1980: Plunkett Leads Raiders to Win Over Steelers

The Oakland Raiders were at 3-3, having won for the first time in three weeks in their previous game, as they faced the 4-2 Steelers in Pittsburgh on October 20, 1980. Not much was expected of the Raiders heading into the season as they sought to retool following a 9-7 record in ’79 that caused them to miss the playoffs for the second straight season. QB Dan Pastorini had been obtained from the Oilers for the exciting, if erratic, QB Ken Stabler and he had gone down for the year with a broken leg two weeks earlier. QB Jim Plunkett (pictured above), once a highly-touted prospect with the Patriots who had become a forgotten backup in Oakland, was now behind center. Castoffs and savvy veterans were filling out the roster (a typical occurrence over the course of the franchise's history) and beginning to show results under second-year Head Coach Tom Flores.

Pittsburgh was coming off of back-to-back NFL titles in 1978 and ’79, the third and fourth under Head Coach Chuck Noll. But injuries had knocked starters out of the lineup at running back (FB Franco Harris) and wide receiver (Lynn Swann and John Stallworth). QB Terry Bradshaw was still formidable but other veterans were showing their age, particularly in the once-proud defensive unit. The Steelers were upset by the Bengals the previous week.

It was a cool, partly cloudy Monday night at Three Rivers Stadium with 53,940 fans in attendance. The Steelers had the first possession and drove 69 yards in six plays. Terry Bradshaw started off with passes to WR Theo Bell for 15 yards and FB Greg Hawthorne for 16. Another completion to Bell picked up 21 yards and was followed by a throw to WR Jim Smith in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown. Matt Bahr added the extra point and the home team was ahead by 7-0.

On Oakland’s first play from scrimmage, HB Kenny King fumbled and SS Donnie Shell recovered to give Pittsburgh the ball at the Raiders’ 19. HB Rocky Bleier ran for 12 yards on first down and, while the Steelers were unable to reach the end zone, Coach Noll declining to not run a play on fourth down with less than a foot to go, Bahr kicked an 18-yard field goal to extend the lead to 10-0.

A short kickoff return had the Raiders starting their next series at their own 15, but a pass interference penalty advanced them 39 yards and the six-play, 85-yard drive ended with King running around end for a 27-yard TD. Bahr converted to make it a three-point game. To make matters worse for Pittsburgh, MLB Jack Lambert left with strained knee ligaments, removing a key player from the defense.

The teams traded punts until the Steelers, in a series that extended into the second quarter, drove 84 yards in ten plays. Bradshaw (pictured above) threw to Smith for a 25-yard gain on first down and Hawthorne followed up with a 13-yard carry. Hawthorne and FB Russell Davis pounded away, with Davis gaining three yards in a fourth-and-one situation at the Oakland 37, Bradshaw passed to TE Bennie Cunningham for 15 yards, Davis ran for another 12, and after Hawthorne ran around end for six yards, Davis dove into the end zone from a yard out for a touchdown. Bahr’s PAT put the home team ahead by ten points once again at 17-7.

The Raiders again had to punt following their next series, but they got the ball back in short order when LB Ted Hendricks intercepted a Bradshaw pass. Starting from the Pittsburgh 39, it took the visitors seven plays to score. The key play along the way was a Plunkett throw to WR Bob Chandler for 37 yards to the one yard line, and while the Raiders stopped three consecutive running plays, FB Mark van Eeghen reached paydirt from a yard out on fourth down. Bahr again converted and the score was 17-14.

The Steelers were backed up by a holding penalty to start their next possession but got a first down on a Bradshaw completion to Cunningham for 21 yards and a pass to Bell gained another 16. But on a third down play near midfield, Bradshaw fumbled when sacked by DE Cedrick Hardman. DE Willie Jones recovered for Oakland and lateraled to LB Rod Martin, who ran 34 yards for a touchdown. Bahr added the point after and the Raiders were in front by 21-17.

Backup QB Cliff Stoudt replaced Bradshaw, who had a bruised shoulder, and his third pass was picked off by Hendricks to give Oakland the ball at the Pittsburgh 49. Three plays later, Plunkett connected with WR Morris Bradshaw for a 45-yard TD. Bahr kicked the extra point and the visitors were now ahead by 28-17.

The Steelers got the ball with 1:17 remaining in the first half and advanced 79 yards in seven plays. Stoudt passed to Bell for 26 yards, Hawthorne for seven, and Bleier for 17 yards and finally to Smith for a 13-yard touchdown. Bahr’s conversion made the halftime score 28-24 in favor of the Raiders.

The Raiders wasted little time extending their lead in the third quarter, driving 75 yards in five plays. Plunkett connected with WR Cliff Branch (pictured at right) for a 56-yard TD and, with Bahr’s extra point, Oakland was ahead by 35-24. Terry Bradshaw was back behind center for the Steelers and they responded by going 68 yards in 11 plays. Bradshaw converted a third-and-10 situation by throwing to WR Calvin Sweeney for 19 yards and hit Smith for 15 yards on a third-and-11 play. The series ended with another Bradshaw pass, this time to Bell for a 36-yard touchdown. Bahr’s conversion made it a four-point game once more.

The Raiders, with van Eeghen and King primarily running the ball, drove into Pittsburgh territory, but van Eeghen fumbled at the 37 and LB Robin Cole recovered and ran to the Oakland 49. Bradshaw was sacked on first down for a loss of six yards but came back with a pass to Cunningham for 15 yards and a personal foul on Hardman for roughing the quarterback advanced the ball further, although it necessitated Stoudt coming back into the game for two plays. After reaching the Oakland 15, two Bradshaw passes into the end zone fell incomplete but Bahr booted a 32-yard field goal to make it a one-point contest at 35-34.

The Raiders had the ball as the fourth quarter started and drove 82 yards in eight plays. Plunkett completed a pass to TE Raymond Chester for 11 yards and had back-to-back throws to Branch for 13 yards apiece. One more pass to Branch resulted in a 34-yard touchdown and, with Bahr’s kick, the visitors had an extended lead of eight points at 42-34.

A short series by the Steelers resulted in a punt and Oakland, taking over with 8:41 on the clock, put together a 14-play, 35-yard drive. The Raiders converted two fourth downs along the way and HB Arthur Whittington carried most of the load on the ground. Bahr kicked a 36-yard field goal with 58 seconds left in the game to nail down the 45-34 win.  

The Steelers had the most total yards (467 to 390) and first downs (27 to 20). However, Pittsburgh turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by the Raiders, and hurt themselves with 10 penalties at a cost of 115 yards, to five flags thrown on the visitors. Oakland also accounted for five sacks as they battered Terry Bradshaw, who had to leave the game three times, while the Steelers registered none.

Jim Plunkett completed 13 of 21 passes for 247 yards with three touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Cliff Branch was the primary recipient with five catches for 123 yards and two TDs. Kenny King (pictured below) rushed for 70 yards on 14 carries that included a score and Mark van Eeghen contributed 52 yards and a TD on 18 attempts.

For the Steelers, Terry Bradshaw was successful on 18 of 27 throws for 299 yards and two TDs while giving up one interception. Jim Smith caught 6 passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns and Theo Bell gained 114 yards on his five receptions that included one TD. Russell Davis led the team in rushing with 51 yards on 9 carries and Greg Hawthorne gained 38 yards on 12 attempts with one score and also caught four passes for 46 yards.

Oakland lost only twice more the rest of the season, putting together an 11-5 record that placed second in the AFC West and secured a Wild Card playoff spot. The Raiders went on to reach the Super Bowl, becoming the first Wild Card team to win. As for the Steelers, the loss to the Raiders was viewed as a major sign that the Pittsburgh dynasty was coming to a close, even though they remained in a tie atop the AFC Central. They lost again the next week, rallied to win three straight games, but split the remainder to end up at 9-7 and out of the postseason for the first time since 1971.

Jim Plunkett received Comeback Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press as he passed for 2299 yards and 18 touchdowns while the club went 9-2 with him behind center in the regular season. He capped the year by being named Super Bowl MVP.

1971: Plunkett Leads Patriots to Upset of Raiders in Debut

The New England Patriots were a franchise reborn as they hosted the Oakland Raiders in their home opener on September 19, 1971. Stadium issues had been a chronic problem for the club since entering the American Football League as the Boston Patriots in 1960, but now they had a new 60,000-seat stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, and a new name as a result. They also had a new quarterback in Jim Plunkett (pictured above), the overall top draft choice who had won the Heisman Trophy at Stanford. The team was in need of refurbishment on the field, having gone 2-12 in 1970, the fourth straight losing record. John Mazur had taken over as head coach halfway through the previous season and was starting his first full year at the helm.

The Raiders were a far more successful team, having reached the postseason for the fourth straight year in ’70 with an 8-4-2 record. Youthful John Madden was commencing his third season as head coach and still had plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, even if there were some concerns. Star QB Daryle Lamonica had a lesser passing year and was lifted in favor of 43-year-old QB George Blanda several times the previous season, and now the promising Ken Stabler was being added to the mix. Off-field problems had removed the top deep threat, WR Warren Wells. On defense, there was a need for some retooling and they would be starting a rookie, Jack Tatum, at free safety in place of the departed Dave Grayson.

There were 55,405 fans in attendance at Schaefer Stadium on a cool, sunny day. The Raiders drove into New England territory on their first possession, but a holding penalty moved them out of scoring range and they had to punt. A short series by the Patriots also ended in a punt and the home team got a break when a scrambling Daryle Lamonica fumbled and LB Ed Philpott recovered at the Oakland 41.

The Patriots also had a promising drive that was stymied by a holding penalty, and they were forced to punt in turn. Neither team was able to move effectively in the next few possessions until, with 4:50 left in the half, the Raiders put together a 60-yard drive in 10 plays. HB Don Highsmith ran the ball four consecutive times for 26 yards and Lamonica completed two passes. HB Pete Banaszak finished the possession off with a sweep around left end for a four-yard touchdown. However, a bad snap on the extra point attempt forced Oakland to abort and the score remained 6-0.

The Raiders had a chance to pad their lead when HB Bob Gladieux fumbled the kickoff return and Jack Tatum recovered. With 49 seconds on the clock and the ball at the New England 44, Lamonica completed a pass to WR Fred Biletnikoff for 20 yards, but two passes into the end zone were overthrown and, while a penalty and six-yard run by FB Marv Hubbard advanced the ball to the 13, George Blanda missed wide to the right on a 21-yard field goal attempt. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The Patriots had the first possession in the third quarter and again had to punt. Oakland reached the New England 43 before having to punt as well, but again there was a miscue on special teams. A bad snap forced Mike Eischeid to try to run and he was downed at the 50. The Patriots struck quickly as Plunkett, who completed just one pass in the first half, threw to WR Ron Sellers for eight yards, Gladieux ran for another nine, and then Plunkett connected with Sellers again for a 33-yard TD. Charlie Gogolak added the extra point and the home team was in front by 7-6.

A three-and-out series by the Raiders resulted in another punt and the resurgent Patriots put together a 70-yard drive in five plays. On second down, Plunkett tossed a pass to WR Randy Vataha that gained 39 yards to the Oakland 27. Two plays later, and following an illegal procedure call on the Patriots, Plunkett rolled out and threw to Sellers for 12 yards and then found TE Roland Moss all alone for a 20-yard touchdown. Gogolak converted and New England was now up by 14-6.

It got worse for the Raiders as Banaszak fumbled on the next series and the Patriots regained possession at the Oakland 42 in the waning seconds of the period. The result was a 46-yard Gogolak field goal early in the fourth quarter and an extended lead of 17-6.

The Raiders again had to punt but got the ball back two plays later when Plunkett’s pass was intercepted by CB Nemiah Wilson at his own 40. Ken Stabler was now in at quarterback but the result was another short series and a punt. Almost exclusively keeping the ball on the ground, the Patriots put together another scoring drive. Gladieux and HB Carl Garrett handled the running load effectively and, when Plunkett did try a pass, Oakland was called for roughing the passer. The result was another field goal by Gogolak, this time from 22 yards.

Now it was the aged veteran George Blanda behind center for the Raiders, and a carry by HB Clarence Davis gained 39 yards to the New England 25. But Blanda, attempting to pass, fumbled and while the Raiders recovered, it was all the way back at the 42. Two plays later a Blanda throw was intercepted by CB Larry Carwell to effectively seal the 20-6 win for the Patriots with 1:55 to play. As the clock ran down, the enthusiastic home crowd gave the Patriots a long standing ovation.  

The Raiders led in total yards (304 to 261) and first downs (20 to 12). They also turned the ball over four times, to three suffered by New England, and were called for seven penalties at a cost of 80 yards, as opposed to four penalties for 37 yards on the Patriots.

Jim Plunkett completed just six of 15 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, but was five of eight for 113 yards during the third quarter rally. Carl Garrett rushed for 78 yards on 16 carries and Bob Gladieux contributed 48 yards on 11 attempts. Ron Sellers (pictured at right) led the receivers with three catches for 54 yards and a TD.

For the Raiders, Daryle Lamonica was successful on 9 of 23 throws for 105 yards with no TDs or interceptions. Ken Stabler and George Blanda combined to go two of eight for 17 yards with one pass picked off. Pete Banaszak ran for 71 yards on 15 attempts that included a touchdown and also topped the team in pass receiving with three catches for 38 yards. Fred Biletnikoff was right behind with three receptions for 34 yards. Marv Hubbard gained 50 yards on 10 carries.

The stunning early win did not signal an immediate turnaround for the Patriots, who won only one of their next six games, but they did come out on top of four contests during the second half of the season and finished up at 6-8, good enough to place third in the AFC East and the team’s best record since 1966. Jim Plunkett passed for 2158 yards and 19 touchdowns and received NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors from the Pro Football Writers and consensus AFC Rookie of the Year recognition.

Oakland didn’t lose again until Week 11, going 7-0-2 during that stretch, but then lost three straight games to end up second in the AFC West with another 8-4-2 record and out of the playoffs.

1971: Morrall Tosses 3 TD Passes as Colts Sink College All-Stars

The 38^th annual College All-Star Game in Chicago on July 30, 1971 featured the Baltimore Colts, defending champions of the NFL, against an All-Star squad coached by Blanton Collier, who had retired from the Cleveland Browns following eight years as head coach.

The Colts, under Head Coach Don McCafferty, started 37-year-old Earl Morrall (pictured at right) at quarterback due to the unavailability of long-time star QB Johnny Unitas, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury during the offseason. The offense was typically more effective through the air than on the ground while the tough defense featured DE Bubba Smith, linebackers Ted Hendricks and Mike Curtis, and safeties Rick Volk and Jerry Logan.

The All-Stars included quarterbacks Jim Plunkett, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Stanford, and Dan Pastorini of Santa Clara, FB John Brockington from Ohio State, Northwestern HB Mike Adamle, and WR J.D. Hill of Arizona State. The defense had hard hitters in DB Jack Tatum from Ohio State and DE Jack Youngblood of Florida, plus DT Julius Adams from Texas Southern, Grambling DE Richard Harris, and linebackers Jack Ham of Penn State and Isiah Robertson from Southern.

There were 52,289 fans in attendance for the Friday night game at Soldier Field, which had undergone renovation that included a new artificial surface. The contest’s initial score was set up thanks to a poor punt by Dan Pastorini in the first quarter. It gave the Colts good starting field position at the All-Star 45 to start their second possession of the game, and they made the most of it. Earl Morrall threw to FB Norm Bulaich on a swing pass that picked up 17 yards and to WR Ray Perkins, who outmaneuvered Kansas State CB Clarence Scott for a 24-yard touchdown. Jim O’Brien kicked the extra point.

On their next series, a holding penalty backed the Colts into their own territory and they were forced to punt. It looked as though the All-Stars would get nothing out of the ensuing possession when John Brockington was stopped for no gain on a third-and-one play at the Baltimore 40, but the Colts refused an offside penalty on the collegians, preferring to bring up fourth down. The All-Stars converted when Brockington ran for three yards to keep the series alive. Jim Plunkett connected with Mike Adamle for a 22-yard gain to the 15 and the collegians got another break when Plunkett threw for J.D. Hill and interference was called on CB Jim Duncan to move the ball to the one yard line. From there, on the third play of the second quarter, Brockington ran around right end for a touchdown. Pastorini added the point after to make it a 7-7 game.

The Colts responded on their ensuing possession with Morrall throwing to HB Tom Matte for a 15-yard TD. O’Brien again successfully converted. With Pastorini at quarterback, the All-Stars advanced from their own 30 into Baltimore territory and Bob Jacobs of Wyoming kicked a 40-yard field goal with just over two minutes remaining in the half. The Colts moved well in the remaining time as Morrall completed six of seven passes for 102 yards, but they came up empty when O’Brien missed a 26-yard field goal try. The score remained 14-10 at the intermission.

Baltimore’s lead was extended in the quiet third quarter when O’Brien was successful on a field goal attempt, this time from 22 yards. Early in the fourth quarter, the Colts appeared to take command when Morrall threw to TE Tom Mitchell for a 44-yard TD and O’Brien’s extra point put the pro champs ahead by 14.

Sam Havrilak, normally a halfback but being tried at quarterback, relieved Morrall and on his second play, he botched a handoff to FB Tom Nowatzke and Jack Ham recovered for the All-Stars and ran 47 yards for a touchdown. It narrowed the margin to seven points, but proved to be the last gasp for the collegians, who were kept in check offensively as Baltimore held on to win by a final score of 24-17.

The Colts had far more total yards than the All-Stars (403 to 150) and also had the edge in first downs (18 to 11). The collegians turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the NFL champs.

Earl Morrall, who played for a full three quarters, completed 20 of 30 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Norm Bulaich led Baltimore’s runners with 46 yards on 9 attempts. Tom Matte, who carried the ball 10 times for 18 yards, caught 5 passes for 63 yards and a TD, having great success on swing passes out of the backfield. WR Eddie Hinton also had 5 pass receptions, for 75 yards, and Tom Mitchell gained 95 yards on his four catches.

Jim Plunkett was successful on 6 of 15 throws for 65 yards and an interception and Dan Pastorini went two of nine for 13 yards and gave up an interception, although Pastorini led the All-Stars in rushing with 40 yards on two carries (Plunkett #16 and Pastorini #7 pictured below). John Brockington gained 27 yards on 12 rushing attempts that included a touchdown. Houston WR Elmo Wright, Mike Adamle, and J.D. Hill each had two receptions, for 25, 24, and 23 yards, respectively.

“They put a lot of pressure on me,” said Earl Morrall regarding the All-Star defense. “They were coming from a lot of directions. I couldn’t quite get a bead on what to do about it.”

The win for the Colts gave the pro champs a winning streak of eight games and a 27-9-2 edge in the series. It was the last of three College All-Star Game appearances for the club that reached the postseason again in 1971 as a 10-4 Wild Card but lost the AFC Championship to Miami.

1976: Patriots Trade Jim Plunkett to 49ers

A deal that had been in the making for two weeks was consummated on April 5, 1976 when QB Jim Plunkett was traded by the New England Patriots to the San Francisco 49ers. A moratorium on NFL trades had only been lifted the previous week and the deal was conditional on San Francisco being able to agree on contract terms with Plunkett, who signed for three years. It was something of a homecoming for the 28-year-old quarterback as he was from San Jose and went to college at Stanford, but he had failed to live up to his promise in New England and the 49ers paid a steep price, giving up three number one draft picks, two in 1976 and the top choice for ‘77, plus a 1977 second-round choice in addition to QB Tom Owen, a two-year veteran.

The Patriots thus came away with three of the top 22 picks in the ’76 draft that was just days away. They used the choices to take C Pete Brock from Colorado twelfth overall and Ohio State DB Tim Fox 21^st (with their own choice, the fifth overall, they grabbed Arizona State DB Mike Haynes). The 1977 first-round pick was used for Texas DB Raymond Clayborn and RB Horace Ivory from Oklahoma was chosen in the second round.

“Obtaining Jim Plunkett is a vital cornerstone toward building the kind of club we want the 49ers to become,” said Head Coach Monte Clark of the 49ers.

“Jim didn’t feel he had accomplished what he had set out to do individually or for the team as a whole,” explained New England Head Coach Chuck Fairbanks. “He told me that in some respects, ‘I’m leaving the job unfinished’. He found that distasteful. But in our judgment, it was the best possible trade we could make, as opposed to Jim playing out his option year and us not getting anything in return.”

The 1970 Heisman Trophy winner was at the top of a highly-regarded quarterback draft class in ‘71. Plunkett was the first overall pick and moved quickly into the starting lineup for the rebuilding Patriots. The results were very favorable that first year as Plunkett passed for 2158 yards and 19 touchdowns, giving up 16 interceptions, and the team improved to 6-8.

The 1972 season was far less successful. With the offensive line doing a poor job of pass protection, Plunkett led the league in yardage lost to being sacked (385) and was often flushed out of the pocket. When he did get the ball away, it was often into coverage, the result being 25 interceptions, as opposed to only eight TDs. The team dropped to 3-11 and Fairbanks arrived as head coach in ’73.

Plunkett’s performance improved, helped by the addition of better receivers and the presence of rookies John Hannah at guard, bolstering a still-shaky line, and FB Sam Cunningham, a solid blocker in the backfield.  New England still had a losing record, but in 1974 broke out to a 6-1 start, although the defense received most of the credit for the improvement. Nevertheless, the offense played its part as Cunningham added solid running in addition to blocking, and diminutive (5’5”, 170) all-purpose HB Mack Herron was highly productive. The attack was far better balanced and scored 348 points, which ranked second in the NFL, but injuries to Cunningham and the receivers were part of an overall drop that saw the Patriots lose six of their last seven games and finish at 7-7. Plunkett, who was bothered by a thigh injury, was sacked only 21 times and matched his rookie total with 19 touchdown passes, although he also led the league by giving up 22 interceptions.

The situation deteriorated in 1975 as Plunkett was troubled by knee and shoulder injuries for much of the season, appearing in five games and throwing only 92 passes. In his place, rookie Steve Grogan struggled but also flashed enough potential to gain the favor of Coach Fairbanks. With Plunkett expressing a desire to return to the West Coast and threatening to play out his option, the stage was set for the trade to San Francisco. Overall, in five years with the Patriots, Plunkett completed 48.5 percent of his passes for 9932 yards and 62 TDs while giving up 87 interceptions.

As for the 49ers, since the retirement of long-time QB John Brodie in 1973, there had been instability at quarterback with Steve Spurrier, Tom Owen, Joe Reed, Dennis Morrison, and Norm Snead all starting games over the ensuing two seasons. The team had not posted a winning record since topping the NFC West for the third straight year in 1972 and now had a new head coach in Clark, replacing Dick Nolan, who paid the price for the decline.

The trade for Plunkett certainly looked good during the first half of the 1976 season as the 49ers broke out to a 6-1 start, but they dropped their next four games and ended up with an 8-6 record. Plunkett had problems with consistency, throwing fewer touchdowns (13) than interceptions (16). His best performance came in a Week 3 win over Seattle in which he passed for 239 yards and three touchdowns. Overall, the offense was more effective on the ground with HB Delvin Williams gaining 1203 yards and garnering a Pro Bowl selection and FB Wilbur Jackson adding 792 yards. Plunkett was even briefly benched in favor of rookie QB Scott Bull late in the season.

With an ownership change that brought Joe Thomas in as general manager, Clark was out and Ken Meyer in as head coach for 1977 and the record dropped to 5-9. Plunkett was all too ordinary, passing for 1693 yards with only nine TDs and 14 interceptions. He was let go during the preseason in ’78, having again fallen short of high expectations.

Plunkett moved across the bay to the Oakland Raiders, where he became a seldom-used backup to Ken Stabler for two years. In 1980, Stabler was dealt to Houston for Dan Pastorini, and while a frustrated Plunkett initially wanted out, his fortunes changed significantly when the newcomer suffered a broken leg four games into the season. Plunkett had a fine season as the Raiders became the first Wild Card team to win the Super Bowl. He received NFL Comeback Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP honors to cap the improbable rise from the ashes. Plunkett remained with the Raiders (who moved to Los Angeles in 1982) through 1986 and was behind center for another Super Bowl victory after the ’83 season. The two years in San Francisco became a nearly-forgotten byway on the path to eventual success.

As for the players the Patriots obtained in the trade for Plunkett, Pete Brock, despite taking longer than anticipated to develop into a starting lineman, spent his entire 12-year career in New England, playing in 154 games and starting 88 of them. More successful was Tim Fox, who moved directly into the starting lineup at free safety and stayed there through the 1981 season. He was chosen to the Pro Bowl in 1980 and intercepted a total of 17 passes before moving on to the Chargers in 1982. Raymond Clayborn was used primarily as a kickoff returner in his first two years, leading the league with a 31.0 average as a rookie, before becoming an outstanding cornerback who tallied 36 interceptions and three Pro Bowl selections before departing after the 1989 season. Horace Ivory became part of a good group of running backs and had his most productive seasons in 1978 and ’79, gaining a high of 693 rushing yards in ’78. As for Tom Owen, he threw a total of five passes in 1976 as the backup to Steve Grogan and remained in that role through 1981. The team as a whole posted five consecutive winning records from 1976 to ’80 and reached the postseason twice.

1982: Raiders Overcome 24-Point Deficit to Beat Chargers in LA Debut

The Raiders made their long-delayed regular season home debut as a Los Angeles team against the San Diego Chargers on November 22, 1982. Having made the move from Oakland to LA in the face of much resistance from the NFL, the Raiders won their first two games on the road before the 57-day players’ strike put the entire league on hiatus.

The Raiders, coached by Tom Flores, fell to 7-9 in ’81, which was their first sub-.500 record since 1964, and were looking to rebound. QB Jim Plunkett had been troubled by injuries but was healthy again and HB Marcus Allen (pictured above), the first draft choice out of USC, was a welcome addition to the offense – indeed, the game against the Chargers marked his return to the stadium where he had starred in college and won the Heisman Trophy. Todd Christensen took over as starting tight end in place of the injured Derrick Ramsey with promising results. On defense, DE Lyle Alzado was obtained from the Browns and combined with second-year DE Howie Long to provide an enhanced pass rush.

San Diego came into the game at 1-1 following the long layoff. Under offensive-minded Head Coach Don Coryell, the Chargers boasted the league’s most prolific passing attack, guided by QB Dan Fouts and including TE Kellen Winslow and wide receivers Charlie Joiner and Wes Chandler. RB Chuck Muncie provided power and all-purpose RB James Brooks speed.

Skies were overcast for the nationally-televised Monday night game at the Memorial Coliseum with just 42,162 fans in attendance. Fans were disgruntled from the long work stoppage and, as was the case at other locales in this first post-strike weekend, there were many no-shows. The Chargers had the first possession and drove 79 yards in 12 plays. Dan Fouts was quick to go to the air and completed six passes along the way, the longest to TE Eric Sievers for 21 yards, and two penalties on the Raiders helped the visitors along. But with first-and-goal at the one, three carries by Chuck Muncie netted a loss of a yard and Rolf Benirschke kicked a 19-yard field goal.

The Raiders were forced to punt following their first series and San Diego moved quickly to another score, advancing 83 yards in just four plays. Following a five-yard run by Muncie, Fouts (pictured below) connected on passes of 12 yards to Sievers and 22 yards to Charlie Joiner. A personal foul on the Raiders added another ten yards and then Fouts threw to WR Dwight Scales for a 29-yard touchdown. Benirschke added the extra point and the Chargers were ahead by 10-0.

QB Jim Plunkett was intercepted by FS Tim Fox on the next possession, but while Fouts completed passes to Muncie for 27 yards and three to WR Wes Chandler that picked up a total of 41 yards, the Chargers ultimately had to punt. As the game headed into the second quarter, the Raiders also punted and, with good starting field position at the LA 48, San Diego moved quickly down the field. Fouts had completions to Chandler for 24 yards and Kellen Winslow for 19 yards to reach the five yard line, and two plays later Muncie ran up the middle for a two-yard TD. Benirschke added the point after to make it a 17-0 contest.

The Raiders moved well on their next series as Plunkett completed three passes, the longest to WR Malcolm Barnwell for a gain of 25 yards. Marcus Allen picked up 15 yards on a sweep and HB Greg Pruitt ran for another 13, but after reaching the San Diego 29, Plunkett was sacked by DE Leroy Jones for an 11-yard loss and then was intercepted by LB Cliff Thrift. The Chargers made the most of the turnover, going 57 yards in six plays, although it was a 42-yard pass interference penalty on CB Ted Watts that moved them all the way to the LA two. Muncie dove for a one-yard touchdown shortly thereafter and, with Benirschke’s PAT, the visitors extended their lead to 24-0.

Now in a deep hole, the Raiders stormed back. Plunkett completed five passes, with throws to WR Cliff Branch for 16 yards and FB Kenny King (pictured at left) for 28. Allen ran effectively, including a 17-yard carry on a trap play. But Plunkett was again thrown for a loss while rolling out on a third down play and Chris Bahr missed wide to the left on a 36-yard field goal attempt.

LA got a break on the next play, however, as Muncie fumbled the handoff and LB Ted Hendricks recovered for the Raiders at the San Diego 17. Five plays later, Plunkett connected with TE Todd Christensen for a one-yard touchdown to finally get the Raiders on the board. Bahr converted and the score was 24-7 at halftime.

The Raiders punted after a short series to start the third quarter and the Chargers lost ground due to two penalties and a sack of Fouts by Hendricks. Maury Buford punted and the shanked kick traveled only 27 yards to the LA 36. Plunkett came out throwing, hitting Christensen twice for 11 and 12 yards. King and Allen then combined for 40 yards on the ground with the star rookie gaining the last three for a TD. Bahr added the PAT and San Diego’s lead was cut to ten points at 24-14.

Following the kickoff, Fouts threw to Winslow for 21 yards to midfield, but three plays later Winslow fumbled when hit by DB Odis McKinney after catching a short pass and NT Ruben Vaughn recovered for the Raiders. LA scored again in four plays, highlighted by King running for a 21-yard gain up the middle, and Allen swept for the last three yards and another touchdown. Bahr’s extra point made it a three-point game.

The teams traded punts to finish out the period and San Diego started off the fourth quarter with a drive to the LA 15. James Brooks picked up 23 yards on three carries and Fouts had passes to Winslow for 15 yards and Chandler for nine. But the Chargers came up empty when Benirschke missed a 22-yard try for a field goal.

The Raiders responded by going 80 yards in nine plays. Plunkett was successful on three passes, including one to Christensen for 24 yards on a third-and-three play, and Barnwell gained 14 yards on a reverse. FB Frank Hawkins ran for a one-yard TD, Bahr added the point after, and the home team, once down by 24 points, was in front by four with 5:54 remaining to play.

San Diego fought back as Fouts fired to Chandler for completions of 30 and 24 yards. But after getting to the LA 18, Fouts threw into the end zone under a heavy rush and was intercepted by FS Vann McElroy. It in effect clinched the game for the Raiders as, with 1:56 remaining on the clock, they were able to maintain possession until the final seconds when Fouts threw a last desperation pass into the end zone that was batted away to nail down the 28-24 comeback win for Los Angeles.

The Chargers gained more total yards (411 to 326) and had the edge in first downs (26 to 23), but they also turned the ball over four times, to two by LA. The Raiders were dominant on the ground (181 yards to 72).

Marcus Allen rushed for 87 yards on 18 carries that included two touchdowns and caught 5 passes for 37 more yards. Jim Plunkett completed 18 of 25 passes for 163 yards and a TD while giving up two interceptions. Kenny King contributed 68 yards on 13 rushing attempts. Todd Christensen topped the club with 8 catches for 83 yards and a TD.

For the Chargers, Dan Fouts was successful on 24 of 42 throws for 357 yards and a touchdown while tossing two interceptions. Kellen Winslow (pictured below) caught 8 passes for 105 yards and Wes Chandler gained 118 yards on his 7 receptions. Chuck Muncie had six catches for 50 yards but was held to 23 yards on 15 rushing attempts that included two for TDs. James Brooks topped the club with 49 yards on eight carries.

"I don’t know what it is about Monday night football, but we’re very proud of our Monday night record,” said Coach Tom Flores, commenting on the fact that the come-from-behind win gave the Raiders a 19-2-1 record in Monday night contests.

The Raiders lost at Cincinnati the next week but didn’t drop another game during the remainder of the truncated regular season, finishing atop the AFC with an 8-1 record. With the divisions set aside, LA was the top seed in an eight-team conference postseason tournament and handily defeated the Browns in the first round before losing to the Jets in the second. San Diego, which lost to the Raiders again in the season finale, ended up at 6-3 and fifth-seeded in the AFC. The Chargers also won their first round game at Pittsburgh and lost to Miami in the second round.

Marcus Allen continued to have an excellent first season, receiving consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors as well as Rookie of the Year recognition. He rushed for 697 yards on 160 carries (4.4 avg.) and caught 38 passes for another 401 yards to lead the league in yards from scrimmage with 1098. His 14 touchdowns also led the circuit, as did his 84 points, making him the first rookie to lead the NFL in scoring since Gale Sayers in 1965.

As he had in each of the previous three seasons, Dan Fouts led the NFL in passing yards with 2883 and also topped the circuit in TD passes (17, tied with Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana) and yards per attempt (8.7). Kellen Winslow led the AFC in pass receptions (54) and Wes Chandler topped the league in pass receiving yards (1032). All three received consensus first-team All-NFL honors and were selected to the Pro Bowl. 

Rookie of the Year: Jim Plunkett, 1971

Quarterback, New England Patriots

Age:  24 (Dec. 5)

College: Stanford

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 220

Prelude:

Plunkett’s college career got off to a slow start due to a medical problem and then being redshirted for a year, but once he demonstrated his outstanding ability as a long passer, he became a highly productive quarterback. As a senior, he threw for 2715 yards and led Stanford to its first Rose Bowl victory in 19 years. He also received the Heisman Trophy and, in what was viewed as a strong draft class for quarterbacks, Plunkett was the first overall pick of the Patriots for 1971. He moved directly into the starting lineup.

1971 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 328 [6]

Most attempts, game – 35 at Miami 10/17

Completions – 158 [9]

Most completions, game – 18 at NY Jets 12/12

Yards – 2158 [10]

Most yards, game – 228 at Dallas 10/24

Completion percentage – 48.2

Yards per attempt – 6.6 [20]

TD passes – 19 [2, tied with Bob Griese]

Most TD passes, game – 4 vs. Buffalo 11/14

Interceptions – 16 [9, tied with Bob Berry & Daryle Lamonica]

Most interceptions, game – 4 at Cleveland 11/21

Passer rating – 68.6 [11]

200-yard passing games – 3

Rushing

Attempts – 45

Most attempts, game - 7 (for 52 yds.) at NY Jets 12/12

Yards – 210

Most yards, game – 52 yards (on 7 carries) at NY Jets 12/12

Yards per attempt – 4.7

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: PFWA

AFC Rookie of the Year: UPI, NEA, Sporting News

Patriots went 6-8 to finish third in the AFC East, which was the team’s best record in five years.

Aftermath:

Plunkett’s outstanding first season was followed by a rough year in 1972 in which he passed for only 8 TDs while giving up 25 interceptions. A weak offensive line forced him to take a pummeling, and the team’s progress was fitful, with the best record 7-7 in 1974. Plunkett passed for a high of 2550 yards in ’73, but his best completion percentage was 51.3 and he always had more interceptions than TDs, including a league-leading 22 in 1974. In 1975 he lost the starting job to mobile rookie Steve Grogan. Plunkett was traded to the 49ers and it seemed like a perfect fit when the team got off to a 6-1 start in 1976, but then lost five of the last seven and finished with a losing record in ’77. Plunkett was released prior to the 1978 season and signed by the Raiders, where he sat on the bench for two years before an injury to new starting QB Dan Pastorini in ’80 gave him a new opportunity. Oakland went 9-2 with Plunkett behind center and went on to win the Super Bowl. He played another six years with the Raiders and quarterbacked the team to another NFL title in 1983. While he was not always consistent, Plunkett was hard-working and persistent in the face of adversity. For his career, he completed 1943 of 3701 passes (52.5 %) for 25,882 yards and 164 TDs with 198 interceptions. His record as a starting quarterback was a break-even 72-72, although the postseason tally was 8-2 with two championships.

--

Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

1972: Patriots Upset Redskins as Allen Gamble Goes Awry

The New England Patriots had a 1-1 record and were coming off an exciting down-to-the-wire win over Atlanta the previous week as they faced a tougher test in hosting the Washington Redskins on October 1, 1972. The Patriots were a rebuilding team in their second year in Foxboro, MA under Head Coach John Mazur. The key to that rebuilding project was QB Jim Plunkett (pictured at right), the first overall draft pick in ‘71 following a Heisman-winning college career at Stanford. New England was coming off a 6-8 record, the team’s best in five years, and looking to improve.

Washington was in its second year under Head Coach George Allen and had reached the postseason for the first time in 26 seasons following a 9-4-1 tally in 1971. The veteran-laden club, known as “The Over-the-Hill Gang”, had a strong running game led by HB Larry Brown and QB Bill Kilmer throwing to wide receivers Charley Taylor and Roy Jefferson plus TE Jerry Smith. The rugged defense was even more of a key to the team’s success. The Redskins had won their first two games over the Vikings and Cardinals.

It was an overcast and cool day with 60,999 in attendance at Schaefer Stadium. The first quarter was scoreless but the Redskins got on the board early in the second quarter as Bill Kilmer threw to Charley Taylor for a 30-yard touchdown that finished off an 80-yard drive in five plays.

Things didn’t get any better for the Patriots when HB Jack Maitland fumbled while returning the ensuing kickoff and safety Richie Petitbon recovered for Washington at the New England 17. Five plays later, Kilmer again connected with Taylor (pictured below) for a four-yard touchdown and 14-0 lead.

The Patriots responded with a long possession that covered 83 yards in 12 plays. Rookie FB Josh Ashton converted a third-and-two situation with an 11-yard run to his own 36 and, three plays later and facing third-and-ten, Plunkett completed a pass to WR Reggie Rucker for 40 yards to get the ball into Washington territory at the 24. New England went for it with fourth-and-one at the 15 and Ashton ran for three yards, and the fullback kept it going with a 10-yard gain around end followed by a two-yard carry for a touchdown. Charlie Gogolak added the extra point to cut the Washington lead to 14-7.

The Redskins came right back as Larry Brown ran the ball three straight times for 22 yards and Kilmer again connected with Taylor for 19 yards to the New England 35. But after reaching the 28, Brown fumbled and LB Jim Cheyunski recovered for the Patriots to end the threat. New England’s offense wasn’t able to move appreciably and the half ended with the visitors maintaining a seven-point margin.

The Patriots took the second half kickoff and drove 73 yards in eight plays. Plunkett threw to Rucker for a 22-yard gain and Ashton gained 27 yards on a sweep to the Washington 20. The series ended with Plunkett hitting Rucker for an 11-yard TD and, with Gogolak’s extra point, the game was tied at 14-14.

The Redskins had to punt following their next possession and the Patriots reached the Washington 48 before HB Bob Gladieux’s option pass intended for WR Randy Vataha was picked off by CB Mike Bass, who returned it 29 yards. Runs by Brown and FB Charlie Harraway picked up 14 yards and two Kilmer passes picked up another 16 yards to the New England 23, but another throw was intercepted by CB Larry Carwell to again close off another opportunity for the visitors.

With Ashton again running effectively, Plunkett added passes to Vataha for 20 yards and TE Bob Windsor for 10. The drive bogged down at the Washington 35 and Gogolak put the Patriots ahead with a 42-yard field goal.

The Redskins started off the fourth quarter with a long drive of 70 yards in 10 plays that didn’t come up empty. Kilmer hit on short passes and Brown gained 36 yards on a draw play to the New England 20. The series ended with Kilmer completing a nine-yard pass to Jerry Smith for a touchdown and, with Curt Knight’s third successful PAT, Washington was back in front at 21-17.

The Patriots responded by putting together an eight-play, 80-yard drive. Plunkett completed all four of his passes, including a 24-yard toss while scrambling away from a heavy rush to Ashton at the goal line for a TD. Gogolak’s extra point put New England up by three with fewer than four minutes to play.

Following a 30-yard kickoff return by safety Speedy Duncan, the Redskins put themselves in a second-and-32 situation at their own 13 due to penalties, but from there Kilmer threw to Taylor for a 62-yard gain that not only got them out of a hole but put them at the New England 25 at the two-minute warning. Two passes were incomplete and then a throw into the end zone for Jefferson was caught but ruled out of bounds.

Knight came in and kicked a 33-yard field goal but was run into by DB Ron Bolton. George Allen elected to take the points off the board and keep the drive going. A short run was followed by two incomplete passes and Knight came back in to attempt another field goal, this time from 27 yards. However, the gamble failed when the kick sailed wide to the right and was unsuccessful.

With the clock ticking down to the final minute, the Patriots kept the ball on the ground. Ashton ran the ball three times and New England lined up to punt. However, Pat Studstill’s kick was blocked by WR Bill Malinchak and, with the Washington special team player unable to corral the ball, rolled out of the end zone for a safety. It was a one-point game and Washington was getting the ball back on the free kick with the remaining time down to 50 seconds.

Duncan returned the free kick to the New England 48. The Redskins were able to pick up six yards before Knight came back on to attempt a 50-yard field goal. Again the kick went wide to the right and the Patriots came away with a 24-23 upset victory – and for the second week in a row, it came down to a missed try for a field goal by their opponent.

New England outgained the Redskins (380 yards to 349) and had more first downs (23 to 15). Each team turned the ball over two times, although Washington was flagged seven times, to two penalties called on the Patriots.

Jim Plunkett completed 17 of 33 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Josh Ashton (pictured below) had a big day as he rushed for 108 yards on 23 carries and a TD and added another score on his lone pass reception. Bob Windsor caught 5 passes for 58 yards and Reggie Rucker gained 69 yards on his four receptions that included one for a TD.

For the Redskins, Bill Kilmer was successful on 14 of 30 throws for 213 yards and three TDs along with one interception. Charley Taylor caught 7 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Larry Brown rushed for 113 yards on 20 attempts.

“I don’t like these endings,” said Jim Plunkett. “Between this week and last week, I’m getting gray hairs.”

The two closely-fought wins didn’t prove to be signs of better days coming for the Patriots. They lost their next nine games in a row and finished up at the bottom of the AFC East. Coach Mazur didn’t make it to the end, resigning under pressure, and ex-Packers mentor Phil Bengtson coached the last five games. Washington, by contrast, recovered to win nine straight and topped the NFC East at 11-3. They went on to win the conference title before losing the Super Bowl to undefeated Miami.

Jim Plunkett had a rough second year, completing 47.6 percent of his passes for 2196 yards and just 8 touchdowns while placing second in the NFL with 25 interceptions and being sacked 39 times. Josh Ashton, on the other hand, had signed with the team as a rookie free agent and ended up leading the club in rushing with 546 yards. 

1984: Raiders Overwhelm Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII

Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984 featured the defending NFL Champions, the Washington Redskins, against the Los Angeles Raiders. If anything, the Redskins, coached by Joe Gibbs, appeared to be even better in ’83, at least on offense. After losing their opening game, they breezed through the rest of the schedule to again top the NFC East at 14-2. Along the way, they set a new league record for points (541) thanks to a high-powered offense directed by QB Joe Theismann and including RB John Riggins and wide receivers Charlie Brown, Art Monk, and Alvin Garrett along with an outstanding offensive line, known as “the Hogs”. If there were major concerns, they were in regard to the pass defense. 

The Raiders, coached by Tom Flores, topped the AFC West with a 12-4 record. While QB Jim Plunkett had lost his job to Marc Wilson for a time during the season, he played well down the stretch. Second-year RB Marcus Allen (pictured above) was outstanding both as a runner from scrimmage and receiver out of the backfield, TE Todd Christensen caught 92 passes, and veteran WR Cliff Branch was still productive when healthy. The veteran-laden defense was tough and aggressive.

The two teams had met during the regular season and the Redskins won an exciting back-and-forth contest in Washington. The defending champs, having thrashed the Rams and then just gotten past the 49ers in the postseason to win the NFC title, were three-point favorites coming into the game. Meanwhile, LA had soundly beaten the Steelers and Seahawks in the playoffs.

There were 72,920 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium. Following their first possession, the Redskins were forced to punt from their 30 yard line. The kick by Jeff Hayes was blocked by TE Derrick Jensen (pictured below), who then recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown to give Los Angeles the early lead.

On Washington’s next series, it was the turn of the Raiders to suffer a miscue on a punt as the kick by Hayes hit Los Angeles CB Ted Watts in the back and was recovered by the Redskins. However, they failed to capitalize, gaining just 15 yards before Mark Moseley missed a field goal try from 44 yards out.

Both teams had difficulty generating offense in the early going. On the third play of the second quarter, it seemed as though the Redskins might benefit from a botched punt when Ray Guy had to jump for a high snap, but he one-handed it and was able to get the kick away. LA held the Redskins on the next series and, upon regaining possession, came out throwing. Jim Plunkett connected with Cliff Branch down the middle for a 50-yard gain. Two plays later, it was Plunkett to Branch again for a 12-yard touchdown and, with the successful extra point, a 14-0 lead.

Down by two touchdowns, the Redskins put together a 13-play, 73-yard series, highlighted by Theismann completing a pass to Alvin Garrett for 17 yards in a third-and-17 situation and throwing to TE Clint Didier twice, for 18 yards and then 20 yards to get inside the LA 20. However, they were unable to reach the end zone as the drive stalled at the seven. Moseley kicked a 24-yard field goal to get Washington on the board.

The Redskins got the ball back following a punt by the Raiders at their 12 yard line with 12 seconds left in the half. Theismann, with three receivers set wide to his right, tossed a swing pass to the left intended for RB Joe Washington – a play that had been a big-gainer when the clubs met in the regular season – but LB Jack Squirek stepped in front of the receiver, picked off the pass at the five, and had clear sailing for a touchdown (pictured at left) that made it 21-3 in favor of the Raiders at the half.

Washington started the second half strong with a 70-yard scoring drive. Theismann completed three passes and John Riggins ran the ball six times, the last on a one-yard plunge into the end zone for a TD. However, TE Don Hasselbeck blocked Moseley’s extra point attempt to keep the score at 21-9.

The Raiders responded with a 70-yard drive in eight plays that was helped along by a 38-yard pass interference penalty on CB Darrell Green. Los Angeles converted a third-and-four play at the Washington 11 as Plunkett threw to FB Frank Hawkins for six yards and Marcus Allen capped the series with a five-yard touchdown carry.

Trying to keep up, the Redskins were unable to convert on fourth-and-one at the LA 26 and, on the last play of the third quarter, Allen made a big play that, for all intents, finished off the defending champs. With a first down at the LA 26, Allen took a pitchout from Plunkett and began to sweep to his left. However, with SS Ken Coffey fast approaching, he reversed field and had clear sailing to a 74-yard TD. It set a new Super Bowl record for longest run, eclipsing the 58-yard carry by Tom Matte of the Colts in Super Bowl III. More importantly for the Raiders, it put Washington in a very deep hole at 35-9.

The fourth quarter was anticlimactic. The Raiders added a 21-yard field goal by Chris Bahr following an interception by CB Mike Haynes and came away with a stunning 38-9 win. It was the most points scored in a Super Bowl up to that time, as well as a record victory margin.

LA had more total yards (385 to 283) although the Redskins generated more first downs (19 to 18). But, critically, Washington was only able to gain 90 yards on the ground, averaging 2.5 yards per carry as the Raiders typically dominated the line of scrimmage.  In addition, the Los Angeles defense sacked Theismann six times and the Redskins turned the ball over three times – once directly for a score – as opposed to two turnovers by LA.

NT Reggie Kinlaw was a big part of the successful effort against the ground game while cornerbacks Mike Haynes and Lester Hayes blanketed wide receivers Charlie Brown and Art Monk.

Marcus Allen was the game’s MVP as he rushed for 191 yards on 20 carries that included two touchdowns;  the rushing total set a new Super Bowl record, breaking that of John Riggins set a year earlier. Jim Plunkett completed 16 of 25 passes for 172 yards and a TD with none intercepted. Cliff Branch (pictured at right) caught 6 passes for 94 yards and a score.

For the Redskins, the continually-harassed Joe Theismann was successful on 16 of 35 throws for 243 yards with no touchdowns and two picked off. John Riggins was held to 64 rushing yards on 26 carries and scored a TD. Clint Didier led the club with 5 pass receptions, for 65 yards, while Charlie Brown gained 93 yards on his three catches.

 “The turning point was when they scored at the start of the second half and we came right back and scored,” said Tom Flores. “That was big for us.”

“What hurt the most was the Raiders coming back right after we scored at the start of the third quarter,” echoed Charlie Brown in summing up the defeat.

“This is the first time since Joe Gibbs has been here that any team has controlled our offense the way the Raiders did,” Joe Theismann noted.

“They pressed us with tight man-to-man coverages,” explained Coach Gibbs. “When they play you like that you either get the big plays or you have problems.”

In speaking to the Raiders afterward, managing general partner Al Davis enthused, “Of all the great teams we’ve had, this team dominated so much that, in my opinion, you are the greatest Raider team of all time and you rank with the greatest teams that ever played in any sport.”

The Raiders were 11-5 in the highly-competitive AFC West in 1984, reaching the postseason as a Wild Card team and losing to the division-rival Seahawks in the first playoff round. Washington topped the NFC East again in ’84, but also fell short of a return to the Super Bowl with a loss to the Bears in the Divisional round of the playoffs. The Redskins would win another NFC title in 1987, by which time such stalwarts as Joe Theismann and John Riggins were long gone. 

1980: Plunkett Replaces Injured Pastorini at QB for Raiders

Following back-to-back 9-7 seasons in 1978 and ’79, the Oakland Raiders made changes for 1980, most notably dealing QB Ken Stabler to the Houston Oilers for QB Dan Pastorini. While younger than “The Snake”, Pastorini was not nearly as accomplished and in the first four weeks of the year he threw eight interceptions as opposed to five touchdown passes and his yardage totals steadily decreased. The once-mighty Raiders, coached by Tom Flores, were 2-2 and viewed as a team in decline.

On October 5 the Raiders hosted the Kansas City Chiefs, a club they had beaten in the opening game. Kansas City was 0-4 under Head Coach Marv Levy and had been struggling with injuries to the offensive line. However, the defense came alive at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum to spur a 31-point explosion in the first half.

In the first quarter, Pastorini had fumbled when sacked by DE Dave Lindstrom and LB Gary Spani recovered and ran 16 yards for a touchdown. Two minutes later, Pastorini was hit after throwing a pass and suffered a fractured tibia plus damaged cartilage in his knee. He was done for the year.

Into the game came backup QB Jim Plunkett, a once-highly regarded prospect whose pro career had gone badly off course. The 1970 Heisman Trophy winner at Stanford had been the first overall pick of the ’71 NFL draft by the New England Patriots and had initially displayed great promise. At 6’3” and 220 pounds, he had ideal size plus a strong arm. But by 1975 he had taken a beating with a mediocre team and lost his starting job to the more mobile Steve Grogan. Dealt to San Francisco, Plunkett seemed to revive his career during the first half of the ’76 season, but again the team was not strong, collapsed during the second half, and sank further in 1977. He was let go by the 49ers during the ’78 preseason and signed by the Raiders, seeing no action during that first year and tossing just 15 passes in 1979. Frustrated after the club turned to Pastorini (and after not gaining the starting job even though he was the better quarterback during the preseason), Plunkett was very much an afterthought in Oakland – until the newcomer went down.

It was a tough initiation for Plunkett against the Chiefs, as he was forced immediately to play catch-up. He went to the air 52 times and completed just 20 for 238 yards, tossing two fourth quarter touchdown passes but also five interceptions. The Chiefs also recovered three Oakland fumbles, ran up six sacks, and scored two defensive touchdowns in all as they held on for a thumping 31-17 win.

It got better for Plunkett and the Raiders in the ensuing weeks. Plunkett tossed five touchdown passes in the next two games and, after getting off to the 2-3 start, Oakland won six straight and 9 of 11 contests to close out the regular season. To be sure, the tough defense that featured All-Pros in LB Ted Hendricks and CB Lester Hayes had a great deal to do with the surge. Rookie LB Matt Millen moved into the starting lineup and played above expectations. Castoffs like DE John Matuszak, LB Rod Martin, CB Dwayne O’Steen, and FS Burgess Owens all contributed. On offense, WR Bob Chandler came back from a knee injury to catch 49 passes for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns and 32-year-old TE Raymond Chester performed well all-around and contributed 28 pass receptions.

But Plunkett played well and was the biggest comeback story, throwing for 2299 yards and 18 touchdowns. The Raiders finished second in the AFC West with an 11-5 record and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card. After handily beating the Houston Oilers (and Stabler) in the first round, they just got by the Browns on a frigid day in Cleveland that came down to an interception in the end zone and then defeated the division-rival Chargers for the AFC Championship. The crowning achievement was a dominating 27-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. It was the first time a Wild Card team had reached the pinnacle.

Plunkett’s postseason numbers were 49 completions in 92 attempts (53.3 %) for 839 yards with seven touchdowns against three interceptions. He was at his best in the biggest game, completing 61.9 percent of his passes for 261 yards with three TDs and no interceptions in earning Super Bowl MVP honors. It was a stunning turnaround for the quarterback who had seemed all-but-forgotten when the season began.

Plunkett lasted another six years with the Raiders, who moved to Los Angeles in 1982. Things did not always go so well as in ’80 as his performances were sometimes uneven and he had difficulty holding the starting job. But he did lead the Raiders to another Super Bowl victory following the 1983 season, which certainly added luster to his career. 

1983: Redskins Overcome Raiders in 37-35 Thriller

The Washington Redskins, defending NFL champions, were off to a 3-1 start in 1983 as they hosted the undefeated Los Angeles Raiders on October 2 at RFK Stadium. Washington, under third-year Head Coach Joe Gibbs, had an outstanding offense built around power-running RB John Riggins operating behind an excellent line and the passing of QB Joe Theismann (pictured at right) to wide receivers Charlie Brown, Art Monk, and Alvin Garrett.

The Raiders, in Head Coach Tom Flores’ fifth season and the second year in LA, were led by 36-year-old QB Jim Plunkett, second-year RB Marcus Allen, and a tough veteran defense that included a colorful band of characters such as DE Lyle Alzado, linebackers Ted Hendricks and Matt Millen, and CB Lester Hayes. Combined with rising young stars like DE Howie Long and FS Vann McElroy, the Raiders defense had given up no more than 14 points in any of the first four games.

Sloppy play on the part of the Raiders offense, which was handicapped by not having Allen available due to a hip pointer, highlighted the first quarter. Plunkett tossed an interception in LA’s first offensive series that the Redskins capitalized on as Riggins ran for a two-yard touchdown. The turnovers continued as the veteran quarterback was picked off a second time and RB Kenny King fumbled the ball away, but the score stood at 7-0 after the opening period as the normally-reliable Mark Moseley missed on a 36-yard field goal attempt for Washington.

Moseley was successful on his next field goal attempt, from 28 yards out early in the second quarter. The teams traded punts, and it appeared that the Redskins had the Raiders offense boxed in after a Jeff Hayes kick was downed on the one yard line. But Plunkett immediately went long to WR Cliff Branch, who gathered in the pass at his 44 yard line and proceeded to tie the league record with a 99-yard touchdown.

Despite all of the errors, the Raiders were down only 10-7, but Washington came back with an 80-yard, seven-play drive that ended with Theismann throwing a five-yard TD pass to RB Joe Washington. The first half ended with the Redskins ahead, 17-7.

The second half didn’t start off any better for LA as the offense went three-and-out and Washington padded its lead with a 29-yard field goal by Moseley. But two possessions later, the passing game came alive as Plunkett connected with TE Todd Christensen for a 41-yard gain and, two plays later, tossed to WR Calvin Muhammad for a 35-yard touchdown.

After the Redskins were forced to punt, the Raiders drove to another score with Plunkett again throwing a TD pass to Muhammad, this time covering 22 yards. With the successful extra point, Los Angeles was now ahead by 21-20.

Riggins fumbled the ball away on the second play of Washington’s ensuing possession, and ten plays later, now in the fourth quarter, Plunkett hit Christensen for a three-yard touchdown and 28-20 lead.

Theismann and the Redskins came out passing, with consecutive completions to Charlie Brown that covered 25 yards. However, the drive stalled at the Washington 43 and Jeff Hayes punted it away. His 54-yard kick was fielded by RB Greg Pruitt at his own three yard line, and he proceeded to return it 97 yards for a touchdown; the Raiders were up by 35-20.

Just as it seemed that the momentum had shifted overwhelmingly to LA, the Redskins fought back with a Theismann pass to Joe Washington that covered 67 yards and set up an 11-yard touchdown pass to Brown three plays later.

With 6:15 left to play and the Redskins down by two scores, the Raiders were watching for an onside kick. What they got was a low and hard kick by Hayes that made it through the front line, hit a player’s foot, and spun wildly away. WR Dokie Williams initially fell on the ball for the Raiders but couldn’t hold on and safety Greg Williams finally recovered it for Washington at the LA 32. Moseley kicked a 34-yard field goal five plays later to narrow the Raiders’ lead to five points.

Hayes kicked deep for the Redskins with 4:28 remaining on the clock. Los Angeles went three-and-out and was forced to punt after a third-and-11 pass from Plunkett to Christensen gained nine yards. Starting at his own 31 and with just under two minutes to play in the game, Theismann completed three consecutive passes to Brown that covered a total of 63 yards. From the LA six yard line, Theismann found Washington in the end zone for a diving touchdown catch, and the Redskins ended up with a wild 37-35 win.

The statistics reflected the wildly shifting momentum of the game. Both teams accumulated over 400 yards, with the Redskins slightly ahead (as with the score) by 459 yards to 431. Washington also led in first downs (25 to 19) while the Raiders led in rushing yards (105 to 98) and sacks (six to five). However, LA also suffered six turnovers, to just one for the Redskins.


Joe Theismann passed for 417 yards as he completed 23 of 39 passes with three TDs and none intercepted. Charlie Brown caught 11 of those passes for 180 yards and a touchdown while Joe Washington (pictured above), seeing a great deal of action in the second half as the preferred running back in passing situations, grabbed 5 passes for 99 yards and the two TDs. John Riggins gained 91 yards rushing on 26 attempts with a score.

For the Raiders, after the shaky start Jim Plunkett ended up completing 16 of 29 passes for 372 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. Calvin Muhammad caught 5 passes for 112 yards and two TDs while Todd Christensen added 70 more yards on his 5 catches. Cliff Branch gained 99 yards on his one long reception of the day. In place of Marcus Allen, RB Frank Hawkins led the team on the ground with 64 yards on 15 carries.

Afterward, Washington guard Mark May said “I wouldn’t be surprised if we met them again in January.” He proved to be a good prophet. The Redskins lost just one more game the rest of the way as they finished atop the NFC East with a 14-2 record. While they were at it, they set a new league team scoring record with 541 points (since broken). The Raiders topped the AFC West with a 12-4 tally. Both clubs won their respective conference championships and met in Super Bowl XVIII where the Raiders got the last laugh with a stunning 38-9 upset victory (Marcus Allen’s presence was very much in evidence, as he gained 191 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns).


Joe Theismann ranked second in the NFL in passing (97.0 rating) and touchdown passes (29, tied with Danny White of the Cowboys) while throwing for 3714 yards. He received All-Pro honors and was selected to the Pro Bowl, along with Charlie Brown (pictured at left), who caught 78 passes for 1225 yards and 8 TDs.

John Riggins set a new record for touchdowns (24) while rushing for 1347 yards on 375 carries. Mark Moseley scored 161 points (at the time, the record for scoring by placekicking alone) while hitting on 33 of 47 field goal attempts.

Todd Christensen led the NFL in pass receptions with 92 while accumulating 1247 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jim Plunkett, in an up-and-down season, lost his starting job to Marc Wilson, regained it, and finished with 2935 yards, 20 TDs, and 18 interceptions; he was also sacked 42 times and was second in the league in yards lost due to sacks (363), but in the end was a championship quarterback for the second time.