Houston Oilers 1961
{{Stagione squadra football americano
|club = Houston Oilers
|stagione = 1961
|immagine = Oilers.png
|didascalia = 
|allenatore1 = [[Lou Rymkus]] (sett. 1-5)<br>[[Wally Lemm]] 
|manager = 
|presidente =
|campionato = AFL 1960
|campionato posizione = '''10-3-1'''<br />Primi nella AFL Eastern
|playoff = 
|playoff posizione = '''Vittoria nell'AFL Championship''' ([[Los Angeles Chargers|Chargers]])
|immaginedivisa = 
|Pro Bowler = 
|stagione prima = [[Houston Oilers 1960|1960]]
|stagione dopo = [[Houston Oilers 1962|1962]]
}}

La '''stagione {{AFLS|1961}} degli [[Tennessee Titans|Houston Oilers]]''' è stata la seconda della storia della franchigia nell'[[American Football League]].<ref>{{cita news|lingua= en |url= http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1961.htm |titolo= 1961 Houston Oilers |editore= Pro Football Reference |data= | accesso= 19 marzo 2018 }}</ref> Per il secondo anno consecutivo batterono i [[Los Angeles Chargers|San Diego Chargers]] (12–2) in finale, conquistando il titolo.<ref name=ccfafgt>{{Cita news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PDNWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1-cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5524%2C2575929 |giornale=Spokesman-Review |città=Spokane, Washington |editore=Associated Press |titolo=Chargers challenge for AFL grid title |data=24 dicembre 1961 |p=2, sports }}</ref><ref name=bsaowat>{{Cita news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xm5QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ExEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6928%2C2178762 |giornale=Milwaukee Sentinel |editore=UPI |titolo=Blanda stars as Oilers win AFL title, 10-3 |data=25 dicembre 1961 |p=1S}}</ref><ref name=blndarmt>{{Cita news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PTNWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1-cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6607%2C2833505 |giornale=Spokesman-Review |città=Spokane, Washington |editore=Associated Press |titolo=Blanda's arm and toe clear path as Houston takes 2d AFL crown |data=25 dicembre 1961 |p=14}}</ref>

Gli Oilers ebbero una partenza lenta nel 1961, con un record di 1–3–1. Dopo un pareggio il 13 ottobre contro i [[New England Patriots|Boston Patriots]], il capo-allenatore [[Lou Rymkus]] fu licenziato dal proprietario [[Bud Adams]]. Al suo posto fu assunto [[Wally Lemm]],<ref name=llobttp>{{Cita news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-0g1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=-YoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5091%2C266174 |giornale=Sarasota Journal |città=Florida |editore=UPI |titolo=Lemm lifts Oilers back toward top |data=2 novembre 1961 |p=30 }}</ref> che vinse tutte le rimanenti dieci gare stagionali, inclusa la finale per il titolo.

Gli Oilers stabilirono il record AFL per punti segnati nel 1961, con 513 (36,6 a partita).<ref>[http://pfref.com/tiny/oOaCL Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1940 to 2011, in the AFL, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points For]</ref> Anche il differenziale di +271 punti un primato della lega.<ref>[http://pfref.com/tiny/scLSs Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1960 to 1969, in the AFL, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points Differential]</ref> Gli Oilers del 1961 sono l'unica squadra della storia della AFL o della NFL a segnare 45 o più punti in sei diverse gare in una stagione.<ref>[http://pfref.com/tiny/Fqjnh 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.]</ref>

==Scelte nel Draft AFL 1960==
{| class="wikitable sortable sortable" style="width: 60%"
|-
!style="background:#A8BDEC;" width=15%| Giro !!width=20% style="background:#A8BDEC;"| Giocatore !!width=18% style="background:#A8BDEC;"| Ruolo !!style="background:#A8BDEC;"| College
|-
|align=center| 1 || <span style="display:none">Tommy Mason</span>[[Mike Ditka]] || Offensive End || Pittsburgh
|-
|align=center| 2 || <span style="display:none">Tom Goode</span>[[Tom Goode]] || Center || Mississippi State
|-
|align=center| 3 || <span style="display:none">Walter Suggs</span>[[Walter Suggs]] || Tackle || Mississippi State
|-
|align=center| 4 || <span style="display:none">Bobby Walden</span>[[Bobby Walden]] || Halfback || Georgia
|-
|align=center| 5 || <span style="display:none">Monte Lee</span>[[Monte Lee]] || Linebacker || Texas
|-
|align=center| 6 || <span style="display:none">Jake Gibbs</span>[[Jake Gibbs]] || Quarterback || Mississippi
|-
|align=center| 7 || <span style="display:none">Dick Reynolds</span>[[Dick Reynolds (giocatore di football americano)|Dick Reynolds]] || Tackle || North Carolina State
|-
|align=center| 8 || <span style="display:none">Houston Antwine</span>[[Houston Antwine]] || Guard || Southern Illinois
|-
|align=center| 9 || <span style="display:none">Ralph White</span>[[Ralph White]] || Tackle || Bowling Green
|-
|align=center| 10 || <span style="display:none">Charles Lee</span>Charles Lee || Center || Iowa
|-
|align=center| 11 || <span style="display:none">Robert Bird</span>Robert Bird || Guard || Bowling Green
|-
|align=center| 12 || <span style="display:none">Bob McLeod</span>[[Bob McLeod (giocatore di football americano)|Bob McLeod]] || Offensive End || Abilene Christian
|-
|align=center| 13 || <span style="display:none">Gerald Hinton</span>[[Gerald Hinton]] || Guard || Louisiana Tech
|-
|align=center| 14 || <span style="display:none">Jimmy King</span>[[Jimmy King (giocatore di football americano)|Jimmy King]] || Tackle || Clemson
|-
|align=center| 15 || <span style="display:none">Dennis Ferriter</span>[[Dennis Ferriter]] || Center || Marquette
|-
|align=center| 16 || <span style="display:none">Larry Wood</span>[[Larry Wood]] || Halfback || Northwestern
|-
|align=center| 17 || <span style="display:none">Sam Fewell</span>[[Sam Fewell]] || Tackle || South Carolina
|-
|align=center| 18 || <span style="display:none">Mike Grimsley</span>[[Mike Grimsley]] || Halfback || Michigan State
|-
|align=center| 19 || <span style="display:none">Myron Pearson</span>[[Myron Pearson]] || Halfback || Colorado
|-
|align=center| 20 || <span style="display:none">Lewis Johnson</span>[[Lewis Johnson (giocatore di football americano)|Lewis Johnson]] || Halfback || Florida A&M
|-
|align=center| 21 || <span style="display:none">Ron Miller</span>[[Ron Miller (giocatore di football americano)|Ron Miller]] || Quarterback || Wisconsin
|-
|align=center| 22 || <span style="display:none">Bob Kelly</span>[[Bob Kelly (giocatore di football americano)|Bob Kelly]] || Offensive End || New Mexico State
|-
|align=center| 23 || <span style="display:none">James Anderson</span>James Anderson || Fullback || Mississippi
|-
|align=center| 24 || <span style="display:none">Ken Gregory</span>[[Ken Gregory (giocatore di football americano)|Ken Gregory]] || Offensive End || Whittier
|-
|align=center| 25 || <span style="display:none">Jack Kreider</span>[[Jack Kreider]] || Halfback || Tulsa
|-
|align=center| 26 || <span style="display:none">Don Fuell</span>[[Don Fuell]] || Quarterback || Mississippi Southern
|-
|align=center| 27 || <span style="display:none">Boyd King</span>[[Boyd King]] || Center || Rice
|-
|align=center| 28 || <span style="display:none">John Frongillo</span>[[John Frongillo]] || Center || Baylor
|-
|align=center| 29 || <span style="display:none">Tom Lewis</span>[[John Frongillo]] || Offensive End || Lake Forest
|-
|align=center| 29 || <span style="display:none">Tom Lewis</span>[[Errol Linden]] || Defensive end || Houston
|-
|align=center| 30 || <span style="display:none">Tom Lewis</span>Jim Stroud || Tackle || Rice
|-
|}

== Calendario ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="5" style="background:#5A92CD; color:white; border:2px solid #CC0000; "|<div align="center">'''Stagione regolare'''</div>
|-
!Turno
!Avversario
!Risultato
|-
|1
|[[Oakland Raiders 1961|Oakland Raiders]]
|V 55–0
|-
|2
| colspan="3" |''Settimana di pausa''
|-
|3
|at [[Los Angeles Chargers|San Diego Chargers]]
|S 34–24
|-
|4
|at [[Kansas City Chiefs|Dallas Texans]]
|S 26–21
|-
|5
|[[Buffalo Bills]]
|S 22–12
|-
|6
|at [[Boston Patriots]]
|P 31–31
|-
|7
|[[Kansas City Chiefs|Dallas Texans]]
|V 38–7
|-
|8
|at [[Buffalo Bills]]
|V 28–16
|-
|9
|at [[Denver Broncos 1961|Denver Broncos]]
|V 55–14
|-
|10
|[[Boston Patriots]]
|V 27–15
|-
|11
|[[New York Jets|New York Titans]]
|V 49–13
|-
|12
|[[Denver Broncos 1961|Denver Broncos]]
|V 45–14
|-
|13
|[[Los Angeles Chargers|San Diego Chargers]]
|V 33–13
|-
|14
|at [[New York Jets|New York Titans]]
|V 48–21
|-
|15
|at [[Oakland Raiders 1961|Oakland Raiders]]
|V 47–16
|}

=== AFL Championship Game ===
'''Houston Oilers 10, San Diego Chargers 3'''
: ''24 dicembre 1961, al Balboa Stadium, [[San Diego]], [[California]]<br>''Pubblico: 29.556
{| class="wikitable"
!
!1
!2
!3
!4
!Totale
|-
|'''Oilers'''
|0
|3
|7
|0
|'''10'''
|-
|Chargers
|0
|0
|0
|3
|'''3'''
|}

== Classifiche ==
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="10" |AFL Eastern Division
|-
!
!<abbr>V</abbr>
!S
!P
!%
!<abbr>DIV</abbr>
!<abbr>PF</abbr>
!<abbr>PS</abbr>
!<abbr>Str.</abbr>
|-style="background: #ddffdd;"
|'''Houston Oilers'''
|10
|3
|1
|.769
|4–1–1
|513
|242
|V9
|-
|[[Boston Patriots]]
|9
|4
|1
|.692
|2–3–1
|413
|313
|V4
|-
|[[New York Jets|New York Titans]]
|7
|7
|0
|.500
|3–3
|301
|390
|S2
|-
|[[Buffalo Bills]]
|6
|8
|0
|.429
|2–4
|294
|342
|S1
|}
'''Nota:''' I pareggi non venivano conteggiati ai fini della classifica fino al 1972.<ref>NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 297</ref>

== Note ==
<references/>

==Collegamenti esterni==
*{{cita web|http://www.titansonline.com/|Sito dei Tennessee Titans}}

{{Tennessee Titans}}
{{Stagioni dei Titans}}
{{Portale|sport}}

[[Categoria:Stagioni dei Tennessee Titans| 1961]]