1974 Houston Oilers season
The 1974 Houston Oilers season was the 15th season overall and fifth with the National Football League. The team improved upon their previous season's 1–13 record, winning seven games.[1] Despite the improvement, they failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
1974 Houston Oilers season | |
---|---|
Owner | Bud Adams |
General manager | Sid Gillman |
Head coach | Sid Gillman |
Home field | Houston Astrodome |
Results | |
Record | 7–7 |
Division place | 2nd AFC Central |
Playoff finish | did not qualify |
Offseason
NFL draft
1974 Houston Oilers draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | 79 | Steve Manstedt | Linebacker | Nebraska | |
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Roster
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
Practice squad
|
Schedule
Preseason
Due to a player's strike affecting the 1974 preseason, the Oilers, like the rest of the NFL, played the preseason using an all-rookie roster. The strike was resolved prior to the start of the regular season.
On July 16, the Oilers played a preseason game vs the minor league San Antonio Toros, marking the last time an NFL team would play a game against a minor league team.[3] (In 1969, the Atlanta Falcons rookies would play the minor league Alabama Hawks and in 1972 the New York Jets rookies would play the minor league Long Island Chiefs)[4]
Regular season
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 15 | San Diego Chargers | W 21–14 | 1–0 | Astrodome | 25,317 | Recap |
2 | September 22 | at Cleveland Browns | L 7–20 | 1–1 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 55,242 | Recap |
3 | September 29 | Kansas City Chiefs | L 7–17 | 1–2 | Astrodome | 28,538 | Recap |
4 | October 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 7–13 | 1–3 | Astrodome | 30,049 | Recap |
5 | October 13 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 10–51 | 1–4 | Metropolitan Stadium | 48,006 | Recap |
6 | October 20 | St. Louis Cardinals | L 27–31 | 1–5 | Astrodome | 26,371 | Recap |
7 | October 27 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 34–21 | 2–5 | Riverfront Stadium | 55,434 | Recap |
8 | November 3 | at New York Jets | W 27–22 | 3–5 | Shea Stadium | 47,218 | Recap |
9 | November 10 | at Buffalo Bills | W 21–9 | 4–5 | Rich Stadium | 79,144 | Recap |
10 | November 17 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 20–3 | 5–5 | Astrodome | 44,054 | Recap |
11 | November 24 | Dallas Cowboys | L 0–10 | 5–6 | Astrodome | 49,775 | Recap |
12 | December 1 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 13–10 | 6–6 | Three Rivers Stadium | 41,195 | Recap |
13 | December 8 | at Denver Broncos | L 37–14 | 6–7 | Mile High Stadium | 46,942 | Recap |
14 | December 15 | Cleveland Browns | W 28–24 | 7–7 | Astrodome | 33,299 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |
Standings
AFC Central | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
Pittsburgh Steelers | 10 | 3 | 1 | .750 | 4–2 | 7–3–1 | 305 | 189 | W2 |
Houston Oilers | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 4–2 | 7–4 | 236 | 282 | W1 |
Cincinnati Bengals | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 3–3 | 5–6 | 283 | 259 | L3 |
Cleveland Browns | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 1–5 | 3–8 | 251 | 344 | L2 |
Season summary
Week 1 vs Chargers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Oilers | 14 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas
- Date: September 15
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Indoors (dome)
- Game attendance: 25,317
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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|
References
- 1974 Houston Oilers
- "1974 Houston Oilers draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
- Today in SA history (July 16)
- "Packer Excels at Quarterback as Jets Top L.I. Chiefs, 29‐3". The New York Times. July 30, 1972.