The 1995 NFL season was the 36th overall season of the Houston Oilers and their 26th with the National Football League (NFL). Their 7–9 record bested their previous season's output of 2–14,[1] but they failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
| 1995 Houston Oilers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Bud Adams |
| General manager | Floyd Reese |
| Head coach | Jeff Fisher |
| Home field | Houston Astrodome |
| Results | |
| Record | 7–9 |
| Division place | 3rd AFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Uniform | |
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The Oilers drafted quarterback Steve McNair with the third overall draft pick, but he started the season on the bench behind free agent signee Chris Chandler, who played solid football as the team showed improved in their first full year under Jeff Fisher. The story of the season came on November 16 when owner Bud Adams announced plans to move the team to Nashville when the lease at the Astrodome expired in 1998. The Oilers were the debut opponent of the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars, just as they had been with the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL's previous expansion.
| 1995 Houston Oilers draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Steve McNair * | Quarterback | Alcorn State | |
| 2 | 35 | Anthony Cook | Defensive end | South Carolina State | |
| 3 | 67 | Chris Sanders | Wide receiver | Ohio State | |
| 3 | 89 | Rodney Thomas | Running back | Texas A&M | |
| 3 | 95 | Torey Hunter | Cornerback | Washington State | |
| 4 | 101 | Michael Roan | Tight end | Wisconsin | |
| 5 | 159 | Gary Walker * | Defensive tackle | Auburn | |
| 6 | 174 | Hicham El-Mashtoub | Center | Arizona | |
| 7 | 211 | C. J. Richardson | Defensive back | Miami (FL) | |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
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Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 3 | atJacksonville Jaguars | W 10–3 | 1–0 | Jacksonville Municipal Stadium | Recap | |
| 2 | September 10 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 17–34 | 1–1 | Astrodome | Recap | |
| 3 | September 17 | Cleveland Browns | L 7–14 | 1–2 | Astrodome | Recap | |
| 4 | September 24 | atCincinnati Bengals | W 38–28 | 2–2 | Riverfront Stadium | Recap | |
| 5 | October 1 | Jacksonville Jaguars | L 16–17 | 2–3 | Astrodome | Recap | |
| 6 | October 8 | atMinnesota Vikings | L 17–23 (OT) | 2–4 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | Recap | |
| 7 | Bye | ||||||
| 8 | October 22 | atChicago Bears | L 32–35 | 2–5 | Soldier Field | Recap | |
| 9 | October 29 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 19–7 | 3–5 | Astrodome | Recap | |
| 10 | November 5 | atCleveland Browns | W 37–10 | 4–5 | Cleveland Stadium | Recap | |
| 11 | November 12 | Cincinnati Bengals | L 25–32 | 4–6 | Astrodome | Recap | |
| 12 | November 19 | atKansas City Chiefs | L 13–20 | 4–7 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap | |
| 13 | November 26 | Denver Broncos | W 42–33 | 5–7 | Astrodome | Recap | |
| 14 | December 3 | atPittsburgh Steelers | L 7–21 | 5–8 | Three Rivers Stadium | Recap | |
| 15 | December 10 | Detroit Lions | L 17–24 | 5–9 | Astrodome | Recap | |
| 16 | December 17 | New York Jets | W 23–6 | 6–9 | Astrodome | Recap | |
| 17 | December 24 | atBuffalo Bills | W 28–17 | 7–9 | Rich Stadium | Recap | |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | |||||||
| AFC Central | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK |
| (2) Pittsburgh Steelers | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 407 | 327 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 349 | 374 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 348 | 324 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 289 | 356 | L1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 275 | 404 | W1 |
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