Super Bowl II Review: Packers vs. Raiders
By Loot, NFL Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Date: January 14, 1968
Site: Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
Point-Spread: Green Bay Packers -13/Oakland Raiders +13
Score: GB 33, OAK 14
MVP: QB Bart Starr
The Second AFL-NFL Championship Game, later renamed Super Bowl II, was another expected blowout. The Packers were a dynasty at this point, having been crowned champion the past three seasons and dominating the past decade. The AFL, later called the AFC, was still struggling to earn respect. Whenever a team is a 13-point favorite, as the Packers were, the game is not expected to be competitive. This is despite the fact that the Raiders were 13-1 and had torched the Oilers 40-7 in the AFL title game and Green Bay was only 9-4-1, narrowly defeating the Cowboys by a score of 21-17 in the NFL title game, which later became known as the Ice Bowl.
Nevertheless, even though this was the second superbowl where Green Bay was nearly 2-touchdown favorites, they covered the spread with ease against the not-ready-for-prime-time AFL Raiders. The Vince Lombardi-led Packers got off to a 13-0 start and the closest it got was 13-7. A 4th-quarter 60-yard interception by Hall of Fame Packer Herb Adderly made it 33-7, as the game became increasingly out-of-reach for the Raiders. This would be Lombardi’s final game as Packers coach--a fitting end of a great run in Green Bay for the sport’s greatest coaching figure and winner in history. After all, the Super Bowl champion now receives a trophy that bears his name.
The Packers were back at full power--sans running backs Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor who had gone to the Saints. They still had all those great linemen on both sides of the ball with a secondary that would become legendary. Bart Starr was still the quarterback and his main weapons were Carroll Dale and Boyd Dowler, who made the Pro Bowl. It was still a tough year, with Starr throwing 8 touchdowns against 17 picks, compared to just 3 interceptions the entire season before.
BET THE SUPER BOWL ONLINE BY USING YOUR CREDIT CARD AT BETONLINE SPORTSBOOK
The Raiders, 13-1, were led by QB Daryle Lamonica, who threw for over 3000 yards and 30 touchdowns--leading both leagues in passing. Great linemen were in place, including Gene Upshaw in front. WR Fred Biletnikoff had a big season as did WR Billy Cannon, who caught ten touchdown passes. The running back position was run by committee. Defensively, they were tough--with Pro Bowlers like Willie Davis, Kent McCloughan, Tom Keating, and mean Ben Davidson, wreaking havoc on opposing offenses.
Super Bowl 2 Recap
First Half: On the first two Green Bay possessions in the big game, they marched into Oakland territory and came away with a pair of field goals to go up 6-0. Late in the first quarter, a play-action pass caught the Raiders “D” off-guard, as they bit on the fake hand-off, springing Boyd Dowler, who slid past defenders en route to a 62-yard touchdown run.
The Raiders knew they needed something big. After all, it was Super Bowl Sunday and to their credit--they answered the call. Ending a 79-yard drive, Lamonica connected with Bill Miller for a 23-yard touchdown reception that gave the Raiders hope at 13-7. Their defense also started getting the better of Green Bay. A nice return by Rodger Bird set the Raiders up in Green Bay territory later in the quarter, but the offense stalled and George Blanda missed a long field goal. Still the defense was tough on the Packers, who again had to punt, but Bird fumbled this time, giving the Packers possession in the red zone. The Oakland “D” held them to a field goal to go into the second half at a not-so-hopeless 16-7.
Second Half: Galvanized by this being Lombardi’s last half, the Packers didn’t mess around in the 3rd quarter, quickly putting this game out of reach for the Raiders. On the first second-half drive for Green Bay, Super Bowl I hero Max McGee padded his superbowl stats, as he caught a 35-yard pass to set up Donny Anderson’s 2-yard touchdown run to go up 23-7. Chandler notched his 4th field goal in Superbowl 1968 on their next drive to help the Packers go up 26-7.
Early in the 4th quarter, Green Bay DB Herb Adderly sealed matters when he picked off Lamonica and returned it 60 yards for Green Bay’s final score to make it 33-7. Oddly, Oakland scored the same way they did in the first, when another 23-yard pass by Lamonica found Bill Miller for a second Oakland touchdown, which made it 33-14. Packers’ QB Bart Starr, who won his second consecutive Super bowl MVP, was knocked out of the game early in the 4th, but his 13-24 for 202 yards and one touchdown were enough.
