1961 Houston Oilers season

The 1961 Houston Oilers season was the second season for the Houston Oilers as a professional American football franchise; For the second consecutive season, the Oilers scored a triumph in the AFL championship game over the San Diego Chargers (12–2), the Western Division champions.[1][2][3]

1961 Houston Oilers season
OwnerBud Adams
General managerDon Suman
Head coachLou Rymkus (1–3–1, fired) and
Wally Lemm (9–0)
Home fieldJeppesen Stadium
Results
Record10–3–1
Division place1st AFL Eastern
Playoff finishWon AFL Championship
(at Chargers) 10–3

The Oilers started slowly in 1961, with a 1–3–1 record. After a tie on October 13 with the Boston Patriots, head coach Lou Rymkus was fired by owner Bud Adams. Wally Lemm was hired,[4] and the team went undefeated for the remainder of the season, including the championship game, a winning streak of ten games.

The Oilers set the AFL record for points scored in 1961, with 513 (36.6 points per game).[5] They also set an American Football League record with a +271 point differential, by allowing only 242 points.[6] The 1961 Oilers are the only team in AFL or NFL history to score 45 points or more six times in a single season.[7]

Offseason

On January 14, end Willard Dewveall played out his option with the Chicago Bears of the NFL and joined the Oilers.[8] He became the first player to move deliberately from one league to another.[9] Dewveall was the only one to move between leagues for five years, until placekicker Pete Gogolak moved from the Buffalo Bills to the New York Giants of the NFL in 1966.[10]

AFL Draft
Main article: 1961 American Football League draft
  • Houston Oilers draft picks (Selected eighth)
RoundPlayerPositionCollege
1Mike DitkaMike DitkaOffensive EndPittsburgh
2Tom GoodeTom GoodeCenterMississippi State
3Walter SuggsWalter Suggs 1TackleMississippi State
4Bobby WaldenBobby WaldenHalfbackGeorgia
5Monte LeeMonte LeeLinebackerTexas
6Jake GibbsJake GibbsQuarterbackMississippi
7Dick ReynoldsDick ReynoldsTackleNorth Carolina State
8Houston AntwineHouston Antwine 1,2GuardSouthern Illinois
9Ralph WhiteRalph WhiteTackleBowling Green
10Charles LeeCharles LeeCenterIowa
11Robert BirdRobert BirdGuardBowling Green
12Bob McLeodBob McLeodOffensive EndAbilene Christian
13Gerald HintonGerald HintonGuardLouisiana Tech
14Jimmy KingJimmy KingTackleClemson
15Dennis FerriterDennis FerriterCenterMarquette
16Larry WoodLarry WoodHalfbackNorthwestern
17Sam FewellSam FewellTackleSouth Carolina
18Mike GrimsleyMike GrimsleyHalfbackMichigan State
19Myron PearsonMyron PearsonHalfbackColorado
20Lewis JohnsonLewis JohnsonHalfbackFlorida A&M
21Ron MillerRon MillerQuarterbackWisconsin
22Bob KellyBob KellyOffensive EndNew Mexico State
23James AndersonJames AndersonFullbackMississippi
24Ken GregoryKen GregoryOffensive EndWhittier
25Jack KreiderJack KreiderHalfbackTulsa
26Don FuellDon FuellQuarterbackMississippi Southern
27Boyd KingBoyd KingCenterRice
28John FrongilloJohn FrongilloCenterBaylor
29Tom LewisTom LewisOffensive EndWake Forest
29Errol LindenErrol LindenDefensive endHouston
30Jim StroudJim StroudTackleRice

Standings
AFL Eastern Division
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
Houston Oilers 1031.7694–1–1513242W9
Boston Patriots 941.6922–3–1413313W4
New York Titans 770.5003–3301390L2
Buffalo Bills 680.4292–4294342L1

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings in the AFL.

Season schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Game
Recap
1 September 9 Oakland Raiders W 55–0 1–0 Jeppesen Stadium 16,231 Recap
2 Bye
3 September 24 at San Diego Chargers L 24–34 1–1 Balboa Stadium 29,210 Recap
4 October 1 at Dallas Texans L 21–26 1–2 Cotton Bowl 28,000 Recap
5 October 8 Buffalo Bills L 12–22 1–3 Jeppesen Stadium 22,761 Recap
6 October 13 at Boston Patriots T 31–31 1–3–1 Boston University Field 15,070 Recap
7 October 22 Dallas Texans W 38–7 2–3–1 Jeppesen Stadium 21,237 Recap
8 October 29 at Buffalo Bills W 28–16 3–3–1 War Memorial Stadium 23,228 Recap
9 November 5 at Denver Broncos W 55–14 4–3–1 Bears Stadium 11,564 Recap
10 November 12 Boston Patriots W 27–15 5–3–1 Jeppesen Stadium 35,649 Recap
11 November 19 New York Titans W 49–13 6–3–1 Jeppesen Stadium 33,428 Recap
12 November 26 Denver Broncos W 45–14 7–3–1 Jeppesen Stadium 27,864 Recap
13 December 3 San Diego Chargers W 33–13 8–3–1 Jeppesen Stadium 37,845 Recap
14 December 10 at New York Titans W 48–21 9–3–1 Polo Grounds 9,462 Recap
15 December 17 at Oakland Raiders W 47–16 10–3–1 Candlestick Park 4,821 Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Roster
1961 Houston Oilers roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs


Special teams

 Reserve lists

Practice squad

rookies in italics

Postseason
Main article: 1961 American Football League Championship Game
Round Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance Recap
Championship December 24 San Diego Chargers W 10–3 Balboa Stadium 29,556 Recap

AFL Championship Game
Main article: 1961 American Football League Championship Game
1 2 3 4 Total
Oilers 0 3 7 0 10
Chargers 0 0 0 3 3

Houston Oilers 10, San Diego Chargers 3

December 24, 1961, at Balboa Stadium, San Diego, California
Attendance: 29,556

Scoring

References
  1. "Chargers challenge for AFL grid title". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 24, 1961. p. 2, sports.
  2. "Blanda stars as Oilers win AFL title, 10-3". Milwaukee Sentinel. UPI. December 25, 1961. p. 1S.
  3. "Blanda's arm and toe clear path as Houston takes 2d AFL crown". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 25, 1961. p. 14.
  4. "Lemm lifts Oilers back toward top". Sarasota Journal. Florida. UPI. November 2, 1961. p. 30.
  5. Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1940 to 2011, in the AFL, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points For
  6. Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1960 to 1969, in the AFL, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points Differential
  7. Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1940 to 2011, in the regular season, requiring Points For >= 45, sorted by most games in season matching criteria.
  8. "Chicago Bears veteran Dewveall joins". Victoria Advocate. Texas. Associated Press. January 14, 1961. p. 8.
  9. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 282
  10. "Signing of Gogolak could trigger football battle". Ludington Daily News. Michigan. Associated Press. May 18, 1966. p. 12.
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