Visitor:  Oakland Raiders

Home:  Denver Broncos

Date:  January 1, 1978

AFC Championship

 

Scoring:

Team                1          2          3          4          Final

OAK               3          0          0          14          17

DEN                7          0          7          6            20

 

Visitor playmakers:

TE Dave Casper

 

Home playmakers:

Haven Moses, RB Jon Keyworth,

 

Network: 

Announcers: 

 

Pregame: 

Halftime: 

Postgame: 

Commercials: 

 

Grade: 

 

Notes:  Denver quarterback Craig Morton threw two touchdown passes to Haven Moses as the Broncos defeated the defending NFL Champion Oakland Raiders 20-17 and moved into their first Super Bowl. Morton, who was drafted and spent nine-and-a-half years with the Cowboys, would face his former Dallas teammates after completing 10 of 20 passes for 224 yards. It would be the second meeting in five weeks for the two teams – Dallas won 14-6 in the regular season finale as Morton played only the opening series due to a bruised hip.

 

On a sunny, 18-degree day before 74,982 Denver partisans, the Raiders scored on their initial possession as Errol Mann kicked a 20-yard field goal to climax an 18-play drive. Morton hit Moses on their first scoring hookup two plays later on a 74-yard touchdown bomb, and the Broncos were on top to stay.

 

Denver took advantage of two Oakland turnovers in the second half to win its second game in three meetings with the Raiders during the 1977 season. Defensive end Brison Manor recovered running back Clarence Davis’ fumble at the Oakland 17 and running back Jon Keyworth scored from the 1 yard line to increase the margin to 14-3 in the third quarter.

 

Oakland quarterback Ken Stabler hit tight end Dave Casper on the first of two scoring passes to narrow the lead to 14-10 with 39 seconds elapsed in the final period. But on Oakland’s next possession, linebacker Bob Swenson intercepted a Stabler pass and ran to the Raiders’ 14. Morton then threw 12 yards to Moses for the Broncos’ final touchdown.

 

Oakland finished the scoring on the next series as Stabler threw 17 yards to Casper for the game’s last touchdown. Denver controlled the ball for the final 3:08 and gave Red Miller the AFC title in his first year as a head coach.

 

Moses, a 10-year veteran, had five receptions for 168 yards. The Denver defense, which was number one against the rush in the NFL during the regular season, held the Raiders to 94 yards on the ground.

 

Thanks Dan!

 

Running time:  2:22 (2 discs)