AFC Championship, Year-By-Year

1960

Houston 24, Los Angeles Chargers 16

George Blanda passed for three touchdowns and kicked a field goal and the extra points, bringing the Oilers a 24-16 victory over the Chargers before a crowd of 32,183 in Houston’s Jeppesen Staduim in the first American Football League championship game.

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1961

Houston 10, San Diego 3

George Blanda, who hit Billy Cannon with an 88-yard touchdown pass for the final touchdown of the 1960 championship game, connected with Cannon on a 35-yard scoring play. The game, played in San Diego’s Balboa Stadium, drew 29,556.

*

1962

Dallas 20, Houston 17, OT

Football’s then longest game ended 17:54 after the beginning of sudden-death overtime when rookie Tommy Brooker kicked a 25-yard field goal for the Texans. It ended the Oilers’ two-year reign as AFL champions. A crowd of 37,981 jammed Houston’s Jeppesen Stadium for the game.

*

1963

San Diego 51, Boston 10

Keith Lincoln put on a one-man show for the Chargers, rushing for 206 yards in 13 carries, catching seven passes for 123 yards and completing one pass for 20 while scoring two touchdowns. Played at Balboa Stadium, the game drew 30,127.

*

1964

Buffalo 20, San Diego 7

Wray Carlton and Jack Kemp each scored touchdowns and Pete Gogolak kicked two field goals as the Bills won the AFL championship before a crowd of 40,242 in Buffalo’s War Memorial Stadium.

*

1965

Buffalo 23, San Diego 0

The Bills won their second straight AFL championship and dominated the game so that the Chargers were able to get inside Buffalo’s 25-yard line only once. Butch Byrd returned an interception 74 yards for one of the Bills’ touchdowns before 30,361 in San Diego’s Balboa Stadium.

*

1966

Kansas City 31, Buffalo 7

A crowd of 42,080, largest in AFL championship history, was on hand in Buffalo’s War Memporial Stadium as Len Dawson passed for two touchdowns and Mike Garrett ran for two, thwarting the Bills in their bid for an unprecedented third straight league championship.

*

1967

Oakland 40, Houston 7

An AFL championship game attendance record 53,330 witnessed the Oakland club climax a 13-1 campaign by rolling to a one-sided victory over Houston in the new Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Oilers were limited to 38 yards rushing and were unable to score until the final period. George Blanda kicked 16 points while Hewritt Dixon and Pete Banaszak rushed for 144 and 116 respectively.

*

1968

New York 27, Oakland 23

Joe Namath threw three TD passes to pace the New York Jets to a fourth-period victory over the defending Oakland Raiders before 62,627 in Shea Stadium, largest crowd ever to see an AFL championship game. Namath connected with a pair to WR Don Maynard and the other to TE Pete Lammons. Daryle Lamonica hit Fred Biletnikoff with 7 passes for a record 190 yards.

*

1969

Kansas City 17, Oakland 7

Kansas City’s defense, highlighted by four interceptions, three in the final quarter, carried the Chiefs to victory over Oakland in the last AFL title game. It was Kansas City’s third championship victory. The Raiders had twice beaten the Chiefs in regular season play. Oakland’s Daryle Lamonica, who had thrown 34 TD passes during the season, injured his throwing hand when he smashed it against Aaron Brown’s helmet early in the third period.

*

1970

Baltimore 27, Oakland 17

Johnny Unitas’ passing and play-calling and the running of rookie Norm Bulaich, powered the Baltimore Colts to the American Football Conference championship with a 27-17 victory over the Oakland Raiders. Bulaich scored twice and Unitas picked up 245 yards on 11 completions. The key completion came in the fourth quarter on a 68-yard TD reception by Ray Perkins. George Blanda became the oldest quarterback to perform in a title game when he replaced Oakland’s injured Daryle Lamonica in the second period. The 43-yard old veteran threw TD passes to Fred Biletnikoff and Warren Wells, but was intercepted three times.

*

1971

Miami 21, Baltimore 0

Three interceptions, one a 62-yard TD run by Dick Anderson, played a strong role in Miami’s first championship. The Miami victory featured a pair of Bob Griese to Paul Warfield passes, one good for a 75-yard scoring ice-breaker in the opening period. The Dolphins blocked the last of three field goal efforts by Jim O’Brien after he had missed from the 46 and 48. Larry Csonka’s 5-yard smash in the fourth quarter, following Griese’s 50-yard play-action peg to Warfield, wrapped up the scoring.

*

1972

Miami 21, Pittsburgh 17

Miami gained its second straight AFC crown in a second-half victory over the Steelers, extending its winning streak to 16. The Dolphins evened a 7-0 deficit with a nine-yard TD pass from Earl Morrall to Lary Csonka, set up by a 37-yard run from punt formation by Larry Seiple. In the second half, Jim Kiick tallied twice on short runs. Terry Bradshaw, the Pittsburgh QB, was injured on a play in which he fumbled into the end zone where Gerry Mullins fell on the ball for the opening score. Bradshaw came back in the fourth period and directed the Steelers to their other TD.

*

1973

Miami 27, Oakland 10

Larry Csonka blasted Oakland for three TD’s and 117 yards as Miami moved into the Super Bowl for the third straight year with a 27-10 victory. Bob Griese directed the Dolphins’ 292-yard attack while throwing only 6 plasses and completing 3. Oakland, trailing 14-0 at the half, scored on George Blanda’s 21-yard FG that was soon balanced by Garo Yepremian’s 42-yarder. A Ken Stabler to Mike Siani 25-yard pass narrowed the gap to 17-10 late in the third quarter, but Csonka’s third TD and another Yepremian FG wrapped it up.

*

1974

Pittsburgh 24, Oakland 13

Pittsburgh won its first conference championship in 42 years of membership in the NFL with a 21-point final quarter. Franco Harris ripped through Oakland for 111 yards and two TD’s, and Rocky Bleier gained 98 yards rushing. Terry Bradshaw directed the Steelers’ attack while the Pittsburgh defense shut off the Raiders with only 29 yards rushing. Ken Stabler hit on 19 of 36 passes for 271 yards, but was intercepted three times.

*

1975

Pittsburgh 16, Oakland 10

The Steelers moved into the Super Bowl for the second straight year with a 16-10 victory over the Raiders in a hard-hitting game played in 16-degree temperatures, 20-mile-an-hour winds, and snow flurries. After three quarters Pittsburgh led 3-0 on a 36-yard FG by Roy Gerela. In the last period, 23 points were scored as Franco Harris ran 25 yards for a TD after Jack Lambert recovered an Oakland fumble. Oakland came right back with a 14-yard scoring pass from Ken Stabler to Mike Siani. Lambert’s third fumble recovery set up a 20-yard TD pass from Terry Bradshaw to John Stallworth. Oakland kicked a FG and recovered an on-side kick with seven seconds left to play but could not score.

*

1976

Oakland 24, Pittsburgh 7

Oakland overwhelmed two-time defending NFL champion Pittsburgh 24-7. Oakland scored first on a 39-yard Errol Mann FG. In the second quarter, the Raiders scored twice more, once after a Willie Hall interception which took the ball to the Steelers’ one-yard line, from where Clarence Davis took it over, and again ater an Oakland drive culminated by a Ken Stabler to Warren Bankston four-yard TD pass. The Steelers scored in the second period when Reggie Harrison bulled over from the 3-yard line. The Raiders kept up the attack in the third quarter when Stabler tossed five yards to Pete Banaszak for the final 24-7 spread.

*

1977

Denver 20, Oakland 17

Quarterback Craig Morton threw two TD passes to Haven Moses as the Broncos beat the Raiders. Oakland scored first on Errol Mann’s 20-yard FG. Denver took the lead on a 74-yard bomb, Morton to Moses. In the third period, after a fumble recovery, Jon Keyworth scored from the one-yard line. A Morton to Moses 12-yard pass closed Denver’s scoring. Oakland made it closer on Stabler’s second TD pass, a 17-yarder to Dave Casper.

*

1978

Pittsburgh 34, Houston 5

The Steelers, striking through a cold, steady rain for 31 first-half points, won their third AFC championship. 17 points came during a 48-second span in the last minute of the half as Pittsburgh capitalized on two fumbles by Ronnie Coleman and one by Johnnie Dirden. Despite the playing conditions that contributed to a postseason record 12 fumbles, Terry Bradshaw completed 11 of 19 passes for 200 yards and TD’s to John Stallworth and Lynn Swann, who caught four passes for 98 yards.

*

1979

Pittsburgh 27, Houston 13

The Steelers advanced to their fourth Super Bowl appearance since 1974 by eliminating the Oilers 27-13 in the AFC title game. It was the second consecutive year that Pittsburgh defeated Houston at Three Rivers Stadium in the AFC finale. Pittsburgh fell behind 10-3 in the second quarter, but QB Terry Bradshaw capped drives of 67 and 49 yards with TD passes to Bennie Cunningham and John Stallworth. The Oilers narrowed the margin to 17-13 three seconds into the final quarter on Toni Fritsch’s 23-yard FG, but the Steelers scored 10 points in the final 10 minutes.

*

1980

Oakland 34, San Diego 27

Jim Plunkett completed 14 of 18 passes for 261 yards and two TD’s to lead Oakland to victory over the San Diego Chargers. The Raiders became the first AFC wild card team to advance to the Super Bowl. Plunkett’s TD passes covered 65 yards to Raymond Chester and 21 yards to Kenny King. Plunkett scored on a 5-yard run and Mark van Eeghen scored on a 3-yard run. Chris Bahr closed out the scoring with FG’s of 27 and 33 yards. Dan Fouts threw two TD passes for the Chargers.

*

1981

Cincinnati 27, San Diego 7

In minus 9 degree weather, Ken Anderson passed for two TD’s to lead the Bengals to victory. Jim Breech kicked a 31-yard FG and Anderson threw an 8-yard TD pass to M.L. Harris for a 10-0 lead. Dan Fouts and Kellen Winslow connected on a 33-yard pass play early in the second period for the Chargers’ only score. Pete Johnson capped a 55-yard march by scoring on a 1-yard plunge. Midway through the third period, Breeech kicked a 38-yard FG. Anderson’s second scoring pass was a 3-yarder to Bass.

*

1982

Miami 14, New York 0

The Miami Dolphins’ second shutout victory in a championship game was highlighted by A.J. Duhe’s AFC championship game record three interceptions -- the last for a 35-yard TD -- and Woody Bennett’s 7-yard TD sprint. Jets QB Richard Todd was intercepted a record-tying five times and sacked four times for 26 yards by the Miami defense, which limited the Jets to an AFC title game record-low 135 total net yards.

*

1983

Raiders 30, Seattle 14

The Raiders rolled up 401 yards total offense and limited Seattle to 167. Raiders RB Marcus Allen carried 25 times for 154 yards and scored on a three-yard TD pass from Jim Plunkett, who completed 17 of 24 passes for 214 yards and two interceptions. The Raiders built a 20-0 halftime lead as RB Frank Hawkins scored on TD runs of one and five yards. The Raiders capitalized on five interceptions and four sacks.

*

1984

Miami 45, Pittsburgh 28

Dan Marino completed 21 of 32 passes for an AFC championship game record 421 yards and threw four touchdown passes. The Dolphins led 31-21 midway through the third quarter before scoring a pair of touchdowns to take a 45-21 lead. Miami had 569 net yards and Pittsburgh had 455 to set an AFC championship game record with 1,024 combined net yards.

*

1985

New England 31, Miami 14

New England won its first game in Miami since 1966 to become the third wild card team to advance to the Super Bowl. The Patriots controlled the ball for 39:51 and became the last of the original American Football League teams to win either an AFL of AFC championship game. New England rushed 59 times -- an AFC championship game record -- for 255 yards.

*

1986

Denver 23, Cleveland 20, OT

Denver’s John Elway finally solved the Brown’s “Dawg” defense, engineering a 98-yard drive that began with 5 1/2 minutes left and culminated in a 5-yard pass to rookie Mark Jackson to tie it 20-20 at :37. Elway accounted for all but eight of the yards himself, hitting 6 of 9 passes for 78 yards and scrambling twice for 20 more in the drive. 79,915 fans in Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium saw Rich Karlis’ 33-yard field goal 5:48 into overtime cap a 60-yard march and send Denver to its second Super Bowl.

*

1987

Denver 38, Cleveland 33

Denver’s Jeremiah Castille stripped Cleveland running back Earnest Byner and recoverd the fumble at the 2 with 1:05 left to end Brown’s drive and seal the victory for the Broncos. The Browns had rallied from an 18-point deficit to tie the score 31-31. John Elway led Denver on a 75-yard, five-play drive, finding Sammy Winder on a 20-yard pass with 4:01 to play to give Denver a 38-31 lead.

*

1988

Cincinnati 21, Buffalo 10

Rookie running back Ickey Woods scored two touchdowns and ran for 102 yards on 29 carries, to lead the Bengals to a 21-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills for Cincinnati’s second AFC championship. The Bengals held the Bills to 181 total yards, including a minus-12 in the third quarter.

*

1989

Denver 37, Cleveland 21

John Elway threw for 385 yards and three touchdown passes as the Denver Broncos advanced to their fourth Super Bowl and third in the past four seasons. The Broncos had a 24-7 third-quarter lead, but Cleveland closed the gap to three points by scoring a pair of touchdowns within a 2:11 span.Denver countered by scoring on three of its four fourth-quarter drives.

*

1990

Buffalo 51, Raiders 3

Kenneth Davis ran for three touchdowns and Jim Kelly passed for 300 yards as the Buffalo Bills beat the Raiders on the strength of an NFL playoff record 41-point first half. James Lofton caught five passes for 113 yards and two TDs. The 51 points tied an AFC championship record set by San Diego in 1963.

*

1991

Buffalo 10, Denver 7

Buffalo broke a scoreless tie in the third quarter on Cartlon Bailey’s 11-yard touchdown return of a tipped John Elway pass. Scott Norwood’s 44 -yard field goal in the fourth quarter gave the Bills a 10-0 lead. Denver’s Gary Kubiak capped an 85-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:43 remaining. The Broncos recovered the ensuing onside kick at its own 49-yard line, but turned the ball over one play later when Steve Sewell fumbled after being hit by Kirby Jackson.

*

1992

Buffalo 29, Miami 10

Buffalo forced five turnovers and Steve Christie kicked five field goals to qualify for its third straight Super Bowl, a feat only equaled by Miami. The Bills defense recovered three fumbles, intercepted two passes and sacked Dan Marino four times. The Bills offense controlled the ball for 36 minutes and 19 seconds and outgained the Dolphins 182-33 on the ground.

*

1993

Buffalo 30, Kansas City 13

Thurman Thomas rushed for 186 yards and three touchdowns as the Bills qualified for a fourth consecutive Super Bowl. Thomas scored two touchdowns in the first half to give the Bills a 20-6 lead. In the closing seconds of the first half, Joe Montana’s pass bounced off the hands of Kimble Anders and was intercepted by safety Henry Jones in the end zone.