Sept. 19, 1964 - The Oakland Raiders ran into a buzzsaw tonight, as the fired-up Houston Oilers of Sammy Baugh scored a humiliating 42-28 victory in AFL combat at Jeppesen Stadium.
Five interceptions killed the Raiders. The worst occurred when the Oilers held a 14-7 lead and Oakland was driving deep into Houston territory. Then Pete Jacquess picked off a pass from Tom Flores (pictured) and raced it back 95 yards — a club record — for a touchdown. The feat gave the locals just the inspiration the young club needed.
A little later, rookie safety Benny Nelson also snatched a Flores pass and sped 45 yards for a touchdown.
The Oilers’ rookie running back Sid Blanks gained 127 yards in six attempts before suffering a leg cramp in the third quarter.
Houston had been on lean times, dropping four of five exhibition games and their first regular season game to San Diego last week.
But some of the Houston rookies showed promise of coming around in the San Diego game, and Baugh declared that if he were going to lose, he intended to do it with younger players.
Baugh also said that if the Oilers could get by the Raiders, they would be a threat in the Eastern Division. If that is true, then they will be — they dominated the Raiders.
Nevertheless, Oakland coach Al Davis remains confident.
“We’re not out of it yet,” he said afterward. “It’s a long season, 12 games to go. Last year, you remember, we lost four in a row and finished 10-4. And our personnel is getting healthier.”
“No question, the Oilers outplayed us up front in the line,” Al conceded. “We lost it early. But maybe an interception would have changed the outcome in that mud. We were trailing, 21-14, in the third and moving. Then boom! Blanda explodes one of his bombs for the 28-14 that broke our back.”
Next Sunday at Youell Field, there’ll be no rest for the Raiders. Coming in are the Chiefs, who enjoyed the weekend off. A freak of the AFL schedule idled Kansas City, and the furlough was welcomed by coach Hank Stram.
“The opposition always seems to recuperate just before they meet us,” Davis observed wryly.
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