| NFL Playoffs - AFC Conference Championship Game | |
Oakland 41, Tennessee 24
Sunday, Jan. 19, 3:00 PM ET
At: Veterans Stadium
Raiders Win Sets Up Super Showdown with Gruden's Bucs
One year ago, Jon Gruden left his head coaching post in Oakland for the same position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One season and a multitude of draft picks later, the Raiders will face their former head coach in Super Bowl XXXVII, thanks to a 41-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship game.
The Titans entered the title game as the hottest team in the NFL, having won 10 of their last 11 contests, but it took Rich Gannon and company barely four minutes to prove they could move the ball almost at will against Tennessee's defense. Gannon was 5-for-5 for 64 yards on the Raiders' first drive, including a 29-yard completion to Jerry Rice on the first play from scrimmage and a 3-yard touchdown to Jerry Porter to cap the drive.
On the Titans' first possession, Steve McNair matched Gannon's start, going 5-for-5 with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Drew Bennett to tie the game. But Gannon kept the 5-for-5 drives alive with another of his own, culminating in a 12-yard touchdown pass to running back Charlie Garner and a 14-7 lead.
Again the Titans bounced right back, but this time it was the legs of McNair and running back Eddie George that marched Tennessee downfield. The Titans' drive stalled at the Oakland 11-yard line, and Joe Nedney kicked a 29-yard field goal.
After the Titans finally figured out a way to stop the Raiders offense, they took the lead on a 12-play drive capped by a 9-yard touchdown run by McNair, and appeared to be in good position as halftime approached.
But the half ended on a sour note for Tennessee, as the Raiders took the lead for good when Eric Barton forced a fumble by Tennessee's Robert Holcombe, giving Oakland the ball at the Tennessee 16. Two plays later, Gannon hit tight end Doug Jolly for a 1-yard score and a 21-17 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, John Simon fumbled the return and Alvis Whitted recovered it on the Tennessee 39, setting up a field goal for a seven-point Raiders lead at the half.
Sebastian Janikowski added a 32-yard field goal in the third quarter after Titans' punter Craig Hentrich failed to get the kick off and was tackled for a 6-yard loss. Tennessee cut the lead to three on a 13-yard touchdown run by McNair late in the third quarter, but the Raiders tacked on two fourth-quarters scores to seal the AFC Championship.
