The 1992 Houston Oilers season was the team's 33rd season and their 23rd in the National Football League (NFL).
The Oilers reached the playoffs for the 6th consecutive season, which was the longest such streak in the NFL at the time. (They would extend that to seven straight playoff appearances the following season). During their 1992 season, Houston finished the season 10–6, good enough for 2nd place in the AFC Central. However, in the postseason, the Oilers would fall on the losing end of what would become one of the most substantial come from behind victories in NFL history, dropping a 35–3 lead in the Wild Card game against Buffalo to lose by a score of 41–38. As noted, the Buffalo Bills victory in this game was deemed the greatest comeback in NFL history before the Minnesota Vikings' victory over the Indianapolis Colts surpassed it in 2022, and is referred to as "The Comeback" (or by then-Oiler fans, "The Choke").
With the Oilers' home stadium, the Astrodome, hosting the 1992 Republican National Convention; the Oilers would find themselves having to play all of their pre-season games on the road.
Offseason Additions SubtractionsWR Webster Slaughter (Browns) WR Drew Hill (Falcons) RB Allen Pinkett (Saints) LB Eric Fairs (Bills) T Dean Steinkuhler
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents + 1992 undrafted free agents of note Player Position CollegeReggie BrownWide receiverAlabama StateWade HopkinsWide receiverSouthwest BaptistDerrick NedRunning backGrambling State
Personnel Staff
Roster
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 6 Pittsburgh Steelers L 24–29 0–1 Astrodome 63,713 2 September 13 at Indianapolis Colts W 20–10 1–1 Hoosier Dome 44,851 3 September 20 Kansas City Chiefs W 23–20 (OT) 2–1 Astrodome 60,955 4 September 27 San Diego Chargers W 27–0 3–1 Astrodome 57,491 5 Bye 6 October 11 at Cincinnati Bengals W 38–24 4–1 Riverfront Stadium 54,254 7 October 18 at Denver Broncos L 21–27 4–2 Mile High Stadium 74,827 8 October 25 Cincinnati Bengals W 26–10 5–2 Astrodome 58,701 9 November 1 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 20–21 5–3 Three Rivers Stadium 58,074 10 November 8 Cleveland Browns L 14–24 5–4 Astrodome 57,348 11 November 15 at Minnesota Vikings W 17–13 6–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 56,726 12 November 22 at Miami Dolphins L 16–19 6–5 Joe Robbie Stadium 63,597 13 at Detroit Lions W 24–21 7–5 Pontiac Silverdome 73,711 14 Chicago Bears W 24–7 8–5 Astrodome 62,193 15 December 13 Green Bay Packers L 14–16 8–6 Astrodome 57,285 16 December 20 at Cleveland Browns W 17–14 9–6 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 59,898 17 December 27 Buffalo Bills W 27–3 10–6 Astrodome 61,742 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week One: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Two: at Indianapolis Colts
Week Three: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week Four: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week Six: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week Seven: at Denver Broncos
Week Eight: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week Nine: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Ten: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week Eleven: at Minnesota Vikings
Week Twelve: at Miami Dolphins
Week Thirteen: at Detroit Lions NFL on Thanksgiving Day
Week Fourteen: vs. Chicago Bears
Week Fifteen: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week Sixteen: at Cleveland Browns
Week Seventeen: vs. Buffalo Bills
Standings
Playoffs
AFC Wildcard: at (4) Buffalo Bills
The Oilers held a 35–3 lead on the Buffalo Bills. Bills backup quarterback Frank Reich led the Bills on a 38–3 run in the second half and overtime against the Oilers defense en route to a 41–38 overtime victory. The game was the largest comeback in NFL history, regular or postseason, until the 2022 Vikings erased a 33-0 gap to beat the Indianapolis Colts. Houston, whose 1992 team some believed gave them their best chance to win the Super Bowl, made several sweeping changes in the offseason.
Defensive coordinator Jim Eddy was fired shortly after the game. Oilers cornerback Cris Dishman called it "the biggest choke in history."
According to statistics site Football Outsiders, who does play-by-play analyses of each team each season, the Oilers were the best team in the AFC at the end of the 1992 season. "So if you are a Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans fan," says the site, "who agonizes over the Frank Reich comeback game blowing your franchise's best shot at a Super Bowl title, well, here's another opportunity to feel sad."Football Outsiders: 1992 DVOA Ratings and Commentary
Awards and records Warren Moon, AFC Passing Leader (Passer Rating 89.3)NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, , p. 450
References
External links 1992 Houston Oilers at Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 16: Oilers Beat Clock, Browns : AFC: Houston scores two touchdowns in final three minutes to win at Cleveland, 17-14, Los Angeles Times (Associated Press), Dec. 21, 1992.