AFL Defensive Players of the Week – 1967

 by Jeffrey J. Miller

Week 1 – September 3, 1967

Cornerback Goldie Sellers nabbed two passes in leading the Denver Broncos to a come-from-behind victory over the Patriots at Bears Stadium.  The second-year man from Grambling State returned one of those picks 29 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, providing the decisive points in the 26-21 win.     

Week 2 – September 9, 1967

Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second weekend of the 1967 season goes to Kansas City linebacker Bobby Bell.  The Chiefs’ perennial All-AFL performer swiped a Jackie Lee pass early in the third quarter and returned it 32 yards for a score.  Bell also recorded seven unassisted tackles as the Chiefs rolled to a 25-20 victory.     

Week 3 – September 17, 1967

Oakland linebacker Gus Otto had a monster day in leading the Black-and-Silver to a convincing 35-7 vanquishing of the Boston Patriots at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.  Otto registered nine total tackles (four unassisted), including three sacks of Boston quarterbacks. One of those takedowns was a strip sack that led directly to a touchdown pass from Daryle Lamonica to Bill Miller to give the Raiders a 28-8 third quarter lead.  Otto also recorded an interception of Boston QB Babe Parilli in the second quarter, which led to a 17-yard touchdown pass from Lamonica to Hewritt Dixon. 

 Week 4  – September 24, 1967

Boston cornerback Don Webb was a six-year veteran coming into the 1967 season, and the Boston brain trust wisely figured a man with his experience could make a pretty good free safety.  He’d prove them right continually over the next several seasons, but the payoff really began this week against the Buffalo Bills.  The wily Webb, who played his college ball at Iowa State pilfered two Tom Flores passes in leading the Pats to a 23-0 skunking at War Memorial Stadium.

Week 5 – October 1, 1967

In a game that pitted two undefeated teams against one another for the Western Division lead, All-AFL defensive tackle Tom Keating of the Oakland Raiders was all over the field in recording a mind-boggling (for an interior lineman) 16 tackles, seven of which were solo efforts.  The former Buffalo Bill led the way to a 23-21 defeat of the Kansas City Chiefs.  The Raiders improved to 3-0, whjle the Chiefs fell to 2-1.

Week 6 – October 7, 1967

The Oakland Raiders were on a roll, starting their season at 3-0.  They were looking to remain undefeated as they traveled to New York to face the 2-1 Jets on a Saturday night at Shea Stadium.  Led by 5-time All-AFL linebacker Larry Grantham, the Jets defense held the explosive Raiders to just 210 yards of total offense.  Grantham earned DPOW honors by intercepting two Daryle Lamonica passes in the second quarter, both of which led directly to New York scores (a touchdown and a field goal) and a crushing 27-14 defeat of the Raiders.  This would be Oakland’s only loss of the season. 

Week 7 – October 15, 1967

Miller Farr was the hero in Houston’s 28-28 tie with the Jets at New York’s Shea Stadium.  The six-foot, one-inch, 190-pound cornerback out of Wichita State accounted for three of the Oilers’ six interceptions of Joe Namath, including one he returned 51 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.  In all, Farr’s interception returns amounted to 128 yards!   

Week 8 October 22, 1967

Veteran safety Jim Norton was the difference maker in Houston’s 24-19 victory over the Chiefs at Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium.  Norton swiped two Len Dawson throws, returning one 23 yards for a touchdown which gave the Oilers a 24-3 second quarter lead.  Norton also contributed six tackles (three solo, three assisted).     

Week 9 – October 29, 1967

Oakland’s All-AFL cornerback Dave Grayson takes home this week’s laurels in leading the Raiders to a resounding 51-10 destruction of the division rival San Diego Chargers.  Grayson, a veteran of five AFL All-Star games, picked off three Charger passes while 11 tackles (five unassisted).

The win allowed the Raiders to claim half-game lead in the West with a 6-1 record, while the Chargers dropped to second at 5-1-1.       

 Week 10 – November 5, 1967

On a team filled with All-Stars, Kansas City cornerback Willie Mitchell always seemed to get lost in the mix.  He rarely got the headlines, but he sure earned them this week with his outstanding performance in the Chiefs 42-18 drubbing of the New York Jets.  Mitchell picked off two Joe Namath passes, returning one 27 yards for a touchdown.  He also led the Chiefs defense with 11 tackles, nine of which were unassisted.  

Week 11 – November 12, 1967

For the second straight week, a Kansas City defensive back wins DPOW laurels.  This week it’s Emmitt Thomas, who registered three takeaways in leading the Chiefs to a 33-10 win over the Patriots in Boston.  The second-year corner out of tiny Bishop College in Texas intercepted two passes, including one returned for a touchdown, along with a fumble recovery in the victory.

Week 12 – November 19, 1967

New York’s All-Star defensive end Verlon Biggs recorded three sacks in New York’s 29-24 over the Patriots at Boston’s Fenway Park.  One of the Jackson State product’s takedowns resulted in a Don Trull to fumble, which Biggs recovered to kill a late second quarter Boston drive.

The win improved the Jets to 7-3-1 on the season, increasing their Eastern Division lead to a game and a half over the 5-3-1 Oilers, who were idle this week.

Week 13 – November 26, 1967

Miami cornerback Dick Westmoreland earned this week’s DPOW honors with outstanding performance against the Bills at the Orange Bowl.  Westmoreland picked off three Jack Kemp throws, including two in the final frame to blunt late Buffalo scoring threats.  The North Carolina A&T alum also knocked down two passes while recording seven tackles (six unassisted).  Final score:  Miami 17, Buffalo 14. 

Week 14 – December 3, 1967

Fletcher Smith didn’t get much playing time backing up the great secondary Kansas City had during the mid-to-late 1960s.  Most of his action came as the team’s primary kickoff specialist.  But when he got his chance to get on the field, he most the most of it.  Getting the start in this battle with the lowly Buffalo Bills, Smith recorded two interceptions to help the Chiefs to a 23-13 win.  Smith also registered seven solo tackles and three assisted takedowns to aid the cause.   

Week 15 – December 9, 1967

It was a battle of ineptitude, as the 3-9 Buffalo Bills invaded Boston’s Fenway to take on the 3-8-1 Patriots.  The regression the Bills had experienced after winning the Eastern Division the three previous seasons was unimaginable, but less than a year later they found themselves in a fight to avoid finishing in last place.  Well, Buffalo’s strong safety Tom Janik was having none if it.  The long, tall Texan (six feet, three inches, 190 pounds) led an inspired Bills to a surprising 44-16 shellacking, intercepting Boston QBs three times, including one he returned 38 yards for a score.  

Week 16 – December 17, 1967

Oakland linebacker J. R. Williamson earned defensive honors this week with a stellar performance in the Raiders 38-29 win over the New York Jets.  The four-year veteran out of Louisiana Tech picked off two Joe Namath passes—the first two interceptions of his career—to lead the Raiders to victory.  Williamson contributed 12 tackles (seven solo) as the Raiders improved to 12-1 on the season. 

Week 17 - December 23, 1967

The Houston Oilers came into the final week of the regular season at 8-4-1, one game ahead of the 7-5-1 New York Jets in the race for the division crown.  All they had to do was win and they were in the playoffs.  Unfortunately for the Jets, the Oilers were scheduled to face the sad sack Miami Dolphins in the finale.  It was expected to be a blowout, but games aren’t played on paper.  It might as well have been, however, as the Oilers rolled to an easy 41-10 win.  The Oilers defense was led by rookie safetyman Ken Houston, who recorded two interceptions including one he returned 30 yards for the game’s final score.