Super Bowl: Power rankings for 4 previous Big Games in Tampa
3. Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington 9 (Super Bowl XVIII)
In the first Super Bowl in Tampa, Tom Flores’ team dominated the then-defending Super Bowl champions in all three facets of the game and scored touchdowns on offense (3), defense (1) and special teams (1). The then-Los Angeles Raiders got on the board first when Derrick Jensen blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.
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Early in the second quarter, quarterback Jim Plunkett completed a 50-yard pass to Cliff Branch, Marcus Allen ran three yards and then Plunkett-to-Branch from 12 yards out and the PAT gave the Silver and Black a 14-0 lead. More on Allen later.
Washington would eventually respond with a field goal and get the ball back just before halftime. But Joe Theismann (sacked 6 times by game’s end) floated an unwarranted pass to the left, linebacker Jack Squirek strolled in from five yards out and the Raiders took a 21-3 lead into the locker room.
Joe Gibbs’ club would come out in the third quarter and score a TD to narrow the gap to 12 points (Washington missed the PAT). But the Raiders answered with the first of two touchdowns by Allen. And on the final play of the quarter, he headed left, reversed his course and went up the middle for a 74-yard score as Los Angeles owned a 35-9 advantage. The Pro Football Hall of Fame runner finished with 191 yards on the ground and two scores.