Immaculate Reception - coach's film "all 22" angle

[Bryan]

I just saw this angle of the Immaculate Reception, and it's somewhat fascinating.

*You get a sense of Bradshaw's arm...backpedaling and ducking, he rifles a dart 40 yards in the air.

*Bradshaw is actually throwing to McMakin deep in the middle of the field, but both Warren and McMakin slip when they break back to the ball.

*Fuqua is tangled up with Irons on his pattern and is actually pushed to the sideline. When Bradshaw throws the ball, Fuqua is actually running across the field to get to the football. You don't catch this from the TV or NFL Films angles.

*Tatum is playing the deep middle, and he is running up the field in a straight line towards the ball. It looks like Tatum is actually trying to intercept the ball and doesn't even see Fuqua. Judging from the angle Fuqua had to take to get to the ball as opposed to Tatum, there is no way the pass didn't deflect off Tatum.

*If McMakin doesn't dive into Villapiano's legs, it appears that Villapiano had the angle on Harris to cut him off to the sidelines.

*If Warren doesn't momentarily celebrate after Tatum's deflection, it appears that Warren also would have had the angle on Harris to cut him off to the sidelines.

[Brian wolf]

The clip from McMakin was so obvious but unlike this past SB in the last two minutes, the referees in Pittsburgh just let it play out. I truly believe when Snake scored the TD, the Raiders basically quit playing football on defense but it was a lucky play with the ball hitting Fuqua as well which should have made it illegal. I think it hit his elbow but would have to see that angle you saw, though NBC showed a replay from endzone view ...

[Brian wolf]

What a defensive slugfest ! Still want this game from broadcast and the Raiders revenge win the next year in the playoffs at Oakland. A game where the Raiders running attack was so good, that Noll replaced Davis at MLB the next season for Lambert ...

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

Is the footage online? Would love to see this.

Bradshaw had a tremendous arm. A very overlooked aspect of his game, IMO. He was a great javelin thrower (set a national record in HS) and when you know that and watch his really deep throws, they do somewhat have a javelin-type arc to them.

[Jay Z]

I didn't realize where Fuqua had come from. Yeah, I'm sure the throw was to McMakin, not Fuqua. Irons kind of lost Fuqua, probably didn't help the Raiders.

Of course in 1972 there is still very little situation substitution, even on 4th and 10 with 22 seconds left. The Raiders did bring Warren in for Dan Conners.

Honestly, the game before Stabler comes in is pretty dull. A lot of drives with one first down. Lamonica can do nothing. Bradshaw had one good drive at the beginning of the 2nd half that got the Steelers a 3-0 lead. Second FG was in the 4th quarter after a Stabler fumble.

Cowboys 30-28 over the 49ers later that day is a more exciting game.

[RichardBak]

Is the footage online? Would love to see this.

Bradshaw had a tremendous arm. A very overlooked aspect of his game, IMO. He was a great javelin thrower (set a national record in HS) and when you know that and watch his really deep throws, they do somewhat have a javelin-type arc to them.

Never knew that. Always learn something new on this board. Bradshaw really did have a cannon of an arm.

[racepug]

The clip from McMakin was so obvious but unlike this past SB in the last two minutes, the referees in Pittsburgh just let it play out. I truly believe when Snake scored the TD, the Raiders basically quit playing football on defense but it was a lucky play with the ball hitting Fuqua as well which should have made it illegal. I think it hit his elbow but would have to see that angle you saw, though NBC showed a replay from endzone view ...

It's pretty obvious that that play wasn't "how you draw it up" in the playbook so I've never really bought the Raiders' claims about the ball hitting an offensive player consecutively and it being an infraction. I mean, technically - yeah, maybe. But so what? It's not something PITT did by design. On the other hand it was an incredibly lucky play by the "Stealers" that probably never would've happened had Franco been running the right route (as the Raiders contend to this day).

[Jay Z]

The pass was clearly thrown towards McMakin, and if Fuqua doesn't come over for it the play doesn't unfold the way it does. This is far different than what you see on NFL Films.

I always thought that Tatum wound up on Fuqua instead of knocking the ball down, but the way he played it makes a lot more sense here. He and Fuqua were converging on the ball from different directions.

Kudos to Franco for hustling up to the play, but it was a 10,000 to 1 shot that he's going to be able to catch that ball without breaking stride. Which he needed to do, he wouldn't have scored otherwise. Though I suppose the Steelers could have gotten a FG attempt out of it.

Deflected passes that are caught aren't that uncommon, but the odds were a lot better going the other way, McMakin catching a pass behind everybody somehow.

[Bryan]

The pass was clearly thrown towards McMakin, and if Fuqua doesn't come over for it the play doesn't unfold the way it does. This is far different than what you see on NFL Films.

I always thought that Tatum wound up on Fuqua instead of knocking the ball down, but the way he played it makes a lot more sense here. He and Fuqua were converging on the ball from different directions.

Kudos to Franco for hustling up to the play, but it was a 10,000 to 1 shot that he's going to be able to catch that ball without breaking stride. Which he needed to do, he wouldn't have scored otherwise.

Yeah, I think the play itself is even more remarkable in the all-22 angle. Franco still had to run 45 yards after catching the ball. If he breaks stride, one of the Raiders would have caught up to him. If McMakin doesn't dive into Villapiano, Villapiano would have forced Franco out of bounds. If Warren doesn't celebrate, he pushes Franco out of bounds. So many things had to happen at precisely the right moment for Franco to score a TD.

[JohnR]

Watch the Raider bench after Tatum's hit. Sheer joy. "We're going to Miami!!!!"