| Box Office – Come September (Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobridgia) Billboard #1 – Take Good Care of My Baby – Bobby Vee UK #1 – Reach for the Stars/Climb Ev’ry Mountain – Shirley Bassey |
San Diego prove too strong for Houston
The San Diego Chargers remain THE team in the AFL and the only unbeaten side as they came through a bruising encounter against Houston. The Oilers fresh from their bye week had fancied a first ever win against San Diego after thrashing of the pitiful Raiders but this encounter was an all together different affair. The game was one for the defensive purists despite large yardage figures being racked up by some players, but ultimately it came down to the San Diego defense and their ability to be in the right place at the right time. George Blanda was picked a career record 6 times which proved to be the difference between the two teams.
San Diego capitalised on 2 interceptions in the first quarter to run up a 14-3 lead that they seldom looked like giving up. Despite heroic Houston defense for the rest of the game limiting their opponents to a single field goal success, the offensive unit rarely threatened apart from a 61 yard draw play by Billy Cannon who racked up a record haul for the second game in succession. The Oilers, struggling to drive out of their own territory had to settle more often than not for speculative long range field goal attempts. In this discipline at least Blanda did excel but his passing was wayward, particularly early in the game. He ended the day on a career high 217 yards as well as registering an enormous record breaking 55 yard field goal but these records will be scant consolation for the veteran QB.
Houston travel next week to Dallas for the crunch Texas derby game.
| 24 Sep 1961 – At Balboa Stadium, San Diego. Att.32.455 – Weather – Fair | q1 | q2 | q3 | q4 | Score |
| Houston Oilers | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| San Diego Chargers | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
q1 12:10 – SD – Paul Lowe HB0 – 3 run (George Blair kick)
q1 07:35 – HO – George Blanda QBA5/PK – 23 kick
q1 00:10 – SD – Don Norton LE1 – 14 pass (George Blair kick)
q3 12:45 – SD – George Blair PK/DB – 31 kick
q3 00:20 – HO – George Blanda QBA5/PK – 55 kick
q4 10:25 – HO – George Blanda QBA5/PK – 44 kick
| Player PASSING | Att. | Comp. | Yds. | Pct. | TD | Int. | Sck |
| George Blanda QBA5/PK | 40 | 15 | 217 | 37.5% | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Player RECEIVING | No. | Yds | Ave | Lg | TD |
| Charley Hennigan FL0 | 3 | 57 | 19.0 | 24 | 0 |
| Bill Groman LE2 | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 23 | 0 |
| Claude King HB4 | 2 | 36 | 18.0 | 19 | 0 |
| Billy Cannon HB0 | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 17 | 0 |
| Willard Dewveall SE4 | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 16 | 0 |
| John White RE3 | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 18 | 0 |
| Charley Tolar FB1 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Player RUSHING | No. | Yds | Ave | Lg | TD |
| Billy Cannon HB0 | 22 | 147 | 6.7 | 61 | 0 |
| Charley Tolar FB1 | 5 | 3 | 0.6 | 5 | 0 |
| George Blanda QBA5/PK | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dave Smith FB3 | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | -2 | 0 |
| Eastern Conference | W | L | T |
| NEW YORK TITANS | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| BOSTON PATRIOTS | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| HOUSTON OILERS | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| BUFFALO BILLS | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Western Conference | W | L | T |
| SAN DIEGO CHARGERS | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| DALLAS TEXANS | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| DENVER BRONCOS | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| OAKLAND RAIDERS | 0 | 3 | 0 |
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