The first season in 1960 looked like this.
West
Los Angeles Chargers
Denver Broncos
Oakland Raiders
Dallas Texans
East
Boston Patriots
Houston Oilers
New York Titans
Buffalo Bills
They played a very exciting brand of football, a lot had to do with the NFL having all the legit defenders with the AFL having a lot of small college speed, so we saw some serious scoring. Six teams giving up over 300 points while in the NFL (14 teams) only three.
The first AFL "star" was a slick RB out of North Texas State named Abner Haynes (Texans), he did it all in a quick, fast. elusive style, very exciting player especially vs those weak defenses.
Lance Alworth showed up a little later, this guy was something else. At Arkansas he ran track and was a RB, which he looked nothing like. As a Charger he became one of the greatest WR's ever, he was incredible.The first AFLer to be voted into the Hall of Fame.
The first four years it was real obvious the AFL couldn't hang with the NFL, it was just common knowledge, then here came Joe Namath and stronger defenses and more highly respected NCAA players in the AFL, not so many ...who? People started.....maybe the AFL could hang vs NFL.
As we found out, they might be able to hang with the NFL just not the Green Bay Packers. And in the first AFL vs NFL game (not yet a SB) The Chiefs did hang for a half. The second all about those nine future HOFers on the Packers, make it ten with Vince Lombardi.
Packers kicked Raider butt the following year and it was looking as if this was a bad idea, and if the NFL kicked AFL butt in the next SB, hmmmm?
Getting back to Joe Namath, and we all know the story. The Colts an 18 point favorite, some calling this team one of the greatest ever. Well Namath didn't buy it and....I GUARANTEE WE WIN....which rocked the football world. It was......way to go stupid, now you pissed the Colts off.
Well, a strange thing happen, the Colts couldn't deal with bruising fullback Matt Snell and speedy Emerson Boozer. Snell gaining over 120 yards, he kept moving the chains. He should have been the MVP not Namath.
Ah hell, that was just a fluke, no way the AFL is that good, watch what the Vikings do to the Chiefs in SB IV. The Chiefs sealed the deal as they were too big, too fast for the Vikings. So AFL 2 NFL 2.
The Colts, Browns and Steelers would move to the AFC the following season as the leagues merged, smart move NFL.(I think the deal was already in place before SB IV)
Lance Alworth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBV_iqEMjjc
My all time AFL Offense
QB...Len Dawson. Joe Namath
RB's...Cookie Gilchrist, Abner Haynes, Paul Lowe, Clem Daneils
WR...Lance Alworh, Don Maynard, Otis Taylor, Fred Belitnikoff
TE...Fred Arbansas
Raiders offensive line.
West
Los Angeles Chargers
Denver Broncos
Oakland Raiders
Dallas Texans
East
Boston Patriots
Houston Oilers
New York Titans
Buffalo Bills
They played a very exciting brand of football, a lot had to do with the NFL having all the legit defenders with the AFL having a lot of small college speed, so we saw some serious scoring. Six teams giving up over 300 points while in the NFL (14 teams) only three.
The first AFL "star" was a slick RB out of North Texas State named Abner Haynes (Texans), he did it all in a quick, fast. elusive style, very exciting player especially vs those weak defenses.
Lance Alworth showed up a little later, this guy was something else. At Arkansas he ran track and was a RB, which he looked nothing like. As a Charger he became one of the greatest WR's ever, he was incredible.The first AFLer to be voted into the Hall of Fame.
The first four years it was real obvious the AFL couldn't hang with the NFL, it was just common knowledge, then here came Joe Namath and stronger defenses and more highly respected NCAA players in the AFL, not so many ...who? People started.....maybe the AFL could hang vs NFL.
As we found out, they might be able to hang with the NFL just not the Green Bay Packers. And in the first AFL vs NFL game (not yet a SB) The Chiefs did hang for a half. The second all about those nine future HOFers on the Packers, make it ten with Vince Lombardi.
Packers kicked Raider butt the following year and it was looking as if this was a bad idea, and if the NFL kicked AFL butt in the next SB, hmmmm?
Getting back to Joe Namath, and we all know the story. The Colts an 18 point favorite, some calling this team one of the greatest ever. Well Namath didn't buy it and....I GUARANTEE WE WIN....which rocked the football world. It was......way to go stupid, now you pissed the Colts off.
Well, a strange thing happen, the Colts couldn't deal with bruising fullback Matt Snell and speedy Emerson Boozer. Snell gaining over 120 yards, he kept moving the chains. He should have been the MVP not Namath.
Ah hell, that was just a fluke, no way the AFL is that good, watch what the Vikings do to the Chiefs in SB IV. The Chiefs sealed the deal as they were too big, too fast for the Vikings. So AFL 2 NFL 2.
The Colts, Browns and Steelers would move to the AFC the following season as the leagues merged, smart move NFL.(I think the deal was already in place before SB IV)
Lance Alworth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBV_iqEMjjc
My all time AFL Offense
QB...Len Dawson. Joe Namath
RB's...Cookie Gilchrist, Abner Haynes, Paul Lowe, Clem Daneils
WR...Lance Alworh, Don Maynard, Otis Taylor, Fred Belitnikoff
TE...Fred Arbansas
Raiders offensive line.
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