NFL playoffs, 1976-77

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The NFL playoffs following the 1976 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XI.

Playoff seeds
Seed AFC NFC
1 Oakland Raiders (West winner) Minnesota Vikings (Central winner)
2 Baltimore Colts (East winner) Dallas Cowboys (East winner)
3 Pittsburgh Steelers (Central winner) Los Angeles Rams (West winner)
4 New England Patriots Washington Redskins

Contents

[edit] Divisional playoffs

[edit] December 18, 1976

[edit] AFC: Oakland Raiders 24, New England Patriots 21

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 7 0 14 0 21
Raiders 3 7 0 14 24

at Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California

A controversial roughing the passer call set up Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler's winning touchdown with 10 seconds left in the game. The Patriots scored first after an 86-yard drive was capped by running back Andy Johnson's 1-yard touchdown run. However, Oakland scored 10 straight points, including a 31-yard touchdown reception to wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff with 39 seconds left in the first half. The Patriots then scored two touchdowns of their own in the third period to regain the lead, 21-10. In the fourth quarter, the Raiders marched 70 yards to score on a 1-yard touchdown run by Mark van Eeghen to pull it to 21-17. Late in the final period, a roughing the passer penalty on Patriots tackle Ray "Sugar Bear" Hamilton nullified a third down incompletion and gave the Raiders an automatic first down deep in New England territory. Replays would later clearly show that there was no illegal contact, but the call setup Stabler's game-winning touchdown. Biletnikoff finished the game with 9 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown.

  • Scoring
    • NE - Johnson 1 run (Smith kick)
    • OAK - FG Mann 40
    • OAK - Biletnikoff 31 pass from Stabler (Mann kick)
    • NE - Francis 26 pass from Grogan (Smith kick)
    • NE - Phillips 3 run (Smith kick)
    • OAK - Van Eeghen 1 run (Mann kick)
    • OAK - Stabler 1 run (Mann kick)

[edit] NFC: Minnesota Vikings 35, Washington Redskins 20

1 2 3 4 Total
Redskins 3 0 3 14 20
Vikings 14 7 14 0 35

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

The Vikings jumped to a 35-6 lead by the end of the third quarter, led by running backs Chuck Foreman and Brent McClanahan who each rushed for more than 100 yards. McClanahan's 41-yard run on Minnesota's first play of the game set up quarterback Fran Tarkenton's 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Stu Voigt. Then after Washington kicked a field goal, Tarkenton threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Sammy White, who managed to catch it after it was tipped in the air. Foreman added two rushing touchdowns and White caught a second touchdown pass. By the time Redskins quarterback Billy Kilmer completed two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, the game was already out of reach.

  • Scoring
    • MIN - Voigt 18 pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick)
    • WAS - FG Moseley 47
    • MIN - White 27 pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick)
    • MIN - Foreman 2 run (Cox kick)
    • MIN - Foreman 30 run (Cox kick)
    • WAS - FG Moseley 35
    • MIN - White 9 pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick)
    • WAS - Grant 12 pass from Kilmer (Moseley kick)
    • WAS - Jefferson 3 pass from Kilmer (Moseley kick)

[edit] December 19, 1976

[edit] AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 40, Baltimore Colts 14

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 9 17 0 14 40
Colts 7 0 0 7 14

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

The Steelers dominated the Colts with 526 yards of total offense, while limiting Baltimore to only 170. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw completed 14 of 18 passes for 267 yards three touchdowns, including a 76-yard one to Frank Lewis on the third play of the game. Steelers running back Franco Harris racked up 132 rushing yards on just 18 carries, and caught 3 passes for 24 yards. The Colts scored late in the first period with Bert Jones' 17-yard touchdown pass, but the Steelers then scored 24 unanswered points. Bradshaw threw 29 and 11-yard touchdowns to wide receiver Lynn Swann, while running back Reggie Harrison had two rushing scores.

  • Scoring
    • PIT - Lewis 76 pass from Bradshaw (kick failed)
    • PIT - FG Gerela 45
    • BAL - Carr 17 pass from Jones (Linhart kick)
    • PIT - Harrison 1 run (Gerela kick)
    • PIT - Swann 29 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)
    • PIT - FG Gerela 25
    • PIT - Swann 11 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)
    • BAL - Leaks 1 run (Linhart kick)
    • PIT - Harrison 9 run (Mansfield kick)

[edit] NFC: Los Angeles Rams 14, Dallas Cowboys 12

1 2 3 4 Total
Rams 0 7 0 7 14
Cowboys 3 7 0 2 12

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

The Rams overcame two blocked punts by the Cowboys to come away with a 14-12 win. Dallas opened the scoring with a 44-yard field goal, but Los Angeles responded with quarterback Pat Haden's 4-yard touchdown run. Late in the first half, Charlie Waters blocked a punt to set up running back Scott Laidlaw's 1-yard touchdown to give the Cowboys a 10-7 lead. Early in the final period, Rams kicker Tom Dempsey made what would have been a game-tying field goal, but Cliff Harris was called for a running into the kicker penalty on the play, giving Los Angeles a first down. A few plays later, Lawrence McCutcheon ran for a one yard touchdown to give the Rams the lead, 14-10. With 1:59 remaining in the game, Waters blocked another punt and the Cowboys recovered the ball at the Los Angeles 17-yard line. On first down, Butch Johnson's first down reception was ruled incomplete because he could only get one foot down in bounds in the end zone. Dallas eventually was unable to convert on fourth down, and the Rams took an intentional safety as time ran out.

  • Scoring
    • DAL - FG Herrera 44
    • LA - Haden 4 run (Dempsey kick)
    • DAL - Laidlaw 1 run (Herrera kick)
    • LA - McCutcheon 1 run (Herrera kick)
    • DAL - Safety, Jackson ran out of end zone

[edit] Conference Championships

[edit] December 26, 1976

[edit] AFC: Oakland Raiders 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 7

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 7 0 0 7
Raiders 3 14 7 0 24

at Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California

With Steelers running backs Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier out of the game with injuries, the Raiders easily shut down Pittsburgh's offense. Oakland jumped to a 10-0 lead with Errol Mann's 39-yard field goal and running back Clarence Davis' 1-yard touchdown run. The Steelers responded with running back Reggie Harrison's 3-yard rushing touchdown. With 19 seconds left in the first half, the Raiders faced first down at the Pittsburgh 4-yard line. Oakland lined up three tight ends as if they were to run the ball, but quarterback Ken Stabler threw a play action pass to Warren Bankston for a touchdown to give the Raiders a 17-7 lead at halftime. Oakland controlled the entire second half, including a 12-play, 63-yard scoring drive that ended with Stabler's second touchdown pass.

  • Scoring
    • OAK - FG Mann 39
    • OAK - Davis 1 run (Mann kick)
    • PIT - Harrison 3 run (Mansfield kick)
    • OAK - Bankston 4 pass from Stabler (Mann kick)
    • OAK - Banaszak 5 pass from Stabler (Mann kick)

[edit] NFC: Minnesota Vikings 24, Los Angeles Rams 13

1 2 3 4 Total
Rams 0 0 13 0 13
Vikings 7 3 7 7 24

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

The Vikings forced a blocked field goal, a blocked punt, and two interceptions en route to the victory over the Rams. On offense, running back Chuck Foreman rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries while also catching 5 passes for 81 yards. In the first quarter, Nate Allen blocked a field goal and Bobby Bryant picked up the ball and returned it 90 yards for a Minnesota touchdown. Then in the second quarter, linebacker Matt Blair recovered a blocked punt to set up Fred Cox's 25-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 10-0 lead before halftime. Then in the third period, Foreman rushed 62 yards to the Los Angeles 2-yard line, and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run two plays later to increase the lead 17-0. However, the Rams scored two touchdowns with a 10-yard run by Lawrence McCutcheon (the extra point failed) and a 5-yard reception by Harold Jackson. With 2:40 left in the game, Los Angeles advanced to the Minnesota 39-yard line. But quarterback Pat Haden's pass was intercepted by Bryant, and a few plays later Viking quarterback Fran Tarkenton's dumpoff pass to Foreman turned into a 57-yard gain. Backup running back Sammy Johnson scored the clinching touchdown from 12 yards out.

  • Scoring
    • MIN - Bryant 90 blocked field goal return (Cox kick)
    • MIN - FG Cox 25
    • MIN - Foreman 2 run (Cox kick)
    • LA - McCutcheon 10 run (kick failed)
    • LA - Jackson 5 pass from Haden (Dempsey kick)
    • MIN - Johnson 12 run (Cox kick)

[edit] Super Bowl

Further information: Super Bowl XI

Oakland Raiders (AFC) 32, Minnesota Vikings (NFC) 14, at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

[edit] Bracket

  Divisional Playoffs Conf. Championships Super Bowl XI
                           
  3  Steelers 40  
2  Colts 14  
  3  Steelers 7  
AFC
  1  Raiders 24  
4  Patriots 21
  1  Raiders 24  
    A1  Raiders 32
  N1  Vikings 14
  3  Rams 14  
2  Cowboys 12  
  3  Rams 13
NFC
  1  Vikings 24  
4  Redskins 20
  1  Vikings 35  

[edit] References

Preceded by:
NFL playoffs, 1975-76		 NFL playoffs
1976-77		 Succeeded by:
NFL playoffs, 1977-78
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