1968 Oakland Raiders season
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The 1968 Oakland Raiders season was the team's ninth season in both Oakland and the American Football League. It saw the team try to improve upon its 13–1 record from 1967. They ultimately finished one game short of matching that year's result; their 12–2 finish still ensured that they would lead the league in wins for a second consecutive year. Led by third-year head coach John Rauch, they tied with Kansas City for the division title, which was settled by an unscheduled tiebreaker playoff, won 41–6 by the Raiders in Oakland.
The season featured a growing rivalry between the Raiders and the New York Jets, led by fourth-year superstar quarterback Joe Namath. The teams met twice in 1968: the first was on November 17 in Oakland, which saw the Raiders complete a stunning fourth-quarter comeback over the Jets, scoring two touchdowns in nine seconds. Known today as the Heidi Game, it remains one of the most famous in AFL/NFL history. They paired up six weeks later in the AFL Championship Game in New York, where Namath's Jets emerged victorious in a 27–23 upset on December 29. Two weeks later, the Jets upset the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.
The 1968 season is also notable for a few changes to the team including the additions of George Atkinson, Art Shell, and Ken Stabler. All three won a championship with the Raiders eight years later in Super Bowl XI. Additionally, Shell in 1989, and Stabler in 2016, were both inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Offseason
NFL Draft
Roster
Schedule
Week
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
Result
|
Record
|
Venue
|
Attendance
|
Recap
|
1
|
Bye
|
2
|
September 15
|
at Buffalo Bills
|
W 48–6
|
1–0
|
War Memorial Stadium
|
43,057
|
Recap
|
3
|
September 21
|
at Miami Dolphins
|
W 47–21
|
2–0
|
Miami Orange Bowl
|
30,021
|
Recap
|
4
|
September 29
|
at Houston Oilers
|
W 24–15
|
3–0
|
Houston Astrodome
|
46,098
|
Recap
|
5
|
October 6
|
Boston Patriots
|
W 41–10
|
4–0
|
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
|
44,253
|
Recap
|
6
|
October 13
|
San Diego Chargers
|
L 14–23
|
4–1
|
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
|
53,257
|
Recap
|
7
|
October 20
|
at Kansas City Chiefs
|
L 10–24
|
4–2
|
Municipal Stadium
|
50,015
|
Recap
|
8
|
October 27
|
Cincinnati Bengals
|
W 31–10
|
5–2
|
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
|
37,083
|
Recap
|
9
|
November 3
|
Kansas City Chiefs
|
W 38–21
|
6–2
|
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
|
53,357
|
Recap
|
10
|
November 10
|
at Denver Broncos
|
W 43–7
|
7–2
|
Mile High Stadium
|
50,002
|
Recap
|
11
|
November 17
|
New York Jets
|
W 43–32
|
8–2
|
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
|
53,118
|
Recap
|
12
|
November 24
|
at Cincinnati Bengals
|
W 34–0
|
9–2
|
Nippert Stadium
|
27,116
|
Recap
|
13
|
November 28
|
Buffalo Bills
|
W 13–10
|
10–2
|
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
|
39,883
|
Recap
|
14
|
December 8
|
Denver Broncos
|
W 33–27
|
11–2
|
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
|
47,754
|
Recap
|
15
|
December 15
|
at San Diego Chargers
|
W 34–27
|
12–2
|
San Diego Stadium
|
40,698
|
Recap
|
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
|
- Saturday night (September 21), Thursday (November 28: Thanksgiving)
Postseason
Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings in the AFL.
Game summaries
Week 11 vs. Jets
Scoring summary
|
Quarter
|
Time
|
Drive
|
Team
|
Scoring information
|
Score
|
Plays
|
Yards
|
TOP
|
NYJ
|
OAK
|
1
|
7:42
|
|
|
|
Jets
|
44-yard field goal by Turner
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
5:23
|
|
|
|
Jets
|
18-yard field goal by Turner
|
6
|
0
|
1
|
2:32
|
|
|
|
Raiders
|
Wells 9-yard touchdown reception from Lamonica, Blanda kick good
|
6
|
7
|
2
|
13:34
|
|
|
|
Raiders
|
Cannon 48-yard touchdown reception from Lamonica, Blanda kick good
|
6
|
14
|
2
|
0:05
|
|
|
|
Jets
|
Namath 1-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed
|
12
|
14
|
3
|
9:59
|
|
|
|
Jets
|
Mathis 4-yard touchdown run, Turner kick good
|
19
|
14
|
3
|
1:46
|
|
|
|
Raiders
|
Smith 3-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good
|
19
|
22
|
4
|
14:15
|
|
|
|
Jets
|
Maynard 50-yard touchdown reception from Namath, Turner kick good
|
26
|
22
|
4
|
8:49
|
|
|
|
Jets
|
12-yard field goal by Turner
|
29
|
22
|
4
|
3:10
|
|
|
|
Raiders
|
Biletnikoff 22-yard touchdown reception from Lamonica, Blanda kick good
|
29
|
29
|
4
|
1:05
|
|
|
|
Jets
|
26-yard field goal by Turner
|
32
|
29
|
4
|
0:42
|
|
|
|
Raiders
|
Smith 43-yard touchdown reception from Lamonica, Blanda kick good
|
32
|
36
|
4
|
0:33
|
|
|
|
Raiders
|
Fumble recovery returned 2 yards for touchdown by Ridlehuber, Blanda kick good
|
32
|
43
|
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.
|
32
|
43
|
|
Week 12 vs. Bills
Scoring summary
|
Quarter
|
Time
|
Drive
|
Team
|
Scoring information
|
Score
|
Plays
|
Yards
|
TOP
|
BUF
|
OAK
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
Raiders
|
39-yard field goal by Blanda
|
0
|
3
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
Bills
|
26-yard field goal by Alford
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
Raiders
|
33-yard field goal by Blanda
|
3
|
6
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
Raiders
|
Interception returned 33 yards for touchdown by Atkinson, Blanda kick good
|
3
|
13
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
Bills
|
Anderson 5-yard touchdown run, Alford kick good
|
10
|
13
|
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.
|
10
|
13
|
|
Staff
Head coach: John Rauch
Assistants: John Polonchek (RB), Ollie Spencer (OL), Tom Dahms (DL), John Madden (LB), Charlie Sumner (DB), Marv Marinovich (Str)
Source:
References
- ^ "Bird's big theft propels Oakland". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 16, 1968. p. 18.
- ^ "Chiefs resume practice". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 16, 1968. p. 19.
- ^ "Collier, Ewbank throw bouquets at Colts, Raiders". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 23, 1968. p. 14.
- ^ "Raiders stun Jets with nine-second blitz". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 18, 1968. p. 3B.
- ^ "Heidi upstages pro football". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 18, 1968. p. 3B.
- ^ Chass, Murray (December 30, 1968). "Super Bowl stage set as Baltimore, New York win: Weeb captures 3rd grid title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 3B.
- ^ "Raiders coaches – Silver and Black Report". Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
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Wild card berths (6) |
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Division championships (15) |
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Conference championships (4) |
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League championships (4) |
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Current league affiliations |
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Former league affiliation |
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