Oakland Raiders Sea of Hands

[r8dr2012]

World Football League hahaha. So who won the first world football league Super Bowl the Micronesians??

[Narragansett55]

Kuchenberg was wrong about the two best teams, and the Steelers proved him wrong the following week.

[SuperJM1980]

no matter what would have happen..nobody was going to beat the steelers that year.

[4736dmr]

as far as the raiders 76 super bowl, their fans are quick to forget that they got there thanks to a"sugar bear hamilton" hit on stabler that wasn't a penalty, that allowed them to score....but brady and pats got even for that game in the snow years later up there; it just seems things even out over the years in rivalries in playoffs

[4736dmr]

i'm looking forward to being at the fins/ raiders game this weekend; such a great rivalry over the years; as far as that sea of hands game, i always felt that when jake scott went down early, it would come back to haunt them

[4736dmr]

a great game, one of the best of the 70's ; i'd put it right behind the 1972 Steelers-Raiders Immaculate Reception to Franco, the best finish of all time

[cbaldwinjr]

That comment at 6:38 is actually pretty accurate considering the Steelers missed Bleier, Swann, and Harris for a stretches in 1980 and missed the playoffs at 9-7. Plus, you'll always hear old Steeler fans say that they lost to the Raiders in '76 because Harris and Bleier weren't in the AFC title game. Never mind that the vaunted, lights out Steeler D gave up 24 points to the Raiders. No...that's not it...it was not having Bleier and Harris. Please.

[4736dmr]

In todays game, Stabler would have been ruled in the grasp, of vern den herder, and play would have been whistled

[BasharAIAssad]

@4736dmr Herder had him by the ankles for not even a half second, you're kidding yourself if you think he would've been ruled down.

[1thepner]

@4736dmr : No he wouldn't. But it's something Miami fans have been telling themselves for years. The ball was already coming forward anyway. Nice of Manny F #75 to pile on in the endzone after. Today that would be an easy 15 yards on the kickoff against Miami. But the greatest NFL game ever, way more so than that 1958 game. People forget that was 14-3 Colts at one point.

[sheehanscience]

Bitter dolphins. Raiders were more than lucky. The belitnikof catch was fantastic skill with a little bit of stickum.

[steve98201]

i agree,if being able to make more money so you can send your kids to college,maybe purchase a nice house for your family and being able to put some money away to have when your playing career is over or if you get hurt then yes they made the right decision.pleasing the fans is not the issue planning for your financial future is and i would have done the same thing if given the opportunity.

[Dasbeatle]

kiick warfield and czonka were greedy bastards. they left their championship team  just for more money. no loyalty what so ever. money is here and gone in our lifetime but history lasts forever

[glong86]

@Dasbeatle Yeah but tell that to their families that they had to take care of. History wasn't going to provide for them.

[smyrnawednesday]

duck the folphins!

[DoesNotExist305]

One of the saddest days in Dolphins history. If Csonka, Warfield and Kiick had stayed we could have came back the following year.

[smyrnawednesday]

@DoesNotExist305 yep. i remember being blown away tht they left. i hated the WFL. as a Raider fan tho... =)

[vitoduval]

Curt Gowdy called the Oakland Raiders home games  he covered "house of thrill" games

[TDTom77]

The Dolphins can cry all they want, but the Raiders made plays, and that's how you win big games like this.



[XxLuckyShotz95]

That manny guy punched the hell out of somebody after this game huh.

[neneshubby]

I've been a Raiders fan for over 30 years and even though we've won 3 SB's this game is still one of the most special games in my memory. As far as a couple of Miami players getting injured.....woulda, coulda, shoulda. We can ALL play that game. What if the ball hadn't richocheted wildly to Franco Harris, what if the tarp hadnt blown off the field @ 3 Rivers stadium in the 75 AFC title game causing the sidelines to freeze & wrecking the Raiders outside passing game. What happens, happens.

[pinboyjorf]

stupid world football league. killed my team. if they they would have stayed they would have had one more super bowl.

[Retroman27]

Curt Gowdy's call on this play is classic!

[gjfwang]

Man, Raiders were in the most crazy plays. Sea of Hands, Immaculate Reception, Holy Roller, etc.

[TheTzdope]

freakish plays!

look like great catches to me!

greatest game ever!!

[radar0412]

I was 16 when I saw the "sea of hands" game, and I've been obsessed with this game ever since. No other sporting event has left such an imprint on my mind. I remember where I was when I saw the game. I even remember where my friends were.

So many signature plays were compressed into 1 game.

The circus catch to Biletnikof was a piece of art. The bomb to Branch was epic.

But it was the "we will not go quietly into the night" run by Benny Malone that set up the classic "sea of hands" finish.

[1TwinTurboSupra]

notice some of the best QB's are number 12 lol

[indyfan22k]

$50k a year in 1974 is like $221,152.12

$3.5 million in 1975 is like $ 14 million+

talk about greed. no wonder the WFL failed that was a insane amount of money back then.

If those 3 players thought less about their bank accounts and more about winning and being content maybe the Dolphins win 3 straight AFC title and 3 straight Super Bowls.

Oh, well you only have 6 people to blame those 3 and their agents.

and WHY is Ken Stabler not in the HoF ??!!

[dolfangirl1]

@indyfan22k Miami did win 3 straight AFC titles...1974 would have been their 4th & 4th straight Super Bowl

appearance.

[rileytwist88]

GO PITTSBURGH!!!!!!!

[DoesNotExist305]

where is this from?

[zenmachinefilms]

I remember the WFL. What a disappointment. The team that was hurt he most by the WFL was definitely the Dolphins. Losing Csonka, Kiick and Warfield like that.

Great win for the Raiders though.

[marquettefootball]

@TommyC503 @raiders1967 @Talamante1982 @MrStones64 - heck, all of you! Bow down. Packers have most world championships (12), highest percentage of world championship seasons (amazing considering they've been in the league since 1921) and are the only franchise to win 5 in 7 years and 3 in a row (THAT'S the greatest dynasty in the history of the NFL, not the Steelers' great total of 4 in 6). Raider Nation? HA! Packers Planet!!!

[pgraybengal]

coming from a Bengals fan someone who had no dog in the Sea of Hands game Kenny Stabler deserves too be in the Hall of Fame!!!!

[raiders1967]

Thanks pgraybengal. Kind of you to say. With regard to the central division, I always happy to see the Bengals win the division. If the Bengals had beaten the Raides inthe '75 playoffs, I would have rooted for the Bengals to win it all. One of the first qb's I remember is Greg Cook.

[pgraybengal]

@raiders1967 Well Ken Stabler doesn't have to take a back seat to anybody won a super bowl ring & also had comeback after comeback in big games Sea of Hands, Holy Roller, Ghost to the Post, & most people forget before the Immaculate Reception Stabler had I believe it was like a 40 yard scramble for a touchdown!!!

Now Terry Bradshaw Hall of Famer no doubt 212 TD passes Stabler only 18 less 194 career TD passes in the regular season people keep Stabler out because of his party habits we all know!

[marquettefootball]

@pgraybengal Paul Hornung made it in, and he probably made Stabler seem like a choirboy. Stabler should go in.

[pgraybengal]

@raiders1967 Yes Greg Cook was gonna be an All time NFL QB until he got hurt!!! Another blow in the long line of Bengals disappointments!!!!

[MrStones64]

raiders suck cock and the dolphins are a rope a dope team

[Talamante1982]

Fuk the steelers ..... Raider nation all day baby

[Navdan87]

@raiders1967, it was great seeing the Steelers defeat the raiders in 1972, 1974, and 1975!!

[Ariamaluum]

That play kept the Snake out of the Hall of Fame. Shula has a lot of influence.

[TommyC503]

:45 - HA Bobby Boy - you suck - Steelers were the best!

[Ariamaluum]

@TommyC503. Are you referring to Bob Kuechenberg. If so, good one.

[raiders1967]

It was great seeing the Raiders destroy the Steelers in the playoffs in 1973, 1976 and 1983.

[TommyC503]

@raiders1967 IT IS GREAT having 6 super bowls, its great that the 70's Steelers have been crowned the greatest dynasty in the history of the NFL which just so happens to be at the Raiders expense - love it!

[TommyC503]

It was great seeing the Steelers destroy the Raiders after this game - just beautiful!

[the1small1pimp]

The Raiders and A's were great teams in the 70's

[TommyC503]

@the1small1pimp Not quite the Steelers and the Pirates though - you lose!

[the1small1pimp]

amazing game

[jerrysboys]

Where did it get them? To get their clocks cleaned the next week b the ultimate afc team of all time.

[cardboardbelt]

Typical sour grapes from Kuechenberg. He never wants to give any credit to any team that ever beat the Dolphins. He always acts indignant about the great game Kellen Winslow played against his Dolphins in '81, and implies that Winslow was grandstanding by allowing teammates help him off the field at the end. Make a few more plays, Kuech, and it's not an issue.

The dude probably has an excuse for why his Dolphins offense got totally shut down in the 2nd half of Super Bowl XVII.

[jimromerulez]

stabler for the hof!!!!!!!! its long overdue.

this game is an example of lost history, (the entire game does not exist, only highlights.

silver and black forever

[raiders1967]

Ken Stabler should be in the Hall of Fame. He has better stats than Joe Namath.

[TommyC503]

@raiders1967 LOL!

[raiders1967]

Stabler career stats 27,938 passing yards, a 59.8% completion percentage, 194 TD's, 222 INT's, and a 7-5 playoff record. Namath career stats, 27,663 passing yards, 50.1% completion percentage, 173 TD's, 220 INT's, and a 2-1 playoff record.

[marquettefootball]

@raiders1967 So why isn't Stabler in? Is there a misperception by the media who vote on him?

[dolfangirl1]

@raiders1967 Namath was also messed his knees up in 1970 & was never the same again. Also, he was a

sports & cultural icon & having been part of the biggest upset in football history. However, I agree that Stabler

does belong in the HOF, especially since Lynn Swann was inducted & his career stats don't seem to warrant

it.

[gjfwang]

No name defense suddenly has alot of names huh?

[pgraybengal]

This is NFL history great or heartbreaking ending depends on which side you were on!!! The only team that I can recall that lost the core of their team not too NFL free agency but another league!!!

[pgraybengal]

I know what your saying I grew up a Bengals & Reds fan going too games with my dad still too this day when that day does come its probably gonna leave a major gap then I'll realize how lucky I had it!!!!

[MrJonnyleft]

The Dolphins have never been the same since.

[drumdude1000]

Absolutely. That last score by the raiders was ridiculously lucky. A true dominant offense scores by driving the ball the length of the field at will-not relying on freakish mishaps. But, on the other hand, the raiders had lost to the steelers two years earlier on an even more bizarre play in 72-so maybe they were due for a little luck themselves.

[NA21RaIdErS4life]

@drumdude1000 , ridiculously lucky???

thats just a vintage ken stabler CLUTCH moment.

70's raiders lived and died by by those plays

[ethurst2]

This is why Jake Scott should be in the Hall Of Fame. He was an excellent Free Safety. Scott went out in the first quarter and so did starting cornerback Curtis Johnson (who was replaced by Henry Stuckey who got burned by Cliff Branch. Nickel back Lloyd Mumphord was hurt and didn't even play so 75% of Miami's secondary was missing in that Sea of Hands game. Stabler went after Stuckey and Scott's replacement, Charlie Babb and the rest was history.

[dolfangirl1]

@ethurst2 So true! The No-Namers allowed only 6 passing TDs in 1973, which included the Playoffs & Super

Bowl. Jake Scott & Dick Anderson were awesome! Also, Miami destroyed Oakland 27-10 in the '73 Championship...something Pittsburgh never did in their playoff wins over Oakland. Miami led Minnesota 24-0

in Super Bowl VIII until the Vikes finally got their only score in the 4th qt, while Pitt led the Vikes 2-0 at halftime

in SB IX.

[ArturoVandelay]

Greatest game ever. The Dolphins played great too. The Raiders were lucky to score last. Lots of great plays on both sides.

[gage8888]

the raiders and the steelers were the best at that time

[mtlinknfl]

What a bunch of mo mo's, Iike the play of all those players however, they left for more money, I mean come on what a bunch of ME ME ME players

[thetheRedundant]

@mtlinknfl You got it all wrong. Imagine if you were in their position....go from making $50,000 a year to 3 million?!. We would all do the same. You'll be an idiot to turn that kind of money down. I agree with the idea of team first, but in the end you've gotta look after your own ass.

[MrJulius72]

The result of this game might have been the catalyst for the Steelers dynasty. I wasn't old enough to remember anything, but from everything I've heard via interviews, Madden went on and on about how the two best teams in the league played in this game. I guess Noll used this to motivate the guys the week leading up to the Oakland game and it fired them up so much that they wouldn't be denied.

[MrJulius72]

I'm a diehard Steelers fan and will always be, but you have to give credit to Miami for what they did in the early 70's. Making it to three straight Super Bowls is pretty impressive and winning two straight is legendary. And you can say what you want about Miami's schedule in '72, but going undefeated in the NFL with any schedule is historic.

[MrJulius72]

The 70's were so great for football because you could very easily make a legitimate argument for three or four teams being the team of the decade. The Steelers get the obvious nod with being the first team to win 4 titles and the only team to ever win 4 in six seasons. You could make a case for the Raiders because Pittsburgh had to go thru them twice just to get to the Super bowl. You could make a case for Miami.

[MrJulius72]

Had Miami won this game, they might have gone on to win three straight. And what about Dallas? Dallas lost three very close Super Bowls in that decade. One to Baltimore and two to Pittsburgh. A break or two and Dallas could have won five titles in the decade. What an era. I'm 37, but sometimes I wish I was about 15 years older so I could have been old enough to remember that time. Legendary stuff.

[Ghidorah1986]

Griese was better than Bradshaw, Warfield was better than Swann, Csonka was better than Harris, and Kick was better than Rocky Blier.

[dkitty8124]

enough glamorizing the QB... ..it's football,more then not your 1rst QB will go down...it's the 2nd QB and defense that holds a team together....

[LegacyProductionsOrg]

will anyone ever directly make the obvious connection between the betrayal of these three selfish fucks and the destruction of the "team"? not just losing some talent, but destroying the mentality that wins games "team"  not "individual." you wonder in the long run if they look back and see if the money was really worth it.

[dolfangirl1]

I think that's a bit harsh. I'm a huge Miami

fan & the departure of Csonka, Warfield,

& Kiick was devastating to the team & fans, but players didn't make much money

back then & had to find work after their NFL career was over. You can't fault them for looking out for their families...most players would have done the same.

[Jikk]

Stop your bitching. Are you seriously trying to compare $50,000 to $3.5 million? Ya, they sure are selfish for trying to provide for their families.

[LegacyProductionsOrg]

yes idiot, you need 3.5 million dollars to provide for your families. figures you're too shallow to understand the concepts i was bringing up. maybe they weren't completely "selfish" but they definitely helped break up the team effort. can you deny that?

[brucedavis76]

I agree but think about it if your making 50000 and someone offers you 500000

what are u gonna do??? But yeah i wish the dolphins would of paid them and they would of battled the steelers for 70's supremecy

[MrJulius72]

Making over three million dollars compared to $50,000 a year? Hell yeah it was worth it. You really can't blame them one bit. In today's world of professional sports where athletes make seven-figures right out of college, you can call them greedy for every last penny, but back then, no way could they turn that down. I'm sorry, but I disagree. And anyone who's bitter about it, please stop. They won you two titles and they made history in '72. Give it a rest.

[brucedavis76]

What I like most about this game is that stablers left knee is close to touching the ground but doesnt u cant argue it

[idster7]

lots of educated posters on this video. departure from the norm on youtube videos.

[raiders1967]

Thanks for posting this video.

[Drew914]

The Steelers did play the Raiders in the '74 playoffs. They beat them 16-10.

[hop2171]

you mean the SteeleROIDS

[bowman23464]

Which Miami Dolphin player #13, was a Super Bowl MVP, not Dan Marino...... Jake Scott//////

[Bry101]

it's ok, Miami....you would have lost to Pittsburgh anyway.

[a7b7c78]

I know that people say on here that the Steelers got lucky in 74 that they didn't have to play Oakland and Miami, but they did play both teams in 1972. I know that the Steelers won over Oakland because of the Immaculate Reception, but if Craig Hanneman didn't have to replace Dwight White on Stabler's TD run, that play doesn't happen, and the Raiders may not have scored a TD.

Also, if Seiple doesn't attempt the fake punt in the 72 AFC Championship, Miami may have lost, and ended the year 15-1.

[dolfangirl1]

You forgot to mention that Miami's 2nd

string backup QB was used in the 1st

half against Pittsburgh in the '72 AFC

Championship, which was played at 3-

Rivers to boot!

[a7b7c78]

Yeah, and Bradshaw was knocked out for a period of time as well after he led the Steelers to the opening TD drive, and Hanratty had to play for a while.

[dolfangirl1]

Don't forget that TD was a result of Bradshaw's own fumble going into the

e-zone...which would be illegal nowadays.

Miami went 11 weeks without their starting QB in '72...give 'em some credit.

[dolfangirl1]

Bradshaw was knocked out by the No-Namers...so that's to Miami's credit.

Griese had his leg broken in week 5...&

the Steel-Curtain could'nt take credit for

that. Miami played Pittsburgh with a 38 yr

old backup QB for an entire half...Steelers

had their chance Big-Time & came up

short to a resourceful & disciplined TEAM.

[a7b7c78]

The Dolphins had a good team, but they won in a power vacuum. There were no other great teams in the early 70's except Dallas, and the team that beat Miami in SB 6 wasn't as good as the team that beat Denver in 12.

It was like the NHL in the early 80's. The Isles were like the Dolphins, a nice team that took advantage of a weak league with no other alpha dog, and the Oilers were like the Steelers, a budding super team that took time to grow up. When those teams matured, they were unstoppable.

[dolfangirl1]

Don't forget, Miami played a younger Vikings team than Pitt & Oak did...Eller, Marshall, & Page were all approaching the twilight of their careers. Pitt struggled against Minn in SB IX & could have lost, while Miami had them 24-0 & the game out of reach. Many Dallas fans regard the '71 team as superior to the '77 boys...so it's debatable. Regardless of the personal distaste you have for Miami, you have to admit they were GREAT, not just "good".

[raiders1967]

Miami, Pittsburgh and the Oakland all had great teams in the 1970's. The AFC was the dominant conference in the 1970's.

[Ghidorah1986]

True, but I believe Dallas won the most games during the decade.

[MrJulius72]

@dolfangirl1 Pittsburgh played Minnesota a year after Miami did. I hardly think age had anything to do with it. But it is fun to speculate and the '70's were absolutely awesome. I don't know if any decade will ever produce as many legendary teams.

[brucedavis76]

hey u remember sieples play to i knew i wasnt dreaming alot of people cant recall it

[MrJulius72]

@a7b7c78 Pittsburgh couldn't play Miami and Oakland anyway. They could only play one and it turned out to be Oakland. I don't believe people are giving the Steelers enough credit with how good they really were. People are assuming that the Dolphins would defeat the Steelers had they played them in the AFC championship game. Pittsburgh won 4 titles in six seasons so I think they were pretty good.

[a7b7c78]

@MrJulius72: I agree with you. The Steelers would have won, especially because I know for a fact that the game would have been in Pittsburgh. It was the last year of the rotation, and I heard on this one football history board that I am on that the AFC Central was first up in the AFC Championship Game rotation that year.

Also, Noll would have given that "Best team is in this room" speech no matter who won that Miami-Oakland game, because the media was touting that game as the defacto SB.

[a7b7c78]

In reference to Swann, Harris, and Bleier leaving the Steelers, I admit that Harris would be tough to replace, but not Swann or Bleier. Frank Lewis would have filled in for Swann, and Preston Pearson or Frenchy Fuqua would have taken Bleier's place. By the end of the 70's, Sidney Thornton took Rocky's starting job, anyway.

[dolfangirl1]

Without Franco there goes the threat of

the run that defenses had to respect &

Bradshaw's passing game is nullified...

also adding to turnovers that put points up

for the opposition regardless of the Steel

Curtain's talent.

[natskivna]

I remember watching this game as a 10 year old Dolphins fanatic. It was my introduction to the heartache that sports can give you. A lesson that once learned only makes victory that much sweeter.

Only when you have experienced the lowest of valley's can you appreciate the beauty of the highest peak....

[PSantero]

Great comments...Being a die-hard Raider fan and hating the Steelers back than I can honestly say that my favorite player of all time, Kenny the snake Stabler, called and played a horrible game. Those 3 pics and his stubberness to continue to run killed us. We had Pitts in our own back yard and blew it. Bradshaw was so erratic back than and their secondary was being eaten alive by Branch, he should of caught 20 balls that day, HOF Mel Blunt was benched in the 2nd half...missed opportunity...

[ptcpaul]

nice to see that people can actually be nice when talking about the Raiders Steelers games, most of the time crap this crap that. I"m a huge Raider fan from 69 on up. I was in my early teens when the battle between raiders and Steelers was taking place. I was sick to my stomach on that Franco Harris fluke of a play and to this day refuse to watch it. Eveyone here I'm sure has memories of those games and I bet we can all agree win or lose they had epic battles to be enjoyed in our minds forever

[MrCentvrio]

There is a lot of speculation that the Steelers don't lose the 76 AFC title game had Bleir and Harris played. Nobody seems to remember that the Dolphins lost TWO starters in their secondary in the FIRST quarter of the "sea of hands" game:all-pro Jake Scott and cornerback Curtis Johnson. Stabler then goes on to throw for 4 TD's and over 300 yards. Coincidence? Leave those two in the mix and Miami doesn't lose a game that they controlled for most of the afternoon anyway

[invincibleironman3]

@MrCentvrio ...woulda , shoulda , coulda...if Dan Marino had a running game, or had a decent defense...et. all...It was Steelers, Dolphins AND Raiders (we had 16 straight winning seasons around that time) - All of the teams of the 70s were good. But, I digress. the Dolphins did go undefeated.

[bubbabubbabooba]

after Miami's run ended with the 1973 title, the 1970's Raiders and Steelers were the two best teams in the NFL for the next 3 years. And the Steelers and Raiders were EVENLY matched, and a flip of a coin or LUCK made the difference in who won when the two teams played....1972, the luckiest play in NFL history, "Immaculate reception" 1974 and 75, Steelers again get lucky wins with a tired Raider team in 74, and a frozen field in 75......1976, luck goes Raiders way with Bleir/ Harris injuries.

[Oaklandgirlpitlover1]

With all due respect to Pittsburgh and their fans, but its just wrong for them to downplay Oakland's 1976 AFC Championship game victory. Pointing out the injuries to Rocky Blier and Franco Harris. But Nobody seems to remember week 1 of that same year. In Oakland. Healthy Rocky Blier and Franco Harris. And Ken Stabler rescues the Raiders from defeat with 3 touchdown passes and a run( Bad knees and all). Raiders 31 - Steelers 28. Look it up.

[rodblackwood]

Excellent point,Oaklandgirl and i would like to add to that.What no one seems to mention(or maybe no one remembers)in the second game of the 1977 season,the Raiders traveled TO Pittsburgh for a rematch of the 1976 AFC title game,and Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier BOTH STARTED AND PLAYED IN THE GAME.We jumped out to a 16-0 lead,and then cruised to a 16-7 win that wasnt nearly as close as the score indicates.Anyone putting down the Raiders 76 AFC title game win needs to to consider that.

[brucedavis76]

Did you know that john madden considers that game hus most satisfying victory because it showed 76 wasnt a fluke

[MrJulius72]

@bubbabubbabooba Just assuming that Oakland was tired in '74 is a bit of a stretch. I don't buy that argument. I think it's time we start giving champions credit and stop saying ifs ands or butts.

[bubbabubbabooba]

@MrJulius72 well I still think it's a legitment argument regarding the 74 title game. It's a common thing for teams to have emotional letdowns following tough wins like the Sea of Hands game was.

[MrJulius72]

@bubbabubbabooba Well, by that logic, you could make an argument for the Steelers having an emotional letdown against Miami the week after the Immaculate Reception game. Although, I suspect that most people on this board would say that Miami was the better team and they won based on merit.

[unclesox]

I was 8 years old at the time. My father had taken me to my first Raider game that year (lost to Denver 20-17) but he wouldn't take me to this Dolphin game because he wanted to impress a client instead. But he took me to many more games during the rest of that decade including the '76 AFC title game. Dad died in '79 but the memories of witnessing those great Raider (and A's!) teams of the 70s with him are things that I'll always cherish. It took his death for me to realize how lucky a kid I was.

[stallion4ever72]

@unclesox ..just read your post about you and your dad.i lost my dad at an early age too.i remember my first a's game he took me and my friends to,during the billyball era,great times &memories...and just like you it took his death to realize how lucky a kid i was!!!!

[gerLd]

@unclesox pass it on to your kids. raiders are raiders for generations

[gerLd]

@unclesox RIP

[UtoobIsNWO]

"freaky"

[plntntvzn]

But those were all regular season games (mirages),not playoff (money-on-the-table)games.Grea­t teams are not always great,they are just great when they have to be. In that '74 title game,Steelers outrushed Oakland 200-29. I am actually a Northern Cal sports fan (really tough times past few years),but I am 1st an NFL fan. Now in '76,it was wrong for people to point to injuries to Blier and Harris as to why Raiders won 24-7,for in '75 Biletnikoff was out.But take nothing away from Steelers of 70s

[jeffee50]

As a Steeler fan, I wished Franco and Rocky would have played. We will never know who would have won that game if they played, but the game would have much closer. It would have been a terrific game to watch.

[plntntvzn]

But the Steelers defensive line was better than these two D lines put together. As much as this game took out of the Raiders,the Raiders led the next week against the Steelers after three quarters. Regardless of all the voters' opinion,there is no such thing as a football better than the Steelers of the 1970s. they could beat you so many ways.They could win the low scoring defensive slugfeat games just like they could win the high scoring shootouts.

[dolfangirl1]

The Steelers had'nt reached their peak in

1974 & the greatest thing about the Steelers WAS their defensive line. Remember, the Steelers beat Oakland

on two 4th qt td passes, thanks in part to

CB Willie Brown's absence. In 1975 Pitt

narrowly defeated Oak & with the aid of

frozen sidelines.

[neneshubby]

You know, its really kind of a myth that the Raiders couldn't beat the Steelers of the 70's. They actually played pretty evenly. Steelers beat Raiders in 72 playoffs on the fluke "immaculate reception" Raiders knock out Steelers in 73, Steelers win in 74,75, Raiders win in 76 although Steelers didn't have Blier & Harris. Regular season games about even also. But don't get me wrong Steelers definitely were the team of the 70's. Mainly because of that great defense

[Oaklandgirlpitlover1]

If there was one team Pittsburgh respected back in the 1970's. That was the Oakland Raiders. And if there was one quarterback they truly dreaded. Was Ken Stabler. God knows I miss the Stabler era. Pittsburgh played Oakland in week 1 of 1976. And the Oakland Raiders were not 100%. They were long on injuries, short on excuses, and came back from a 28-14 deficit to win 31-28. Thanks in large part to an incredible second half performance by Ken "SNAKE" Stabler.

[dolfangirl1]

O.J. Simpson rushed for 227 yds against

that Steeler D in week 2 of 1975. The Bills

scored 23 consecutive points & won 30-

21. Yeah, the Steel-Curtain was vulnerable to the run & Earl Campbell

proved it, as did Forman of the Vikings in

a 1976 win.

[neneshubby]

No one is downplaying what the Steelers did in the 70's. I'm just saying that this game took a lot out of the Raiders. Maybe the Steelers beat the Raiders the next week regardless. I'm just saying it was a factor. Everyone felt Miami was the team to beat because they were 2 time defending champs. Nobody knew at the time that Pittsburgh would go on to be a dynasty.

[neneshubby]

The main reason the Steelers beat the Raiders in 74 & 75 is because they couldn't run on Pittsburgh. Nobody could at this time. The main reason the Raiders won in 76 is because they ran on the Pittsburgh for 157 yards, I still remember it like yesterday. The 70's is still my favorite era of football.

[dolfangirl1]

2 best teams of 1974 right there. The

Steelers were 3rd seed in AFC & got a

1st seed game by playing Buffalo in round

1.

[neneshubby]

I was a kid living in Oakland at the time of this game and the buildup during the week was incredible. The Raiders lost the next week to the Steelers partly because the Steelers were a great team and partly because the Raiders spent themselves in this game.

[neneshubby]

I was living in Oakland at the time of this game and the buildup that week was probably the most there had ever been for a Raiders game. The Raiders lost to the Steelers the next week mostly because they couldn't get reach the same intensity the next week as well as a great Steelers team.

[tapias0117]

wats the world football league?? never heard of it

[neneshubby]

It was a football league that started in 1974 and went out of business after the 75 season. I still remember that Sports Illustrated cover. Kenny Stabler, the guy that through the 'sea of hands' pass also signed with the WFL but the league folded before he could play.

[tapias0117]

oh thanks

[Sphinn]

Seriously a great, epic game.

[andross51]

I am a chargers fan but i give props for oakland beating miami in of the most historic games ever played in the NFL.

[4736dmr]

@andross51 i thought the chargers win over dolphins in 81 when winslow was carried off the field was the best

[FOULK54]

one of the greatest games ever played