Notes On 2 AFC/AFL Title Game(s) Rematches This Week

On Saturday night the (8-7) Buffalo Bills, I believe rightly considered a viable title contender, visit the so disappointing (5-9) L.A. Chargers.

It is a redux of AFL Title tilts played in back to back years (1964 and 1965), each a Bills’ win, their only 2 “all the way” crowns and as with the Chargers (1963) and Oilers/Titans (1960 and 1961), were AFL and never NFL.

Also in a night tilt involving an AFC East team, this one on Christmas Eve, once reserved for at most “The Hawaii Bowl” and before that no games/no action, the (3-11) New England Patriots visit the (7-7) Denver Broncos.

The Broncos (an impressive (8-2) in AFC Title games/NFL “semis”) defeated the Patriots in both the 2013 and 2015 AFC Title games.

Nobody but Bill Groman played 6 seasons and was a title winner in as many as four.

Bill was on the ’60 and ’61 AFL Title winning, Houston Oilers, making mighty contributions and the ’64 and ’65 Buffalo Bills, for whom he saw limited action.

Groman gathered in a 7 yard George Blanda TD pass, putting the Oilers ahead to stay in that first AFL Title Game, played on January 1, 1961, the first time a major pro football league had an ‘offs game as late as January.

Now they play the Supe well into February.