Raiders Had One of the Top SB Offenses in History

Bryan DeArdo is a sports writer for CBS Sports, and he published an article ranking the greatest Super Bowl offenses of all time, updating the list after the Philadelphia Eagles beat down the Kansas City Chiefs. The 1976 Raiders' impressive outing in Super Bowl XI made the list as one of the top ten most dominant offenses in Super Bowl history.

"John Madden's offense boasted five future Hall of Fame players in quarterback Ken Stabler, receiver Fred Biletnikoff, tight end Dave Casper, left tackle Art Shell and left guard Gene Upshaw. The offense also featured receiver Cliff Branch (arguably the best player not currently enshrined in Canton, Ohio) and the formidable running back trio of Mark van Eeghen, Clarence Davis and Pete Banaszak".

"The Raiders scored 24 points apiece in their playoff victories over New England and Pittsburgh, the defending two-time Super Bowl champs. Facing the Vikings' "Purple People Eater" defense in Super Bowl XI, Madden took full advantage of the left side of his line, which opened gaping holes for Davis to run for 137 yards on just 15 carries".

The Raiders are hoping that they can hone in on their past glory and implement a similar game plan in the 2025 regular season with Ashton Jeanty. They're looking to take advantage of any weak defensive front and have Jeanty be the focal point of their offense.

"All told, the Raiders rushed for a then-Super Bowl record 266 yards against one of the greatest defensive lines in league history. Oakland's offense line also provided plenty of time for Stabler, whose second-quarter touchdown pass to Casper jumpstarted the Raiders' attack. Biletnikoff became the second receiver to win Super Bowl MVP honors after catching three passes that set up Oakland touchdowns", said DeArdo.

It's amazing to see one of the all-time great teams not only in Raiders history, but NFL history, get the respect they deserve. The Raiders may not make a deep playoff push anytime soon, but the culture is shifting in Las Vegas, and they're set up to be contenders in the upcoming years.