VA
  • TGT on YouTube
  • About TGT
  • The TGT Team
  • How TGT rates
  • Responsible Gambling Advice
  • Contact Our Team
  • Writers Wanted
  • Content Disclaimer
  • Affiliate Disclosure
Contains commercial content
Billboard Left
Billboard Left
The Grueling Truth - Where Legends Speak / What if the Super Bowl began in 1960? Super Bowl I Eagles-Oilers

What if the Super Bowl began in 1960? Super Bowl I Eagles-Oilers

What if the Super Bowl started in 1960?
Publish Date: 05/10/2023
Fact checked by: Simon Briffa

What if the Super Bowl began in 1960 the first year that the AFL came into existence? Today we are going to start a what if series counting down what would have happened if the super bowl had started in 1960. Over the next week, we are going to match up the AFL-NFL Champions from 1960-1965 and see how the games might have turned out. We will start out with the 1960 matchup of the NFL Champions the Philadelphia Eagles against the AFL Champion Houston Oilers. Let’s take a closer look at the teams.

Video: 1960 Houston Oilers AFL Championship Season Highlight

1960 Houston Oilers AFL Championship Season Highlight

Philadelphia Eagles

Led by head coach Buck Shaw who would retire after the 1960 season and veteran QB Norm Van Brocklin, the team would finish the regular season at 10-2, only losing to the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 1960 Eagles were a force on both sides of the ball, coming in 3rd in points on offense and 7th on defense. Van Brocklin came in second to only Johnny Unitas in completions, yards, and TDs. The Eagles defense, led by Chuck Bednarik and Maxie Baughn amassed 45 turnovers during the regular season. The Eagles running game was non descript with nobody on the Eagles rushing for even 500 yards on the season.

The Eagles would beat the Packers 17-13, the game would come down to the final seconds, with Bart Starr completing a pass to Jim Taylor. Chuck Bednarik would tackle (and lay on) Taylor at the Eagle’s 10 yard line while the clock ran out.

It would be known as the greatest win in franchise history.

Video: A Championship Season: The 1960 Philadelphia Eagles

A Championship Season: The 1960 Philadelphia Eagles

Houston Oilers

The Oilers begin their existence in small Jeppesen Stadium, at the time the abandoned home of the Houston Cougars. After being passed over by the LA Chargers, former Rams assistant and Browns iron man lineman Lou Rymkus was named the head coach. The most notable draftee was Jim Norton, who would go on toΒ be a four time “AFL All Star,” the AFL’s All Pro/Pro Bowl team, and was the defensive anchor of the two championship teams. Bud Adams assumes the roles of Owner, CEO, and General Manager. The team is in need, as all AFL teams were, of a big, well known name from the NFL to bring people to the stadium and get that TV money. But who?

Enter George Blanda. Blanda had been a 9 year NFL veteran, retiring in 1958 after George Halas asked him to only serve as a kicker, surrendering his QB duties. Bud offered him a chance to both kick and be the franchise QB/player for the new Oilers. He gladly accepted, determined to make the writers deriding him as an “NFL reject” to eat their own words. And that he did. Blanda had two very good receivers in Billy Cannon and Dave Smith who helped led the Oilers to the AFL title.

The Oilers finished 10-4 at the top of the Eastern Division, and went on to top the Chargers 24-16 to win the inaugural AFL title. Blanda finished with a 46% completion percentage, throwing for 2413 yards and 24 TDs. For more football news click here!

THE GAME

On paper it looks fairly evenly matched. Both offenses average close to 27 points a game and both defenses give up around 20 points a game. The Oilers with Billy Cannon and Dave Smith have a slight edge in the ground game and the Eagles with wide receivers Pete Retzlaff and Tommy McDonald have a slight advantage through the air.

The Eagles are a more veteran team and look stronger on both the offensive and defensive lines.

I believe that the first half of the game would be closely contested and the Oilers more wide-open offense will give the Eagles problems until they get used to the more wide-open game that the AFL played. The second half I believe the Eagles defense will force the Oilers into some costly turnovers that they will not be able to overcome. The Eagles defense will be the difference in the game.

Bet365
4.6/5
Bet365 Review
Bet $1 & Get $200 in Bonus Bets
T&Cs apply, 21+
Visit Site
Bet $1 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets at bet365. Deposit required. Bonus Bets winnings are added to Bonus Bets balance. Bonus Bet wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
BetMGM
4.6/5
BetMGM Review
100% up to $1000
T&Cs apply, 21+
Visit Site
BetRivers.com
4.5/5
BetRivers.com Review
100% up to $500
T&Cs apply, 21+
Visit Site

OUTCOME

A halftime score of 10-10 will turn into a route in the second half as the Eagles defense forces some huge turnovers leading to the Philadelphia Eagles winning Super Bowl I 31-13 over the Houston Oilers.

Next: Super Bowl II 1961 Green Bay Packers v.s 1961 Houston Oilers

Billboard Left
Billboard Left
Read Also
The Greatest College Basketball Team of All Time
Rating the greatest college basketball teams ever has been done many times ...
Edmonton Oilers, A Look ahead to an important off season
Rumours abound about free agency and draft and offseason trade markets, but ...
BetMGM Promo
Come Fly with me: How the 1988-89 Chicago Bulls pushed forward to an NBA dynasty.
Find the best sportsbook to bet on the NBA Playoffs! Prologue: By ...
Esteban de Jesus, Roberto Duran y AIDS (1972-89)
Many of us dream of celebrity sports fame, but only cruel individuals ...
Elmer Ray: The Humble Man of Hastings
"Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, for ...
Top 100 remaining 2021 NFL free agents after Day 1
This is the most up-to-date list of available NFL free agents following ...
Peter Maher: An Irish Tribute
INTRO: I was seriously ill in 2018 with 7 nights in the ...
Ranking the top 200 players in the NFL ahead of the 2021 season
This list isn’t based solely on performances from the 2020 NFL season. ...
Top 100 NFL free agents entering the 2021 offseason
Below is a list of the top 100 free agents available this ...
Sportsbook of the month
PointsBet - Get your Bonus Bet now! Get your Bonus Bet now!
Latest News
Top 10 NBA Players of the 1970s
Sure Barry was an asshole, but he was ...
Top 10 Catchers of the 1970s
Fosse is best known for his run-in with ...
Top 10 NFL Offenses headed into the 2023 Season
Many questions are being asked headed into the ...
Our Latest YouTube Videos
Video: NBA Finals Series Preview and Prediction: Jokic of Playoff Jimmy for the win?
NBA Finals Series Preview and Prediction: Jokic of Playoff Jimmy for the win?
Video: Boxing History 101: Randall
Boxing History 101: Randall "Tex" Cobb the Man who shut up Howard Cosell
Video: 1919 Cincinnati Reds: True Champions
1919 Cincinnati Reds: True Champions
Betting Tips
06/04/2023 - 8:30 pm
Ball Arena
Tip:
Nuggets to Cover
-8.50
FanDuel
06/01/2023 - 8:30 pm
Ball Arena
Tip:
Nuggets to Cover
Nuggets -8
FanDuel
05/29/2023 - 8:30 pm
TD Garden
Tip:
Heat to Cover
Heat +8
FanDuel
Sportsbook of the month
PointsBet - Get your Bonus Bet now! Get your Bonus Bet now!
Top Betting Sites
Top Betting Bonuses
Bet365
Bet365
Bet365 Review
4.6/5
BetMGM
BetMGM
BetMGM Review
4.6/5
BetRivers.com
BetRivers.com
BetRivers.com Review
4.5/5
PointsBet
PointsBet
PointsBet Review
4.5/5
FanDuel
FanDuel
FanDuel Review
4.5/5
Bet365
Bet365 Bonus
Bet $1 & Get $200 in Bonus Bets
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
Bet $1 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets at bet365. Deposit required. Bonus Bets winnings are added to Bonus Bets balance. Bonus Bet wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
BetMGM
BetMGM Bonus
100% up to $1000
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
BetRivers.com
BetRivers.com Bonus
100% up to $500
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
PointsBet
PointsBet Bonus
5 x $50Bet Credits
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
FanDuel
FanDuel Bonus
Get up to $1,000 back in bonus bets
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Our Team
Mike GoodpasterAuthor IconJosh SchwartzSamuel TeetsSimon Briffa
+8
Mike Goodpaster
Mike Goodpaster
Chief Editor
Author Icon
Christopher Carlson
Content Writer
Josh Schwartz
Josh Schwartz
Editor
Samuel Teets
Samuel Teets
US Sports Veteran
Simon Briffa
Simon Briffa
Sports Editor
Mark Lewis
Mark Lewis
Editor
Chris Benedict
Chris Benedict
Editor
Author Icon
Malik Zorrok
Author
Author Icon
Daniel Kornhauser
Author
John Raspanti
John Raspanti
Author
Author Icon
Buddy Gibbs
Author
Brian Coburn
Brian Coburn
Author
Peter Bonahoom
Peter Bonahoom
Author
Find out what the legends have to say about sports this week....

If you enjoy hearing from the legends of pro sports, then be sure to tune into β€œThe Grueling Truth” sports shows, β€œWhere the legends speak”

Contact us: contact@thegruelingtruth.com

Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.

This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times.

21+NCPG
Move to Top
Close
Stake.us Exclusive Bonus
5% Rakeback
Promo Code
Copy
Visit Site
T&Cs apply, 18+
Payment Methods
Bitcoin
Litecoin
Ethereum
Dogecoin
Highlights
  • Exclusive promo code: TGTSOCIAL
  • Play Plinko, Hilo, Crash and more!
  • Get Stake Cash bonuses every day!
Stake Originals
Dice
Crash
Plinko
Mines
×
Your Promo Code:
The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link:
Visit Site