Editor’s Note: The games for the Legends of the American Football League simulation are played on computer with Action! PC Football. The contests are played with the “coaching” by a human as well as computer simulation. One season per franchise was selected for league play with the 10 teams that merged with the National Football League competing for the championship. Stories from the action will appear on Press Room Pass each Sunday until the completion of the 14-week regular season and playoffs.
DALLAS – The American Football League championship came down to one play … an onside kick.
Lance Alworth‘s recovery of the kick by Jim Turner with 22 seconds remaining allowed the San Diego Chargers to hold on for a 17-13 victory over the New York Jets to claim the title.
San Diego quarterback Tobin Rote kneeled twice as the clock ran out to begin the celebration in the Cotton Bowl.
Trailing at halftime 6-3, the Chargers took the lead for good in the third quarter as Keith Lincoln capped a six-play, 56-yard drive with a 3-yard plunge at the 5:39 mark.
In the final stanza, Rote found Jerry Robinson with an 11-yard scoring pass that put San Diego on top 17-6 with 2:03 left.
Joe Namath and the Jets quickly answered as the New York quarterback completed four straight passes for 64 yards finishing with a 10-yarder to George Sauer with 34 seconds on the clock.
Unfortnately for the Jets, Turner’s bouncing onside boot found its way into the hands of Alworth.
Tight First Half
Neither team could put together a touchdown drive in the first half as the defenses domination the action.
Turner connected on two field goals from 20 yards in the opening period and 32 yards in the second.
Blair got the Chargers on the scoreboard with a 24-yard kick just 33 seconds before the intermission.
Rote completed 10-of-20 passes for 133 yards, while Lincoln led the Chargers with 88 yards rushing. Alworth had four grabs for 43 yards.
For New York, Namath was 8-of-18 for 155 yards with half of his completions coming on the Jets final scoring drive. Don Maynard had three receptions for 78 yards. Emerson Boozer gained 64 yards on the ground.
63 San Diego 17, 68 New York 13
Scoring Summary
1 9:19 68 New York FG Turner 20 (8-70-5:22) 0-3
2 3:45 68 New York FG Turner 32 (10-47-6:07) 0-6
2 0:33 63 San Diego FG Blair 24 (5-20-1:04) 3-6
3 5:39 63 San Diego TD Lincoln 3 run (Blair) (6-56-3:32) 10-6
4 2:03 63 San Diego TD Rote 11 pass to Robinson (Blair) (15-79-8:35) 17-6
4 0:34 68 New York TD Namath 10 pass to Sauer (Turner,J) (4-64-1:19) 17-13
AFL Playoff Results and Schedule
Wild Card Round
68 New York 31, 64 Buffalo 21
67 Oakland 24, 69 Kansas City 0
Division Round
68 New York 20, 60 Houston 16
63 San Diego 24, 67 Oakland 20
Championship
63 San Diego 17, 68 New York 13 at Cotton Bowl in Dallas