Oakland Raiders: 30 Iconic Moments In Franchise History

Dec 27, 2013; Alameda, CA, USA; General view of an Oakland Raiders helmet at press conference at Oakland Raiders Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

9. December 24, 1977 – Ghost to the Post

The Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Colts engaged in one of the most memorable games in league history.

The two offenses got off to sputtering starts. Solid drives were ended by turnovers or great defensive plays. The Raiders and Colts went to the locker room at halftime with Baltimore holding a 10-7 edge.

Coming out of the locker room, the Raider defense forced a three and out. Ken Stabler then directed a 70 yard drive, capped off by an eight yard touchdown toss to tight end Dave Casper for a 14-10 lead. It didn’t take long for the Colts to respond though, as Marshall Johnson took the ensuing kickoff back 87 yards for the score and a17-14 Baltimore lead.

After a Stabler interception, the Colts took over. But after a series of great defensive plays led by Otis Sistrunk, the Raiders blocked the Colts’ punt attempt and rambled down to Baltimore’s 16 yard line. Three plays later, Stabler hooked up with Casper again for a 10 yard touchdown pass and a 21-17 lead. After a pass interference call on Mike Haynes moved the ball to the one yard line, the Colts were able to punch it in and take the lead again, 24-21 with just over 10 minutes left in the game.

Stabler moved the Raiders back down the field quickly, using an interference call to set Oakland up on the one, and Pete Banaszak was able to punch it in to retake the lead once more, 28-24. But the Colts answered right back, driving back down the field and finding paydirt and a 31-28 lead with just under eight minutes left in the game.

After the teams traded a series of punts, the clock was down to just under three minutes in the game and the Raiders had possession. With just over two minutes remaining, Stabler dropped back and found Casper for a 42 yard gain that took the Raiders down to Baltimore’s 14 yard line. Casper’s brilliant catch, in which he had to adjust his route, look back over his shoulder while splitting two defenders isn’t what won the game for Oakland, but it put them in position to kick the tying field goal, which sent the game into overtime where the Raiders would eventually win the game and move on to the AFC title game.

Not all of the greatest plays in franchise history were game winners. But Ghost to the Post is without a doubt, one of Oakland’s most iconic.

Next: January 9, 1977