1980 Houston Oilers season

1980 Houston Oilers season
Head coach	Bum Phillips
Home field	Astrodome
Results
Record	11–5
Division place	2nd AFC Central
Playoff finish	Lost Wild Card Game

The 1980 season was the Houston Oilers' 21st season and their 11th in the National Football League (NFL). The team scored 295 points while the defense gave up 251 points. Their record of 11 wins and 5 losses resulted in a second-place finish in the AFC Central Division. The Oilers appeared twice on Monday Night Football. In their first appearance on Monday Night Football, the Oilers beat the Cleveland Browns 16–7. In their second appearance, the Oilers defeated the New England Patriots 38–34. Earl Campbell led the NFL in rushing for the third consecutive year and have four 200 yard rushing games.

Offseason

NFL draft

1980 Houston Oilers draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
2	38	Angelo Fields	Offensive tackle	Michigan State
2	52	Daryle Skaugstad	Defensive tackle	California
3	79	Tim Smith	Wide receiver	Nebraska
4	106	Chris Combs	Tight end	New Mexico
5	134	John Corker	Linebacker	Oklahoma State
7	182	Craig Bradshaw	Quarterback	Utah State
8	217	Harold Bailey	Wide receiver	Oklahoma State
9	244	Ed Harris	Running back	Bishop
11	301	Ed Preston	Wide receiver	Western Kentucky
12	328	Wiley Pitts	Wide receiver	Temple
Made roster

^[1]

Personnel

Staff

1980 Houston Oilers staff
	Front office President – Bud Adams General Manager – Bum Phillips Senior Vice President/Chief Administrative Officer – Ladd Herzeg Assistant General Manager – Pat Peppler Director of College Scouting – Joe Woolley Head coaches Head Coach – Bum Phillips Offensive coaches Quarterbacks/Receivers – King Hill Offensive Backs – Andy Bourgeois Offensive Line – Joe Bugel			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Ed Biles Defensive Line – Wade Phillips Linebackers – John Paul Young Defensive Secondary – Bob Gambold Special teams coaches Special Teams – John Paul Young

Regular season

Earl Campbell

• In 1980, Earl Campbell had four 200 yard rushing games.

Date	Opponent	Attempts	Yards	Touchdowns
Oct 19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	33	203	0
Oct 26	Cincinnati Bengals	27	202	2
Nov 16	Chicago Bears	31	206	0
Dec 21	Minnesota Vikings	29	203	1

Schedule

Game	Date	Opponent	Result	Oilers points	Opponents	Oilers first downs	Record	Attendance
1	Sep 7	at Pittsburgh Steelers	Loss	17	31	16	0–1	54,386
2	Sep 15	at Cleveland Browns	Win	16	7	23	1–1	80,243
3	Sep 21	Baltimore Colts	Win	21	16	27	2–1	47,878
4	Sep 28	at Cincinnati Bengals	Win	13	10	20	3–1	50,413
5	Oct 5	Seattle Seahawks	Loss	7	26	16	3–2	46,860
6	Oct 12	at Kansas City Chiefs	Loss	20	21	21	3–3	75,048
7	Oct 19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Win	20	14	23	4–3	48,167
8	Oct 26	Cincinnati Bengals	Win	23	3	17	5–3	49,189
9	Nov 2	at Denver Broncos	Win	20	16	23	6–3	74,717
10	Nov 10	New England Patriots	Win	38	34	20	7–3	51,524
11	Nov 16	at Chicago Bears	Win	10	6	20	8–3	59,390
12	Nov 23	at New York Jets	Loss	28	31	28	8–4	52,358
13	Nov 30	Cleveland Browns	Loss	14	17	17	8–5	51,514
14	Dec 4	Pittsburgh Steelers	Win	6	0	13	9–5	53,960
15	Dec 14	at Green Bay Packers	Win	22	3	22	10–5	53,201
16	Dec 21	Minnesota Vikings	Win	20	16	23	11–5	51,064

^[2]

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Cleveland Browns^(2)	11	5	0	.688	4–2	8–4	357	310	W1
Houston Oilers^(5)	11	5	0	.688	4–2	7–5	295	251	W3
Pittsburgh Steelers	9	7	0	.563	2–4	5–7	352	313	L1
Cincinnati Bengals	6	10	0	.375	2–4	4–8	244	312	L1

Postseason

AFC Wild Card

Oakland Raiders 27, Houston Oilers 7

	1	2	3	4	Total
Oilers	7	0	0	0	7
Raiders	3	7	0	17	27

at Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California

• Game time: 5:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C), sunny
• Game attendance: 52,762
• Referee: Chuck Heberling
• TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Len Dawson

Even though the Oilers recorded more yards, more first downs, and more time of possession, the Raiders scored on big plays to win, 27–7.

Awards and records

• Earl Campbell, NFL Rushing Leader, (1,934)
• Earl Campbell, All-Pro selection 1980
• Earl Campbell, Pro Bowl selection 1980
• Earl Campbell, NEA NFL MVP (1980)
• Earl Campbell, NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1980)

Milestones

• Earl Campbell, 3rd 1,000 yard rushing season
• Earl Campbell, 3rd NFL Rushing Title
• Earl Campbell, Four 200 Yard Rushing Games (Oct 19, Oct 26, Nov., 16, Dec. 21)

References

1. "1980 Houston Oilers draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
2. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/1980.htm

External links

• 1980 Houston Oilers at Pro-Football-Reference.com