The 1968 AFL season was the ninth regular season of the American Football League, and its penultimate season prior to the AFL–NFL merger.
The season ended when the New York Jets (11–3) defeated the Oakland Raiders (12–2) in the AFL championship game on December 29 at Shea Stadium in New York City. Two weeks later, the Jets defeated the National Football League's Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III in one of the biggest sports upsets in history.
The season was also notable as the inaugural season of the Cincinnati Bengals, which expanded the AFL to ten teams.
In anticipation of the merger, all AFL on-field officials wore uniforms similar to those used in the NFL.
Division races With the addition of the Cincinnati Bengals, the AFL's ten teams were split equally into two divisions. The Bengals were awarded 40 veteran players in an expansion draft, held in mid-January 1968, and they participated in the 1968 NFL/AFL draft of college players, held in late January.
Each AFL team played a home-and-away game against the other four teams in its division, one game against each of the five teams in the opposite division, and a second game against one of the other division's teams.
As with the previous eight seasons, the best record in the Eastern Division played the best in the Western Division in the AFL championship game, with the site alternating between the divisions; the Eastern division hosted in even-numbered years. If there was tie at the top of either division standings (as happened when Oakland and Kansas City both finished at 12–2), a one-game playoff was held to determine the division winner. The Jets, with the third-best record in the league in 1968, had a week off and hosted the title game.
Week Eastern Record Western Record1 Boston 1–0–0 Tie (KC, SD) 1–0–02 Tie (Bos, NYJ) 1–0–0 Tie (Oak, SD) 1–0–03 N.Y. Jets 2–0–0 Tie (Oak, SD) 2–0–04 Tie (Bos, NY) 2–1–0 Oakland 3–0–05 N.Y. Jets 3–1–0 Oakland 4–0–06 N.Y. Jets 3–2–0 Kansas City 5–1–07 N.Y. Jets 4–2–0 Kansas City 6–1–08 N.Y. Jets 5–2–0 Kansas City 7–1–09 N.Y. Jets 6–2–0 Kansas City 7–2–010 N.Y. Jets 7–2–0 Kansas City 8–2–011 N.Y. Jets 7–3–0 Kansas City 9–2–012 N.Y. Jets 8–3–0 Tie (KC, Oak) 9–2–013 N.Y. Jets 9–3–0 Tie (KC, Oak) 10–2–014 N.Y. Jets 10–3–0 Tie (KC, Oak) 11–2–015N.Y. Jets 11–3–0(tie) Kansas City 12–2–0 Oakland 12–2–0
Regular season The Cincinnati Bengals joined the league as an expansion team.
Results Home/Road Eastern Division Western Division BOS BUF HOU MIA NY CIN DEN KC OAK SD EasternBoston Patriots23–60–1610–3431–47*33–1414–3517–27Buffalo Bills7–167–3017–2137–357–186–486–21Houston Oilers45–1735–67–2414–2038–1721–2615–24Miami Dolphins38–714–1410–247–3121–383–4821–47New York Jets48–1425–2126–735–1727–1413–2123–20WesternCincinnati Bengals34–2317–2722–2424–109–160–3410–31Denver Broncos17–2034–3221–1410–77–307–4323–47Kansas City Chiefs31–1724–1019–2013–334–224–1027–20Oakland Raiders41–1013–1043–3231–1033–2738–2114–23San Diego Chargers30–1434–2815–3729–1355–243–4027–34 (*) Played at Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama since Boston Red Sox refused to rent Fenway Park to Patriots.
Standings
Playoffs
Super Bowl
In an upset, the New York Jets, defeated the Baltimore Colts, 16–7, at Orange Bowl in Miami, on January 12, 1969.
Stadium changes The expansion Cincinnati Bengals began play at Nippert Stadium. Bears Stadium, home of the Denver Broncos, was renamed Mile High Stadium after the city took control of the venue. The Houston Oilers moved from Rice Stadium to the Astrodome.
Coaching changes Offseason Cincinnati Bengals: Paul Brown was the expansion team's first head coach.
In-season Buffalo Bills: Joe Collier was fired after two games; he was replaced by director of player personnel Harvey Johnson.
See also Heidi Game 1968 NFL season
References
External links