1963 AFL SEASON
Leaders
Passing Yards: Kemp (BUF) - 3,370...Rote (SDG) - 3,031...Dawson (KAN) - 2,973...Wood (NYJ) - 2,723...Blanda (HOU) - 2,448
Rushing Yards: Daniels (OAK) - 1,202...Lincoln (SDG) - 1,1,23...Gilchrist (BUF) - 964...Lowe (SDG) - 941...Garron (BOS) - 735
Receiving Yards: Powell (OAK) -1,438...Turner (NYJ) - 1,294...Alworth (SDG) - 1,220...Taylor (DEN) - 1,046...Miller (BUF) - 1,037
Scoring: Cappelletti (BOS) - 125...Blair (SDG) - 116...Blanda (HOU) - 97...Miller (BUF) - 90...Powell (OAK) - 84
Interceptions: Harris (SDG) - 12...Glick (HOU) - 10...Allen (SDG) - 10...Grayson (KAN) - 8...Hunt (KAN) - 8
Sacks: Mays (KAN) - 13...Allen (OAK) - 12...Eisenhauer (BOS) - 12...Matsos (OAK) - 11...Yoho (BUF) - 11
Division Winners
Eastern - Houston (10-4)
Western - San Diego (12-2)
Passing Yards: Kemp (BUF) - 3,370...Rote (SDG) - 3,031...Dawson (KAN) - 2,973...Wood (NYJ) - 2,723...Blanda (HOU) - 2,448
Rushing Yards: Daniels (OAK) - 1,202...Lincoln (SDG) - 1,1,23...Gilchrist (BUF) - 964...Lowe (SDG) - 941...Garron (BOS) - 735
Receiving Yards: Powell (OAK) -1,438...Turner (NYJ) - 1,294...Alworth (SDG) - 1,220...Taylor (DEN) - 1,046...Miller (BUF) - 1,037
Scoring: Cappelletti (BOS) - 125...Blair (SDG) - 116...Blanda (HOU) - 97...Miller (BUF) - 90...Powell (OAK) - 84
Interceptions: Harris (SDG) - 12...Glick (HOU) - 10...Allen (SDG) - 10...Grayson (KAN) - 8...Hunt (KAN) - 8
Sacks: Mays (KAN) - 13...Allen (OAK) - 12...Eisenhauer (BOS) - 12...Matsos (OAK) - 11...Yoho (BUF) - 11
Division Winners
Eastern - Houston (10-4)
Western - San Diego (12-2)
AFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - Houston Oilers vs San Diego Chargers
Sunday, December 29, 1963 at Balboa Stadium
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/4/6/18466176/download-2_9_orig.jpg)
The San Diego Chargers scored 14 points in the final four minutes of the game to come from behind and defeat the Houston Oilers 27-17 to win the 1963 AFL championship.
The Oilers grabbed an early 10-0 lead in the first quarter. They took the opening kick off and found the end zone on a George Blanda to Willard Dewveall 8 yard touchdown pass. On the Chargers first play of the game, quarterback Tobin Rote was intercepted by Houston's Tony Banfield. His return gave the ball back to the Oiler offense at the San Diego 35 yard line.
The Oilers had to settle for a field goal and Blanda's 40 yard attempt was good to make it 10-0. The Oilers would intercept Rote twice more in the first quarter, but the score remained 10-0 after one.
In the second quarter, Blanda missed a 24 yard field goal and the Chargers then went and scored their first points of the game. Rote tossed a 26 yard touchdown pass to Jacque Mackinnon but George Blair missed the extra point to make it a 10-6 game. That would be the halftime score.
Neither offense did much for most of the third quarter, but just before the quarter ended Rote threw another touchdown pass. This one 9 yards to Don Norton. With the extra point, the Chargers now had a 13-10 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
Early in the 4th, Rote turned the ball over again when he was sacked by Dudley Meredith. Don Floyd recovered for Houston at the San Diego 30 yard line. Blanda took advantage of the great field position and capped the drive with a one yard scoring toss to Dave W. Smith. Blanda kicked the extra point and the Oilers now were back in front 17-13 with 5:24 to play in the game.
Rote then made amends for the turnovers leading the Chargers right down the field to re-take the lead. Bob Jackson ran in from two yards out and it was now 20-17 San Diego in front. Houston got the ball and went three and out. They elected to punt the ball to San Diego with 2:41 left in the game and try and use their timeouts to get the ball back. That strategy did not work. The Chargers ended up going right down the field and scoring on a one yard run by Paul Lowe. The big play in the drive was 33 yard Rote to Don Norton pass. With the extra point San Diego now had a 27-17 lead and that would be the final score.
MVP: Bob Petrich (SDG): Defense 7 Tkl...3 Sck...2 Forced Fumbles
For Houston...Blanda 19/39, 206, 2 TD, 2 INT...Tobin 35 yards rushing...Dewveall 58 yards receiving, TD
For San Diego...Rote 18/36, 242, 2 TD, 3 INT...Lowe 90 yards rushing, TD...Mackinnon 52 yards receiving, TD
The Oilers grabbed an early 10-0 lead in the first quarter. They took the opening kick off and found the end zone on a George Blanda to Willard Dewveall 8 yard touchdown pass. On the Chargers first play of the game, quarterback Tobin Rote was intercepted by Houston's Tony Banfield. His return gave the ball back to the Oiler offense at the San Diego 35 yard line.
The Oilers had to settle for a field goal and Blanda's 40 yard attempt was good to make it 10-0. The Oilers would intercept Rote twice more in the first quarter, but the score remained 10-0 after one.
In the second quarter, Blanda missed a 24 yard field goal and the Chargers then went and scored their first points of the game. Rote tossed a 26 yard touchdown pass to Jacque Mackinnon but George Blair missed the extra point to make it a 10-6 game. That would be the halftime score.
Neither offense did much for most of the third quarter, but just before the quarter ended Rote threw another touchdown pass. This one 9 yards to Don Norton. With the extra point, the Chargers now had a 13-10 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
Early in the 4th, Rote turned the ball over again when he was sacked by Dudley Meredith. Don Floyd recovered for Houston at the San Diego 30 yard line. Blanda took advantage of the great field position and capped the drive with a one yard scoring toss to Dave W. Smith. Blanda kicked the extra point and the Oilers now were back in front 17-13 with 5:24 to play in the game.
Rote then made amends for the turnovers leading the Chargers right down the field to re-take the lead. Bob Jackson ran in from two yards out and it was now 20-17 San Diego in front. Houston got the ball and went three and out. They elected to punt the ball to San Diego with 2:41 left in the game and try and use their timeouts to get the ball back. That strategy did not work. The Chargers ended up going right down the field and scoring on a one yard run by Paul Lowe. The big play in the drive was 33 yard Rote to Don Norton pass. With the extra point San Diego now had a 27-17 lead and that would be the final score.
MVP: Bob Petrich (SDG): Defense 7 Tkl...3 Sck...2 Forced Fumbles
For Houston...Blanda 19/39, 206, 2 TD, 2 INT...Tobin 35 yards rushing...Dewveall 58 yards receiving, TD
For San Diego...Rote 18/36, 242, 2 TD, 3 INT...Lowe 90 yards rushing, TD...Mackinnon 52 yards receiving, TD