▁the ▁San ▁Diego ▁Ch arg ers . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁Gill man ▁became ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁Houston ▁O ilers , ▁and ▁he ▁brought ▁Phill ips ▁with ▁him ▁as ▁his ▁def ensive ▁coordin ator . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁Phill ips ▁was ▁named ▁head ▁coach ▁and ▁general ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁O ilers , ▁and ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁that ▁capacity ▁through ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁As ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁O ilers , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁winning est ▁coach ▁in ▁franch ise ▁history ▁( 5 9 – 3 8 ▁record ). ▁ ▁Under ▁Phill ips , ▁the ▁O ilers ▁reached ▁the ▁A FC ▁Championship ▁Game ▁in ▁two ▁consecutive ▁seasons , ▁losing ▁to ▁the ▁Super ▁Bowl ▁champion ▁Pitts burgh ▁Ste el ers ▁ 3 4 – 5 ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁ 2 7 – 1 3 ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁Both ▁teams ▁were ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁compet itive ▁A FC ▁Central ▁Division ▁and ▁thus ▁played ▁three ▁times ▁in ▁both ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁fuel ing ▁an ▁inten se ▁rival ry . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁of ▁league - wide ▁A FC ▁domin ance , ▁some ▁comment ators ▁considered ▁the ▁O ilers ▁and ▁Ste el ers ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁two ▁best ▁teams ▁in ▁the ▁NFL . ▁ ▁Phill ips ▁remarked ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁" The ▁road ▁to ▁the ▁Super ▁Bowl ▁goes ▁through ▁Pitts burgh ." ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 8