• The Raiders took a 14-7 lead in the third quarter, but the Oilers charged back with 30 second half points to win, 37-22, in both franchises’ first-ever regular season game
• Critical to their success, the Oilers dominated the Raiders in the rushing game, 168 yards to 51
• Tom Flores started the game for the Raiders and went most of the way, completing 13 of 28 passes for 232 yards and a pair of touchdowns
• Defensive end Carmen Cavalli reinjured his ankle on the first play of the game and did not return
• Halfback Luther Carr sat out the entire game with a pinched nerve in his leg
• Defensive back Alex Bravo missed at least part of the game with an unspecified lower body injury
Houston 37, Oakland 22
New York 27, Buffalo 3
Houston Oilers (0-0-0) at Oakland Raiders (0-0-0) | ||||||||||||||
Houston | 7 | 0 | 13 | 17 | - | 37 | ||||||||
Oakland | 0 | 7 | 7 | 8 | - | 22 | ||||||||
1 | HTN | Charley Hennigan 43 pass from George Blanda (George Blanda kick) | ||||||||||||
2 | OAK | Tony Teresa 13 pass from Tom Flores (Larry Barnes kick) | ||||||||||||
3 | OAK | Eddie Macon 42 interception return (Larry Barnes kick) | ||||||||||||
3 | HTN | Bill Groman 32 pass from George Blanda (bad snap on try) | ||||||||||||
3 | HTN | John Carson 3 pass from George Blanda (George Blanda kick) | ||||||||||||
4 | HTN | George Blanda 18 FG | ||||||||||||
4 | OAK | Dave Smith 8 run (George Blanda kick) | ||||||||||||
4 | OAK | Jack Larscheid 46 pass from Tom Flores (Jetstream Smith pass from Tom Flores) | ||||||||||||
4 | HTN | John Carson 11 pass from George Blanda (George Blanda kick) | ||||||||||||
Stadium | Kezar Stadium | |||||||||||||
City | San Francisco, California | |||||||||||||
Att | 12703 | |||||||||||||
Coaches | Lou Rymkus (HTN), Eddie Erdelatz (OAK) | |||||||||||||
Starting QBs | George Blanda (HTN), Tom Flores (OAK) |
Eddie Erdelatz | Head coach | |
Ed Cody | Defensive backfield | |
Marty Feldman | Defensive line | |
Ernie Jorge | Offensive line | |
Tommy Kalmanir | Offensive backfield |
Name | Pos | Ht | Wt | School | Birthdate | |
Ramon Armstrong | G | 6'1“ | 225 | Texas Christian | 10/6/1937 | |
Larry Barnes | LB | 6'2” | 230 | Colorado State | 10/6/1931 | |
Joe Barbee | DT | 6'3“ | 250 | Kent State | 8/30/1933 | |
Alex Bravo | DB | 6'1” | 190 | Cal Poly-SLO | 7/27/1930 | |
Joe Cannavino | CB | 5'11“ | 185 | Ohio State | 1/20/1935 | |
Luther Carr | HB | 5'10” | 190 | Washington | August 1936 | |
Carmen Cavalli | DE | 6'4“ | 245 | Richmond | 6/11/1937 | |
Don Churchwell | T | 6'1” | 255 | Mississippi | 5/11/1936 | |
Wayne Crow | DB | 6'0“ | 205 | California | 5/5/1938 | |
Don Deskins | DT | 6'2” | 240 | Michigan | 5/10/1932 | |
Bob Dougherty | LB | 6'1“ | 235 | Kentucky | 4/20/1932 | |
George Fields | DE | 6'3” | 245 | Bakersfield College | 1935(?) | |
Tom Flores | QB | 6'1“ | 190 | Pacific | 3/21/1937 | |
Alan Goldstein | WR | 6'0” | 200 | North Carolina | 1/8/1936 | |
Charlie Hardy | WR | 6'0“ | 180 | San Jose State | 11/7/1933 | |
John Harris | DB | 6'1” | 195 | Santa Monica CC | 5/7/1933 | |
Wayne Hawkins | G | 5'11“ | 235 | Pacific | 6/17/1938 | |
LC Joyner | DB | 6'0” | 180 | Diablo Valley JC | 7/2/1933 | |
Jack Larscheid | HB | 5'6“ | 160 | Pacific | 5/10/1933 | |
Paul Larson | QB | 5'11” | 180 | California | 3/19/1932 | |
Billy Ray Locklin | LB | 6'2“ | 225 | New Mexico A&M | 8/13/1937 | |
Billy Lott | FB | 6'0” | 200 | Mississippi | 11/8/1934 | |
Tom Louderback | LB | 6'2“ | 235 | San Jose State | 3/5/1933 | |
Eddie Macon | DB | 6'0” | 180 | Pacific | 3/7/1927 | |
Don Manoukian | G | 5'9“ | 240 | Stanford | 6/9/1934 | |
Paul Oglesby | T | 6'4” | 235 | UCLA | 1/9/1939 | |
Jim Otto | C | 6'2“ | 225 | Miami (FL) | 1/5/1938 | |
Babe Parilli | QB | 6'1” | 195 | Kentucky | 5/7/1930 | |
Charley Powell | DE | 6'2“ | 225 | San Diego HS | 4/4/1932 | |
Gene Prebola | TE | 6'3” | 215 | Boston University | 6/30/1938 | |
Ron Sabal | T | 6'3“ | 200 | Purdue | 7/23/1936 | |
Jetstream Smith | FB | 6'1” | 220 | Compton JC | 10/18/1936 | |
Tony Teresa | HB | 5'10“ | 185 | San Jose State | 12/8/1933 | |
Dalton Truax | T | 6'2” | 235 | Tulane | 1/7/1935 | |
Ron Warzeka | DT | 6'4“ | 260 | Montana State | 12/24/1935 |