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.
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, 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).Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1940 to 2011, in the AFL, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points For They also set an American Football League record with a +271 point differential, by allowing only 242 points.Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1960 to 1969, in the AFL, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points Differential The 1961 Oilers are the only team in AFL or NFL history to score 45 points or more six times in a single season.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.
Offseason On January 14, end Willard Dewveall played out his option with the Chicago Bears of the NFL and joined the Oilers. He became the first player to move deliberately from one league to another.NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, , p. 282 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.
AFL Draft
Houston Oilers draft picks (Selected eighth) Round Player Position College 1 Mike DitkaMike Ditka Offensive End Pittsburgh 2 Tom GoodeTom Goode Center Mississippi State 3 Walter SuggsWalter Suggs 1 Tackle Mississippi State 4 Bobby WaldenBobby Walden Halfback Georgia 5 Monte LeeMonte Lee Linebacker Texas 6 Jake GibbsJake Gibbs Quarterback Mississippi 7 Dick ReynoldsDick Reynolds Tackle North Carolina State 8 Houston AntwineHouston Antwine 1,2 Guard Southern Illinois 9 Ralph WhiteRalph White Tackle Bowling Green 10 Charles LeeCharles Lee Center Iowa 11 Robert BirdRobert Bird Guard Bowling Green 12 Bob McLeodBob McLeod Offensive End Abilene Christian 13 Gerald HintonGerald Hinton Guard Louisiana Tech 14 Jimmy KingJimmy King Tackle Clemson 15 Dennis FerriterDennis Ferriter Center Marquette 16 Larry WoodLarry Wood Halfback Northwestern 17 Sam FewellSam Fewell Tackle South Carolina 18 Mike GrimsleyMike Grimsley Halfback Michigan State 19 Myron PearsonMyron Pearson Halfback Colorado 20 Lewis JohnsonLewis Johnson Halfback Florida A&M 21 Ron MillerRon Miller Quarterback Wisconsin 22 Bob KellyBob Kelly Offensive End New Mexico State 23 James AndersonJames Anderson Fullback Mississippi 24 Ken GregoryKen Gregory Offensive End Whittier 25 Jack KreiderJack Kreider Halfback Tulsa 26 Don FuellDon Fuell Quarterback Mississippi Southern 27 Boyd KingBoyd King Center Rice 28 John FrongilloJohn Frongillo Center Baylor 29 Tom LewisTom Lewis Offensive End Wake Forest 29 Errol LindenErrol Linden Defensive end Houston 30 Jim StroudJim Stroud Tackle Rice
Roster 1961 Houston Oilers roster Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
Defensive backs
SS/P Reserve lists
Retired
rookies in italics
Standings
Season schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance GameRecap 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 Recap6 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.
Regular season game summaries
Week 1 (Saturday, September 9, 1961): vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 3 (Sunday, September 24, 1961): at San Diego Chargers
Week 4 (Sunday, October 1, 1961): at Dallas Texans
Week 5 (Sunday, October 8, 1961): vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 6 (Friday, October 13, 1961): at Boston Patriots
Week 7 (Sunday, October 22, 1961): vs. Dallas Texans
Week 8 (Sunday, October 29, 1961): at Buffalo Bills
Week 9 (Sunday, November 5, 1961): at Denver Broncos
Week 10 (Sunday, November 12, 1961): vs. Boston Patriots
Week 11 (Sunday, November 19, 1961): vs. New York Titans
Week 12 (Sunday, November 26, 1961): vs. Denver Broncos
Week 13 (Sunday, December 3, 1961): vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 11 (Sunday, December 10, 1961): at New York Titans
Week 15 (Sunday, December 17, 1961): at Oakland Raiders
Postseason Round Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance Recap AFL Championship at San Diego Chargers W 10–3 Balboa Stadium 29,556 Recap
1961 AFL Championship Game (Sunday, December 24, 1961): at San Diego Chargers
Point spread: Oilers –5½ Time of game:
OilersGame statisticsChargers18 First downs 1533–96 Rushes–yards 20–79160 Passing yards 22618–41–6 17–32–40–0 Sacked–yards 0–49160 Net passing yards 177256 Total yards 2567 Return yards 1265–34.0 4–41.05–1 Fumbles–lost 2–25–68 Penalties–yards 10–106 Time of possession
References
External links Oilers on Pro Football Reference Oilers on jt-sw.com