1979 Houston Oilers season
The 1979 Houston Oilers season was the franchise's 20th overall and the tenth in the National Football League. The franchise scored 362 points while the defense gave up 331 points. Their record of 11 wins and 5 losses resulted in a second-place finish in the AFC Central Division. The Oilers appeared once on Monday Night Football on December 10, 1979 where the sports promotion Luv ya Blue was launched and returned to the AFC Championship Game for the second consecutive year. Earl Campbell would lead the NFL in rushing for the second consecutive year and set a franchise record for most touchdowns in a season with 19. The Oilers would make the playoffs again as a wild card. In the wild card game, they beat the Denver Broncos 13-7, and then defeated the San Diego Chargers 17-14 in San Diego to reach their second straight AFC Championship game. They played the Pittsburgh Steelers, who a year earlier had eliminated them 34-5 in the previous AFC Championship game. The Oilers lost the game 27-13. The game included a controversial moment in which wide receiver Mike Renfro had a touchdown called back after the referees of the game took a long time to decide the ruling on the field. The call went down as one of the most controversial calls in NFL history.
| 1979 Houston Oilers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Bud Adams |
| General manager | Bum Phillips |
| Head coach | Bum Phillips |
| Home field | Astrodome |
| Results | |
| Record | 11–5 |
| Division place | 2nd AFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Broncos) 13–7 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Chargers) 17–14 Lost AFC Championship (at Steelers) 13–27 |
| Pro Bowlers |
|
Houston's defensive line blocking a San Diego rushing attempt during the 1979 AFC Divisional Playoff Game.
As of 2023, this is the most recent season a Houston-based team has reached the AFC Championship Game. The Oilers franchise would not do so again for twenty seasons, by which time they had re-located and become the Tennessee Titans, while Houston's current NFL team has yet to advance past the divisional round.
Offseason
NFL draft
| 1979 Houston Oilers draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 31 | Mike Stensrud | Defensive tackle | Iowa State | |
| 2 | 50 | Jesse Baker | Defensive end | Jacksonville State | |
| 3 | 72 | Kenny King * | Running back | Oklahoma | |
| 6 | 143 | Daryl Hunt | Linebacker | Oklahoma | |
| 6 | 159 | Mike Murphy | Linebacker | Missouri State | |
| 7 | 171 | Tim Ries | Defensive back | Missouri State | |
| 8 | 214 | Carter Hartwig | Defensive back | USC | |
| 9 | 243 | Richard Ellender | Wide receiver | McNeese State | |
| 11 | 298 | Mike Taylor | Offensive tackle | Georgia Tech | |
| 12 | 324 | Wayne Wilson | Running back | Shephard College | |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
Personnel
Staff
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches |
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
| |||||
Roster
| Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
| ||||||
Pre season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time | TV | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 2 | St. Louis Cardinals | 7:30 p.m. CDT | KPRC-TV | W 9–7 | 1–0 | Astrodome | 46,252 | |
| 2 | August 12 | New York Jets | 12:30 p.m. CDT | NBC | L 14–26 | 1–1 | Astrodome | 43,350 | |
| 3 | August 18 | at Dallas Cowboys | 8:00 p.m. CDT | ABC | L 13–16 | 1–2 | Texas Stadium | 62,803 | |
| 4 | August 24 | at New Orleans Saints | 7:00 p.m. CDT | KPRC-TV | L 7–10 | 1–3 | Louisiana Superdome | 54,469 |
Regular season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time | TV | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 2 | at Washington Redskins | 12 Noon CDT | NBC | W 29–27 | 1–0 | RFK Stadium | 54,582 | Recap | |
| 2 | September 9 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | 12 Noon CDT | NBC | L 7–38 | 1–1 | Three Rivers Stadium | 49,792 | Recap | |
| 3 | September 16 | Kansas City Chiefs | 1:00 p.m. CDT | NBC | W 20–6 | 2–1 | Astrodome | 45,684 | Recap | |
| 4 | September 23 | at Cincinnati Bengals | 12 Noon CDT | NBC | W 30–27 | 3–1 | Riverfront Stadium | 45,615 | Recap | |
| 5 | September 30 | Cleveland Browns | 1:00 p.m. CDT | NBC | W 31–10 | 4–1 | Astrodome | 48,915 | Recap | |
| 6 | October 7 | St. Louis Cardinals | 1:00 p.m. CDT | CBS | L 17–24 | 4–2 | Astrodome | 53,043 | Recap | |
| 7 | October 14 | at Baltimore Colts | 1:00 p.m. CDT | NBC | W 28–16 | 5–2 | Memorial Stadium | 45,021 | Recap | |
| 8 | October 21 | at Seattle Seahawks | 3:00 p.m. CDT | NBC | L 14–34 | 5–3 | Kingdome | 60,705 | Recap | |
| 9 | October 28 | New York Jets | 12 Noon CST | NBC | W 27–24 | 6–3 | Astrodome | 45,825 | Recap | |
| 10 | November 5 | at Miami Dolphins | 8:00 p.m. CST | ABC | W 9–6 | 7–3 | Miami Orange Bowl | 70,273 | Recap | |
| 11 | November 11 | Oakland Raiders | 12 Noon CST | NBC | W 31–17 | 8–3 | Astrodome | 48,614 | Recap | |
| 12 | November 18 | Cincinnati Bengals | 3:00 p.m. CST | NBC | W 42–21 | 9–3 | Astrodome | 49,829 | Recap | |
| 13 | November 22 | at Dallas Cowboys | 3:00 p.m. CST | NBC | W 30–24 | 10–3 | Texas Stadium | 63,897 | Recap | |
| 14 | December 2 | at Cleveland Browns | 12 Noon CST | NBC | L 7–14 | 10–4 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 69,112 | Recap | |
| 15 | December 10 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 8:00 p.m. CST | ABC | W 20–17 | 11–4 | Astrodome | 55,293 | Recap | |
| 16 | December 16 | Philadelphia Eagles | 3:00 p.m. CDT | CBS | L 20–26 | 11–5 | Astrodome | 49,407 | Recap | |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | ||||||||||
Standings
| AFC Central | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers(2) | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 416 | 262 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers(4) | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 362 | 331 | L1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2–4 | 6–6 | 359 | 352 | L2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 2–10 | 337 | 421 | W1 |
Regular Season Game summaries
Week 1 (Sunday, September 2, 1979): at Washington Redskins
Week 1: Houston Oilers 29 at Washington Redskins 27 – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oilers (1–0) | 6 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 29 |
| Redskins (0–1) | 0 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
at RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
- Date: September 2, 1979
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game attendance: 54,582
- Referee: Gordon McCarter
- TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson (play-by-play) and John Brodie (color commentator)
- [4]
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | Passing | Dan Pastorini | 12/30, 176 YDS, 1 TD, 3 INTs |
| Rushing | Earl Campbell | 32 CAR, 166 YDS, 2 TDs | |
| Receiving | Billy Johnson | 4 REC, 76 YDS, 1 TD | |
| WSH | Passing | Joe Theismann | 7/14, 123 YDS, 2 TDs, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Benny Malone | 17 CAR, 58 YDS, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Jean Fugett | 3 REC, 55 YDS, 2 TDs |
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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- Point spread:
- Over/Under:
- Time of Game:
| Oilers | Game Statistics | Redskins |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Rushes–yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Passes | ||
| Sacked–yards | ||
| Net passing yards | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Return yards | ||
| Punts | ||
| Fumbles–lost | ||
| Penalties–yards | ||
| Time of Possession |
Week 6 (Sunday, October 7, 1979): vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Week 6: St. Louis Cardinals 24 at Houston Oilers 17 – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals (2–4) | 0 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 24 |
| Oilers (4–2) | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Astrodome • Houston, Texas
- Date: October 7, 1979
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Indoors (dome)
- Game attendance: 53,043
- Referee: Fred Silva
- TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator)
- [6]
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| STL | Passing | Jim Hart | 23/38, 253 YDS, 3 INTs |
| Rushing | Ottis Anderson | 16 CAR, 109 YDS | |
| Receiving | Pat Tilley | 6 REC, 69 YDS | |
| HOU | Passing | Dan Pastorini | 15/29, 176 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | Earl Campbell | 13 CAR, 53 YDS, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Ken Burrough | 5 REC, 62 YDS, 1 TD |
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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- Point spread:
- Over/Under:
- Time of Game:
| Cardinals | Game Statistics | Oilers |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Rushes–yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Passes | ||
| Sacked–yards | ||
| Net passing yards | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Return yards | ||
| Punts | ||
| Fumbles–lost | ||
| Penalties–yards | ||
| Time of Possession |
Week 13 (Thursday, November 22, 1979): at Dallas Cowboys
Week 13: Houston Oilers 30 at Dallas Cowboys 24 – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oilers (10–3) | 7 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 30 |
| Cowboys (8–5) | 14 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 24 |
at Texas Stadium • Irving, Texas
- Date: November 22, 1979
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C); wind 16 mph (26 km/h)
- Game attendance: 63,897
- Referee: Gordon McCarter
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg (play–by–play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator) and Mike Adamle (sideline reporter)
- [8]
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | Passing | Dan Pastorini | 9/17, 163 YDS, 2 TDs |
| Rushing | Earl Campbell | 33 CAR, 195 YDS, 2 TDs | |
| Receiving | Ken Burrough | 3 REC, 55 YDS, 1 TD | |
| DAL | Passing | Roger Staubach | 21/30, 287 YDS, 2 TDs, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | Tony Dorsett | 12 CAR, 54 YDS, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Tony Dorsett | 5 REC, 36 YDS |
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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- Point spread:
- Over/Under:
- Time of Game:
| Oilers | Game Statistics | Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Rushes–yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Passes | ||
| Sacked–yards | ||
| Net passing yards | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Return yards | ||
| Punts | ||
| Fumbles–lost | ||
| Penalties–yards | ||
| Time of Possession |
- Earl Campbell 33 Rush, 195 Yds
Week 16 (Sunday, December 16, 1979): vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 16: Philadelphia Eagles 26 at Houston Oilers 20 – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles (11–5) | 9 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 26 |
| Oilers (11–5) | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
at Astrodome • Houston, Texas
- Date: December 16, 1979
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Indoors (dome)
- Game attendance: 49,407
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (CBS): Gary Bender (play-by-play) and Sonny Jurgenson (color commentator)
- [10]
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHI | Passing | Ron Jaworski | 12/21, 163 YDS |
| Rushing | Billy Campfield | 7 CAR, 68 YDS | |
| Receiving | Wilbert Montgomery | 5 REC, 51 YDS | |
| HOU | Passing | Dan Pastorini | 7/14, 85 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | Earl Campbell | 16 CAR, 134 YDS, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Mike Renfro | 3 REC, 67 YDS, 1 TD |
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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- Point spread:
- Over/Under:
- Time of Game: 3 hours, 15 minutes
| Eagles | Game Statistics | Oilers |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Rushes–yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Passes | ||
| Sacked–yards | ||
| Net passing yards | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Return yards | ||
| Punts | ||
| Fumbles–lost | ||
| Penalties–yards | ||
| Time of Possession |
Postseason
Playoffs
| Round | Date | Opponent | Time | TV | Result | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | December 23 | Denver Broncos | 3:00 p.m. CST | NBC | W 13–7 | Astrodome | 48,776 | |
| Divisional | December 29 | at San Diego Chargers | 3:00 p.m. CST | NBC | W 17–14 | San Diego Stadium | 51,192 | |
| AFC Championship | January 6, 1980 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | 12 Noon CST | NBC | L 13–27 | Three Rivers Stadium | 50,475 |
AFC Wild Card vs. Denver Broncos
Houston Oilers 13, Denver Broncos 7
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Oilers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
- Date: December 23, 1979
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 48,776
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Len Dawson
The Oilers managed to shut down the Broncos offense for most of the game en route to a 13–7 win.
AFC Divisional Playoff at San Diego Chargers
Houston Oilers 17, San Diego Chargers 14
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oilers | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Chargers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego
- Date: December 29, 1979
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 51,192
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
The Oilers offense, playing without starting quarterback Dan Pastorini, receiver Ken Burrough, and running back Earl Campbell, could only generate 259 yards compared to San Diego's 385. But they still won the game, largely due to the effort of rookie safety Vernon Perry, who set a playoff record with 4 interceptions as the Oilers defeated the Chargers, 17–14. In his first career playoff game, Chargers future Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts threw for 333 yards, but was intercepted 5 times.
AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Houston Oilers 13
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oilers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
| Steelers | 3 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 27 |
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: January 6, 1980
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 26 °F (−3 °C), cloudy
- Game attendance: 50,475
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
The Steelers held the Oilers to only 24 rushing yards, but were also aided by a controversial non-touchdown call on Mike Renfro to come away with a 27–13 win.
Awards and records
- Earl Campbell, NFL Rushing Leader, (1,697)
- Earl Campbell, 1979 NFL MVP
- Earl Campbell, PFWA NFL MVP (1979)
- Earl Campbell, Pro Bowl selection 1979
- Earl Campbell, All-Pro selection 1979
- Earl Campbell, NEA NFL MVP (1979)
- Earl Campbell, NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1979)
- Earl Campbell, 1979 Bert Bell Award[11]
- Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers record, Most Touchdowns in a Season (19)
- Mike Reinfeldt, NFL Interception Leader, 12
Milestones
- Earl Campbell, 2nd 1,000 yard rushing season
- Earl Campbell, 2nd NFL Rushing Title
References
- "1979 Houston Oilers draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
- "1979 Houston Oilers starters and roster". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
- The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Jan-13.
- Pro Football Reference; Houston Oilers at Washington Redskins – September 2, 1979
- The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Jan-15.
- Pro Football Reference; St Louis Cardinals at Houston Oilers – October 7, 1979
- The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Jan-14.
- Pro Football Reference; Houston Oilers at Dallas Cowboys – November 22, 1979
- The Football Database. Retrieved 2023-Jan-15.
- Pro Football Reference; Philadelphia Eagles at Houston Oilers – December 16, 1979
- "Maxwell Football Club - Bert Bell Award Past Recipients". Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
External links
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