by Mike Siani
“We are going to go there and we are going to win.”
Madden’s offensive strategy: Never be predictable!
“You never want to be predictable because offenses and defenses are based on predictability. They were the type of team that was fundamentally disciplined and organized. Just by doing something a little different, it was better than doing the things they focused in on.
“From coaching Pro Bowl teams and observing the Super Bowls, I always figured that the team with the fewest complaints always won the game. The team that was complaining about extra tickets, extra people, the practice facility, usually lost. So the first week I said, ‘We’re going to get everything out of the way.’ I got all the players’ tickets right off the bat and told them to get rid of them before we flew down to Los Angeles.
“I made sure that everyone would have an extra room at the hotel. Other teams complain, ‘You take wives down, how about if you don’t have a wife? A girlfriend? A mother?’ Those things could become issues. So I made sure everyone had an extra room for whomever they wanted. Then I made sure everyone had an extra seat on the airplane. I wanted all the extra-curriculars out of the way.
“We did some football work that first week but we watched a lot of film so we could get acquainted with what they looked like. If you practice the game plan the first week, if you have something done early, you just have to go over it again, and the next thing, I figured boredom would set in. And my team wasn’t a team that handled boredom well.”
Raiders linebacker Monte Johnson was the one that found the Vikings’ Achilles heel.
“During my prep for the Super Bowl I noticed their offense had a tendency on the goal line with how they lined the backs up, how they determined which side of the center they’d run the ball. At one point we were practicing short yardage defense and I went to [assistant coaches Bob] Zeman and [Don] Shinnick and said, ‘Guys, trust me and allow me to call the defense on the line of scrimmage in short yardage.’
“They said, ‘Why would we ever do that?’
“I said, ‘Let me tell you what I’ve seen.’
“They watched a number of reels. They went to Madden and said, ‘This is what we want to do.’ John said, ‘Sure.’”
The week leading up to the Super Bowl was business as usual for Madden.
“Our week leading up to the Super Bowl was normal. Our football was normal. Our meetings were normal. Other than the press conferences, everything was a normal work week. No distractions. The only thing that’s a distraction if it’s something that isn’t planned. I had everything planned.”
“We were fine-tuned,” said Atkinson. “That practice was like no other. We were crisp, we were sharp. No mistakes. No balls hit the ground. Receivers didn’t drop a ball that week, come to think of it.”
“The day before a game we’d always just have a thirty-four-minute practice,” said Banaszak. “Just light stuff. So after about twenty minutes, Madden calls us in. He said, ‘Let’s stop right now. Go on in. If we play like we just practiced, it won’t be a game. We play like this, we’re going to kill them.’”
John Madden called up Al Davis the night before the game.
“I said to him, ‘We’re going to get these guys. This might not even be close.’ Al said, ‘Don’t talk like that!’ Like I’m gonna jinx it.
“I wasn’t that type of guy, normally. Even if I had those feelings, I wouldn’t normally say it. It was just that I had a feeling, after the way we practiced that second week. The way Stabler was so sharp in that last offensive practice. I just knew that I liked the matchup. I liked the way we were prepared. I liked the game plan. I felt as confident as I’ve ever felt.”
Villapiano remembers Madden’s words just before kickoff.
“He looks around the room and all he says is, ‘Guys, this will be the single biggest event of your lives—as long as you win. Act like it and play like it. You don’t remember losing. It has to be a win to be the greatest day of your life. Make a memory.’”
The Raiders did make a memory. They beat the Vikings 32–14 and, after scoring 16 points in the second quarter, never looked back.
After the win, the locker room was ecstatic.
“John’s face was lit up like a Christmas tree, like a jack-o-lantern, like a big Howdy Doody, happy as hell,” said Banaszak. “He was hugging everyone. We were all hugging each other. Even Al was hugging us. It was the first time I ever saw Al hug anyone.”
“It was euphoric,” said Atkinson. “Pure euphoria! It was joy, pure joy. There was a feeling and an energy that if you could capture and put it in a bottle and share it, it would be worth its weight in gold. You’d be a millionaire. I mean, it was a matter of closure, and I looked around at these faces of joy, these faces of happiness that understood we had finally done it.”
“The look on everyone’s faces, all these guys, all your friends, all your family,” recalled Banaszak with a smile. “We were so happy for one another. At that moment it was just the consummate team feeling, not an individual thing.
“We just wanted to sit and savor the feeling. I think I must have sat in my uniform for half an hour before I ripped my tape off. I was numb.”
“You just sit there and try and figure it all out,” said Stabler. “You let it all sink in. It was about appreciating what you did.”
“I’ll never forget the smile on Al’s face when Pete Rozelle handed him the trophy,” said Villapiano. “It was the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen. He took that trophy in his hands and he just shook it.”
Madden reassured his guys, “They can’t take it away from you!
“I wasn’t one to say, ‘All the hard work you put in,’ and all that bullshit. It was just, ‘Goddamnit, we did it! We’re the world champions! We did it, and it’s forever. They can never take it away from you.’ I get shivers when I think about it to this day.”
After being thrown in the shower, Madden greeted the media and had this to say to say at the press conference.
“We’ve lived with the fact that we haven’t been able to win the big one for a long time. And we felt it was time to disprove that.”
That night the team stayed at the Newport Beach Marriott. It was the best party I’ve ever been to in my life! The team was drinking all night. I remember Matuszak throwing a football with a buddy of mine. Someone from the hotel came over and said, “You can’t do that.” The next thing I saw was the hotel guy running away.
The next day we were supposed to fly back to Oakland. I think out of the entire team, thirteen guys made the plane. The rest of us couldn’t get up.
OAKLAND RAIDERS HIGHLIGHTS
1970–1974
1970 SEASON (8–4–2)
In 1969, a young John Madden became head coach of the Oakland Raiders and faced the awesome challenge of maintaining the Raiders’ winning ways. He met the challenge in ’69 with pro football’s best record: 12–1–1 and the AFL Western Division Championship.
The Oakland Raiders emerged from the ’60s with the finest three consecutive years in the history of professional football. No team was more respected, none more feared than the team who proudly wore the silver and black.
But 1970 began a new era, a new challenge. The question now was: Could the Raiders continue to rank with the great organizations of professional sports? Were the Raiders ready to meet the challenges of the ’70s?
Week 1 @ Cincinnati
The Raiders’ challenge began in Cincinnati at the Bengals new Riverfront Stadium. Not even the wizardry of Fred Biletnikoff’s two touchdowns or the 63-yard punt return by Alvin Wyatt could tame the Bengals as Oakland lost their first opening game since 1964 by a score of 31–21. But in the heat of defeat, a star was born—a rugged, determined rookie from Morgan State—a tight end named Raymond Chester.
Week 2 vs. San Diego
In San Diego, the Raiders appeared ready to rip off a victory. George Atkinson led the defense with two interceptions and a powerful offense that included two touchdowns b
y Pete Banaszak, one by Fred Biletnikoff and two field goals from George Blanda that totaled 27 points, but the Chargers rang up 27 points of their own to end the game in a tie . . . two games without a victory.
Week 3 @ Miami
In Miami it was fire and rain. The Raiders started with fire as Charlie Smith scorched the soggy synthetic turf for a 60-yard touchdown that was washed out by a penalty. Two field goals by George Blanda and a solo touchdown by Warren Wells were not enough. The Raiders’ hopes were swamped as the Dolphins stepped to a 20–13 win. Three games and still no taste of victory.
Week 4 vs. Denver
The Raiders finally came home to meet the undefeated division-leading Broncos, and John Madden rallied his forces for a mission of destruction. The offensive line of Shell, Upshaw, Otto, Jim Harvey, and Bob Svihus gave the runners room to roll and they moved like a relentless silver and black tide that ultimately crashed on a goal-line beach. Then it was Daryle Lamonica unleashing the Raiders’ famed precision passing. Lamonica’s arm whipped and the ball whistled. There was no derailing the Raiders this day as they roared by Denver, 35–23. Victory had returned and loyal Raiders fans sighed with relief. But it was a bittersweet victory, as All-Pro cornerback Willie Brown was out with a shoulder injury on an interception.
Week 5 vs. Washington
Washington arrived for a Monday night national TV game, and the Jurgensen air strike was shot down by Kent McCloughan and Nemiah Wilson. Tom Keating and Duane Benson dismembered the ground strike. Then came Hewritt Dixon, whose single purpose was to put a flash of silver and black into the end zone. Behind the blocking of Jim Otto and Harry Shiu, Dixon was more than the Redskins could handle as he ran for 164 yards. He demolished the Skins defense and set it up for the bomb that convinced the TV audience that the silver and black were back in the fight to be number one—back with a vengeance. Final score: Oakland 34, Washington 20.
Week 6 vs. Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh and rookie quarterback Terry Bradshaw arrived in Oakland. Gus Otto shut down the corner and Kent McCloughan shut down the end zone. Lamonica streaked one to Raymond Chester and then forty-three-year-old George Blanda came off the bench and hurled thunderbolts to Chester. One was called back, one was good, and one was superb. A veteran and a rookie had wreaked havoc, begun a phenomenon, and Oakland was battling toward first place in the West. Final score: Oakland 31, Pittsburgh 14.
Week 7 @ Kansas City
The World Champion Chiefs were pitted against the Raiders and the Oakland offense earned the lead with two touchdown passes from Lamonica to Chester. The Raiders defense led by Dan Conners and Carleton Oates struck with a fury, but the talented Chiefs came back to lead 17–14 late in the last quarter. Then all that remained was part fantasy, part outrage, and totally incredible. Raiders radio announcer Bill King described it this way.
Here’s the bootleg now by Dawson running to the right himself. He’s got a first down. He’s down to the 35 and he’s brought down at the 28-yard line. Here’s a flag and here’s Ben Davidson being jumped on by one of the Chiefs. Two more Chiefs come in. There’s a big pileup. Davidson and Taylor are going at it. There are at least eight Chiefs, and here come all the Raiders. Holy Toledo, it’s a free for all! It’s all along this near sideline here. Stram is out and getting Lenny Dawson out of there. He doesn’t want Dawson to get killed!
After the brawl was over, the defense still had to stop the Chiefs. With eight seconds left in the game, George Blanda was handed the incredibly difficult job of kicking a 48-yard field goal. Lamonica spotted the ball at the 48. The ball was snapped and the kick was good. George Blanda landed a 48-yard field goal to tie Kansas City, 17–17.
Week 8 vs. Cleveland
The Raiders were back home against the Cleveland Browns for the first time ever, and led in the game early with a George Blanda field goal and a Charlie Smith touchdown. But the Browns, a perennial NFL power, came roaring back. With time running out, Cleveland led 20–13 until a near disaster struck—Lamonica was injured. It was now up to George Blanda. On the next play, Blanda threw to Wells for the score. With seven seconds to go, the game was tied at 20. Once again it would be George Blanda who would come in for the game-winning 52-yard field goal. Stabler held for Blanda and it went through the uprights. Final score: Raiders 23, Cleveland 20.
Week 9 @ Denver
In Denver, Oakland followed the script perfectly by taking a quick lead with a 36-yard pass from Lamonica to Warren Wells. But the Broncos rallied to lead 19–17 so late in the game that Denver fans were already celebrating victory. But no one should celebrate victory over the Raiders until they hear the fat lady sing. The phenomenon is pride and poise. It’s Blanda zeroed on Wells. The phenomenon is class and courage. And it’s Blanda hitting Biletnikoff for a score. The phenomenon is discipline and desire, and it’s Jimmy Warren shutting off Denver’s last hope with his second interception of the day. The phenomenon is an Oakland Raiders victory under any pressure. Final score: Oakland 24, Denver 19.
Week 10 vs. San Diego
The Raiders came home without a defeat in their last six games. But the Chargers went ahead in the third quarter. Oakland answered with catches by Biletnikoff that set up two Charlie Smith touchdowns and the game was tied at 17 in the fourth quarter after the teams traded field goals. Then it was Tony Kline spinning the Charger attack to the ground. It was Dave Grayson pulling butterflies out of the air. It was Bill Laskey giving the Raiders one final chance for Daryle to drive them to victory. It was unbelievable! It was Oakland ‘hanging from the cliff” again. Then Daryle dropped back to pass from the 45, but decided to run the ball himself. He ran it all the way to the 34 and a first down. Oakland ran the clock down to seven seconds and then brought out George Blanda. From the 16-yard line and with four seconds left in the game, Blanda kicked it straight through the uprights giving Oakland the lead and the win. Final score: Oakland 20, San Diego 17.
Week 11 @ Detroit
The Raiders played Detroit on Thanksgiving Day, four days after the Chargers game. Charley Sanders scored twice for Detroit as Oakland lost a 14-point lead and the game as the playoff-bound Lions bellowed out in victory for a 28–14 win.
Week 12 @ New York Jets
There was more trouble to come for Oakland in New York against the Jets. Despite Blanda to Wells, the Jets led 13–7. Time was fleeting when a now-healthy Willie Brown intercepted the ball, and Oakland had only eight seconds and one chance to win; but if anyone thought that Oakland could do it, the Jets should have. For it was in the historic Heidi game of 1968 that these Jets were certain winners until the Raiders exploded. In less than twenty seconds, Oakland scored twice and sealed the Jets’ fate . . . a fate that, in the ‘60s, had doomed many opponents. For the Raiders were a team with last-second victories stashed somewhere beneath their battle-scarred silver and black helmets. It wasn’t miracles and it wasn’t luck. It was instead a team poised, a team responding to the challenge—ready to make and take any break. Any team is allowed one miracle—maybe two—but the Raiders defied all odds to become the winningest team in the American Football League since 1963. Now this tradition, born in the ’60s, would be most severely tested as the Raiders confronted another impossible must-win situation. With the ball on the 33 and eight seconds to go, Lamonica threw deep to Wells in the end zone for a touchdown. With the score tied 13–13, it was once again Blanda who came off the bench to kick the extra point and win the game for the Raiders. Final score: Oakland 14, New York 13.
Week 13 vs. Kansas City
This was the big one, the game to decide who would reign supreme in pro football’s toughest division: Kansas City at Oakland. No last-second heroics today. The Raiders made no mistakes. And when Marv Hubbard came in, he screamed at the Chiefs, “I’m coming at you!” And he went at them. And when Lamonica and Madden talked they spoke of going right over them. And Lamonica went to Biletnikoff—right over them. No miracles today, just mind and muscle—silver and black—and number one in the West for a record-brea
king four straight Western Division Championships. Final score: Oakland 20, Kansas City 6.
The regular season closed in Week 14 with an anti-climatic loss to the 49ers at the Coliseum, 38–7. But the challenge continued. For now the Raiders, with the amazing George Blanda as their most inspirational player, would host Miami in the playoffs.
AFC Divisional Playoff vs. Miami
The AFC Playoff looked like it would be played in Dolphin weather. Before kickoff, the sun and the eighteenth straight sellout crowd filled the Coliseum. But the field hadn’t dried and the going was tough for both teams. The Dolphins scored first and seven points might have been enough to win in this mud. But a determined defense dug in and while the destroyers put Griese to sleep, Lamonica picked the Raiders up and passed them goalward. The score was now 7 to 7, but a tie meant nothing and the defense knew it. Griese was kept down in the mud but the Raiders still needed more points. The 82-yarder to Rod Sherman, a clutch performer all season, meant victory to Oakland with the final score, Raiders 21, Dolphins 14. So it would be silver and black in Baltimore in the AFC Championship.
AFC Conference Championship @ Baltimore
But in the AFL championship game in Baltimore, Lamonica would miss by inches, and then would miss from the game after being leveled by a bulldozer named Bubba Smith. Blanda replaced him, and the Raiders fought back. Oakland scored two touchdowns—one by Biletnikoff and the other by Wells. But in the end it was John Unitas, NFL Player of the Decade, who hit for the big play. And just like that, it was over. Final score: Baltimore 27, Oakland 17. The Colts went on to Miami, while the Raiders returned to Oakland.
So what kind of a season was it? After eleven years of struggles and dedication, a day of defeat curtailed the destiny of the Oakland Raiders, but nothing could blot out another year of glory. What kind of a season was it? A season that saw the silver and black maintain their lofty position as one of the finest organizations in the history of professional sports. It was a season that merits a salute to the coaches, back up men, and special team warriors like George Buehler and Pete Banaszak, Eischeid and Stabler, Thoms, Todd, Koy, Highsmith, Budness, Irons, Buie, Weathers, and MacKinnon.