Jets Score Narrow Victory over Oilers at Shea

Oct. 17, 1964 - The New York Jets played two football games at Shea Stadium tonight, and at the end it was the defensive specialists of coach Weeb Ewbank who saved a 24-21 victory over the Houston Oilers.

New York completely dominated the first half for a 24-0 lead, and the 32,840 fans were probably wondering only how much the final margin of victory would be.

Then George Blanda, a 14-year man in pro football, took charge. In the next 27 minutes, he pitched touchdown passes to Charlie Hennigan and Willard Dewveall. Charlie Tolar, the squat Oiler fullback, ran 40 yards for another score, and the Oilers were just three points short of a tie.

But here, the Jets’ defense reasserted itself. Billy Baird, the right safety, picked off a pass by Blanda on the Jet 45 with 2:43 remaining in the game.

Dick Wood, the Jet quarterback who had sparked the first-half attack, put his workhorse, Matt Snell (pictured #41), to work. The rookie fullback from Ohio State carried the ball six straight times as the seconds ticked away.

One of Snell’s rushes was a 38-yard burst through the middle to the 11. He got to the 1 after three more carries before the final gun went off.

Snell did much of the work in the second half and finished by breaking his own single-game record with 31 carries for 180 yards. In last week’s victory over Oakland, Snell set a mark of 26 carries for 168 yards.

Afterward, Baird accepted the congratulations for his critical interception with a boyish, embarrassed smile. “I was the last rookie cut from the Baltimore camp last year,” he said. “I had a chance to go with the Eagles, but Weeb called me that same day. Now, I’m glad I’m here. This is gonna be a great team.”

Flanker Don Maynard caught touchdown passes of 24 and 49 yards tonight — the latter with 58 seconds left in the first half. For this, he was given the game ball.

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