1974-12-29 Oakland Raiders vs Pittsburgh Steelers(Stabler vs Bradshaw)

[@TJMr63]

I'm impressed by the clarity. Other versions look 100% analog. Must have been retouched. Great job.

[@radar0412]

This game was supposed to be a formality after The Raiders beat the Dolphins in the Titanic Sea of Hands game. The Steelers spoiled the Raiders Party.

[@ericdailey8587]

That is right. After beating the Dolphins, Madden said that the best two teams in the NFL had just played each other. Noll used that to motivate the Steelers.

[@jonburrows8602]

The Raiders were spent, having exhausted themselves against the mighty Dolphins the week before. The playoff seeding system was wack prior to 1975. As the best team in football, the Raiders should have hosted WC and patsy Buffalo, and Miami, with the 2nd best record, should have hosted the Steelers in the divisional round. This inequity was the main reason the playoff seeding was changed to be based on record beginning immediately with the 1975 season.

[@jgatsby9596]

@@jonburrows8602 What an historic match-up that woulda been between the Steelers and Dolphins. One team a dynasty, the other a dynasty to be. Would Miami extend their dominance, and delay Pittsburgh's rise to power? Or, were the Steelers inevitable??? That potential game is one of the great what-ifs, of all time.

[@killalltogepis9916]

Steelers would still have won the Super Bowl that year anyways. Miami’s greatest strength was their run game with Kiick, Csonka, and Mercury. Steelers run defense dominated that year especially in the playoffs holding one of the greatest running backs of all time in OJ Simpson to only 49 yards. Then held the Raiders to only 29 yards rushing, and finally held the Vikings to just 17 yards in the Super Bowl. Dolphins wouldn’t have beaten Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship even if the Dolphins had beaten the Raiders.

[@Biggdoom344]

@@killalltogepis9916 statistically that’s accurate..however the Steelers had problems winning in the orange bowl and Miami rarely lost there.

[@radar0412]

The 1974 Raiders were one of the Best teams in Raiders Franchise History. The 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the best teams in NFL history!

[@radar0412]

@Tanner Edge The 1977 Raiders lost games they should have won to the Rams and the Chargers. That's what screwed Em.

[@radar0412]

@Tanner Edge The 1976 Superbowl Champion Raiders corrected the Losses from all the AFC Championship games and Superbowl II that they had failed in previously.

[@radar0412]

@Tanner Edge The Raiders won Superbowl XI for the 1976 NFL season you spectacular Moron.

[@adamdorgant9454]

True!!!

[@biffalobull2335]

can we all agree these guys knew how to tackle?

[@sicfrynut]

and no mega celebrations after EVERY play. just TD's, turnovers. maybe sacks.

[@biffalobull2335]

@@sicfrynut amen

[@JayDogTitan-he6wo]

Both of these teams defensively knew how to put you on your ass.

[@gregorysinicrope947]

This is when the NFL started giving the Steelers the pity factor.

[@pst702]

This is when football was played by tough men.

[@jasonwardy8192]

Steelers simply owned the trenches. Could have been 34-13, Stabler spent the day running for his life. Love Don Meredith singing at the end. Good times!

[@pst702]

Even though it's a short 14 minute clip...its nice to see it...a blast from the past 👍

[@jsbc1988]

Watching Roy Gerela kick was always an adventure. He was horrendous

[@Biggdoom344]

Yep. He is the primary reason SBs 9 and 10 were not blowouts. In those two games he missed 4 FGs and 2xp. If he makes his kicks the final in SB 9 is like 23-6. SB 10 28-17.

[@6400az]

@@Biggdoom344 Yup..... there punter wasn't much better.

[@Biggdoom344]

@@6400az Walden. I think the Rooney’s kept him around because he had played for the Steelers during the 60s when they were pretty bad. But he was probably the worst punter in the league lol.

[@williamhetrick1550]

About 50/50 as I remember it. Wouldn't even get a try out now.

[@williamhetrick1550]

I guess the kicking game wasn't as important then as it is now.

[@dustylover100]

A lot of people may not remember that Don Meredith was with NBC Sports for a couple of years.

[@adamdorgant9454]

Yes, now that you mentioned it!!!!

[@Mryrhodesian]

Meredith was also on the NBC Crime Drama Police Story.

[@jonathanlund590]

It's so refreshing to be able to watch a game without the showboating that happens today

[@cosmoevents21st56]

The Steelers and Raiders had some good playoff games back in the '70's.

[@adamdorgant9454]

Agreed!!!

[@6400az]

🤪🤪

[@pacificnw5394]

I was born on this day, in Oakland. Everyone was really excited..... About the game!

[@mcarlkv53]

Great open field tackle by lambert! Saved the game!

[@brentonyancheck4861]

Only The GREATEST middle Linebacker to EVER play the position, PERIOD END of story!!!!!

[@JayDogTitan-he6wo]

The rivalry of the 70s, Raiders Steelers was a nasty matchup.

[@adamdorgant9454]

You’re right about that!!!!

[@chrisneyland-tf5tu]

Steelers were just focused better in this game. The Steel Curtain shut down the Raiders running game. The game was a glimpse of great things to come for the Steelers as they dominated the decade of the 1970's. I believe the Steelers and Raiders had the greatest rivalry in the 1970's.

[@TJMr63]

Great quality. I wish the '74 Rams - Vikings NFC Championship Game broadcast was available, but this is cool.

[@edmiller8396]

Dobre Shunka (Great Ham) with the picks, Rocky and Franco were so dominant in this game. Oakland had 28 yds rushing as I remember. Why isn't Rocky in HoF?

[@drieaz]

cliff branch should be going into the Hall before Rocky and bullwinkle

[@JGCobb23]

I don't know but neither is Drew Pearson

[@danielharford1864]

Rocky Blier had a great game. Steelers Ernie Holmes was great too

[@robertaswanson9438]

Rocky, L.C., Andy Russell, Kolb, Larry Brown etc... a lot of Steelers not in Hall of Fame that need to be !

[@ozzieray]

The Raiders say Swan is soft. I don't see it

[@chrisames2795]

Watch him play in 75 , 76 He didn’t start off soft Tatum Atkinson Thomas softened him up over time. Swan would have been a 100 reception 1000 yard receiver for 10 years if he’d have played 20 years later the rules and the QB play are night and day. Hell even 5 years later. Watch him play at USC. Pat Haden I think imagine him with Mahoney or Rothlesbger. Antonio Brown ish

[@ozzieray]

@@chrisames2795 Kinda like hitting Swan in head from behind with a forearm while the action of the play is in another area

[@chrisames2795]

@@ozzieray yes you better locate Tatum before locating the ball 🏈 or Bradshaw. That necessity diminished Swans impact on the game and his statistical accumulations

[@hawkeye6626]

@@chrisames2795 There was nothing soft about Lynn Swann. Incase your memory needs refreshing, checkout Super Bowl X!

[@GeorgeFitness-yo8bl]

Branch light years better than soft Swann and not in the Hall!

[@BlueAgaveStudios]

I think Oakland got 29 yards on the ground.

[@re8746]

the parties over……. I love it

[@mcarlkv53]

Steelers down 10-3 in 4th quarter...didn’t panic just took over!

[@jesseleblanc1199]

Seems like the Steelers of the 70s missed many field goals

[@pst702]

Yeah I noticed that too but they still managed to win 4 Super Bowls in 6 years...hasn't been matched since in a short time span.

[@charleswoodhouse4754]

Yeah. Gerela sucked.

[@jesseleblanc1199]

Yeah they had pretty bad kicking in the 70s if the kicker was even good all of those bowls would have been double digits wins but I like how some came down to the last drive

[@Biggdoom344]

The Steelers won in spite of their K game, not because of it.

[@charleswoodhouse4754]

All those guys sucked in the 70s and kept their jobs. Gerela, Earl Mann, Fred Cox etc

[@joeguajardo5092]

CurtGowdy DandyDon

[@Golf8802]

I think the 2 interceptions Stabler threw were the difference. Otherwise an even matchup.

[@radar0412]

The interceptions were a result of constant pressure from the Steel Curtain defense. That was difference between the Steelers and everyone else in the 70's NFL.

[@sixtythreekraft2608]

Read Ron Jaworski's book. The Steelers developed "cover 2" and used it for one of the first times in this game. There were other defensive innovations. This game was not decided by a mere two plays.

[@exchequerguy4037]

Another big difference, not completely borne out by the highlights here, was that the Steelers shut down the Raider's running game. Stabler had to pass a lot.

[@lloydkline1518]

Really: t❤️ Oakland raiders vs Pittsburgh steelers 1970s

[@1thepner]

You can just see very late in the 3rd qtr & the 4th...Oakland's D was gassed on the line. They held Pitt to 3 pts all day, and got 10 pts from their offense for that effort. Pitt getting 21 pts in the 4th was quite amazing. Great upload.

[@6400az]

Not really, just that the Raiders D just wasn't that good truthfully.

[@1thepner]

@@6400az You do know they only allowed 3 pts for 3 quarters, right? That's exceptional D by any standard.

[@DynomyteDewd91]

@@1thepner scored should’ve been 10-10 going into the 4th. Pittsburgh had a touchdown call incorrectly taken from them before the half when Stallworth made a great catch in bounds with possession. Final score should’ve been 31-13 if the touchdown was correctly called.

[@1thepner]

@@DynomyteDewd91 if the score would have been 10-10 going into the 4th, we have no idea what would have transpired next. Maybe Pitt plays for a FG. Maybe OAK changes up. If they count the Stallworth td, the historical record of this game changes.

[@DynomyteDewd91]

@@1thepner Pittsburgh was still winning in the trenches the whole game. If the touchdown counts with Stallworth, Oakland still attempts mostly passing plays because their running game was nonexistent, meaning Stabler probably still throws those 3 interceptions. I don’t see that game being any different from a Pittsburgh victory.

[@ericchristie8011]

Why the Steelers stuck with Gerela all those years I’ll never know

[@jackkitchen737]

Unbelievable that Bradshaw fumbled that ball with about 5:30 left and the Steelers recovered. NFL history might have been written differently had the Raiders recovered that ball. Either Minnesota or Oakland might have won SB IX. I have no doubt Pittsburgh would have still stayed together and won 3 Super Bowls. But Dallas would have closer to the Steelers for team of the decade. What an era for NFL football.

[@Biggdoom344]

Oakland would have smashed Minnesota.

[@jonathanbenoit8828]

That win started that dynasty.

[@chrisames2795]

Immaculate reception 2 years earlier.

[@katazack]

@@chrisames2795 The Immaculate Reception was epic, but the team slumped a little in 1973. This was the game that launched the dominance of the Super Bowl era. Oh, to see those days again ....

[@chrisames2795]

Most of the squad was set. Essentially knocked the Raiders out of the Super Bowl The 73 slump was equivalent to a success hangover. Start the clock with Franco making an all time play.

[@katazack]

@@chrisames2795 Roy Blount wrote a great book about the Steelers '73 season called "Three Bricks Shy of a Load."

[@chrisames2795]

That's fantastic.Was it a Terry Bradshaw Biography. ?

[@Playsinvain]

There is a personal foul on 50% of these plays. Regardless...good stuff

[@keithclark7266]

@Piko Van • Personal fouls based on 2020 rules, or on the rules of 1974?

[@Playsinvain]

@@keithclark7266 2020 of course... this was legal football then... ouch

[@Swedishchef70]

The greatest win in steeler history!!

[@BlueAgaveStudios]

To that point - it was a great beginning.

[@johndonny443]

Meredith cant get a word in edge wise with gowdy. Lol😂

[@jackkitchen737]

You know, watching this, one can easily hear how much Dandy Don wanted Pittsburgh to win. Listen to him cheer whenever the Steelers scored, or had a big play. Then when Gerela missed a FG, Meredith says, "Oh, no!" LOL He must have bet the Steelers.

[@Biggdoom344]

The Steelers were an original nfl franchise. The raiders were an original AFL franchise. Meridith played for Dallas and with the AFL v NFL thing still there, he was pulling for the Steelers.

[@williamhetrick1550]

The biggest win ever!

[@johndonny443]

Nfl's golden age. So great to see great football without the officials throwing endless flags with a super ref in new york droning on and on every 5 minutes explaining the rules to us like the fans cant understand them. The nfl used to be epic. Now it is wwe and unwatchable.

[@adamdorgant9454]

Agreed!!!!

[@hotenhitonokoe2848]

great video

[@soorasmussen7658]

Gerela was such a bad kicker

[@condoruite]

Called Glen Edwards JT Thomas

[@ghsun]

Love to see Franco busting through the middle, Ham with the interception, Lambert with the open field tackle, Swann leaping for the catches. All Hall of Famers! Raiders were pretty solid also.

[@randyhanson4973]

Oakland gave this game away

[@anthonybatulis6516]

If this game was played today there would be all sorts of personal foul penalties. Steelers-Raiders was the rivalry of the 70's. They met 5 times in the playoffs and 3 of those for the AFC Championship.

[@6400az]

The obligatory " if this game was played today " comment......... please stop !!

[@jasonwardy8192]

Love that unrelenting Steelers ground game, the hustle of the linemen pulling, moving black jerseys away.

[@erichartung4902]

On the first play of steelers games the quarterback would need to make the ear motion the he cannot hear back in the 70s the social lead up during the week was epic at school

[@mikevanriel7573]

Pittsburgh’s win on the road was the only one in the 1974 Playoffs.

[@wbmstr24]

When u had to play offense, defense and special teams, no pansy rules, no cheating cameras, no divas, real football

[@jonathanbenoit8828]

Amen

[@adamdorgant9454]

You’re right about that!!!!!

[@JGCobb23]

Being a Cowboy fan I hated any time we played Pittsburgh or Oakland those bastards were mean and nasty

[@rubenluna6457]

This was the real deal!🏈

[@dustylover100]

Swann, Stallworth, and Lambert. The beginning of what came afterwards.

[@neneshubby]

I still remember my parents (both were Raider season ticket holders) talking after this game and my dad telling my mother the Raiders just couldn’t get up 2 weeks in a row after that Dolphin game. Everyone, even John Madden bought into the fact that the Dolphin game was SB 8&1/2. Plus, factor in that they’d beaten the Steelers fairly easily in their previous 2 meetings, 33-14 & 17-0 and they just didn’t take the Steelers as seriously as they should’ve. Sounds crazy now but nobody knew in December of 74 that the Steelers were on the verge of a dynasty. Chuck Noll made sure his team knew they were being disrespected, the Steelers shut down the Raiders run game, ran for 224 yards themselves and wore the Raiders down in the 4th quarter. I was 9 and I cried after that game.

[@Biggdoom344]

My grandfather had season tickets and that game at three rivers stadium v Oakland in week 3 was not as close as the 17-0 final score. So that plus the pummeling they put on the Steelers in the 73 playoffs had Oakland thinking they cracked the code. Steelers changed their defense for that game, the birth of the Tampa 2 and had stabler confused all game. They also lined Joe green up in the C-G gap wrecking Oakland’s blocking scheme. On offense they ran Bleier more than usual so the raiders could not just key on Harris like they had the previous two meetings.

[@neneshubby]

@@Biggdoom344 You’re correct. In his book ‘Snake’ Stabler said after this game that the Steeler defense was the most complex he’d seen and that they mixed their coverages on almost every play.

[@Biggdoom344]

@@neneshubby yeah I read that book and he said something like that. Some of the Steelers were confused too. Mel Blount didn’t pick up the scheme and branch torched him this game..so bad that Mel got benched. The Steelers were ready to trade Blount but he reinvented himself and in 1975 became the HOF Mel Blount. Up until that point Mel wasn’t known to spend much time on the mental part of the game. Branch should be in the HOF. I have no idea why he isn’t in.

[@howardcosell2022]

@@Biggdoom344 The change to the Tampa 2 enhanced Blount's play and it was instilled because Lambert could roam the field at only 218lbs. The combination of both Jack and Mel just mercilessly beating up pass catchers was the compliment the defense needed to the 'Steel Curtain' front four. Branch finally got his day in Canton and now justly waiting for Lester Hayes

[@kirk4086]

29yds. On 21 carries... Ask the Vikings about the next game... Need I say more...

[@angusthecat6617]

i'm 57 so i have seen a few games and teams in my life. i have always thought this was the best of the steeler teams in the decade for the reason you stated. it was impossible to run on this version of the steel curtain. a lot of folks think the defense in 76 was better. it was obviously a great defense holding their last 9 opponents to 28 points. however when they faced oakland in the title game oaklands offensive line blew the steel curtain right off the line of scrimmage. i dont ever recall an offensive dominating the steelers front four like oakland did in 76

[@ronsmac]

That was one of the worst kicks I’ve ever seen.

[@richd3044]

Kicking has improved so much over the last 40 years. Kickers used to make an average of maybe two thirds if their attempts. Now they're all over 80% and distance has improved maybe close to ten yards.

[@ronsmac]

@@richd3044 That was a terrible kick in any era at any level including my 6th grade team. It’s at the 3:10 mark for those that care. After a terrible 1978 season where Gerela went 6/19 beyond 30 yds, Pittsburgh finally canned him. San Diego picked him up in 1979 where he went 1/7 before being dropped for good. Roy actually had some good years by the standards of the time but really fell off of a cliff at the end.

[@richd3044]

@@ronsmac Out of curiosity, I went back to the 1974 statistics, and only 4 of the top 20 kickers in scoring made 70% or more of their field goals. So many points were left on the field back then.

[@ronsmac]

@@richd3044 60% was above average for years. I actually miss those days. Fg kicking is too good nowadays. For a good while the hash marks were wider so that made it more difficult and many of the kickers were just pudgy and in terrible shape. Even the kickers today are good athletes

[@laotse_]

I had forgotten Dandy Don Meredith served as analyst on NBC with Curt Gowdy. Boy I bet that was difficult for Gowdy with Meredith not know how to refrain his comments and wait for Gowdy to finish announcing the play. Loved Dandy Don on Monday nights, but that was in a less structured, more comedic environment.

[@williamhetrick1550]

He was better than having Cosell with Gowdy. That would have been a nightmare for Curt.

[@tomodonovan5931]

A word for the future head coaches for the NFL. Never ever state the two best teams in football just met a week before the NFL championship! It's purely motivation for your opposition who will only get fired up to play smash mouth football!

[@michaelleroy9281]

After the" Sea of Hands ( after beating the Dolphins, the Raiders thought they were pretty good , the Steelers said" not so fast my friend"

[@jonburrows8602]

The Raiders were the best team in the NFL for the 1974 regular season. Steelers got lucky in that the stupid playoffs seeding system prior to 1975 had them drawing patsy Buffalo in the divisional round, who should have been playing the Raiders while the Steelers should have had to go to Miami in the 1st round.

[@leviowen9410]

Steelers yo run that dog

[@mcarlkv53]

Bradshaw recovers own fumble or outcome could have been different

[@johndaniels7609]

I thought Rocky Blier recovered that fumble.

[@ChrisC709]

@@johndaniels7609 But on the next drive Stabler fumbled the ball and recovered it. What if Pittsburgh recovered that one? The game would have been over sooner. Too many should've, could've would'ves in these games. Got to get the job done.

[@steveswangler6373]

(Stabler vs Bradshaw). Please tell me at what point during play when both of those players were on the field at the same time. Also, please let me know at what point those individual players were facing the same defense. Because there sure were a lot of other men running around on that field for a one on one competition. FOOTBALL IS A TEAM GAME NOT QB VS QB

[@biffalobull2335]

bet you're a treat at parties.

[@justsayin3228]

Well, Stabler and Bradshaw called their own plays. And every "team" has a leader. So it was one leader of a team vs. another leader of a team. Stabler vs Bradshaw.

[@pst702]

The media hypes it up....its all about stats comparing one QB with another...that's TV hyping it up

[@1983jblack]

@@biffalobull2335 lol, nice

[@untexan]

3:08 Any kicker who shanked a 20-yard field goal today would be cut the minute the game ended. Instead Roy Gerela played for the Steelers for four more years. 9:32 These days, if you’re down 7 in the fourth quarter and it’s 4th and 4 at the 7-yard line, everyone would go for it. Instead the Raiders take a field goal. Imagine the end of this game if it’s tied at 17 late, instead of Pittsburgh nursing a lead.

[@laotse_]

Gerela missed a lot of easy kicks in his Steeler career

[@GeorgeFitness-yo8bl]

Yet another Raider choke!

[@daveorme1683]

Some great trap blocking by the Steelers O line in this game.

[@lloydkline1518]

500 pounds bench press guys

[@bricksalthouse]

Helluva 20 yard FG attempt you Roy Gerela. 3:07 🤭

[@travismcdonald6576]

He was the shits.

[@mcarlkv53]

i mean bleir

[@howardcosell2022]

Bleier

[@hiawathasmalls3397]

this game was a lot closer than I remember---with a few breaks oakland might have won

[@patrickfurlong8221]

These were the two most roided up teams in the history of the National Football League.

[@Biggdoom344]

Patrick Furlong don’t forget Dallas and Denver

[@jasonwardy8192]

You’re misguided, most all NFL offensive linemen used back then, just wasn’t known about side effects.

[@1983jblack]

Webster was still small when he was a rookie. By '76, he was super juiced

[@jonburrows8602]

The Tom Landry Dallas Cowboys say hello.

[@adamdorgant9454]

Is that Right?

[@DNSKansas]

Why do you upload only bits and pieces of games instead of full games? Your videos are chopped up worse than onions in a kitchen.

[@lucasg1985]

ZzzzzZzzzzz

[@ricardoacosta5938]

I have a Jack Lambert (#58) Steelers jersey &a Terry Bradshaw (#12) jersey also & maybe a Franco Harris #(32) ✨🏟️🏈🏆🏆🏆🏆

[@enriqueham4947]

WHAT ABOUT UNCLE JACK !!!!