1968 Oakland Raiders season
1968 Oakland Raiders season | |
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Head coach | John Rauch |
Owner | F. Wayne Valley |
Home field | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum |
Results | |
Record | 12–2 |
Division place | 1st AFL Western |
Playoff finish | Lost AFL Championship (Jets) 23–27 |
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. They were led by third-year coach John Rauch.
The season would feature a growing rivalry between the Raiders and the New York Jets (the latter led by superstar quarterback Joe Namath). The two teams would meet twice in 1968. The first meeting, a regular-season contest, saw the Raiders complete a stunning fourth-quarter comeback over the Jets. The contest, known today as the Heidi Game, remains one of the most famous in AFL/NFL history. The two teams would also meet in the 1968 AFL Championship Game; Namath's Jets would emerge victorious in a 27–23 upset. The Jets would ultimately 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 players would eventually win a championship with the Raiders in 1976. Additionally, Shell in 1989, and Stabler in 2016, were both inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Roster
1968 Oakland Raiders roster | |||||||||
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Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
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Reserve lists
{{{reserve_lists}}}
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Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
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1 | September 15, 1968 | at Buffalo Bills | W 48–6 | |
2 | September 21, 1968 | at Miami Dolphins | W 47–21 | |
3 | September 29, 1968 | at Houston Oilers | W 24–15 | |
4 | October 6, 1968 | Boston Patriots | W 41–10 | |
5 | October 13, 1968 | San Diego Chargers | L 23–14 | |
6 | October 20, 1968 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 24–10 | |
7 | October 27, 1968 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 31–10 | |
8 | November 3, 1968 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 38–21 | |
9 | November 10, 1968 | at Denver Broncos | W 43–7 | |
10 | November 17, 1968 | New York Jets | W 43–32 | |
11 | November 24, 1968 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 34–0 | |
12 | November 28, 1968 | Buffalo Bills | W 13–10 | |
13 | December 8, 1968 | Denver Broncos | W 33–27 | |
14 | December 15, 1968 | at San Diego Chargers | W 34–27 |
Postseason
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
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Playoff | December 22, 1968 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 41–6 | |
AFL Championship | December 29, 1968 | at New York Jets | L 27–23 |
Standings
AFL Western Division | |||||||||
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W | L | T | PCT | DIV | PF | PA | STK | ||
Oakland Raiders | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 6–2 | 453 | 233 | W8 | |
Kansas City Chiefs | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 7–1 | 371 | 170 | W5 | |
San Diego Chargers | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 5–3 | 382 | 310 | L2 | |
Denver Broncos | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 1–7 | 275 | 404 | L3 | |
Cincinnati Bengals | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 1–7 | 215 | 329 | L3 |
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Game summaries
Week 10
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"The Heidi Game"
Week 12
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Thanksgiving Day
Staff
HC: John Rauch
Ast: John Polonchek (RB), Ollie Spencer (OL), Tom Dahms (DL), John Madden (LB), Charlie Sumner (DB), Marv Marinovich (Str)
References
- ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com
- ↑ "Raiders coaches – Silver and Black Report". Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved December 21, 2010.