1980 Houston Oilers season

The 1980 Houston Oilers season was the franchise's 21st overall and the 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 had four 200-yard rushing games.

1980 Houston Oilers season
Owner	Bud Adams
General manager	Bum Phillips
Head coach	Bum Phillips
Home stadium	Houston Astrodome
Results
Record	11–5
Division place	2nd AFC Central
Playoffs	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Raiders) 7–27
← 1979 Oilers seasons 1981 →

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 eventual Super Bowl champions, the Oakland Raiders. The Oilers would not make it back to the playoffs again until 1987.

The last remaining active member of the 1980 Houston Oilers was defensive lineman Mike Stensrud, who retired after the 1989 season.

3rd year fullback Earl Campbell had 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

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

Offensive linemen (OL) 58 David Carter G/C 66 Greg Davidson C 77 Angelo Fields T 60 Ed Fisher G 70 Conway Hayman T 55 Carl Mauck C 76 Morris Towns T 63 Bob Young G Defensive linemen (DL) 75 Jesse Baker DE 65 Elvin Bethea DE 69 Andy Dorris DE 71 Ken Kennard NT 67 Mike Stensrud DE

Linebackers (LB) 54 Gregg Bingham ILB 52 Robert Brazile OLB 57 John Corker OLB 53 Thomas Henderson OLB 50 Daryl Hunt ILB 51 Ted Thompson ILB 59 Ted Washington OLB Defensive backs (DB) 36 Carter Hartwig CB 32 Vernon Perry SS 37 Mike Reinfeldt FS 27 Greg Stemrick CB 28 Jack Tatum FS 33 J. C. Wilson CB Special teams (ST) 16 Toni Fritsch K  5 Chester Marcol K 18 Cliff Parsley P

Reserve 11 Harold Bailey WR (IR) 10 Craig Bradshaw QB (IR) 00 Ken Burrough WR (IR) 74 Leon Gray T (IR) 21 Charles Jefferson CB (IR) 61 Darryl Payne G (IR) 64 George Reihner G (IR) 62 John Schuhmacher G (IR) 90 Daryle Skaugstad NT (IR) 56 Art Stringer ILB (IR) 79 Randy Young T (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	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 17–31	0–1	Three Rivers Stadium	Recap
2	September 15	at Cleveland 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	at Cincinnati Bengals	W 13–10	3–1	Riverfront Stadium	Recap
5	October 5	Seattle Seahawks	L 7–26	3–2	Astrodome	Recap
6	October 12	at Kansas 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	at Denver 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	at Chicago Bears	W 10–6	8–3	Soldier Field	Recap
12	November 23	at New 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	at Green Bay Packers	W 22–3	10–5	Lambeau Field	Recap
16	December 21	Minnesota Vikings	W 20–16	11–5	Astrodome	Recap

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Standings

AFC Central
view talk edit	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

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. 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)