1980 Houston Oilers season

1980Houston Oilersseason
Owner	Bud Adams
General manager	Bum Phillips
Head coach	Bum Phillips
Home field	Houston Astrodome
Results
Record	11–5
Division place	2ndAFC Central
Playoff finish	LostWild Card Playoffs (atRaiders) 7–27

The1980Houston Oilersseasonwas the franchise's 21st overall and the 11th in theNational 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 onMonday 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 theNew England Patriots38–34.Earl Campbellled the NFL in rushing for the third consecutive year and had four 200-yard rushing games.

This was the third season in a row that the Oilers made the playoffs. The team lost in the AFC Wild Card Round to the eventualSuper Bowlchampions, theOakland Raiders.The Oilers would not make it back to the playoffs again until1987.

The last remaining active member of the 1980 Houston Oilers was defensive linemanMike Stensrud,who retired after the1989 season.

3rd year fullbackEarl Campbellhad the best season of his career rushing for 1,934 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article:1980 NFL draft

1980 Houston Oilers draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
2	38	Angelo Fields	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

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

Roster

1980 Houston Oilers roster

Quarterbacks(QB) 10Craig Bradshaw 14Gifford Nielsen 12Ken Stabler Running backs(RB) 39Adger Armstrong 34Earl Campbell 26Rob Carpenter 42Boobie ClarkFB 47Ronnie Coleman 45Tim WilsonFB Wide receivers(WR) 81Jeff Groth 84Billy Johnson 82Mike Renfro 85Carl Roaches 83Tim Smith Tight ends(TE) 86Mike Barber 87Dave Casper 88Rich Caster

Offensive linemen(OL) 58David CarterC/G 66Greg DavidsonC 77Angelo FieldsT 60Ed FisherG 74Leon GrayT 55Carl MauckC 76Morris TownsT Defensive linemen(DL) 75Jesse BakerDE 65Elvin BetheaDE 78Curley CulpNT 69Andy DorrisDE 71Ken KennardNT 67Mike StensrudDE

Linebackers(LB) 54Gregg BinghamILB 52Robert BrazileOLB 57John CorkerOLB 41Sammy Green 53Thomas HendersonOLB 50Daryl HuntILB 51Ted ThompsonILB 59Ted WashingtonOLB Defensive backs(DB) 36Carter HartwigCB/FS 32Vernon PerrySS 37Mike ReinfeldtFS 27Greg StemrickCB 28Jack TatumFS 33J. C. WilsonCB Special teams 5Chester MarcolK 16Toni FritschK 18Cliff ParsleyP

Reserve 11Harold BaileyWR(IR) 00Ken BurroughWR(IR) 70Conway HaymanG(IR) 21Charles JeffersonCB(IR) 61Darryl PayneG(IR) 64George ReihnerG(IR) 62John SchuhmacherG(IR) 56Art StringerILB(IR) 79Randy YoungG(IR) Rookies in italics

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

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	September 7	atPittsburgh Steelers	L 17–31	0–1	Three Rivers Stadium	Recap
2	September 15	atCleveland Browns	W 16–7	1–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Recap
3	September 21	Baltimore Colts	W 21–16	2–1	Astrodome	Recap
4	September 28	atCincinnati Bengals	W 13–10	3–1	Riverfront Stadium	Recap
5	October 5	Seattle Seahawks	L 7–26	3–2	Astrodome	Recap
6	October 12	atKansas City Chiefs	L 20–21	3–3	Arrowhead Stadium	Recap
7	October 19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 20–14	4–3	Astrodome	Recap
8	October 26	Cincinnati Bengals	W 23–3	5–3	Astrodome	Recap
9	November 2	atDenver Broncos	W 20–16	6–3	Mile High Stadium	Recap
10	November 10	New England Patriots	W 38–34	7–3	Astrodome	Recap
11	November 16	atChicago Bears	W 10–6	8–3	Soldier Field	Recap
12	November 23	atNew York Jets	L 28–31	8–4	Shea Stadium	Recap
13	November 30	Cleveland Browns	L 14–17	8–5	Astrodome	Recap
14	December 4	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 6– 0	9–5	Astrodome	Recap
15	December 14	atGreen Bay Packers	W 22–3	10–5	Lambeau Field	Recap
16	December 21	Minnesota Vikings	W 20–16	11–5	Astrodome	Recap

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

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

atOakland 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 JonesandLen 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. This would be Ken Stabler's final playoff game.

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)

External links

• 1980 Houston OilersatPro-Football-Reference