1976 Oakland Raiders season


The 1976 Oakland Raiders season was the team's 17th season, and 7th in the National Football League.
After having appeared in the three previous AFC Championship Games – and having lost all three—the 1976 Raiders finally won the conference championship, and went on to win their first Super Bowl.
After posting a 13–1 regular season record and winning their sixth AFC West championship in seven seasons, and their fifth consecutive one, the Raiders won against both the [1976 1976 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots season|New England Patriots] and [1976 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers] to achieve the team's second Super Bowl berth. Then, on January 9, 1977, at the Rose Bowl, the Raiders won Super Bowl XI by rolling over the [1976 1976 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings] 32–14. With this victory, the Raiders achieved a overall record. They were the best team in the NFL in 1976.
In 2012, the 1976 Oakland Raiders were named the greatest team of all time by NFL.com's "Bracketology"; a 15-day, six-round fan vote tournament that featured the 64 greatest teams from the Super Bowl era. Oakland beat the 2000 Baltimore Ravens in the final round by a.8% margin. The NFL on its 100th anniversary named the 1976 Raiders #8 on the 100 greatest teams of all time.

Offseason

RoundOverallPlayerPositionCollege
234Charles PhilyawDETexas Southern
250Jeb BlountQBTulsa
384Rik BonnessLBNebraska
4110Herb McMathDEMorningside
5146Fred SteinfortKBoston College
7204Clarence ChapmanWREastern Michigan
8220Jerome DoveDBColorado State
8231Terry KunzHBColorado
10286Dwight LewisDBPurdue
11313Rick JenningsHBMaryland
12343Cedric BrownSKent State
13367Craig CrnickDEIdaho
13370Mark YoungGWashington State
14397Calvin YoungHBFresno State
15427Carl HargraveDBUpper Iowa
16454Doug HoganDBSouthern California
17478Buddy TateDBTulsa
17481Nate BeasleyHBDelaware

Season summary

The Road to their first World Championship began on opening day, as they hosted the two-time reigning world champion [1976 Pittsburgh 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]. Oakland trailed 28–14 with just over five minutes to play, yet orchestrated what many to this day refer to as their Comeback Classic of. They won 31–28 on a 21-yard Fred Steinfort field goal with 18 seconds left.
What followed was a mammoth five-game road trip, featuring wins over each of the Raiders' three divisional foes. It also included Oakland's lone loss on the year, a 48–17 shocker at [1976 1976 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots season|New England]. However, this would just be a preview of things to come between the Raiders and the Patriots.
Oakland's first six wins were by a total of 28 points. Coupled with the loss, the Raiders actually were outscored 151–148 despite a 6–1 record. But they became virtually unbeatable after the defeat. Upon returning home, they cruised to big victories, like a 49–16 stomping of the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and had nail biters like the 28–27 victory against a competitive Chicago Bear team at Soldier Field. They closed out the season with a 24–0 shutout of the [1976 1976 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers] in Oakland, and ended allowing only 16 points total to division foes Denver, Kansas City and San Diego at home.
The Raiders ended the 1976 season with 64.3% of their passes completed; Ken Stabler completed 66.7% of his passes. Fullback Mark van Eeghen passed the 1,000-yard mark at 1,012 yards. Tight end Dave Casper led the team in receptions with 53, while side receiver Cliff Branch led in reception yards, touchdowns, and yards per reception for receivers who caught more than one pass.

Regular season

Game notes

Week 1: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

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Week 2: at Kansas City Chiefs

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Week 3: at Houston Oilers

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Week 4: at New England Patriots

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Week 5: at San Diego Chargers

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Week 6: at Denver Broncos

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Week 7: vs. Green Bay Packers

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Week 8: vs. Denver Broncos

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Week 9 at Chicago Bears

Oakland escaped Chicago with a victory after a 31-yard field goal attempt by Bob Thomas with 15 seconds left got caught in a gust of wind and hit the upright.

Week 10: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

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Week 11: at Philadelphia Eagles

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Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Week 13: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

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With the Raiders' victory, the Steelers tied the Bengals for first in the AFC Central. Pittsburgh would win the division on a tiebreaker.

Week 14: vs. San Diego Chargers

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Playoffs

WeekDateOpponentResultVenueAttendance
DivisionalDecember 18New England PatriotsW 24–21Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 53,045
AFC ChampionshipDecember 26Pittsburgh SteelersW 24–7Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 53,739
Super Bowl XIJanuary 9, 1977Minnesota VikingsW 32–14Rose Bowl100,421

AFC Divisional: vs. New England Patriots

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Raiders win and go to the AFC Championship Game and win to the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-7. And win Super Bowl XI to the Minnesota Vikings 32-14.

AFC Championship: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

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Raiders win and go to Super Bowl XI where they faced the Minnesota Vikings and win 32-14.

Super Bowl XI: vs. Minnesota Vikings

Raiders win and in 1977 finished 12-2 and win in 2OT to the Baltimore Colts 37-31. But lost to the Super Bowl XII loser Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game 20-17.

Awards and honors