NBC Sports: NFL 1978- AFC Divisional- Houston Oilers @ Miami Dolphins: Highlights

Source:Classic Sports- Houston Oilers Head Coach/General Manager Bum Phillips.

Source:The New Democrat 

"Bum vs Shula. If you want to see the first game it's highlights are below. Reposted from classicsportsvids."

From Classic Sports 

An interesting playoff matchup here for several reason: the Houston Oilers made their first playoff appearance from the 1970s in 1978. They were pretty bad in the early 1970s, started winning under head coach Bum Phillips in the mid 1970s, but 1978 they were good enough to make the AFC Playoffs after the NFL expanded to 5 playoff teams for each conference, with two wildcards, instead of one, starting in 1978. 

The Miami Dolphins after being the best franchise in the entire NFL in the early 1970s, started losing a lot of their key players by 1974 and slipped into mediocrity under Don Shula and missed the playoffs 3 straight seasons from 1975-77. So both the Dolphins and Oilers had something to prove in this playoff game. The Oilers wanted to show the NFL that they were not just winners, but could win the AFC and the Super Bowl. The Dolphins wanted to show the NFL that they were back as one of the premier franchises, at least in the AFC. 

NBC Sports: NFL 1978- AFC Wildcard - Houston Oilers @ Miami Dolphins: Highlights

Source:NBC Sports- Houston Oilers head coach Bum Phillips.

"Bum vs Shula. If you want to see the first game it's highlights are below. Reposted from classicsportsvids" 

From Classic Sports

The Houston Oilers were playing an AFC Wildcard game on the road in 1978, because they finished second only to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Central that year. But not because the Miami Dolphins were a better team. Because if anything the Oilers were better. B

Back then and until 1990, you had to win your division in order to host an NFL playoff game. As it should be, at least as far as I’m concern. So because the Oilers were in the same division as the Steelers in 78 and finished behind the Steelers that season, the Dolphins won the AFC East, so the Dolphins hosted this wildcard against the Oilers. 

The Oilers were the second best team in the AFC in 78. They just didn’t win their division, because again they were in the same division with the Steelers, the best team in the AFC in 78 and Super Bowl champion.