The 1970s were a fine time to discover the National Football League. Especially if you were a fan of, or became a fan of, five particular teams. The last three decades has seen tremendous parity in the league. There was very little parity in the 1970s. There were a handful of excellent teams and then there was everyone else. The league hadn't really seen anything like it since the 1930s and 1940s. For about fifteen of those years the NFL title game always seemed to come down to some combination of the Chicago Bears/Green Bay Packers against the New York Giants/Washington Redskins. In the 1970s, it was the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings that dominated. Sadly for this fan, the Vikings were the only one of those dominant teams to not win a championship. Very sad indeed. In the ten years from 1969-78, the Vikings or Cowboys represented the NFL/NFC in the Super Bowl nine times. The Cowboys were in five. The Vikings were in four. The Washington Redskins popped up to represent the NFC in Super Bowl VII as the single outlier during those years. On the AFC side of the 1970s Super Bowl equation, the Dolphins, Steelers, and Raiders simply beat up on each other. Some of those contests were classics. A couple of them gave us games with names, "The Immaculate Reception" and "The Sea of Hands." The Steelers-Raiders battles were simply terrific. Those games and the Steelers-Cowboys Super Bowls were, arguably, the highlights of one of the most memorable decades in the history of the NFL. The Oakland Raiders won one Super Bowl in the 1970s. There could've been a few more if not for the dynastic teams in Miami and Pittsburgh. The Raiders were great in those days. This Vikings fan knew them well because they were great and because they were the closest NFL team to me. Less than two hours away. Oakland Raiders fans were all around me. Partly because the San Francisco 49ers were experiencing some down years. Mostly because the Raiders were wildly entertaining and they played great football. Always a nice combination. I was also very aware of them because they were the Vikings opponents in Super Bowl XI. January 9, 1977.
Super Bowl XI was kinda fun for a Vikings fan after Fred McNeil blocked an early Ray Guy punt to put them in a position for their first ever lead in four visits to the big game. Super Bowl XI wasn't so fun for a Vikings fan when Brent McClanahan fumbled the ball back to the Raiders two plays later. The game went downhill from there. For a Vikings fan. For the Raiders and their fans it was an awesome ride.
The 1976 Oakland Raiders were a terrific football team. A 13-1 record. And a Super Bowl title. It all started with a win that made everyone think that this season could be a little bit different in Oakland. They beat their AFC nemesis and defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers in game #1. The Raiders only loss on the season came in game #4 against the New England Patriots. That loss wasn't even close, 48-17. For whatever reason, the Patriots really gave the Raiders problems in 1976. The two teams played again that season in the the AFC Divisional Playoffs. The Raiders had to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to rally to a 24-21 win. The Raiders had a much easier time the next week against the Steelers in the AFC Championship game, 24-7. That earned them a trip to Pasadena and the opportunity to take apart the Vikings in Super Bowl XI.
Al Davis put the 1970s Raiders together. Ron Wolf helped before he left in 1974. Head coach John Madden probably provided some input. But the 1970s Raiders were an Al Davis team. This football madman gets a lot of criticism basically for being a madman but he did know his football. There haven't been many NFL owners with any business making football decisions. He was a football man first, owner second. He had the football knowledge to put a winning team together and he did just that. Davis, Wolf, and Madden were a very strong foundation for a football team. It's no surprise that all three are honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They put together a very interesting bunch of football players. A little crazy. A little different. But very talented football players. Here's that team:
R Cliff Branch
TE Dave Casper
T Art Shell
G Gene Upshaw
C Dave Dalby
G George Buehler
T John Vella
R Fred Biletnikoff
QB Ken Stabler
RB Clarence Davis
RB Mark van Eeghen
DE John Matuszak
NT Dave Rowe
DE Otis Sistrunk
LB Phil Villapiano
LB Willie Hall
LB Monte Johnson
LB Ted Hendricks
CB Skip Thomas
CB Willie Brown
S Jack Tatum
S George Atkinson
K Errol Mann
P Ray Guy
KR Carl Garrett
PR Neal Colzie
6 players from the 1976 Oakland Raiders have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Dave Casper, Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Fred Biletnikoff, Ted Hendricks, and Willie Brown. A nice total but probably a little light. Light because Ken Stabler should be with them. Fortunately, he's finally gained some traction. He was just announced as a Senior nominee for the Hall of Fame Class of 2016. Unfortunately, it took his recent death to gain that traction. John Matuszak had many moments in which he played like one of the best defensive linemen in the game. Cliff Branch was one of the league's most dangerous receivers throughout his career. He had unique speed. Otis Sistrunk and Phil Villapiano were very good, entertaining football players that I never thought received enough attention for their play on the field. This entire team was entertaining. A bunch of entertaining characters. This is the group that got the Raiders tagged as "Renegades." Well, them and the madman in the front office. On and off the field, they always played without restraint. On the field, the offense was potent. They could grind the ball on the ground. They could strike quickly through the air. The offensive line was excellent. The defense was tough, even brutal at times. A great football team.
The 1976 Oakland Raiders often get lost among the other great NFL teams of the 1970s. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, and Dallas Cowboys have always received more attention. Winning more than a single Super Bowl can do that. The Raiders would go on to add a couple more Lombardi Trophies to their mantle. Some of these players played on those teams. I think that the 1976 team was the best of the Raiders Super Bowl teams. As a Vikings fan, I never liked them much. As a football fan, they were outstanding. And usually fun to watch.
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