NFL playoffs, 1976-77

The NFL playoffs following the 1976 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XI.

AFC: Oakland Raiders 24, New England Patriots 21
The Patriots scored first after an 86-yard drive was capped by running back Andy Johnson's 1-yard touchdown run. However, Oakland scored 10 straight points, including a 31-yard touchdown reception to wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff with 39 seconds left in the first half. The Patriots then scored two touchdowns of their own in the third period to regain the lead, 21-10. In the fourth quarter, the Raiders marched 70 yards to score on a 1-yard touchdown run by Mark van Eeghen to pull it to 21-17. Late in the final period, a controversial roughing the passer penalty on Patriots tackle Ray "Sugar Bear" Hamilton nullified a third down incompletion and gave the Raiders an automatic first down deep in New England territory (instead of 4th and 10). The call setup Stabler's game-winning touchdown. Biletnikoff finished the game with 9 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown. Oakland avenged its only loss of the year, which came at the hands of the Patriots.

NFC: Minnesota Vikings 35, Washington Redskins 20
The Vikings jumped to a 35-6 lead by the end of the third quarter, led by running backs Chuck Foreman and Brent McClanahan who each rushed for more than 100 yards. McClanahan's 41-yard run on Minnesota's first play of the game set up quarterback Fran Tarkenton's 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Stu Voigt. Then after Washington kicked a field goal, Tarkenton threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Sammy White, who managed to catch it after it was tipped in the air. Foreman added two rushing touchdowns and White caught a second touchdown pass. By the time Redskins quarterback Billy Kilmer completed two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, the game was already out of reach.

AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 40, Baltimore Colts 14
The Steelers dominated the Colts with 526 yards of total offense, while limiting Baltimore to only 170. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw completed 14 of 18 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns, including a 76-yard one to Frank Lewis on the third play of the game, giving him the first perfect 158.3 passer rating in NFL playoff history. Steelers running back Franco Harris racked up 132 rushing yards on just 18 carries, and caught 3 passes for 24 yards. The Colts scored late in the first period with Bert Jones' 17-yard touchdown pass to Roger Carr, but the Steelers then scored 24 unanswered points. Bradshaw threw 29 and 11-yard touchdowns to wide receiver Lynn Swann, while running back Reggie Harrison had two rushing scores.

Less than ten minutes after the conclusion of the game, a small charter plane crashed into the upper deck at Memorial Stadium. There were no deaths or injuries in the accident.

NFC: Los Angeles Rams 14, Dallas Cowboys 12
The Rams overcame two blocked punts by the Cowboys to come away with a 14-12 win in a defense dominated physical game. Dallas opened the scoring with a 44-yard field goal, but Los Angeles responded with quarterback Pat Haden's 4-yard touchdown run. Late in the first half, Charlie Waters blocked a punt to set up running back Scott Laidlaw's 1-yard touchdown to give the Cowboys a 10-7 lead. Early in the final period, Rams kicker Tom Dempsey made what would have been a game-tying field goal, but Cliff Harris was called for a running into the kicker penalty on the play. The usually conservative Ram coach Chuck Knox uncharacteristically took the points off the board, giving Los Angeles a first down. A few plays later, Lawrence McCutcheon vindicated Knox's decision as he ran for a one yard touchdown to give the Rams the lead, 14-10. With 1:59 remaining in the game, Waters blocked another punt and the Cowboys recovered the ball at the Los Angeles 17-yard line. On first down, Butch Johnson's reception was ruled incomplete because he could only get one foot down in bounds in the end zone. On 4th and two, the Rams stopped Staubach for a one yard gain and took possession on their own 8 yard line. After three "kneel downs" and Cowboy time outs, the Rams faced a 4th and 14 with seconds left in the game. Wary of another blocked punt, Coach Knox ordered Ram punter Rusty Jackson to step out of the back of the end zone for an intentional safety, and the Rams won 14-12. The Ram defense held Dallas to only 85 rushing yards; Dallas' defense was equally stingy, allowing 120 rushing yards but the Rams needed 49 attempts to achieve this. Constant Ram pressure caused Staubach to have one of his worst playoff games ever as he was 15 of 37 for 150 yards; he was sacked 4 times and threw 3 interceptions. In addition, Staubach, who had hurt the Rams the year before with his scrambling runs, gained only 8 yards rushing. Ram QB Pat Haden couldn't do much better vs. Dallas' tough defense; he was 10 for 21 for 152 yards and also threw 3 interceptions.

AFC Championship: Oakland Raiders 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 7
With Steelers running backs Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier out of the game with injuries, the Raiders easily shut down Pittsburgh's offense. Oakland jumped to a 10-0 lead with Errol Mann's 39-yard field goal and running back Clarence Davis' 1-yard touchdown run. The Steelers responded with running back Reggie Harrison's 3-yard rushing touchdown. With 19 seconds left in the first half, the Raiders faced first down at the Pittsburgh 4-yard line. Oakland lined up three tight ends as if they were to run the ball, but quarterback Ken Stabler threw a play action pass to Warren Bankston for a touchdown to give the Raiders a 17-7 lead at halftime. Oakland controlled the entire second half, including a 12-play, 63-yard scoring drive that ended with Stabler's second touchdown pass.

NFC Championship: Minnesota Vikings 24, Los Angeles Rams 13
The Vikings forced a blocked field goal, a blocked punt, and two interceptions en route to the victory over the Rams. On offense, running back Chuck Foreman rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries while also catching 5 passes for 81 yards. In the first quarter, the Rams got off to a good start as they marched down the field to the Viking's 2 yard line. The drive stalled there, and coach Chuck Knox, recalling the NFC championship game in Minnesota two years ago (when the Rams were intercepted in the end zone after driving to the Viking's 2 yard line) ordered a field goal attempt. Nate Allen blocked the field goal attempt, and the ball bounced off the ground right into the waiting arms of Bobby Bryant, who returned it 90 yards for a Minnesota touchdown. Then in the second quarter, linebacker Matt Blair recovered a blocked punt to set up Fred Cox's 25-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 10-0 lead before halftime. Then in the third period, Foreman rushed 62 yards to the Los Angeles 2-yard line, and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run two plays later to increase the lead 17-0. The Rams rallied back with two quick touchdowns in the third. After a Dave Elmendorf interception gave the Rams the ball at midfield, Pat Haden hit Harold Jackson for 40 yards, followed by a 10-yard touchdown run by Lawrence McCutcheon. The PAT was blocked, however. On the Vikings next drive, Fred Dryer hit Fran Tarkenton on a sack, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Jack Youngblood at the Viking 11. Two plays later, Haden hit Jackson for a 5-yard touchdown pass. With 2:40 left in the game, Los Angeles advanced to the Minnesota 39-yard line. On fourth down and needing more than a field goal, Haden thought he had Jackson open deep near the goal line, but Bryant intercepted the pass (his second of the game) rather than batting it down. A few plays later, Tarkenton dumped a short pass off to Foreman, which he turned into a 57-yard gain. Backup running back Sammy Johnson scored the clinching touchdown from 12 yards out.

This turned out to be the last playoff game at Metropolitan Stadium. The Vikings played four playoff games between 1977 and 1981, all on the road. Minnesota's next home playoff game came after the strike-shortened 1982 season, the Vikings' first in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

To date, this is the most recent NFC Championship that the Vikings have won.