Super Bowl XV

AFC:  Oakland Raiders

NFC:  Philadelphia Eagles

Date:  January 25, 1981

 

Scoring:

Team                1          2          3          4          Final

OAK               14        0          10        3            27

PHI                  0          3          0          7            10

 

AFC playmakers:

WR Cliff Branch, RB Kenny King

 

NFC playmakers:

TE Keith Krepfle

 

Network:  NBC (KMJ Fresno)

Announcers:  Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen

 

Pregame:  Yes – Disc 1

Halftime:  Yes – including coverage of the return of the hostages from Iran

Postgame:  Yes

Commercials:  Yes

 

Grade:  8

 

Notes:  Jim Plunkett passed for three touchdowns, including an 80-yard strike to Kenny King, as the Raiders became the first wild-card team to win the Super Bowl.

 

Plunkett's touchdown bomb to King – the longest play in Super Bowl history – gave Oakland a decisive 14-0 lead with nine seconds left in the first period.

 

Linebacker Rod Martin had set up Oakland's first touchdown, a 2-yard reception by Cliff Branch, with a 17-yard interception return to the Eagles' 30-yard line. The Eagles never recovered from that early deficit, managing only Tony Franklin's field goal (30 yards) and an 8-yard touchdown pass from Ron Jaworski to Keith Krepfle.

 

Plunkett, who became a starter in the sixth game of the season, completed 13 of 21 for 261 yards and was named the game's most valuable player.

 

Oakland won 9 of 11 games with Plunkett starting, but that was good enough only for second place in the AFC West, although they tied division winner San Diego with an 11-5 record.

 

The Raiders, who had previously won Super Bowl XI over Minnesota, had to win three playoff games to get to the championship game. Oakland defeated Houston 27-7 at home followed by road victories over Cleveland (14-12) and San Diego (34-27).

 

Oakland's Mark van Eeghen was the game's leading rusher with 75 yards on 18 carries. Philadelphia's Wilbert Montgomery led all receivers with six receptions for 91 yards. Branch had five for 67 and Harold Carmichael of Philadelphia five for 83.

 

Martin finished the game with 3 interceptions, a Super Bowl record.

 

Watch for John Goodman selling the Gillette Swivel razor.

 

Thanks John!

 

Running time:  5:26  (4 discs)