Silver and Black Report

Photo Credit: Darryl Bush (originally published in SF Chronicle)

January 19, 2003… the last time the Oakland Raiders participated in a conference championship game.

The Silver & Black advanced to the Super Bowl with a 41-24 home win versus the Tennessee Titans.

That was a daylong celebration for the Raider Nation. It began with the early tailgating, which then erupted onto a Network Coliseum parking lot concert featuring Metallica.

Yes, with Bob Rock on bass, Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich played Fuel, Master of Puppets, Sad, But True, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Seek & Destroy and Battery – as if the Raider faithful needed more adrenaline prior to the contest. (Yup, click on any of those songs to watch the performance on youTube)

League MVP Rich Gannon was 29-41 for 286-yards, three scores and no interceptions. His 2-yard scamper for a score early in the 4^th quarter ignited a crowd that was at a fever pitch all afternoon, but Zack Crockett’s 7-yard run with 3:25 remaining was the final nail in the Titans coffin.

“It’s amazing what you remember at funny times,” said Tim Brown after the game. “It’s just a great feeling to know that after watching this for 14-years, watching people play this game, to actually be on your way, it’s pushing a dream boat.”

Brown, 36 at the time, had nine catches for 73-yards.

Oakland only ran the ball 17-times that afternoon – a norm for that team, who were carried by an epic year-round performance from Gannon.

Tennessee ranked second in the league that year versus the run, but 25^th against the pass. Unfortunately for them, the Silver & Black were the leagues best passing club.

“Tennessee’s got a great defensive line, a good set of linebackers, but their defensive backs are kind of suspect,” stated starting left guard Frank Middleton. “We knew that going in. You have to take advantage of that.”

The attendance: 62,544. Not one person in that building will forget the on-field celebration, Bill Callahan hoisting the Lamar Hunt trophy and the melodic chants of “RAAAAAIDERS,” that rung loudly at the house of thrills.

Veterans like Brown and Gannon joined Bill Romanowski, Jerry Rice, Rod Woodson, Charlie Garner and Lincoln Kennedy on the field stage to celebrate their Super Bowl berth.

On that Sunday nine-years ago, Oakland felt right at home… as AFC champions.

GAME NOTES

• Anthony Dorsett, who played for the Titans on their 1999 Super Bowl team, recovered a fumble that eventually led to a score that gave the Raiders a 21-17 lead.
• The Titans fought hard that weekend. Steve McNair played a tough contest and with Joe Nedney declared out at halftime, it curtailed Jeff Fisher’s strategy throughout the game. A 50-yard field goal attempt was nixed, and when Craig Hentrich attempted a punt at a crucial spot in the contest, the Raiders special teams, featuring Crocket, Tim Johnson, Eric Johnson and Clarence Love tackled the punter at the Titans 16-yard line. A few plays later, Sebastian Janikowski booted a field goal to make it 27-17 with 4:29 left in the 3^rd quarter.
• Oakland ran only one running play over the first three quarters.
• “We were making a lot of dumb mistakes out there,” starting linebacker Eric Barton said. “Fortunately, we sucked it up and stopped it. That shows the character of this team.” The Raiders compiled 14 penalties for 127 yards, as they landed some vicious hits on McNair and battered the Eddie George, who ran the ball for 67-yards on 15-carries. “McNair played like a true warrior today,” said Callahan. “He had no quit in him, no die in him.”
• “We fought all year long,” Rice said after his 5-catches for 79-yards. “When we lost four straight games, this team stuck together and now we’re going to the Super Bowl.”
• Doug Jolley had 3-catches for 13-yards and a score. Jerry Porter had 4-receptions for 52-yards and a touchdown. Garner tallied 7-receptions for 55-yards and one touchdown.

Follow @cottovic

(Screen capture moments before the 'Tuck Rule' play)

ESPN posted a narrative from those involved on that fateful evening, when the Oakland Raiders and the New England Patriots played through a snowstorm on January 19, 2002.

The ‘tuck rule game’ brings back awful memories for fans of the Silver & Black and memorable moments for those that follow the Patriots.

The setting, quality of play and outcome was stunning. Through the snow, the wind and exasperating elements of playoff football, both teams engaged in what will forever be one of the greatest contests the league has ever seen.

That was ten-years ago today.

How time flies?

Tom Brady on that night was an excitable passer in his first playoff game. Now, he’s an all-time great figure and one of the most epic quarterbacks to ever step on a football field. That was one of the foundation wins for a Patriot organization that would go on to be a dynasty.

The Raiders with that devastating defeat in the snow were catapulted the following season to their last divisional crown, and an appearance in a Super Bowl.

Yes, Oakland had immediate success stemming from that loss, but the fortunes of both organizations have been vastly different a decade later.

New England is competing for a chance at their fourth world title with Brady this weekend, while Oakland is in search for their seventh head coach in that span.

It’s not fair to project and assume that Brady and co. would have never been a dynasty without that win. His greatness has shown to be unparalleled, while the team has been the model of consistency since.

It’s also not fair to assume that Oakland would have been able to beat Pittsburgh the following weekend after the tuck game and get in a run of their own.

The facts are, that loss still resonates and brings a lot of joy or pain depending in your rooting interest.

Ten years later, the tuck rule is now common football vernacular and every time a fumble is not a fumble, there’s a Raider fan that feels the pain from that January evening.

RECOLLECTIONS

“It was obvious,” then Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said. “I thought it was a fumble, but the officials thought otherwise.  You can never count on anything in the NFL. Say what you want, (Brady) made some great plays when he had to.”

He was right, Brady made the plays that needed to be made to win the game. For all the hurt that overturned fumble caused, the facts are, Oakland had a chance to win the game.

Late in the fourth quarter, Oakland had the ball with the 2:00 warning looming and a chance to ice the game. But on 2nd and short and 3rd and short, the Patriots defense stuffed Charlie Garner and then Zack Crockett, which forced Oakland to punt with time winding down.

A first down there, on those runs up the gut, behind their powerful offensive line, which they frequently picked up throughout the season, would have had Oakland killing the clock.

And even with the tuck rule coming into effect, it took an Adam Vinatieri 45-yard field goal with 27 seconds left, in dastardly conditions to force the game into overtime.

That conversion in my opinion is the greatest field goal in the league’s history.

After the game, all the talk was about the non-fumble. When asked about the play in the locker room, Brady said, “Uh… You know, he hit me. I wasn’t sure. Yeah, I was throwing the ball. How do you like that? Damn right. Damn right.”

Did it hurt? Yes. Does it still irk watching that play and knowing the outcome? Absolutely.

But those are the types of plays that NFL legends are made of. Remember the ‘holy roller’?

What about the Immaculate Reception? Ouch. Forget about that too.

MORE

Posted in late September prior to Oakland’s game vs. the Patriots:

‘Tuck Rule’ outcome not applicable & irrelevant to these Raiders

Follow @cottovic

This Sunday, the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers will face each other for the 101^st time since both clubs began play in 1960. The Silver & Black hold a 54-44-2 advantage in the regular season series and a 1-0 edge in post-season match-ups.

In their last contest on November 1, 2009, the Chargers prevailed 24-16, as LaDainian Tomlinson turned back the clock and had a solid performance, Shawne Merriman had recorded his first sack since 2007 and San Diego stretched their winning streak against the Raiders to 13.

“When I first got here, the intensity and atmosphere of the game, it rubbed me the wrong way,” said Tomlinson. “By beating them 13 times, it means 13 times their fans went home with their heads hanging.”

“It’s one of those things that was long coming,” Merriman said. “I don’t put as big an emphasis on sacks as everybody else does. But they are important. I realize I’ve got to go out and make plays and get those sacks in order for us to be a better defense. As long as I’m doing that and putting pressure on the quarterback and forcing him to do things that he doesn’t want to do, we’re going to be better.”

Oakland’s last win against the Chargers was on September 28, 2003. The Silver & Black triumphed 34-31 in overtime after Rich Gannon rallied his club from a 14-point deficit. “Rich did this, and we all helped,” said then Raider center Barret Robbins. “That’s why he’s the most valuable player of this league. You could sense a calm feeling out there. We were going to get it done.”

Gannon was 26-of-43 for 348-yards and three touchdowns. A 36-yard pass to Alvis Whitted cut the Charger lead to 31-24 in the 4^th quarter. Then on their next drive, Charlie Garner dashed into the end zone from 24-yards out to tie the ball game.

“I hope that this game serves as a catalyst and a launching pad to get us going again,” Oakland coach Bill Callahan said. “We came alive. We were wearing them down at the end. I thought our stamina was excellent down the stretch.”

Through the years, SBReport.net and Raiderfans.net have been covering this bitter rivalry. Here are some photos from out archives:

DeLawrence Grant (59) and Derrick Burgess (56) converge on Drew Brees during the 2005 campaign.

Tyler Brayton (91) gets his hands on Philip Rivers in 2006.

Andrew Walter (16) had a miserable night in 2008 against the Chargers.

Follow me on Twitter, click here.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Javon Walker, WR

Walker signed with the Raiders in March of 2008. The six-year $55 million contract that included more than $16 million in guarantees was restructured in March of 2009 after he tallied a putrid 15 receptions for 196 yards with one score after his first year with Oakland. He recorded no stats in 2009 and stated in September, “I’m more than healthy enough.

“I’m just going with the flow.”

Verdict: Walker’s contract with the Raiders will go down as one of the biggest flops in the history of free agency.

Anthony Dorsett, S

The Raiders signed the 26-year old Dorsett after playing 56-games with the Tennessee Titans. He started in Super Bowl XXXIV at free-safety and it was expected that the son of Tony Dorsett and Pro Bowl alternate at the end of the 1999 campaign, would have started next to Eric Turner. Turner passed away in 2000 and in November of that year, Jon Gruden stated, “Dorsett is a guy that’s going to continue to get better and better and better.” Dorsett had a key blocked field goal versus the Cowboys that led to a win and forced a fumble versus the Chiefs that also keyed a Raider victory in 2000.

Verdict: In his first two years in Oakland, Dorsett showed promise. But it was down hill after that and he became a liability in the secondary the last two campaigns in Silver & Black.

Kevin Gogan, G

The 6-foot-7, 320 pound guard signed a three-year $3.6 million deal with a $1.3 million signing bonus in 1994. At 30-years old, he made his first Pro Bowl in his first year with Los Angeles. Gogan was a grinder in the interior and had a reputation of being one of the toughest linemen in the league.

Verdict: A solid lineman while with the Raiders, Gogan was a perfect fit and his presence moved Max Montoya out of his starting spot.

Amos Zereoue, RB

The former West Virginia Mountaineer and Pittsburgh Steelers all-purpose back was expected to fill the void of the departed Charlie Garner in 2004. He inked a one-year deal worth $535,000 in base salary and a $25,000 signing bonus.

Verdict: Zereoue led the Raiders with a feeble 425 yards rushing in his only season in Oakland. His competition during that year; Tyrone Wheatley, Justin Fargas and Troy Hambrick were given the back seat by Norv Turner. Zereoue’s best outing was during a 30-17 loss versus the Texans when he rushed for 117-yards on 14 carries with 2 scores.

Stay tuned for upcoming installments, looking back at the Raiders history during the free-agency period. Part-three coming soon…