Post by TheShadow on May 3, 2008 22:03:50 GMT -5
bleacherreport.com
by Raider Card Addict
For most of the 30 and under generation, this will qualify as a history lesson. Be ready though, there will be a test at the end of class.
Back in the early 60s, the AFL was just starting out. It was a fun, open-field time, with high scoring games, great plays, and shoot-out-the-lights style games, that helped shake the NFL to it's collective core. Fans loved to see these games, because unlike the grind-it-out football of the Senior Circuit, the AFL seemed to give fans reason to pay attention to the other parts of the game, rather than the last 2 minutes of each half.
Oakland, to it's credit, had created quite the aerial show, with Tom Flores, Daryle Lamonica, Art Powell, and even Clem Daniels got into the TD game.
What was created, was a situation, with lots of offense, just enough defense, and the condition, that whoever held the ball last, usually won the game.
The risk, however with running an offense in this nature, is that if your offense goes down hurt, like a QB injury, you find yourself in a bad way. Oakland's achilles' heel, was exposed with Cotton Davidson, a washout that was pressed into duty on various occasions....and didn't perform well, in most cases.
However, about the mid 60s, the Raiders did start working on a defensive package, and with this experiment, you did also find Blanda, considered too old to play, joining a club, in a wonderful way. You see, Blanda could serve in 3 locations....punting, kicking, and even QBing....some would say, this last talent, helped cement his legend in the Hall of Fame.
The one thing, that made the Raiders unique though, was their inability to settle for the basic gameplan. Most teams, at the time, would run on first and second down, throw on 3rd down, and then kick or punt on 4th down.
Oakland, would come out throwing on first, second, and sometimes, even third down. The advantage, would be that on the first play of the game, the Raiders were ready to do this. It would force the other team to come ready to play, right off the bat.
And in doing so, it changed the belief, that football should be a slow, long, boring game.
by Raider Card Addict
For most of the 30 and under generation, this will qualify as a history lesson. Be ready though, there will be a test at the end of class.
Back in the early 60s, the AFL was just starting out. It was a fun, open-field time, with high scoring games, great plays, and shoot-out-the-lights style games, that helped shake the NFL to it's collective core. Fans loved to see these games, because unlike the grind-it-out football of the Senior Circuit, the AFL seemed to give fans reason to pay attention to the other parts of the game, rather than the last 2 minutes of each half.
Oakland, to it's credit, had created quite the aerial show, with Tom Flores, Daryle Lamonica, Art Powell, and even Clem Daniels got into the TD game.
What was created, was a situation, with lots of offense, just enough defense, and the condition, that whoever held the ball last, usually won the game.
The risk, however with running an offense in this nature, is that if your offense goes down hurt, like a QB injury, you find yourself in a bad way. Oakland's achilles' heel, was exposed with Cotton Davidson, a washout that was pressed into duty on various occasions....and didn't perform well, in most cases.
However, about the mid 60s, the Raiders did start working on a defensive package, and with this experiment, you did also find Blanda, considered too old to play, joining a club, in a wonderful way. You see, Blanda could serve in 3 locations....punting, kicking, and even QBing....some would say, this last talent, helped cement his legend in the Hall of Fame.
The one thing, that made the Raiders unique though, was their inability to settle for the basic gameplan. Most teams, at the time, would run on first and second down, throw on 3rd down, and then kick or punt on 4th down.
Oakland, would come out throwing on first, second, and sometimes, even third down. The advantage, would be that on the first play of the game, the Raiders were ready to do this. It would force the other team to come ready to play, right off the bat.
And in doing so, it changed the belief, that football should be a slow, long, boring game.