American Football League playoffs
Encyclopedia
From 1960 to 1968, the American Football League
determined its champion via a single playoff game between the winners of its two divisions (although ties in the standings during the 1963 and 1968 seasons necessitated a divisional playoff game).
In 1969, the final year of the independent AFL, a four-team playoff was held, with the second-place teams in each division playing the winner of the other division in what were called the "Interdivisional" playoffs. These playoffs were not, and are not considered to have been, "wildcard
" playoffs since the two best non-division winners did not automatically qualify. (Had the 1969 playoffs been true wildcard playoffs, the Western Division's third-place team, San Diego, would have qualified while the Eastern Division's second-place team, Houston, would not have.) The 1969 playoffs were only the second time a major professional football league allowed teams other than the first place teams to compete in post-season playoffs (the other instance being the All-America Football Conference's 1949 four-team playoff).
Prior to the advent of the Super Bowl for the 1966 season, the AFL went to great lengths to avoid scheduling its playoffs head-to-head with the NFL. In 1960, the NFL's game was held on Monday, December 26; the AFL had that week off, and played its title contest on Sunday, January 1st. In 1961 and 1962, the AFL played its game during the off-week between the end of the NFL's regular season and its title game (thus resulting in the AFL holding championship games on December 24, 1961 and December 23, 1962, a week before the NFL's games of December 31, 1961 and December 30, 1962). In 1963, the AFL held its Eastern Division tiebreaker playoff on Saturday, December 28, 1963, thereby avoiding the Sunday, December 29, 1963 NFL playoff (the AFL then held its 1963 Championship Game a week later). In 1964, pro football had a championship weekend, with the AFL's title game held on Saturday, December 26, 1964 and the NFL's championship contest being held on Sunday, December 27, 1964. For 1965, the AFL tried to return to the practice of playing its game on a Sunday during the off-week between the NFL playoff, slating its championship contest for December 26, 1965 while the NFL's game wasn't held until January 2, 1966; unfortunately, the Colts and Packers required a Western Conference tiebreaker on the December 26, 1965 date --- and since that game went overtime, the TV audience for the Bills-Chargers game in San Diego was diminished considerably. Even in 1966, the AFL originally scheduled its championship game for the off-week, planning to hold its playoff on Monday, December 26, 1966, six days before the NFL's scheduled playoff of January 1, 1967.
Negotiations prior to the first Super Bowl, during early December 1966, resulted in the two leagues agreeing to have championship doubleheaders for the next four years, with each league holding its title game on the same day but at a different time that day. Thus the final four AFL playoffs were held on the same day as the NFL championship game was (January 1, 1967; December 31, 1967; December 29, 1968; and January 4, 1970).
The Pro Football Hall of Fame
and the National Football League
include AFL playoffs in their statistics for the NFL playoffs
.
era began the following season and the last time a final pro football championship game was played in December. It was also the most recent championship won by a Buffalo-based professional sports team.
. The Bills were a more conventional team with a solid defensive line and a running mindset on offense.
A Bills fumble on the opening kickoff gave the Chiefs a short field to work with, and Quarterback Len Dawson
immediately took advantage of it, hitting Fred Arbanas
for the game's first score. Jack Kemp
's first pass for the Bills was a 69 yard score to Elbert Dubenion
. Late in the second quarter and trailing 14-7, Kemp led the Bills to the Kansas City 10. Bobby Crockett was open in the endzone, but Kemp's pass was intercepted by Johnny Robinson, who returned the ball 72-yards, setting up a Mike Mercer
field goal to close out the first half.
Buffalo found no offensive rhythm in the second half, and the Chiefs closed the game out in the fourth quarter with Dawson found Chris Burford
for a 45 yard gain, setting up a one foot touchdown run by rookie Mike Garrett
. Garrett scored his second touchdown less than two minutes later following another Bills fumble.
This was the first AFL Championship Game to determine which team would represent the league in the Super Bowl
. The Chiefs lost 35-10 to the NFL champion Green Bay Packers
in Super Bowl I
.
, acquired in a trade from the Buffalo Bills
in the offseason, led the Raiders to a 13-1 record, throwing 30 touchdown passes in the process. The Oilers went from last place in the Eastern Conference in 1966 to first in '67, beating out the New York Jets
by a game. Most of the Oilers' offense centered on big fullback Hoyle Granger
, and a midseason quarterback trade for the shifty Pete Beathard
(sending their own starter, Jacky Lee, to the Kansas City Chiefs
) proved to be the spark that turned Houston's season around.
The previous meeting between the two teams had been a close game won 19-7 by the Raiders, with Lamonica struggling offensively. This was not the case in the rematch. Oakland took a 10-0 lead in the second quarter on a 69 yard run down the left sidelines by Hewritt Dixon
, and on a fake field goal attempt Lamonica passed to Dave Kocourek
for the 17-0 halftime margin. Former Oilers quarterback George Blanda
, who had led Houston to the AFL's first two championships, kicked four field goals for the Raiders. Houston did not score until the fourth quarter, when they already trailed 30-0.
Oakland lost Super Bowl II
to the NFL champion Green Bay Packers
.
to become the first AFL Super Bowl
champion.
with the National Football League
. The Chiefs won Super Bowl IV
as the last AFL champion.
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
determined its champion via a single playoff game between the winners of its two divisions (although ties in the standings during the 1963 and 1968 seasons necessitated a divisional playoff game).
In 1969, the final year of the independent AFL, a four-team playoff was held, with the second-place teams in each division playing the winner of the other division in what were called the "Interdivisional" playoffs. These playoffs were not, and are not considered to have been, "wildcard
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
" playoffs since the two best non-division winners did not automatically qualify. (Had the 1969 playoffs been true wildcard playoffs, the Western Division's third-place team, San Diego, would have qualified while the Eastern Division's second-place team, Houston, would not have.) The 1969 playoffs were only the second time a major professional football league allowed teams other than the first place teams to compete in post-season playoffs (the other instance being the All-America Football Conference's 1949 four-team playoff).
Prior to the advent of the Super Bowl for the 1966 season, the AFL went to great lengths to avoid scheduling its playoffs head-to-head with the NFL. In 1960, the NFL's game was held on Monday, December 26; the AFL had that week off, and played its title contest on Sunday, January 1st. In 1961 and 1962, the AFL played its game during the off-week between the end of the NFL's regular season and its title game (thus resulting in the AFL holding championship games on December 24, 1961 and December 23, 1962, a week before the NFL's games of December 31, 1961 and December 30, 1962). In 1963, the AFL held its Eastern Division tiebreaker playoff on Saturday, December 28, 1963, thereby avoiding the Sunday, December 29, 1963 NFL playoff (the AFL then held its 1963 Championship Game a week later). In 1964, pro football had a championship weekend, with the AFL's title game held on Saturday, December 26, 1964 and the NFL's championship contest being held on Sunday, December 27, 1964. For 1965, the AFL tried to return to the practice of playing its game on a Sunday during the off-week between the NFL playoff, slating its championship contest for December 26, 1965 while the NFL's game wasn't held until January 2, 1966; unfortunately, the Colts and Packers required a Western Conference tiebreaker on the December 26, 1965 date --- and since that game went overtime, the TV audience for the Bills-Chargers game in San Diego was diminished considerably. Even in 1966, the AFL originally scheduled its championship game for the off-week, planning to hold its playoff on Monday, December 26, 1966, six days before the NFL's scheduled playoff of January 1, 1967.
Negotiations prior to the first Super Bowl, during early December 1966, resulted in the two leagues agreeing to have championship doubleheaders for the next four years, with each league holding its title game on the same day but at a different time that day. Thus the final four AFL playoffs were held on the same day as the NFL championship game was (January 1, 1967; December 31, 1967; December 29, 1968; and January 4, 1970).
The Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
and the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
include AFL playoffs in their statistics for the NFL playoffs
NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
.
1960 Championship
1961 Championship
1962 Championship
1963 playoffs
- A tie in the Eastern Division standings necessitated an Eastern Division playoff game
Eastern Division playoff
1963 Championship
The Chargers championship win is noted for being the only and most recent major sports championship won for the city of San Diego. No other city with at least two professional sports teams has a championship drought as long as of 2010 (47 years). This is also the only time that the Chargers have beaten the Patriots in a postseason game.1964 Championship
Mike Stratton's hit on San Diego Chargers Running Back Keith Lincoln set the stage for the Buffalo Bills and their first AFL championship.1965 Championship
This was the last AFL Championship Game before the Super BowlSuper Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
era began the following season and the last time a final pro football championship game was played in December. It was also the most recent championship won by a Buffalo-based professional sports team.
1966 Championship
The Bills went into the 1966 AFL Championship having already won the game the previous two years. Though the game was to be played in Buffalo, the visiting Kansas City Chiefs were three-point favorites, mainly because of their explosive and innovative offense led by Head Coach Hank StramHank Stram
Henry Louis "Hank" Stram was an American football coach. He is best known for his 15-year tenure with the American Football League's Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs and the Chiefs of the NFL. Stram won three AFL Championships and Super Bowl IV with the Chiefs...
. The Bills were a more conventional team with a solid defensive line and a running mindset on offense.
A Bills fumble on the opening kickoff gave the Chiefs a short field to work with, and Quarterback Len Dawson
Len Dawson
Leonard Ray "Len" "Lenny" Dawson is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who attended Purdue University and went on to play for three professional teams, most notably the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs...
immediately took advantage of it, hitting Fred Arbanas
Fred Arbanas
Frederick Vincent Arbanas is an American former college and professional football player. Drafted out of Michigan State by the American Football League's Dallas Texans in 1961, he missed the 1961 season with injuries...
for the game's first score. Jack Kemp
Jack Kemp
Jack French Kemp was an American politician and a collegiate and professional football player. A Republican, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, having previously served nine terms as a congressman for Western New York's 31st...
's first pass for the Bills was a 69 yard score to Elbert Dubenion
Elbert Dubenion
Elbert Dubenion was an American football wide receiver. He played college football for Bluffton College in northwest Ohio....
. Late in the second quarter and trailing 14-7, Kemp led the Bills to the Kansas City 10. Bobby Crockett was open in the endzone, but Kemp's pass was intercepted by Johnny Robinson, who returned the ball 72-yards, setting up a Mike Mercer
Mike Mercer (American football)
Michael Mercer is a former American football kicker and punter who played for six teams from . In the American Football League, he played for the Oakland Raiders, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills...
field goal to close out the first half.
Buffalo found no offensive rhythm in the second half, and the Chiefs closed the game out in the fourth quarter with Dawson found Chris Burford
Chris Burford
Christopher William Burford, III is a former American football wide receiver. Burford was a master of sideline receptions for the Dallas Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs. What he lacked in great speed or physical presence, he made up for by running perfectly choreographed pass routes that...
for a 45 yard gain, setting up a one foot touchdown run by rookie Mike Garrett
Mike Garrett
Michael Lockett Garrett is a former American collegiate and professional football player who won the 1965 Heisman Trophy as a tailback for the University of Southern California Trojans. Garrett also played professional football for eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers...
. Garrett scored his second touchdown less than two minutes later following another Bills fumble.
This was the first AFL Championship Game to determine which team would represent the league in the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. The Chiefs lost 35-10 to the NFL champion Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in Super Bowl I
Super Bowl I
The First AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later known as Super Bowl I and referred to in some contemporary reports as the Supergame, was played on January 15, 1967 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.The National Football League ...
.
1967 Championship
The Oakland Raiders were ten and a half point favorites over the Houston Oilers in the 1967 AFL Championship Game. Quarterback Daryle LamonicaDaryle Lamonica
Daryle Pat Lamonica is a former American collegiate and professional football quarterback who played in the American Football League, and later in the NFL....
, acquired in a trade from the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the offseason, led the Raiders to a 13-1 record, throwing 30 touchdown passes in the process. The Oilers went from last place in the Eastern Conference in 1966 to first in '67, beating out the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
by a game. Most of the Oilers' offense centered on big fullback Hoyle Granger
Hoyle Granger
Hoyle John Granger is a former collegiate and professional American football player in the United States. He played his college football at Mississippi State. He was the first pick in the fifth round of the 1966 American Football League draft, by the Houston Oilers...
, and a midseason quarterback trade for the shifty Pete Beathard
Pete Beathard
Peter Falconer Beathard is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who played professionally in the American Football League , the National Football League , and the World Football League ....
(sending their own starter, Jacky Lee, to the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
) proved to be the spark that turned Houston's season around.
The previous meeting between the two teams had been a close game won 19-7 by the Raiders, with Lamonica struggling offensively. This was not the case in the rematch. Oakland took a 10-0 lead in the second quarter on a 69 yard run down the left sidelines by Hewritt Dixon
Hewritt Dixon
Hewritt Dixon was a professional American football player who played running back for seven seasons for the American Football League's Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders, and one season for the Raiders in the National Football League. He was an AFL All-Star in 1966, 1967, and 1968, and an AFC-NFC...
, and on a fake field goal attempt Lamonica passed to Dave Kocourek
Dave Kocourek
Dave Kocourek was an American college and Professional Football player who played collegiately at Wisconsin. As a professional, he played for the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1959, and then played for nine years as a tight end in the American Football League, from 1960...
for the 17-0 halftime margin. Former Oilers quarterback George Blanda
George Blanda
George Frederick Blanda was a collegiate and professional football quarterback and placekicker...
, who had led Houston to the AFL's first two championships, kicked four field goals for the Raiders. Houston did not score until the fourth quarter, when they already trailed 30-0.
Oakland lost Super Bowl II
Super Bowl II
The second AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later to be known as Super Bowl II, was played on January 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida....
to the NFL champion Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
1968 playoffs
- A tie in the Western Division standings necessitated a Western Division playoff game
Western Division playoff
1968 Championship
The Jets went on to win Super Bowl IIISuper Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
to become the first AFL Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champion.
Bracket
Interdivisional playoffs
1969 Championship
This was the final AFL Championship Game, as well as the final game played between two AFL teams before the mergerAFL-NFL Merger
The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
with the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The Chiefs won Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV was the fourth AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, and the second one to officially bear the name "Super Bowl"...
as the last AFL champion.
AFL Championship Game appearances 1960-69
| Num | Team | W | L | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers | 1 | 4 | .200 |
| 4 | Houston Oilers | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| 3 | Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs | 3 | 0 | 1.00 |
| 3 | Buffalo Bills | 2 | 1 | .667 |
| 3 | Oakland Raiders | 1 | 2 | .333 |
| 1 | New York Jets | 1 | 0 | 1.00 |
| 1 | Boston Patriots | 0 | 1 | .000 |