Oakland Raiders: 30 Iconic Moments In Franchise History

Nov 29, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Oakland Raiders celebrate their team defeating the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Oakland won 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

22. January 19, 2003 – AFC Title Game

The Raiders rolled into the 2002 season’s AFC title game with plenty of momentum – and plenty to prove. Though they had the home field advantage, their opponent, the Tennessee Titans came into the game as a very hot team, riding a six game winning streak, and having won 11 of their last 12.

The two teams had met earlier in the season though, and the Raiders had handed the Titans a very humbling 52-25 loss. They finished the year 11-5 and were the AFC’s top seed.

The Raiders and the Titans exchanged the lead a few times over the first half of the game, but they went to the locker room with the Raiders building a 24-17 as turnovers allowed the Raiders to post ten points in just 60 seconds.

A botched punt attempt in the third quarter put the Raiders on the Titan’s 19 yard line and allowed them to kick a field goal and extend their lead to 27-17. But Steve McNair led the Titans back and cut the lead to 27-24 with 30 seconds to go in the third quarter. Rich Gannon then put together a solid drive that resulted in another Oakland touchdown and a 34-24 lead with just eleven and a half minutes left in the game.

After the defense forced another punt, Gannon led the Raiders on another drive that consumed most of the time on the clock and added one more score to put the game out of reach 41-24. The Raiders won the game and after almost two decades, had punched their first ticket back to the Super Bowl.

Next: December 21, 1974