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BOSTON PATRIOTS (3-2) vs. OILERS (0-5)
*Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009 - Gillette Stadium (68,756) - 4:15 p.m. EDT
The Boston Patriots return to Foxborough to face the Oilers in the third of four AFL Legacy games. Both teams will wear their throwback uniforms. The Patriots and Oilers will play for the 39th time since the two charter members of the American Football League began play in 1960. The Patriots and Oilers played twice each year from 1960-1969 in the AFL, and have played 18 times since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. In those 18 post-merger games, the Patriots have an 11-7 record, including a 1-1 mark in playoff games. The Patriots will attempt to rebound with a win on Sunday after losing 20-17 last Sunday in overtime at Denver. The Oilers, who won their division with a 13-3 record last season, are looking to get in the win column after falling to an 0-5 record following a 31-9 loss to Indianapolis on Sunday Night Football last week.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION: This week's game will be broadcast to a regional audience by CBS and can be seen in Boston on WBZ-TV Channel 4. Jim Nantz will handle play-byplay duties with Phil Simms providing color.
NATIONAL RADIO: This week's game will be broadcast to a national audience by the Sports USA Radio Network. Larry Kahn and Ross Tucker will call the game with Troy Westreporting from the sidelines.
RADIO: 98.5 FM: The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 36 stations can be found here. Play-by-play broadcaster Gil Santosis in his 33rd season as the voice of the Patriots and will call the action along with Patriots Hall of Famer Gino Cappelletti. Santos and Cappelletti are celebrating their 26th season as a tandem.
AFL LEGACY GAMES
This season marks the 50th anniversary of the American Football League (AFL), of which the Patriots and Oilers were original members. The Boston Patriots hosted the AFL's first regular season game on September 9, 1960 at Boston University Field against the Denver Broncos. In honor of the AFL, the Patriots and Oilers will wear their throwback uniforms this Sunday. The Patriots will wear red and white uniforms, replicating the ones worn by the 1963 team that claimed the franchise's first division title and competed in the team's first league championship game. In honor of the 50th Anniversary, the Patriots will be the Boston Patriots during the AFL Legacy games.
SERIES HISTORY
The New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans (formerly the Houston Oilers) will play for the 39th time since the two charter members of the American Football League began play in 1960. The Patriots and Oilers played twice each year from 1960-1969 in the AFL, and have played 18 times since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. In those 18 postmerger games, the Patriots have a 11-7 record, including a 1-1 mark in playoff games. New England leads the overall series, 21- 16-1 and owns an 9-3 record against the Titans franchise since 1981. The last game between the clubs came during the 2006 season when New England beat Tennessee, 40-23, in Nashville. The Patriots and the Tennessee franchise met two times in the postseason. In 1978, The Houston Oilers beat New England 31-14 in an AFC Divisional matchup at Foxborough. The Patriots beat the Titans, 17-14, in a 2003 post-season game to advance to the AFC Championship game.
SERIES TRENDS
Overall Record in Series ................21-16-1
Record in Postseason ....................1-1-0
Record in New England ...................15-6-1
Record in Houston .......................5-9-0
Record in Tennessee .....................1-1-0
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
The Patriots have an all-time record of 74-45-1 (.621) against the teams that make up the AFC South. It is the only division in the NFL where the Patriots own a winning record against each team. New England owns winning marks against Tennessee (21-16-1), Indianapolis (44-28), Jacksonville (7-1) and Houston (2-0). The Patriots play each of the four AFC South teams this season as part of the NFL's scheduling rotation.
CONNECTIONS
- Patriots senior football advisor Floyd Reese served 13 seasons as the executive vice president/general manager of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise from 1994- 2006. He also served as the assistant general manager of the Oilers for four seasons from 1990-93 and assistant coach from 1986-89.
- Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher was a defensive back for the Chicago Bears from 1981-85. Fisher spent the 1985 season on injured reserve, helping coach the defense in an unofficial role while the Bears ultimately defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.
- Titans G/C Eugene Amano and Patriots OL Dan Connolly were teammates at Southeast Missouri State from 2002-03.
- Patriots K Stephen Gostkowski walked onto the Memphis football team in 2002 while current Titans DT Tony Brownwas a senior. Brown and new Patriots pickup, DL Terdell Sands are from Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Patriots WR Sam Aiken and Titans TE Alge Crumplerand LB David Thornton were teammates at the University of North Carolina from 1999-2000. All three are also native North Carolinians.
- Patriots TE Benjamin Watson and Titans S Chris Hope both grew up in Rock Hill, S.C.
- Patriots veteran RB Fred Taylor and Titans DE Jevon Kearse were teammates at the University of Florida from 1997-98. Kearse was also teammates with Patriots LB Derrick Burgess in Philadelphia for the 2004 season.
- Patriots LB Rob Ninkovich and Titans LB Stanford Keglar and T Mike Otto were teammates at Purdue from 2004-05.
- Patriots TE Chris Bakerand Titans DT Kevin Vickerson played together at Michigan State in 2001.
- Patriots CB Jonathan Wilhite and Titans rookie DT Sen'Derrick Marks were teammates at Auburn from 2006- 07
- Patriots rookie LS Jake Ingram and Titans rookie CB Ryan Mouton were teammates at Hawaii from 2007-08.
- Patriots backup QB Brian Hoyer and Titans rookie RB Javon Ringerplayed at Michigan State together from 2005- 08.
- Titans DE Dave Balland Patriots TE Chris Bakerwere teammates on the New York Jets in 2006. Baker was also teammates with Titans P Reggie Hodges on the Jets in 2008.
- Titans QB Kerry Collins, Patriots WR Randy Moss, DL Terdell Sands and LB Derrick Burgessall played for the Oakland Raiders from 2004-05
- Patriots S Brandon McGowan and Titans WR Justin Gage were teammates on the Chicago Bears from 2005-06.
- Titans DT Jovan Haye, WR Mark Jones and Patriots WR Joey Gallowayplayed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2006-07. Galloway was also teammates with Titans C Kevin Mawae in Seattle from 1995-97.
- Titans WR Nate Washington, S Chris Hope and Patriots G Kendall Simmons won the Super Bowl while teammates on the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005
- Titans S Kevin Kaesviharn and Patriots LB Rob Ninkovich were teammates on the New Orleans Saints for part of 2008.
