The 1976 Oakland Raiders may not only be the best team in franchise history, but they are one of the best teams in the history of the NFL.
The Raiders, in 1976, were coached by future Hall of Fame head coach and video game inspiration John Madden, then in his eighth season in charge of the Oakland franchise. The former AFL team, in the seventh year of the post-merger NFL, wound up having their best season in franchise history along with the best record in the league, finishing 13-1, winning the AFC West (along with going 7-0 against division foes), and winning the organization's first Super Bowl.
Backing up a bit, the 1976 Raiders were by no means an underdog story; Oakland, by then, was already a powerhouse team with multiple playoff berths before that season (just not the same postseason success as other franchises yet). When Madden took control of the franchise as head coach in 1969, the Raiders reached the conference title game in two straight years, before missing the playoffs in 1971, and then making the playoffs the next four years, three of which were consecutive conference championship losses in a row before 1976 (twice against the Pittsburgh Steelers).
These Raiders were good and more than hungry—even starving for a chance at the Super Bowl. Oakland at the time was led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Ken Stabler, a six-year veteran under center entering the season who would go on to earn his third Pro-Bowl selection in 1976. In the backfield, fullback Mark van Eeghen led the team in rushing yards, just over 1,000, and running back Clarence Davis chipped in more than 500 yards on the ground, too. Wide receivers were led by stars Cliff Brand and Dave Casper.
The defense was more than good, too (you had to be good to only lose once all season). The Raiders gave up 10 or fewer points five times in the then-14-game regular season. The defense was led by cornerbacks Skip Thomas and Willie Brown, linebackers Ted Hendricks and Monte Johnson, and defensive linemen Otis Sistrunk and Dave Rowe.
As good as the 1976 Raiders were, they started out the season with three straight wins decided by a combined seven points—all three were three points or less when beating AFC opponents Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Houston Oilers in Weeks 1-3.
In Week 4, the Raiders suffered their first (and only) loss of the season and playoffs, losing 48-17 on the road against the New England Patriots. The Patriots stuffed Oakland's running game, allowing just 59 rushing yards to Davis and van Eeghen. Stabler threw a touchdown and interception, too (136 of his 225 passing yards went to Casper alone). Meanwhile, New England quarterback Steve Grogan tossed three touchdowns.
The rest of the regular season went relatively smooth for Madden and Co., however. The Raiders would have a scare in Chicago against the Bears, eking out a one-point comeback win in the Windy City from a Brand 49-yard fourth-quarter touchdown reception after the Raiders' D gave up 20 third-quarter points to the Bears.
Nevertheless, the Raiders headed into the 1976-77 playoffs as the top seed in the AFC and defeated the pesky Patriots in the first round of the postseason, this time at home at Oakland Stadium, by a three-point margin (van Eeghen and Stabler both secured rushing touchdowns in the final quarter to seal the come-from-behind win).
In the AFC Championship Game, the Raiders faced the Steelers—once again—but this time grabbing the advantage with a 24-7 victory. Finally, Oakland was in the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl XI at the Rose Bowl: the Raiders faced Coach Bud Grant's Minnesota Vikings, a team, like Oakland, that has very closely touched greatness in the then short-lived big game's existence. The Vikings lost three of the first nine Super Bowl games until that moment. And they lost a fourth in a season they went 11-2-1.
After a scoreless first quarter, Oakland blew Minnesota out of the water in Pasadena, scoring 16 second-quarter points. Entering the fourth quarter, Oakland led 19-7. Running back Pete Banaszak, the short-distance power back, rushed for two touchdowns for Oakland. The first title in Raiders history was secured with a 75-yard pick-six from Brown in the final quarter.
Fred Biletnikoff won Super Bowl MVP honors and was instrumental in setting up several scoring drives.
That would be the first title in Raiders history but not the last; the franchise won two Super Bowls in the 1980s. The first one, however, may have been the sweetest, and it was definitely the best Raiders team.
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