Editing Las Vegas Raiders (section)

==== Super Bowl XI champions (1976) ====
In [[1976 NFL season|1976]], the [[1976 Oakland Raiders season|Raiders]] came from behind dramatically to beat [[1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh]] 31–28 in the season opener and continued to cement its reputation for dirty play by knocking WR [[Lynn Swann]] out for two weeks with a clothesline to the helmet. Al Davis later tried to sue Steelers coach [[Chuck Noll]] for libel after the latter called safety [[George Atkinson (safety)|George Atkinson]] a criminal for the hit. The Raiders won 13 regular-season games and a close controversial 21–17 victory over [[1976 New England Patriots season|New England]] in the divisional playoffs. With the Patriots up by three points in the final two minutes, referee Ben Dreith called roughing the passer on New England's [[Ray Hamilton (defensive tackle)|Ray "Sugar Bear" Hamilton]] after he hit Oakland QB Ken Stabler. The Raiders went on to score a touchdown in the final minute to win. They then defeated the Steelers 24–7 in the AFC Championship to advance to their second Super Bowl. In [[Super Bowl XI]], Oakland's opponent was the [[1976 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]], a team that had lost three previous Super Bowls. The Raiders jumped out to an early lead and led 16–0 at halftime. By the end, having forced Minnesota into multiple turnovers, the Raiders won 32–14 for their first Super Bowl and post-merger championship.

The [[1977 NFL season|following season]] saw the [[1977 Oakland Raiders season|Raiders]] finish 11–3, but they lost the division title to the [[1977 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]]. They settled for a wild card, beating the [[1977 Baltimore Colts season|Colts]] in the second-longest overtime game in NFL history and which featured the [[Ghost to the Post]]. The Raiders then fell to the Broncos in the AFC Championship.

During a 1978 preseason game, Patriots WR [[Darryl Stingley]] was injured by a hit from Raiders FS Jack Tatum and paralyzed for life. Although the [[1978 Oakland Raiders season|1978 Raiders]] achieved a winning record at 9–7, they missed the playoffs for the first time since 1971, losing critical games down the stretch to miss the playoffs.

After 10 consecutive winning seasons and one Super Bowl championship, John Madden left coaching in 1979 to pursue a career as a television football commentator. His replacement was former Raiders quarterback [[Tom Flores]], the first Hispanic head coach in NFL history.<ref name="hispanic">{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/insider/2001/raidersnewhouse_091801.html |title=1980 Raiders were outcasts, champions |access-date=January 25, 2007 |last=Newhouse |first=Dave |website=[[NFL.com]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070123200328/http://www.nfl.com/insider/2001/raidersnewhouse_091801.html |archive-date=January 23, 2007}}</ref> Flores led the [[1979 Oakland Raiders season|Raiders]] to another 9–7 [[1979 NFL season|season]], but the team missed the playoffs.