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.
Keith Lincoln scored late in the final stanza to give the San Diego Chargers a come-from-behind 28-24 victory over the Boston Patriots in the opening week of the season.
Chargers quarterback Tobin Rote had just thrown his second interception of the game and it was returned for a touchdown.
As Patriots defensive back Ross O’Hanley celebrated his 46-yard return early in the third quarter, the outlook for the Chargers looked bleak with a 17-point deficit.
However, San Diego responded as Paul Lowe capped a six-play drive with a 10-yard run with 10:16 remaining in the third as the Chargers cut their deficit to 24-14. With eight seconds left in the third, Lincoln scored on a 10-yard run and San Diego was down 24-21.
San Diego’s defense stopped the Patriots with a three and out to begin the fourth period, but the Chargers couldn’t capitalize as George Blair‘s 35-yard field goal attempt was blocked with 9:00 remaining.
After another Boston possession was halted with just three plays, the Chargers were successful this time as Lincoln scored on a 3-yard plunge that put San Diego on top for good.
Boston’s final chance ended as Babe Parilli couldn’t connect on passes to Gino Cappelletti and Larry Garron with 2:50 remaining before Lincoln eventually helped the Chargers run the clock out.
Lincoln ended the day with 90 yards at the two touchdowns on the ground with six catches for 70 more yards, while Lowe rushed for 108 yards and a pair of scores.
63 San Diego 28, 64 Boston 24
Scoring Summary by Quarter
1 – 2:08 64 Boston TD Garron 2 run (Cappelletti) (10-80-6:09)
2 – 13:50 64 Boston TD Burton 6 run (Cappelletti) (4-29-1:25)
2 – 7:55 64 Boston FG Cappelletti 33 (10-51-4:30)
2 – 1:50 63 San Diego TD Lowe 1 run (Blair) (12-65-5:49)
3 – 13:46 64 Boston TD O’Hanley 46 interception return (Cappelletti)
3 – 10:16 63 San Diego TD Lowe 10 run (Blair) (6-72-3:19)
3 – 0:08 63 San Diego TD Lincoln 10 run (Blair) (12-59-7:59)
4 – 4:27 63 San Diego TD Lincoln 3 run (Blair) (6-56-2:51)
Passing
Bos: Parilli 24/8 113 Yds
SD: Rote 22/13 164 Yds 2 Int
Rushing
Bos: Burton 10/54 TD, Garron 13/25 TD, Parilli 3/20
SD: Lowe 23/108 2 TDs, Lincoln 19/90 2 TDs
Receiving
Bos: Burton 3/46, Cappelletti 3/41, Garron 1/13, Graham 1/13
SD: Lincoln 6/70, Kocourek 3/34, Norton 3/57, Alworth 1/3
Defense
Bos: Buoniconti 15-Tk, O’Hanley Int(TD) 4-Tk, Hall Int 5-Tk
SD: Westmoreland 8-Tk
Here’s a look at the rest of the week one box scores
64 Buffalo 31, 69 Cincinnati 21
Scoring Summary by Quarter
1 – 2:39 64 Buffalo TD Gilchrist 18 run (Gogolak) (6-66-4:01)
2 – 8:51 64 Buffalo TD Gilchrist 10 run (Gogolak) (8-77-4:31)
2 – 6:21 69 Cincinnati TD Cook 29 pass to Crabtree (Muhlmann) (4-59-2:20)
2 – 0:50 64 Buffalo TD Dubenion 15 run (Gogolak) (12-91-5:21)
3 – 7:42 64 Buffalo TD Kemp 33 pass to Dubenion (Gogolak) (9-93-5:09)
4 – 12:13 69 Cincinnati TD Cook 27 pass to Crabtree (Muhlmann) (2-30-0:54)
4 – 1:52 64 Buffalo FG Gogolak 18 (10-67-5:55)
4 – 0:18 69 Cincinnati TD Cook 26 pass to Crabtree (Muhlmann) (7-66-1:24)
Passing
Cin: Cook 24/17 222 Yds 3 TDs
Buf: Kemp 16/11 263 Yds TD Int
Rushing
Cin: Cook 4/45, Robinson 9/23, Phillips 4/7
Buf: Gilchrist 28/140 2 TDs, Carlton 16/52, Dubenion 1/15 TD, Kemp 2/9, Auer 1/5
Receiving
Cin: Robinson 6/51, Phillips 5/38, Crabtree 4/106 3 TDs, Trumpy 2/27
Buf: Bass 4/89, Dubenion 3/83 TD, Gilchrist 2/58, Warlick 2/33
Defense
Cin: Bergey Sk FF 14-Tk, Hunt Int 5-Tk, Riley 9-Tk, Peterson 8-Tk
Buf: Stratton Sk 2-FF 9-Tk, Jacobs Sk 7-Tk, Sestak Sk FF 3-Tk, McDole Sk FF 2-Tk
68 New York 22, 62 Denver 14
Scoring Summary by Quarter
1 – 10:31 62 Denver TD Tripucka 12 pass to Taylor (Fraser) (4-52-1:47)
1 – 4:42 68 New York FG Turner 47 (8-35-5:28)
2 – 14:42 68 New York TD Boozer 28 run (Turner,J) (6-78-3:52)
2 – 6:34 68 New York TD Boozer 9 run (Turner,J) (9-83-4:27)
2 – 2:29 62 Denver TD Mingo 7 run (Fraser) (7-75-3:51)
3 – 8:06 68 New York FG Turner 28 (13-77-6:35)
4 – 4:41 68 New York Safety McAdams
Passing
Den: Tripucka 27/11 129 Yds TD
NYA: Namath 24/13 219 Yds
Rushing
Den: Dickinson 9/47, Mingo 10/36 TD
NYA: Snell 20/102, Boozer 18/87 2 TDs
Receiving
Den: Dickinson 3/52, Prebola 3/29, Scarpitto 2/26, Taylor 2/17 TD, Mingo 1/5
NYA: Sauer 5/93, Boozer 3/30, Maynard 3/73, Snell 1/13, Lammons 1/10
Defense
Den: Roehnelt FF 8-Tk, McGeever 10-Tk
NYA: Philbin Sk 3-Tk, McAdams Sk 3-Tk
69 Kansas City 47, 68 Miami 10
Scoring Summary by Quarter
1 – 13:36 69 Kansas City TD Holmes 10 run (Stenerud) (2-54-1:13)
1 – 11:08 69 Kansas City TD Marsalis blk punt ret -13 (Stenerud)
1 – 6:10 69 Kansas City TD Dawson 37 pass to Pitts (Stenerud) (5-72-2:46)
1 – 1:04 68 Miami TD Griese 13 pass to Moreau (Keyes) (9-74-4:55)
2 – 10:22 69 Kansas City TD Holmes 3 run (Stenerud) (9-51-5:31)
2 – 1:52 69 Kansas City TD Dawson 7 pass to Arbanas (Stenerud) (11-62-5:50)
3 – 13:03 69 Kansas City Safety Buchanan
3 – 7:30 69 Kansas City TD Garrett 3 run (Stenerud) (9-54-5:22)
3 – 3:53 68 Miami FG Keyes 39 (7-46-3:24)
4 – 8:43 69 Kansas City FG Stenerud 38 (7-32-3:10)
Passing
KC: Dawson 13/11 169 Yds 2 TDs
Mia: Griese 15/7 105 Yds TD
Rushing
KC: Garrett 19/118 TD, Holmes 18/117 2 TDs, Hayes 8/31, Lowe 2/8
Mia: Kiick 12/28, Csonka 8/12, Griese 4/10
Receiving
KC: Pitts 5/82 TD, Arbanas 3/38 TD, Garrett 2/20, Taylor 1/29
Mia: Kiick 3/53, Csonka 1/5, Noonan 1/16, Twilley 1/18, Moreau 1/13 TD
Defense
KC: Brown Sk FF 4-Tk, Lanier Sk 7-Tk, Mays Sk 4-Tk
Mia: Edmunds FF 11-Tk, Branch FF 6-Tk, Emanuel FF 6-Tk
60 Houston 26, 67 Oakland 7
Scoring Summary by Quarter
1 – 10:21 60 Houston TD Blanda 12 pass to Hennigan (Blanda) (11-93-4:30)
1 – 2:05 60 Houston FG Blanda 52 (7-26-3:51)
2 – 10:01 60 Houston FG Blanda 46 (10-44-4:51)
3 – 12:52 67 Oakland TD Lamonica 17 run (Blanda) (3-64-1:54)
3 – 6:54 60 Houston FG Blanda 24 (9-41-5:40)
4 – 11:06 60 Houston TD Cannon 10 run (Blanda) (14-79-8:19)
4 – 0:58 60 Houston FG Blanda 45 (10-30-5:14)
Passing
Hou: Blanda 27/14 180 Yds TD
Oak: Lamonica 22/10 127 Yds 3 Int
Rushing
Hou: Cannon 22/114 TD, Smith 18/85
Oak: Daniels 11/91, Lamonica 2/28 TD, Dixon 8/16
Receiving
Hou: Carson 5/76, Hennigan 5/64 TD, Cannon 2/18, Smith 2/22
Oak: Dixon 3/38, Biletnikoff 2/38, Miller 2/35, Cannon 2/15, Daniels 1/1
Defense
Hou: Gordon Int FF 3-Tk, Floyd Sk 4-Tk, Lanphear Sk FF Tk
Oak: Otto Sk 2-FF 8-Tk, Conners FF 8-Tk, Grayson 10-Tk
Legends of the AFL Standings
East Division
1960 Houston Oilers (1-0)
1964 Buffalo Bills (1-0)
1968 New York Jets (1-0)
1964 Boston Patriots (0-1)
1968 Miami Dolphins (0-1)
West Division
1969 Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)
1963 San Diego Chargers (1-0)
1969 Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)
1962 Denver Broncos (0-1)
1967 Oakland Raiders (0-1)
Week Two Schedule
68 Miami at 64 Buffalo
68 New York at 60 Houston
67 Oakland at 62 Denver
63 San Diego at 69 Kansas City
64 Boston at 69 Cincinnati
Week One Results
64 Buffalo 31, 69 Cincinnati 21
68 New York 22, 62 Denver 14
69 Kansas City 47, 68 Miami 10
60 Houston 26, 67 Oakland 7
63 San Diego 28, 64 Boston 24