In Super Bowl II the American Football League (AFL) champion Oakland Raiders found themselves squaring off with the dominating Green Bay Packers who were playing in their second consecutive NFL-AFL Championship game.
The game was still one year away from becoming officially known as the Super Bowl when 75, 546 fans packed the Orange Bowl In Miami to see the National Football League (NFL) dominate the AFL once again, 33-14. The game marked the first time football had seen more three million dollars in gate receipts.
The Raiders (13-1) came by way of a 40-7 route of the Houston Oilers in the AFL championship. The Raiders had led the league in total points scored and quarterback Daryle Lamonica led all quarterbacks, NFL and AFL, in total yards (3,228) and touchdown passes (30). Future hall of famers Gene Upshaw and Jim Otto drove the offensive line along with Pro Bowlers Harry Schuh and Wayne Hawkins. But the force behind the Raiders was its powerful defense. Pro Bowlers Tome Keating anchored what was then known as "The 11 Angry Men." Behind Keating and Davison, Pro Bowl linebacker Dan Conners excelled at blitzing and pass rushing.
The Packers (9-4-1) made it to their second straight NFL-AFL Championship game, but not as convincingly as the previous year. Led by their 33-year-old standout Quarterback Bart Starr, The Packers uncharacteristically gave up a total of 78 points in the last three games of the season. Returned to dominance for the playoffs, the Packers crushed the Los Angeles Rams (11-1-2) in the Western Conference championship game, and narrowly defeated The Dallas Cowboys (9-5-0) 21-17 in the infamous "Ice Bowl," one of the most talked about game in NFL history.
The Packers struck on their first possession in Super Bowl II after marching 34 yards down the field and ending the drive with a Don Chandler 39-yard field goal kick. On their next possession Starr drove the ball eighty-four yards to the Raider's 13-yard line but once again the Packers were forced to settle for a Chandler Field goal. Later in the second quarter the Packers scored again with a play action pass. With the Packers on their own 38-yard line, Starr faked a handoff in the backfield, which completely fooled the Raiders Defense. Boyd caught the pass, slipped by the defenders, and ran to the end zone for the 62-yard completion and the 13-point lead. The Raiders, completely dominated by the Packers to this point, finally got on the scoreboard after a 79-yard drive that culminated in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Lamonica to receiver Bill Miller mid way through the second quarter. However, the Raiders were to see little more scoring the rest of the game.
In the second half the Packers took away any hopes the Raiders may have had for a comeback. "The 11 Angry Men," exhausted from spending more than thirteen minutes on the field in the third quarter, collapsed and the Packers increased their lead to 26-7 with a 2-yard touchdown run and another Chandler field goal, his fourth of the game. Starr was forced to leave the game early in the fourth, after jamming the thumb on his throwing hand. The Packers added seven more on a Herb Adderley 60-yard interception return early in the fourth quarter. The Raiders managed a second touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but were unable to come back from such a defecite. Starr was awarded his second consecutive Super Bowl MVP.
At the end of the game, Packers coach Vince Lombardi was hoisted by his players and carried off the field. Lombardi then announced, as expected, he was leaving the game for good. With him, he took two Super Bowls and five NFL championships, three of which were consecutive.
