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| Source:NBC Sports- |
Source:The New Democrat
Super Bowl 15, was a very interesting matchup between two very good football teams. The 1980 Raiders, perhaps one of the most talented teams on both sides of the ball to ever play in the Super Bowl. The 1980 Eagles, were very good, perhaps not deep in great talent, but with a lot of good players. The 1980 Raiders, might be the best 11-5 team that has ever played. They were 2-3 at one point that season and at around 500 at the half point of the season. Jim Plunkett, wasn’t their starting quarterback going into the season. Dan Pastorini, was their quarterback going into the season and got off to a bad start, as did the Raiders. And was replaced by Plunkett and the Raiders started to put it together and almost won the AFC West.
The Eagles, were already good in 78 and 79, making the NFC Playoffs both seasons. And saw 1980 as their season to step up and make a run at the Super Bowl. Especially with the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams both slipping and the Minnesota Vikings no longer a Super Bowl contender. The Redskins, struggling in the NFC East and hadn’t made the playoffs since 1976. 1980, was seen as the year for the Eagles, if they got past the Cowboys and won the NFC East. Which was a big goal of there’s. Win the East so they don’t have to play in the NFC Wildcard and win the NFC Divisional to get to the NFC Final. And Head Coach Dick Vermeil, put together a very tough physical blue-collar team. That played great defense and ran the ball real well and could throw the ball to keep defenses balanced.
I think this was a matchup of two of the toughest teams to ever play in the Super Bowl. That had great coaching and character and didn’t expect anyone to give them anything and worked very hard for everything that they accomplished. And they met in the Super Bowl, but I think there were several differences in this game that all favored the Raiders. Not just Super Bowl experience, but experience winning the Super Bowl. Twelve Raiders, were on the 1976 Raiders Super Bowl team. The Raiders also had more weapons on offense and could kill you with the pass and run. And the Raiders defense could take away the Eagles strength which was their power running and make them throw more than they wanted to. And throw when they didn’t want to and you see these differences in this game.
