1971 Houston Oilers season

1971 Houston Oilers season
Head coach	Ed Hughes
Results
Record	4–9–1
Division place	3rd AFC Central
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1971 Houston Oilers season was the team's 12th season, and second with the National Football League. The Oilers improved on their previous season's output of three victories, winning four games in 1971. They missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

The 1971 Oilers are the only team in NFL history to throw three-or-more interceptions in ten different games. (The team was 2–7–1 in those games.)

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1971 NFL draft

1971 Houston Oilers draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	3	Dan Pastorini *	Quarterback	Santa Clara
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 19, 1971	at Cleveland Browns	L 31–0	73,387
2	September 26, 1971	Kansas City Chiefs	L 20–16	46,498
3	October 3, 1971	New Orleans Saints	T 13–13	47,966
4	October 10, 1971	at Washington Redskins	L 22–13	53,041
5	October 17, 1971	Detroit Lions	L 31–7	45,885
6	October 24, 1971	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 23–16	45,872
7	October 31, 1971	Cincinnati Bengals	W 10–6	37,947
8	November 7, 1971	at New England Patriots	L 28–20	53,155
9	November 14, 1971	at Oakland Raiders	L 41–21	54,705
10	November 21, 1971	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 28–13	59,390
11	November 28, 1971	Cleveland Browns	L 37–24	37,921
12	December 5, 1971	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 29–3	37,778
13	December 12, 1971	at Buffalo Bills	W 20–14	28,107
14	December 19, 1971	San Diego Chargers	W 49–33	35,959

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Cleveland Browns	9	5	0	.643	5–1	7–4	285	273	W5
Pittsburgh Steelers	6	8	0	.429	4–2	5–6	246	292	L1
Houston Oilers	4	9	1	.308	2–4	4–7	251	330	W3
Cincinnati Bengals	4	10	0	.286	1–5	3–8	284	265	L3

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.