Nov 17 in Jet History: Jets Fall to Raiders in Heidi Game
Nov 17, 2015 6:35:40 GMT -5
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Post by Lithfan on Nov 17, 2015 6:35:40 GMT -5
November 17, 1968
Week 11 of the 1968 AFL season featured one of the AFL’s greatest rivalries as the 7-2, Eastern Division leading Jets travelled to Oakland to take on their hated rivals, the defending AFL Champion Raiders, who were also 7-2. The two teams played a brutal game featuring several personal foul penalties, big hits and multiple ejections. But despite the brutality and the excitement of two premier teams going toe to toe in a classic game, it is a game best remembered for a fictional orphaned Swiss Girl in pigtails named Heidi. 47 years ago today, the Raiders and Jets met in the Heidi game.
Jets QB Joe Namath commented on the Raiders rivalry, “"I think I like Oakland less than any other team, personally." Nobody personified the physical nature of the Raiders defense better than Ben Davidson, the Raiders 6’8” defensive end.
In a game in 1967, Davidson had broken Namath’s cheekbone with a hit and seemed determined to do more damage to Joe this time around. “I don't think my tackle broke Namath’s cheekbone." Davidson said. “Not that I care. … Namath says that he’s been beat up worse by girls. He’s asking for it again."
On the field, it was a true heavyweight bout, featuring 5 lead changes, 850 yards of offense and big plays from both sides. It also featured penalties, late hits and ejections. The Jets were flagged for 5 face mask penalties during the game among their total of 13 penalties. In the middle of the 3rd quarter, Jets Safety Jim Hudson was ejected for arguing with an official after he was flagged for a face mask on Raiders RB Hewritt Dixon. The 3rd quarter ended with the Jets on the short end of a 22-19 score.
The Jets began the 4th quarter at their own 3 yard line, but went 97 yards in just two plays, both long passes to Don Maynard including a 50 yard TD and the Jets took a 26-22 lead. The Jets extended their lead to 7 with a Jim Turner field goal from 12 yards out, before Raiders QB Daryle Lamonica connected for 22 yards to Fred Biletnikoff for the game tying score.
The Jets got into the Raiders red zone on their next possession, but their drive stalled with just over a minute remaining on the clock. After Turner drilled another field goal, the Jets had a 32-29 lead with 1:05 to go. The Raiders returned the ensuing kickoff and ran one play when the clock struck 7PM and NBC cut over to its scheduled telecast of the movie Heidi.
According to reports, NBC executives who had originally committed to a hard 7PM end of the telecast, had decided to stay with the football game, however, as it became apparent that the game would run long, many viewers started to contact NBC beginning at about 6:45 to demand that the network stay with the game. The scene is described in Sports Illustrated:
“The volume of calls blew 26 fuses in the switchboard. At 7 p.m. the Jets were leading 32–29 with 65 seconds left to play. Despite having sold the film’s entire two-hour block to sponsor Timex, late into the game’s fourth quarter NBC executives began changing their minds about a hard 7 p.m. start for Heidi—but because of the broken switchboard, Cline (NBC Broadcast Supervisor Dick Cline) couldn't reach his superiors to confer on the situation. He decides to follows through with the original plan.”
Julian Goodman, president of NBC issued the following statement, “It was a forgivable error committed by human beings who were concerned about the children expecting to see Heidi at 7PM. I missed the game as much as anyone else.”
So the movie began, and we all know what happened. Lamonica hit RB Charlie Smith with a 43-yard TD pass inside the final minute. It was a blown coverage by Jets Safety Mike D’Amato who was pressed into action after starting safety Jim Hudson had been ejected. D’Amato had been whistled for a 15-yard penalty on the play before the Smith TD.
Earl Christy fumbled the Raiders kickoff, which was recovered and returned for a TD by Preston Ridlehuber giving the Raiders a 43-32 victory. A victory that the Jets would avenge just over a month later in the AFL Championship game, 27-23.
Source: Sports Illustrated, Newark Star-Ledger and the Daytona Beach Morning Journal
Week 11 of the 1968 AFL season featured one of the AFL’s greatest rivalries as the 7-2, Eastern Division leading Jets travelled to Oakland to take on their hated rivals, the defending AFL Champion Raiders, who were also 7-2. The two teams played a brutal game featuring several personal foul penalties, big hits and multiple ejections. But despite the brutality and the excitement of two premier teams going toe to toe in a classic game, it is a game best remembered for a fictional orphaned Swiss Girl in pigtails named Heidi. 47 years ago today, the Raiders and Jets met in the Heidi game.
Jets QB Joe Namath commented on the Raiders rivalry, “"I think I like Oakland less than any other team, personally." Nobody personified the physical nature of the Raiders defense better than Ben Davidson, the Raiders 6’8” defensive end.
In a game in 1967, Davidson had broken Namath’s cheekbone with a hit and seemed determined to do more damage to Joe this time around. “I don't think my tackle broke Namath’s cheekbone." Davidson said. “Not that I care. … Namath says that he’s been beat up worse by girls. He’s asking for it again."
On the field, it was a true heavyweight bout, featuring 5 lead changes, 850 yards of offense and big plays from both sides. It also featured penalties, late hits and ejections. The Jets were flagged for 5 face mask penalties during the game among their total of 13 penalties. In the middle of the 3rd quarter, Jets Safety Jim Hudson was ejected for arguing with an official after he was flagged for a face mask on Raiders RB Hewritt Dixon. The 3rd quarter ended with the Jets on the short end of a 22-19 score.
The Jets began the 4th quarter at their own 3 yard line, but went 97 yards in just two plays, both long passes to Don Maynard including a 50 yard TD and the Jets took a 26-22 lead. The Jets extended their lead to 7 with a Jim Turner field goal from 12 yards out, before Raiders QB Daryle Lamonica connected for 22 yards to Fred Biletnikoff for the game tying score.
The Jets got into the Raiders red zone on their next possession, but their drive stalled with just over a minute remaining on the clock. After Turner drilled another field goal, the Jets had a 32-29 lead with 1:05 to go. The Raiders returned the ensuing kickoff and ran one play when the clock struck 7PM and NBC cut over to its scheduled telecast of the movie Heidi.
According to reports, NBC executives who had originally committed to a hard 7PM end of the telecast, had decided to stay with the football game, however, as it became apparent that the game would run long, many viewers started to contact NBC beginning at about 6:45 to demand that the network stay with the game. The scene is described in Sports Illustrated:
“The volume of calls blew 26 fuses in the switchboard. At 7 p.m. the Jets were leading 32–29 with 65 seconds left to play. Despite having sold the film’s entire two-hour block to sponsor Timex, late into the game’s fourth quarter NBC executives began changing their minds about a hard 7 p.m. start for Heidi—but because of the broken switchboard, Cline (NBC Broadcast Supervisor Dick Cline) couldn't reach his superiors to confer on the situation. He decides to follows through with the original plan.”
Julian Goodman, president of NBC issued the following statement, “It was a forgivable error committed by human beings who were concerned about the children expecting to see Heidi at 7PM. I missed the game as much as anyone else.”
So the movie began, and we all know what happened. Lamonica hit RB Charlie Smith with a 43-yard TD pass inside the final minute. It was a blown coverage by Jets Safety Mike D’Amato who was pressed into action after starting safety Jim Hudson had been ejected. D’Amato had been whistled for a 15-yard penalty on the play before the Smith TD.
Earl Christy fumbled the Raiders kickoff, which was recovered and returned for a TD by Preston Ridlehuber giving the Raiders a 43-32 victory. A victory that the Jets would avenge just over a month later in the AFL Championship game, 27-23.
Source: Sports Illustrated, Newark Star-Ledger and the Daytona Beach Morning Journal
