40-7 rout. Kansas City bounced back to win three straight, but they were unable to keep up with Oakland in the Western Division and placed second at 9-5.

1969: Jets Intercept 6 Passes, Defeat Oilers to Clinch AFL Eastern Division Title

The New York Jets were looking to lock up a second straight AFL Eastern Division title as they faced the Houston Oilers on December 6, 1969. A year after Head Coach Weeb Ewbank’s team had not only won the AFL Championship but stunned the Baltimore Colts, champions of the NFL, in Super Bowl III, the Jets still boasted a formidable offense that featured the passing of QB Joe Namath (pictured above) to wide receivers Don Maynard and George Sauer and the running of FB Matt Snell and HB Emerson Boozer. While there were concerns about the defensive backfield, the line and linebackers were solid. The Jets had an 8-4 record, having lost to the Raiders the previous week.

Houston, coached by Wally Lemm, was 5-5-2 and in second place in the mediocre Eastern Division. The Oilers were known for a tough defense that featured DE Elvin Bethea, OLB George Webster, MLB Garland Boyette, cornerbacks Miller Farr and Zeke Moore, and FS Ken Houston.  The offense was not so formidable and was without starting FB Hoyle Granger and QB Pete Beathard, who suffered a foot injury in the previous game and was a late scratch, to be replaced by backup Don Trull.

There were 51,923 fans in attendance for the Saturday game at the Astrodome. The tone was set on the first play from scrimmage when Don Trull of the Oilers threw a pass that was intercepted by CB Cornell Gordon, who returned it 20 yards to the Houston seven. Three plays later, Emerson Boozer ran two yards up the middle for a touchdown. Jim Turner added the extra point and the visitors had a quick 7-0 advantage.

Things got worse for the Oilers when, facing third-and-11 from their own 26, Trull fumbled and DE Verlon Biggs recovered for the Jets. Joe Namath went to the air on first down and connected with George Sauer for a 21-yard TD. Turner again converted and, with only 3:32 elapsed, New York held a 14-0 lead.

In response, the Oilers moved effectively on their ensuing possession. FB Roy Hopkins and HB Woody Campbell handled the ball carrying effectively although the first time Trull faded back to pass he was sacked by DT John Elliott. But facing third-and-12, Trull threw to WR Jerry LeVias for 18 yards and, after two runs by Campbell gained seven yards, he connected with TE Alvin Reed (pictured at left) for 15 yards on a third-and-three play. Another third down was converted when the Jets were flagged for pass interference but the drive finally stalled at the New York 17 and Houston turned the ball over on downs.

The teams traded punts as the game moved into the second quarter. Midway through the period, another Trull pass was picked off, this time by DE Gerry Philbin who returned it 15 yards to the Houston three. Matt Snell lost three yards on first down, but Namath then threw to HB Bill Mathis for a six-yard touchdown. Turner added the point after and the Jets were up by a comfortable 21-0.

Bob Davis, who had only recently been activated from the taxi squad, was at quarterback when the Oilers returned on offense, but after completing two passes, the second to LeVias for 22 yards, he gave up an interception to LB Paul Crane. This time the visitors were unable to take advantage of the turnover and had to punt. Houston put together a 58-yard scoring drive as Davis completed five passes, three to Reed and two to LeVias, the second of which resulted in a 20-yard TD. Roy Gerela added the extra point.

The Oilers got a break when, on the second play of New York’s next series, WR Bake Turner fumbled while running on an end-around and DT Carel Stith recovered at the New York 22. Davis completed a pass to LeVias for 10 yards, but an illegal motion penalty backed Houston up and the home team ended up settling for a 24-yard Gerela field goal that made the halftime score 21-10.

The Jets had the first possession of the third quarter, punted, and got the ball back a few plays later when CB John Dockery intercepted a Davis pass and returned it 35 yards to the Houston five. The Oilers were able to keep the Jets out of the end zone, but the visitors came away with a 10-yard field goal by Turner that extended their lead to 14 points.

LeVias returned the ensuing kickoff 42 yards and the Jets were penalized 15 yards for a personal foul on top of it, but on the next play Davis fumbled when sacked by Biggs and New York had the ball back at the Houston 47. Runs by Boozer and Mathis picked up 18 yards before Jim Turner came on to kick a 38-yard field goal that put the Jets ahead by 27-10.

Davis was sacked twice by Biggs on the next possession and the Oilers had to punt from deep in their own territory. As the game moved into the fourth quarter, the Jets advanced to the Houston three, but this time they came up empty when Turner missed a short field goal attempt. It didn’t matter as, two plays later, Davis gave up another interception, this time with LB Ralph Baker (pictured at right) doing the honors. Veteran QB Babe Parilli was now spelling Namath and threw to Boozer for a gain of 29 yards. Snell scored from three yards out shortly thereafter and, with Turner again converting, the Jets had a commanding 34-10 lead.

The next two Houston possessions resulted in turnovers, by a fumble and yet another interception, the second by Dockery. But now New York turned the ball over on a fumble by FB Lee White and safety Johnny Peacock recovered and ran 27 yards for a touchdown. HB Mike Richardson scored for a two-point conversion that made it a 34-18 contest with a little over five minutes to play.

The Jets recovered the ensuing onside kick but went three-and-out and punted. Houston drove 80 yards in 10 plays. Davis completed eight passes along the way and ran once for four yards. His last pass was to HB Rich Johnson for a one-yard TD and another toss to WR Jim Beirne added another two-point conversion. It was now an eight-point game and this time the Oilers succeeded on recovering the onside kick, but there were only 32 seconds remaining on the clock. Davis missed on four passes and New York came away with a 34-26 win.  

As a side note, the attention of the crowd was split between the game before them, during which they often booed the Oilers, and the major collegiate game between Texas and Arkansas that many of them were listening to via radio, causing cheers at odd moments.

Houston led in total yards (220 to 213) and in first downs (18 to 12), which was deceptive since the Oilers were playing from behind virtually the entire game. More significantly, they turned the ball over a crippling nine times, six of them by interceptions, which set a club record for the Jets. New York also recorded nine sacks, to none by Houston. The Jets suffered four turnovers.

Joe Namath had a relatively run-of-the-mill performance, completing 6 of 16 passes for 52 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Emerson Boozer rushed for 57 yards on 11 carries that included a TD and caught a pass for another 29 yards. Matt Snell contributed 38 yards on his 14 rushing attempts that also included a score. George Sauer topped New York’s receivers with just three catches for 33 yards and a touchdown.

For the Oilers, Don Trull was three-of-nine for 37 yards with two interceptions before being relieved by Bob Davis, who was successful on 20 of 35 throws for 192 yards and two TDs, but with four interceptions. Jerry LeVias (pictured at left) and Alvin Reed caught 9 passes apiece, for 110 and 86 yards, respectively, and LeVias scored a touchdown. Roy Hopkins led the club in rushing with 30 yards on 9 carries.

The Jets defeated Miami in the season finale to finish with a 10-4 record and, in the revamped playoff format that the AFL used in its last season prior to the merger with the NFL, they faced the second-place team in the Western Division, the Kansas City Chiefs, in the first round. The Chiefs won to end New York’s hopes of repeating as AFL Champions. The Oilers won their last game to finish second in the division at 6-6-2 and were swamped by the Oakland Raiders, the Western Division’s top finisher, in their first round playoff game.

The relief performance against New York was the most significant action for third-year QB Bob Davis in 1969. Used sparingly in his first three seasons with Houston, he moved on to the Jets the following year and saw his most significant NFL action with them before moving on to New Orleans and then the World Football League.

1964: Browns and Cards Battle to Tie in Back-and-Forth Contest

The Cleveland Browns hosted the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 1964, the second week of the NFL season, in what was an early showdown between two teams widely viewed as contenders in the Eastern Conference. Both had won their opening-week games.

The Browns, coached by Blanton Collier, finished second in 1963 with a 10-4 record. The key to the offense, as it had been since he joined the club in 1957, was FB Jim Brown (pictured above), but QB Frank Ryan and flanker Gary Collins were up-and-coming talents, and they were being joined by rookie split end Paul Warfield, who brought needed speed to the receiving corps. The defense was capable, if showing some age, and was especially shaky in the backfield.

St. Louis was coming off of a 9-5 record in ’63 under Head Coach Wally Lemm. QB Charley Johnson was a productive passer with excellent receivers to throw to in split end Sonny Randle and flanker Bobby Joe Conrad. There was good depth at running back, and star HB John David Crow was back after missing virtually all of ’63 due to injury, although HB Bill Triplett was sidelined due to illness.

There were 76,954 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium on a warm and sunny day. The Cardinals got a break on the first play from scrimmage when LB Larry Stallings intercepted a Frank Ryan pass and returned it 18 yards to the Cleveland 22. On the next play, Charley Johnson tossed a short pass to John David Crow that went the distance for a touchdown. Jim Bakken added the extra point for the quick 7-0 lead.

Flanker Walter Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to the St. Louis 44 and, with Jim Brown carrying most of the load the Browns reached the 25 before 40-year-old Lou Groza (pictured at left) kicked a 32-yard field goal. Now it was Cleveland’s opportunity to benefit from a turnover on the next series as Bobby Joe Conrad fumbled after catching a short pass from Johnson and DE Bill Glass recovered for the home team at the St. Louis 20. HB Ernie Green ran for five yards and Brown carried twice for another 14, but after advancing to the one, a penalty moved the Browns back and they had to settle for a 12-yard Groza field goal that made it a one-point contest.

The Cards put together a good drive in the waning minutes of the opening period. Johnson completed a pass to HB Joe Childress for 21 yards and Crow and Childress both ran effectively. Bakken kicked a 30-yard field goal and the visitors extended their lead to 10-6 heading into the second quarter.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next possession but got the ball back on an interception by CB Ross Fichtner. Starting from the St. Louis 33, the home team reached the 16 but was flagged for a personal foul on a third down play that not only backed them up 15 yards but cost them the services of Green, a capable blocker as well as running mate for Brown, who was ejected. Groza kicked his third field goal of the contest, from 37 yards, and the Cards’ lead was once again narrowed to a single point at 10-9.

On the next series, the Cardinals advanced past midfield as Crow and Childress again ran well and Johnson tossed a pass to Conrad.  The drive stalled at the Cleveland 44, but Bakken came through with a 51-yard field goal, which was a club record at the time and made the score 13-9. The Browns moved quickly to take the lead on the next possession, going 69 yards in just three plays. Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for 12 yards and Gary Collins for 17 more, and then followed up with a long pass to Warfield for a 40-yard touchdown. Groza converted and Cleveland was now ahead at 16-13, which remained the score at halftime.

St. Louis started off the third quarter with a 71-yard drive in seven plays. Crow carried four straight times for 18 yards and Childress added another nine before Johnson connected with Sonny Randle (pictured at right) for a 38-yard TD. Bakken added the point after and the Cards were back on top by 20-16.

The Cardinals got the ball back on the ensuing kickoff when Roberts fumbled and OT Herschel Turner recovered at the Cleveland 43. The short series was followed by another Bakken field goal, this time from 44 yards for an extended margin of 23-16.

The Browns went three-and-out and punted but now it was the Cardinals turning the ball over once more as Johnson faded back to pass and fumbled when hit by Glass. DT Dick Modzelewski recovered at the St. Louis 28. Ryan passed to Collins for 21 yards and then hit the flanker again for a seven-yard touchdown. Groza converted and the score was tied at 23-23.

The teams exchanged punts but the Cardinals were on the move at the end of the period and, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Johnson completed a pass to Randle for a 50-yard TD. Bakken added the PAT to make it a 30-23 game.

The Browns responded with a long drive of 72 yards that took 13 plays. Ryan was successful on three passes and ran out of the pocket for 17 yards to the St. Louis 12. However, he was also sacked for a 14-yard loss and, while a toss to Brown got eight yards back, Cleveland had to settle for another Groza field goal, from 25 yards, cutting the visitors’ lead to 30-26.

The Cards went three-and-out and punted on their next series and the Browns responded with a 12-play, 61-yard possession. Facing a fourth-and-19 situation at the St. Louis 45 after Ryan was sacked, and with only 1:28 remaining on the clock, Ryan completed a pass to Collins for 43 yards. Two plays later, Brown swept into the end zone from a yard out and, with Groza’s extra point, Cleveland was back on top by three points at 33-30 and appeared to have the game in hand.

St. Louis took over following the kickoff at its own 25 with 28 seconds to play. Johnson passed over the middle to Childress for a gain of 24 yards and then to Randle at the sideline for 14. Another completion, this time to Crow, put the Cards at the Cleveland 21 with the clock now down to seven seconds. Bakken came on to kick a 28-yard field goal and the game ended in a 33-33 tie. 

The Cardinals had the edge in total yards (344 to 281) while Cleveland had more first downs (18 to 17). While St. Louis had more net passing yards (241 to 189), the rushing totals were almost even (115 to 114, in favor of the Browns). Each club recorded two sacks and turned the ball over three times.  Jim Bakken (pictured below) and Lou Groza both were a perfect four-for-four on their field goal attempts. The Cards were penalized eight times, to two flags thrown on the Browns.

Charley Johnson completed 14 of 27 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns while giving up one interception. John David Crow rushed for 58 yards on 11 carries and caught three passes for 29 yards and a TD while Joe Childress contributed 52 yards on 14 rushing attempts and also pulled in three passes, for 50 yards. Sonny Randle led the Cards with four pass receptions for 121 yards and two TDs.

For the Browns, Frank Ryan, who was battered by the pass rush throughout the contest, was successful on 12 of 26 throws for 189 yards and two TDs and was intercepted twice. Gary Collins caught 6 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown and Paul Warfield added three receptions for 63 yards and a score. Jim Brown ran for 79 yards on 21 carries that included a touchdown.

Both teams remained in a battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference throughout the season. The Cardinals got off to a 3-0-1 start before losing three of four while Cleveland lost just one game during that stretch to open up a two-game advantage. While the Cards finished strong, including a win over the Browns in the rematch at St. Louis, they finished in second place at 9-3-2 while Cleveland took the crown at 10-3-1 and went on to upset the Colts for the NFL Championship.

Jim Brown, for the seventh time in eight seasons, led the league in rushing with 1446 yards. Frank Ryan threw the most touchdown passes (25) while Gary Collins had 35 catches for 544 yards (15.5 avg.) and eight TDs and Paul Warfield had an outstanding first year with 52 receptions for 920 yards (17.7 avg.) and nine scores.

Charley Johnson (pictured above) led the NFL in pass attempts (420), completions (223), yards (3045), and, less fortunately, in interceptions (24). Sonny Randle appeared in only seven games due to a shoulder injury and compiled 25 pass receptions for 517 yards (20.7 avg.) and five touchdowns.

Lou Groza and Jim Bakken, who matched each other field goal for field goal in the Week 2 game, ended up tied for second in scoring with 115 points. Bakken led the NFL with 25 field goals (in 38 attempts), while Groza placed second with 22 (out of 33 tries). Groza had the edge in extra points by 49 to 40.     

1966: Stofa Throws for 4 TDs as Dolphins Defeat Oilers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

1964: Late Scores Propel Cards to Win Over Redskins

The St. Louis Cardinals were 3-1-1 and battling to stay even with the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Eastern Conference race as they hosted the Washington Redskins on October 18, 1964. Coached by Wally Lemm, the Cardinals had a well-balanced offense with occasionally-erratic but typically effective QB Charley Johnson (pictured at right) throwing to outstanding receivers in split end Sonny Randle and flanker Bobby Joe Conrad or handing off to a good group of running backs led by HB John David Crow. The defense featured linebackers Dale Meinert and Bill Koman plus CB Pat Fischer and FS Larry Wilson. PK Jim Bakken was one of the league’s best.

The Redskins, coached by Bill McPeak for the fourth year, were 1-4, having lost to the Cards two weeks earlier at home and won for the first time the previous week. Washington had not put together a winning record since 1955 but had made key acquisitions in the previous offseason, most notably QB Sonny Jurgensen, obtained from the Eagles, and MLB Sam Huff, formerly of the Giants. In addition, rookie HB Charley Taylor had been drafted in the first round out of Arizona State and was proving to be an excellent outside runner as well as pass receiver.

There were 23,748 in attendance on a 60-degree day at Busch Stadium. They saw Washington start fast, scoring two touchdowns in the first six minutes of the first quarter. Jurgensen threw to Taylor for a 77-yard gain that set up a one-yard sneak by the quarterback for a TD.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Charley Johnson fumbled while rolling out and DT Joe Rutgens recovered for the Redskins. Jurgensen threw to split end Angelo Coia, who beat CB Jimmy Hill for a 32-yard touchdown. Including two successful extra points, it was 14-0 in favor of the visitors.

Before the opening period was over, however, Jim Bakken kicked a 17-yard field goal for the Cards and then Dale Meinert recovered a fumble by Washington HB Tom Tracy at the Redskins’ 27. St. Louis quickly capitalized when Johnson passed to Sonny Randle for an 11-yard TD. The score was 14-10 after a quarter of play.

Midway through the second quarter St. Louis took the lead when a 35-yard drive ended with John David Crow running for a nine-yard touchdown. With time running out in the first half the Cardinals went 52 yards on a possession that ended when Johnson fooled the Redskins defense by passing to a wide-open TE Jackie Smith for a one-yard TD pass. The Cards were up by 24-14 at the half.

Neither team was able to move the ball during the third quarter, but two interceptions set up Washington scores as the Redskins defense proved effective against the St. Louis offense for most of the second half. Johnson had difficulty completing passes until midway through the final period.

Early in the fourth quarter, CB Johnny Sample intercepted a Johnson pass at the Washington 28 and returned it to the 44. The Redskins took advantage as Taylor ran for a 37-yard gain and Jurgensen completed an 18-yard pass to star flanker Bobby Mitchell for a touchdown to make it a three-point game.

LB Jim Carr intercepted another pass by Johnson that gave the Redskins good field position at the St. Louis 49. The ensuing drive stalled at the 15 and a well-thrown Jurgensen pass was dropped by Coia in the end zone. Washington had to settle for a field goal by 40-year-old Jim Martin from 24 yards out to tie the game at 24-24 with just under two minutes left to play.

The Cardinals took possession at their 27 to start the ensuing drive. Johnson, who had been ineffective for much of the second half, threw to FB Joe Childress (pictured at left) for a 30-yard gain. Following two runs by Childress that added another 13 yards, Johnson then connected with split end Bill Gambrell for 11 yards to the Washington 19 with the clock down to 48 seconds. A five-yard completion to Conrad was followed by a short run by Crow and then Johnson’s pass to Conrad, who broke two tackles, for a 12-yard touchdown.

Now down by seven points, a desperate Jurgensen threw a desperation pass that was intercepted by Pat Fischer and returned 39 yards for a TD to seal the 38-24 win for St. Louis.

The Cardinals had more total yards (366 to 264) and far more first downs (26 to 9). But four turnovers, including the two damaging interceptions that led directly to Washington scores, hurt St. Louis while the Redskins turned the ball over three times. In addition, Johnson was sacked five times while the St. Louis defense failed to register any sacks at all.

Charley Johnson completed 17 of 30 passes for 226 yards with three touchdowns but also three interceptions. He also gained 32 yards on four rushes. Joe Childress ran for 86 yards on 15 carries and caught two passes for 48 more yards while John David Crow contributed 53 yards on 16 attempts that included a TD. Bobby Joe Conrad (pictured below) was the top receiver for St. Louis with 5 catches for 52 yards and the game-winning touchdown.

For the Redskins, Charley Taylor had a big day with 62 yards rushing on 9 carries and three pass receptions for 81 yards. Sonny Jurgensen was successful on 11 of 25 throws for 159 yards and two TDs with one intercepted. Bobby Mitchell and Angelo Coia each had three catches for 35 yards and scored a touchdown.

The win kept the Cardinals even with the Browns atop the Eastern Conference, but a midseason slump hurt their chances and while they finished up with four straight wins, it gave them a 9-3-2 record that placed second to Cleveland’s 10-3-1. The Redskins won five of their next six contests and ended up tied for third in the conference with Philadelphia at 6-8.

Charley Johnson led the NFL in pass attempts (420), completions (223), yards (3045), and, more unfortunately, interceptions (24) while ranking fourth in touchdown passes with 21. Bobby Joe Conrad was the fourth-ranked pass receiver in the league with 61 catches, good for 780 yards (12.8 avg.) and six TDs. He was selected to the Pro Bowl.

Sonny Jurgensen had a good first year in Washington, ranking second to Johnson in pass completions (207) and yards (2934) while ranking ahead in touchdown passes (24) and with far fewer interceptions (13). Like Conrad, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl.

Charley Taylor (pictured below) had an outstanding first year, garnering Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors as he rushed for 755 yards on 199 carries (3.8 avg.) and caught 53 passes for 814 yards (15.4 avg.) and totaled 10 touchdowns. Two years later, he was shifted to split end as he went on to a 13-season Hall of Fame career.

1966: Namath Throws 5 TD Passes as Jets Rout Oilers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1962: Wally Lemm Leaves Oilers for Cardinals

On February 22, 1962 Wally Lemm, who had guided the Houston Oilers to the AFL Championship in ’61, quit to become head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL. The 42-year-old Lemm signed a one-year contract in succeeding Frank “Pop” Ivy, who resigned with two games left in the season.

Lemm had started out more inclined to write about football then coach it. He graduated from Carroll College, where he was a halfback on the football team, with a journalism degree. Following service in World War II in which he commanded a torpedo boat, he became an assistant coach under Hugh Devore at Notre Dame in 1945. It was a quick jump to head coach at Waukesha High School in ’46 and then back to the college level. Lemm was an assistant coach for three years at Lake Forest College, as well as head basketball coach, before becoming head coach in 1954. The team won the conference title in his first year and he left after compiling an 11-4-1 record. From there it was on to Montana State and again, in his first season, his team won a title, gaining the Rocky Mountain Conference championship with an 8-1 tally.

In 1956, Lemm moved to pro coaching for the first time, serving as a defensive assistant for the then-Chicago Cardinals. The team, under Head Coach Ray Richards, had its first winning season in seven years and the defense was a big part of it as the unit intercepted 33 passes and allowed only nine touchdowns. However, in keeping with a pattern in which he didn’t stay in one place for long, Lemm returned to Lake Forest College as head coach in ’57 and came away with another conference title.

After returning to the Cardinals as an assistant in 1959, he moved to the Oilers of the new AFL in ’60. Houston won the first AFL Championship under Head Coach Lou Rymkus, but Lemm resigned to go into the sporting goods business. When the Oilers got off to a 1-3-1 start in 1961 and it was apparent that Rymkus was losing control of the club, owner Bud Adams hired Lemm to take over.

His coaching methods were rather unconventional for the time and made him unpopular with some of his peers. Lemm was low-key and took a relaxed approach with the players and kept the offense, in particular, as simple as possible in order to eliminate the potential for errors. His attitude was summed up in his statement that “football is supposed to be fun and if you treat the players like adults they will usually respond like adults. The game is not really simple anymore because the defenses change so much, but we try to keep it as clear, straightforward and pleasurable as we can.”

The philosophy worked in Houston. The intense Rymkus had sown dissension among the players, but Lemm relaxed the atmosphere. He also returned veteran QB George Blanda to the starting lineup and installed Willard Dewveall at tight end. The defense was simplified and Fred Glick replaced Charlie Milstead at safety, where he had been badly overmatched in the team’s defeats. The results were spectacular – the Oilers went 10-0 the rest of the way and repeated as AFL champs.

Lemm had initially agreed to a contract extension but was frustrated with the front office alignment in Houston despite the team’s success, and with the excuse of being able to work closer to home (he lived in Libertyville, Illinois), he accepted the offer to coach the Cardinals.

While there were rumors that the Oilers were interested in Sammy Baugh or former Dallas Cowboys assistant Babe Dimancheff to replace Lemm, in the end they hired Ivy, making it a straight swap of coaches (he lasted two seasons).

The Cardinals, all-too-typically a losing team, went 6-5-1 in 1960, the first year in St. Louis, and were 7-7 in ’61. Injuries played a key role in the team’s failing to show greater improvement, in particular the loss of star HB John David Crow for virtually the entire year. Canadian Football League legend Sam Etcheverry had moved south of the border after an outstanding nine-year career to take over at quarterback, but his arm was worn out and he was no longer the player he had been in the CFL.

Lemm didn’t have the same initial success as he did in his college stops and with the Oilers. St. Louis dropped to 4-9-1 in 1962. However, the seeds were planted for future success. Etcheverry started the year at quarterback but was replaced by second-year QB Charley Johnson, who showed promise and had outstanding receivers in fleet split end Sonny Randle and dependable flanker Bobby Joe Conrad. Crow was back at halfback and there was a good stable of young backs developing. The defense gave up too many points, but there was young talent in the backfield with 22-year-old CB Pat Fischer and 24-year-old FS Larry Wilson.

In the draft for the 1963 season, the Cards had two first round draft choices and used them to shore up the defense, adding safety Jerry Stovall from LSU and Purdue DE Don Brumm. The team dramatically improved to 9-5. Johnson had an outstanding year at quarterback, setting club records with 3280 passing yards and 28 TDs. Despite again losing Crow to injury for virtually the entire season, Bill Triplett was shifted from defensive back to offensive halfback and was a good replacement, running for 652 yards while averaging 4.9 yards per carry and catching 31 passes for 396 more. Perennial backup Joe Childress became the starting fullback and led the team with 701 rushing yards and grabbed 25 passes. Conrad led the NFL with 73 pass receptions, for 967 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Randle gained 1014 yards on his 51 catches and scored 12 times. Rookie TE Jackie Smith contributed 28 receptions for 445 yards. The line, built around C Bob DeMarco and G Ken Gray, was also improved.

The defensive line was augmented by the addition of Brumm and Stovall proved to be an asset in the backfield, along with Jimmy Burson. The linebacker corps, anchored by MLB Dale Meinert, was a good one. Jim Bakken, who had originally joined the team as a reserve defensive back, proved to be a reliable placekicker (and would for the next 15 seasons in St. Louis).

The stage was set for the Cards to contend in 1964 and they battled the Browns to the wire, ending up second in the Eastern Conference at 9-3-2. Indeed, they went 1-0-1 against Cleveland and won three of their first four and all of their last four contests - only a midseason slump prevented them from finishing on top. The team was well balanced. Johnson passed for 3045 yards, although he threw more interceptions (24) than touchdowns (21). Conrad had another Pro Bowl year (61 catches, 780 yards) but Randle missed considerable time with a shoulder injury - backup WR Billy Gambrell performed admirably in his place. Jackie Smith continued his development at tight end with 47 receptions for 657 yards. Triplett was out for the year at halfback due to a bout with tuberculosis, but Crow was back and led the club with 554 yards rushing. On defense, the small (5’9”, 170) but aggressive Fischer intercepted 10 passes and the club ranked second in the league with 25 overall.

The success did not continue as anticipated in 1965, however. After getting off to a 4-1 start, they lost eight of their last nine games to sink to 5-9. The line and receivers were still outstanding, but Johnson, who started out well, was plagued by injuries and seemed to regress. Injuries also struck among the running backs, and they were lacking the clutch play of Crow, who had been dealt away to the 49ers. On defense, the linebacker corps was still a strength but the line failed to rush opposing passers effectively and Wilson and Stovall missed time in the backfield.

The failure to meet expectations meant the end of the line for Lemm in St. Louis. He left with an overall record of 27-26-3 and returned to the Oilers as head coach in 1966 (including Ivy, they had gone through three head coaches since ‘62). While the Cards had some good seasons under his successor, Charley Winner, they were never able to win a division title. Houston, with Lemm back at the helm, utilized a conservative offense and outstanding defense to win the Eastern Divison in ’67, but was decimated by Oakland in the AFL Championship game. It was Lemm’s last hurrah as a pro head coach, and he quit for good following the 1970 season, citing health issues. His overall pro record was 64-64-7 and he was 1-2 in the postseason, with the one AFL title to his credit.

1967: Dawson Sets Passing Record as Chiefs Beat Oilers

The Kansas City Chiefs began the defense of their 1966 American Football League title on September 9, 1967 against the Houston Oilers. The Chiefs had won the Western Division with an 11-2-1 record in ’66, easily defeated Buffalo for the AFL Championship, and then lost the first Super Bowl to the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. Head Coach Hank Stram’s team boasted the league’s most efficient passer in QB Len Dawson (pictured at right), a fine running game with halfbacks Mike Garrett and Bert Coan and FB Curtis McClinton, an excellent deep receiver in flanker Otis Taylor, and a solid defense.

The Oilers, on the other hand, had lost their last eight games in 1966 and were in a rebuilding mode under GM Don Klosterman. Wally Lemm, who guided the club to the 1961 AFL title, had returned as head coach in 1966 and by the opening game of the ’67 season, many of Houston’s veteran stalwarts were gone, including QB George Blanda, FB Charlie Tolar, flanker Charley Hennigan, and safety Fred Glick. Jacky Lee, long-time backup to Blanda at quarterback (except when loaned out to the Denver Broncos in 1964 and ‘65), was promoted to the starting job. Second-year FB Hoyle Granger had moved into the starting lineup during the ’66 season. Garland Boyette was moved from defensive end to middle linebacker and was joined by promising rookie OLB George Webster. Another rookie, safety Ken Houston, joined a revamped and talented defensive backfield.

There were 28,203 fans in attendance for the Saturday night game at Rice Stadium. Following a scoreless opening period, Kansas City capped a seven-play, 85-yard drive early in the second quarter with Garrett’s two-yard touchdown run. The possession was helped along by Dawson passes to split end Chris Burford and Garrett.

With Lee starting at quarterback, the Oilers responded with an 80-yard drive in 10 plays that was highlighted by the running of the fullback Granger and HB Sid Blanks. Granger started it off with an 18-yard carry and ended it with a four-yard TD. Blanks had a 35-yard run along the way.

The Chiefs came back with another scoring possession, this one capped by a 54-yard field goal by rookie placekicker Jan Stenerud with just under four minutes left in the half. Houston again put together a scoring drive of its own, this time aided by a 39-yard pass interference call against the Chiefs. Granger and Blanks combined for 41 rushing yards, with Blanks going the final seven yards for the touchdown. Following the successful extra point, the fans gave the home team a standing ovation.

Dawson’s passing keyed the next Kansas City drive, which covered 82 yards, as he threw for 12 and 19 yards to Garrett and 16 yards to TE Fred Arbanas for a touchdown with just seconds left on the clock before halftime. The possession was helped along by a pass interference call on Houston CB W.K. Hicks and the score stood at 17-14 in favor of the Chiefs at the intermission.

In the second half, Kansas City LB Bobby Bell intercepted a Lee pass and returned it 32 yards for a TD. The Chiefs went for two points and were successful as Dawson threw to TE Reg Carolan.

Dawson completed 15 straight passes before finally throwing an incomplete sideline pass during the fourth quarter. He was also victimized when Houston’s rookie Ken Houston intercepted a pass in the end zone intended for Burford and returned it 77 yards, with Webster and CB Miller Farr throwing key blocks along the way. On the next play, Lee tossed a short pass to Granger who went the remaining 28 yards for a touchdown, but the two-point conversion attempt failed. The Chiefs held on to win by a final score of 25-20.

Houston actually had the most total yards (336 to 312) although Kansas City accumulated the most first downs (20 to 17). The Chiefs only turned the ball over once, while the Oilers suffered four turnovers. Kansas City was penalized 10 times, at the expense of 117 yards, while Houston was flagged on seven occasions and lost more yards (128).


With his high efficiency, Len Dawson completed 17 of 19 passes for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Mike Garrett (pictured at left) led the Chiefs in rushing with 80 yards on 19 carries, including one for a TD, and also had the most pass receptions with 6, for another 42 yards. Otis Taylor gained 60 yards on his four catches.

For Houston, Jacky Lee was successful on 16 of 25 throws for 158 yards with a TD and two interceptions. The running game was proficient as Hoyle Granger gained 101 yards on 13 carries, including a score, and Sid Blanks added 79 yards on 18 attempts with a TD. WR Charley Frazier caught 6 passes for 82 yards.

Dawson’s 15 consecutive completions were a then-pro football record (NFL as well as AFL). It broke the existing mark of 13 by the NFL’s Fran Tarkenton and the AFL record of 11 by Dick Wood of the Jets in 1964. Joe Namath of the Jets tied the mark several weeks later and it stood until 1974.

The Chiefs had another good season, but couldn’t beat the Raiders or Chargers and ended up second in the Western Division with a 9-5 record. Len Dawson again topped the AFL in completion percentage (57.7) and was among the leaders in passing (83.7 rating by the current system).

Houston’s rebuilding process was more successful than anticipated, although Jacky Lee was traded, ironically enough, to the Chiefs for Dawson’s backup, Pete Beathard. Beathard proved to be a good fit, the defense was outstanding, and the Oilers won the Eastern Division with a 9-4-1 tally, although they were routed by Oakland in the AFL Championship game. Hoyle Granger (pictured below) ranked second in the league with 1194 yards rushing (Mike Garrett ended up third with 1087) and first in yards from scrimmage (1494).

1961: George Blanda Throws 7 TD Passes Against NY Titans

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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