Post by Lithfan on Dec 29, 2015 8:58:02 GMT -5
December 29, 1968
As the AFL East Division Champions, the Jets would host the Oakland Raiders for the AFL Championship and the right to represent the AFL in Super Bowl III.
Over the course of the next three hours, the teams would battle in a classic game, as the Jets would ultimately prevail in an exciting come from behind 27-23 victory. Joe Namath led a balanced attack as the Jets totalled over 140 yards rushing and 266 yards passing and that would prove to be just enough to beat the one dimensional Raiders. Daryle Lamonica threw for over 400 yards for the Raiders, but the lack of an effective ground game (50 yards on 19 carries) hurt them as they struggled to finish drives throughout the game, settling for 4 George Blanda field goal attempts (he would make 3).
The Jets jumped out to an early lead, as Namath threw his first of 3 TD passes, a 14-yarder to Don Maynard to give the Jets a 7-0 1st quarter lead. They would extend the lead to 10 on a 33-yard field goal by Jim Turner before the Raiders got their offense going.
Lamonica connected with Fred Biletnikoff for a 29-yard TD to cut the deficit to 3. It was Lamonica’s only TD pass of the day, as he finished 20-47 for 401 yards and the 1 TD. The teams traded FGs before the half ended and the Jets held a slim 13-10 lead.
Three Jets came up big in the second half: Namath and Maynard on the offensive side of the ball and Safety Jim Hudson for the defense. Hudson’s first big play came int eh 3rd quarter. The Raiders had 3rd and goal at the Jets two yard line, still trailing 13-10. RB Hewritt Dixon looked like he might go into the end zone, but Hudson came up from his safety position to stop Dixon at the 1-yard line. The Raiders settled for a 9-yard Blanda field goal and a tie game.
After the Jets retook the lead on a 20-yard Namath TD pass to tight end Pete Lammons, Hudson would make another play to help preserve the Jets lead. This time it was a pass break-up in the red zone to force another Raider 4th down. Blanda nailed a 20-yard field goal cutting the lead to 4.
In the 4th quarter the Jets were trying to extend their lead, when Raiders DB George Atkinson picked off a Namath pass intended for Maynard at the Jets 37-yard line and returned it to the 5. Pete Banaszak carried it in from five yards out and the Raiders had their first lead of the game, 23-20 in the 4th quarter.
Video below is from Super Bowl III opening and includes highlights of Jets AFL Championship Game victory against Oakland.
Mid-way through the 4th quarter, the Jets took over at their 32-yard line, trailing by 3 points. Namath opened up what would prove to be the Championship drive with a 10-yard completion to George Sauer. He followed it up with a 52-yard bomb, as Maynard beat Atkinson, and the Jets had first and goal at the Raiders 6-yard line. Namath connected with Maynard again, covering the last 6-yards and giving the Jets a 27-23 lead.
“Maynard made a great catch,” Atkinson said about the 52-yarder. “I followed him step-for-step down the sideline, and I saw the ball good, but a cross wind carried it to his other side and he made the catch.”
“I was glad to come back that way because of the interception,” Maynard, who finished with 6 catches for 118 yards and 2 TDs, would comment after the game.
But the Jets work was not done yet. They had a 4th quarter lead to protect, and got several big plays from the defense to preserve the victory: a 4th down sack of Lamonica by Verlon Biggs, a fumble recovery by Ralph Baker and finally, on the last play of the game, it was up to Hudson once again when he stopped Dixon as time ran out and the Jets were Champions of the AFL.
“It took a long time to make it,” said Namath, who was finishing his 4th season in pro football.
“He thinks that’s a long time,” joked Maynard the 11-year veteran.
As Jet fans, we all know what a long time is, and it is a lot longer thane either 4 years or 11 years. 47 years and counting.
As the AFL East Division Champions, the Jets would host the Oakland Raiders for the AFL Championship and the right to represent the AFL in Super Bowl III.
Over the course of the next three hours, the teams would battle in a classic game, as the Jets would ultimately prevail in an exciting come from behind 27-23 victory. Joe Namath led a balanced attack as the Jets totalled over 140 yards rushing and 266 yards passing and that would prove to be just enough to beat the one dimensional Raiders. Daryle Lamonica threw for over 400 yards for the Raiders, but the lack of an effective ground game (50 yards on 19 carries) hurt them as they struggled to finish drives throughout the game, settling for 4 George Blanda field goal attempts (he would make 3).
The Jets jumped out to an early lead, as Namath threw his first of 3 TD passes, a 14-yarder to Don Maynard to give the Jets a 7-0 1st quarter lead. They would extend the lead to 10 on a 33-yard field goal by Jim Turner before the Raiders got their offense going.
Lamonica connected with Fred Biletnikoff for a 29-yard TD to cut the deficit to 3. It was Lamonica’s only TD pass of the day, as he finished 20-47 for 401 yards and the 1 TD. The teams traded FGs before the half ended and the Jets held a slim 13-10 lead.
Three Jets came up big in the second half: Namath and Maynard on the offensive side of the ball and Safety Jim Hudson for the defense. Hudson’s first big play came int eh 3rd quarter. The Raiders had 3rd and goal at the Jets two yard line, still trailing 13-10. RB Hewritt Dixon looked like he might go into the end zone, but Hudson came up from his safety position to stop Dixon at the 1-yard line. The Raiders settled for a 9-yard Blanda field goal and a tie game.
After the Jets retook the lead on a 20-yard Namath TD pass to tight end Pete Lammons, Hudson would make another play to help preserve the Jets lead. This time it was a pass break-up in the red zone to force another Raider 4th down. Blanda nailed a 20-yard field goal cutting the lead to 4.
In the 4th quarter the Jets were trying to extend their lead, when Raiders DB George Atkinson picked off a Namath pass intended for Maynard at the Jets 37-yard line and returned it to the 5. Pete Banaszak carried it in from five yards out and the Raiders had their first lead of the game, 23-20 in the 4th quarter.
Video below is from Super Bowl III opening and includes highlights of Jets AFL Championship Game victory against Oakland.
Mid-way through the 4th quarter, the Jets took over at their 32-yard line, trailing by 3 points. Namath opened up what would prove to be the Championship drive with a 10-yard completion to George Sauer. He followed it up with a 52-yard bomb, as Maynard beat Atkinson, and the Jets had first and goal at the Raiders 6-yard line. Namath connected with Maynard again, covering the last 6-yards and giving the Jets a 27-23 lead.
“Maynard made a great catch,” Atkinson said about the 52-yarder. “I followed him step-for-step down the sideline, and I saw the ball good, but a cross wind carried it to his other side and he made the catch.”
“I was glad to come back that way because of the interception,” Maynard, who finished with 6 catches for 118 yards and 2 TDs, would comment after the game.
But the Jets work was not done yet. They had a 4th quarter lead to protect, and got several big plays from the defense to preserve the victory: a 4th down sack of Lamonica by Verlon Biggs, a fumble recovery by Ralph Baker and finally, on the last play of the game, it was up to Hudson once again when he stopped Dixon as time ran out and the Jets were Champions of the AFL.
“It took a long time to make it,” said Namath, who was finishing his 4th season in pro football.
“He thinks that’s a long time,” joked Maynard the 11-year veteran.
As Jet fans, we all know what a long time is, and it is a lot longer thane either 4 years or 11 years. 47 years and counting.
