Texans Finish First Season With Victory

The Texans-Chiefs franchise is celebrating its 50th season of play in 2009. This is another look at the founding team of the American Football League and its first season of play.

The first season of American Football League ended on Sunday, December 18, 1960 for the Dallas Texans. They beat the Buffalo Bills 24-7 at the Cotton Bowl to finish the inaugural campaign 8-6 and in seconds place in the AFL Western Division behind the Los Angeles Chargers, who finished 10-4.

“I’m very encouraged about our first season and about the future,” Texans owner and AFL founder Lamar Hunt told the Dallas Morning News. “We didn’t win the title and we have a goal to reach there but I believe we’re on our way.”

After starting slowly with a 2-4 record, the Texans won six of their last eight, including their last three games against Houston, Boston and Buffalo by a combined score of 82-7.

“Our strong finish should help season ticket sales,” said Hunt. “If this game doesn’t sell them, I don’t know what will.”

The finale had been dubbed Lamar Hunt Appreciation Day and approximately 18,000 people were in the stands to watch the Texans final game and to thank Hunt from bringing professional football to Dallas, not only the Texans but their competitors the Dallas Cowboys. Half-time ceremonies included the presentation of eight AFL footballs to Hunt, one from each of the original league teams.

The star for the Texans was QB Cotton Davidson, who threw a pair of long touchdown passes and finished with 334 passing yards, hitting 18 of 37 passes with no interceptions; it was one of the best passing days of the season for the veteran quarterback. WR Chris Burford caught one of those scoring passes for 33 yards and then Davidson hooked up with RB Johnny Robinson for a 74-yard TD in the fourth quarter. Robinson ended up catching four passes for 130 yards.

The Texans defense allowed its first touchdown in three weeks, but forced two turnovers and kept the Buffalo running game in check, allowing just 85 yards.

GAME #14 RECAP/1960

• Opponent: Buffalo Bills.
• Site: Cotton Bowl, crowd estimated at 18,000.
• Score: 24-7 Texans.
• Texans Leading Rusher: Abner Haynes, 12 carries for 50 yards.
• Texans Leading Receiver: Johnny Robinson, four catches for 130 yards.
• Texans Leading Passer: Cotton Davidson, 18 of 37 for 334 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT.
• Texans Punter: Davidson three punts, 144 yards, 48-yard average.

SCORING SUMMARY

• 2Q – Dallas – J. Spikes 12-yard FG.
• 2Q – Buffalo – R. Lucas 7-yard TD run. B. Atkins PAT kick.
• 3Q – Dallas – C. Burford 33-yard TD pass from C. Davidson. Spikes PAT kick.
• 4Q – Dallas – Spikes 1-yard TD run. Spikes PAT kick.
• 4Q – Dallas – J. Robinson 74-yard TD pass from Davidson. Spikes PAT kick.