1979 Houston Oilers Statistics

National Football League (NFL)
Team Record: 11-5
Finishing 2nd in the NFL's Central Division of the American Football Conference
Postseason: 2-1 Lost Conference Championship
Coach: Bum Phillips (11-5)
Location: Houston, Texas

1979 Houston Oilers Roster
1979 Houston Oilers Results

The Houston Oilers of the National Football League ended the 1979 season with a record of 11 wins and 5 losses, finishing second in the NFL's Central Division of the American Football Conference. The team compiled a postseason mark of 2-1.

Houston scored 362 points, while the defensive squad allowed 331. Earl Campbell powered the ground game, running for a 1,697 yards for the Oilers.

Dan Pastorini tossed for 2,090 yards. Ken Burrough topped pass catchers, hauling in 40 passes for 752 yards.

The ball-hawking defense led the way with 50 turnovers, topping in the league. Mike Reinfeldt intercepted 12 errant tosses from the opposition.

Bum Phillips coached the team. The 1979 Houston Oilers lost in the Conference Championship.

Click on column headings to sort.

Passing:

Player	Att	Comp	Comp %	Yds	Yds/Att	TDs	TD %	Ints	Int %	Long	Sacked	Yds Lost	Rating
Dan Pastorini	324	163	50.3	2090	6.5	14	4.3	18	5.6	55	29	212	62.1
Gifford Nielsen	61	32	52.5	404	6.6	3	4.9	3	4.9	41	3	26	69.3
Ken Burrough	1	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0	0	39.6
Totals	386	195	50.5	2494	6.5	17	4.4	21	5.4	55	32	238

Rushing:

Player	No.	Yds	Avg.	Long	TDs
Earl Campbell	368	1697	4.6	61	19
Rob Carpenter	92	355	3.9	13	3
Tim Wilson	84	319	3.8	19	2
Ronnie Coleman	21	81	3.9	10	0
Boobie Clark	22	51	2.3	7	0
Rich Caster	4	25	6.2	10	0
Dan Pastorini	15	23	1.5	14	0
Kenny King	3	9	3.0	4	0
Gifford Nielsen	5	7	1.4	7	0
Mike Barber	2	4	2.0	6	0
Totals	616	2571	4.2	61	24

Receiving:

Player	No.	Yds	Avg.	Long	TDs
Ken Burrough	40	752	18.8	55	6
Tim Wilson	29	208	7.2	24	1
Mike Barber	27	377	14.0	37	3
Rich Caster	18	239	13.3	36	1
Mike Renfro	16	323	20.2	49	2
Rob Carpenter	16	116	7.2	22	1
Earl Campbell	16	94	5.9	46	0
Ronnie Coleman	12	114	9.5	17	1
Billy Johnson	6	108	18.0	29	1
Boobie Clark	6	58	9.7	38	0
Conrad Rucker	4	40	10.0	16	0
Guido Merkens	3	44	14.7	20	1
Rich Ellender	1	15	15.0	15	0
Jeff Groth	1	6	6.0	6	0
Totals	195	2494	12.8	55	17

Kicking:

Player	X/CA	X/CM	X/CP %	FGA	FGM	FG %	Pts.
Toni Fritsch	43	41	95.3	25	21	84.0	104
Totals	43	41	95.3	25	21	84.0	104

Punting:

Player	No.	Yds	Avg.	Long
Cliff Parsley	93	3777	40.6	59
Totals	93	3777	40.6	59

Punt Returns:

Player	No.	Yds	Avg.	Long
Rich Ellender	31	203	6.5	36
Billy Johnson	4	17	4.2	16
Guido Merkens	2	6	3.0	6
Ronnie Coleman	1	-5	-5.0	-5
Totals	38	221	5.8	36

Kick Returns:

Player	No.	Yds	Avg.	Long
Rich Ellender	24	514	21.4	35
Ronnie Coleman	16	321	20.1	27
Carter Hartwig	13	238	18.3	37
Billy Johnson	4	37	9.2	12
Rob Carpenter	2	34	17.0	17
Tim Wilson	2	30	15.0	15
Guido Merkens	2	22	11.0	13
Jeff Groth	1	21	21.0	21
Kenny King	1	17	17.0	17
Greg Stemrick	1	0	0.0	0
Rich Caster	1	0	0.0	0
Totals	67	1234	18.4	37

Interceptions:

Player	No.	Yds	Avg.	Long	TDs
Mike Reinfeldt	12	205	17.1	39	0
J.C. Wilson	6	135	22.5	66	1
Gregg Bingham	3	78	26.0	54	0
Vernon Perry	3	33	11.0	24	0
Greg Stemrick	2	50	25.0	50	0
Robert Brazile	2	45	22.5	26	0
Willie Alexander	2	27	13.5	19	0
Carter Hartwig	2	24	12.0	24	0
Art Stringer	2	21	10.5	21	0
Totals	34	618	18.2	66	1

Defense and Fumbles:

Player	Tackle	Brup	Fum	FRec	FYds	FTD
Carl Mauck			0	4	0	0
Gregg Bingham		0	0	3	0	0
Dan Pastorini			6	3	0	0
Carter Hartwig		0	0	3	1	0
Robert Brazile		0	0	3	0	0
Earl Campbell			8	2	-1
Tim Wilson			2	2	0
Boobie Clark			0	1	0	0
Daryl Hunt			0	1	0	0
Rob Carpenter			3	1	-2
Elvin Bethea			0	1	0	0
Jesse Baker			0	1	20	1
Morris Towns			0	1	0	0
Guido Merkens			1	1	0
J.C. Wilson		0	0	1	0
Greg Stemrick		0	0	1	0	0
Ted Thompson			0	1	0	0
Bill Currier			0	1	0	0
Rich Ellender			4	1	0	0
Ronnie Coleman			2	0	0
Mike Renfro			1	0	0
Ken Burrough			1	0	0
Mike Barber			1	0	0
Gifford Nielsen			1	0	-1	0
Rich Caster			1	0	0
Totals	0	0	31	32	17	1

Total Scoring:

	Touchdowns								Other					Total
Player	Rush	Rec	Punt	Kick	MFG	Int	Fum	Other	FG	X/C	Single	2Pt	Saf	Points
Earl Campbell	19	0							0	0	0			114
Toni Fritsch									21	41	0			104
Ken Burrough		6							0	0	0			36
Rob Carpenter	3	1		0					0	0	0			24
Mike Barber	0	3							0	0	0			18
Tim Wilson	2	1		0					0	0	0			18
Mike Renfro		2							0	0	0			12
Guido Merkens		1	0	0					0	0	0			6
Billy Johnson		1	0	0					0	0	0			6
J.C. Wilson						1			0	0	0			6
Ronnie Coleman	0	1	0	0					0	0	0			6
Jesse Baker							1		0	0	0			6
Rich Caster	0	1		0					0	0	0			6
Totals	24	17	0	0	0	1	1	0	21	41	0	0	0	362