Raiders' Del Rio: Immaculate Reception ‘hit the ground'

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ALAMEDA – Jack Del Rio grew up a Raiders fan. The Hayward native followed the Silver and Black religiously as a kid, during the franchise’s glory days in the 1970s. That was when the Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers annually battled for AFC supremacy.

They played some epic games in that era, often determining the conference’s Super Bowl rep. That Raiders era holds a special place in Del Rio’s heart – Del Rio reveres former Raiders coach John Madden – one memory sticks in his craw.

The Immacualte Reception.

“The catch shouldn’t have counted,” Del Rio said. “I mean come on, let’s be real, the ball hit the ground.”

Franco Harris’ controversial catch and eventual score in a 1972 AFC divisional playoffs gave the Steelers a 13-7 lead with five seconds remaining, stands as a heartbreaking moment in Raiders history and the beginning of the Raiders-Steelers rivalry that gets renewed on Sunday at Heinz Field.

Terry Bradshaw’s pass was deflected by Jack Tatum, and Harris scooped it up and scored. Many agree with Del Rio, that the ball touched the ground, should’ve been ruled incomplete and that the Raiders should’ve won that game.

The teams met in the playoffs the next four seasons, and became bitter rivals during dramatic, extremely physical games.

“I remember a lot of plays out of that (rivalry),” Del Rio said. “They were kind of a thorn in our side in the mid-70s there. There was a five-year stretch where they won four and we won the one in the middle. It was championship-level football.”

Sunday’s game pits teams with realistic playoff aspirations against each other. The rivalry has lost its luster over the years, but the game’s context should be enough to put emotion behind the proceedings.

“We’re looking forward to this match-up,” Del Rio said. “This is a heck of a team and they’re at their place, so it should be a good game.”

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