Were The Chargers Of The 60's The Best AFL Team?

[MIKEBENNIDICT]

I was watching something on YouTube where I think that was said.

I know they won the 63 Championship though they didn't go to any of the fist 4 Superbowls.

[BD Sullivan]

During the regular season, they were 86-48-6 and played in five of the first six AFL title games. The problem was that they lost four of those contests.

The Texans/Chiefs won three AFL titles and one Super Bowl. Their problem was that, outside of the '62 title, they were the epitome of an average team until 1966: 33-33-4.

[JohnH19]

Three league championships and one Super Bowl make the Texans/Chiefs the best AFL team. A strong case can be made for the Chargers as second best, though. They were consistently good except for 1962.

[7DnBrnc53]

They were in the tougher AFL division, especially in the late-60's. They should have had another playoff berth in 1969, but the AFL foolishly took both second place teams instead of the two best teams that didn't win the division.

[74_75_78_79_]

Three league championships and one Super Bowl make the Texans/Chiefs the best AFL team. A strong case can be made for the Chargers as second best, though. They were consistently good except for 1962.

During the regular season, they were 86-48-6 and played in five of the first six AFL title games. The problem was that they lost four of those contests.

The Texans/Chiefs won three AFL titles and one Super Bowl. Their problem was that, outside of the '62 title, they were the epitome of an average team until 1966: 33-33-4.

Overall-decade-wise, Dallas/KC ought to be the chief (no pun) candidate here. Of course you can't overlook Bills - four straight playoff berths, three consecutive Championship Games with two of them resulting in back-to-back Titles. As for best one-year AFC team...'63 Chargers ought to get the most attention. But, then again, any of those late-'60s Raiders squads may have a solid argument whether it's their '67 Title itself, or the also-superior but coming up just short '68 & '69 installments.

Instead of starting a new thread, why not install a 'Rank-em-All-#1-to-#20' amongst all AFLC-participants? Sure to be plenty of runner-ups finishing ahead of actual Champs, and not just obvious examples such as, say, '69 Raiders over '60 Oilers. Below are all Champs and runner-ups. Rank em all #1 to #20. Are '63 Chargers #1?

1960 - OILERS (10-4), Chargers (10-4)
1961 - OILERS (10-3-1), Chargers (12-2)
1962 - TEXANS (11-3), Oilers (11-3)
1963 - CHARGERS (11-3), Patriots (7-6-1)
1964 - BILLS (12-2), Chargers (8-5-1)
1965 - BILLS (10-3-1), Chargers (9-2-3)
1966 - CHIEFS (11-2-1), Bills (9-4-1)
1967 - RAIDERS (13-1), Oilers (9-4-1)
1968 - JETS (11-3), Raiders (12-2)
1969 - CHIEFS (11-3), Raiders (12-1-1)

*Bonus question - best AFL team that didn't make playoffs? Is it '63 Raiders? They did...sweep SD! The Pats had quite a few good non-playoff teams that decade (each one better than '63)!

[JeffreyMiller]

The Chargers beat the Patriots in the '63 Title Game. Boston had beaten Buffalo in the Divisional Playoff Game ...

Anyway, I am a Bills fan, but will go with the '69 Chiefs as the best single-season team in AFL history. The Bills three-year run was very impressive though ...



Edit ... I saw you had corrected that after I posted the response ...

[74_75_78_79_]

The Chargers beat the Patriots in the '63 Title Game. Boston had beaten Buffalo in the Divisional Playoff Game ...

Anyway, I am a Bills fan, but will go with the '69 Chiefs as the best single-season team in AFL history. The Bills three-year run was very impressive though ...



Edit ... I saw you had corrected that after I posted the response ...

Yeah, I accidently placed Bills for '63 runner-up. Yes, Chiefs may be my #1. The AFL was at fullest maturity by that final year, much more so than in '63. I personally, JMHO, don't see SBIV as an upset - 'minor'-upset at absolute best but not too sure of that even.

As for '63 Chargers, is there anyone in here who may, perhaps, have the attitude that they winning it in '63 was a product of they being pitted against a 7-6-1 team? Getting swept by Raiders another 'weapon' in the arsenal as far as arguing against their '#1'-status.

[JohnH19]

My problem with the '69 Chiefs being called the best single season AFL team is that they finished second in their division and then they benefited greatly from a horrible call by a sideline official and Lamonica's injury in the AFL title game. I think I might have to give the nod to the '68 Jets.

[ChrisBabcock]

Without putting too much thought into this...

1. 1967 Raiders
2. 1968 Raiders
3. 1969 Chiefs
4. 1964 Bills
5. 1968 Jets
6. 1969 Raiders
7. 1963 Chargers
8. 1966 Chiefs
9. 1962 Texans
10. 1961 Oilers
11. 1961 Chargers
12. 1966 Bills
13. 1965 Bills
14. 1965 Chargers
15. 1960 Oilers
16. 1964 Chargers
17. 1962 Oilers
18. 1960 Chargers
19. 1967 Oilers
20. 1963 Patriots

[BD Sullivan]

The Bills three-year run was very impressive though ...

The Bills might have been in consideration had they not collapsed after '66: in those final three years, their record was 9-32-1, including 2-18-1 on the road. Those two wins were both in 1967: against Denver and the Pats.