1974 AFC Championship Game

This was the second consecutive AFC title game contested by the Raiders, and also their third AFC Championship Game and sixth title game in the Super Bowl era.[lower-alpha 2] Oakland won the AFC West with a 12-2 regular season record and defeated the AFC East champion, three-time defending AFC champion and two-time defending Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins 28-26 at Oakland Coliseum in the Divisonal Round to advance to the AFC Championship game.

This was the second AFC title game contested in the past three seasons by the Steelers. Pittsburgh won the AFC Central with a 10–3–1 regular season record and defeated the AFC East runner-up Buffalo Bills 32-14 at Three Rivers Stadium in the Divisonal Round to reach the AFC title game.

This was the third playoff meeting in as many seasons between these teams (and third such meeting overall) and their first meeting in an AFC title game. Both previous meetings came in the AFC Divisional Round, with the Steelers winning in 1972 and the Raiders winning in 1973.

The teams met at Three Rivers Stadium in Week 3 of the regular season, with the visiting Raiders shutting out the Steelers 17-0. The Raiders entered the game as heavy favorites.

This was the first AFC Championship Game to not include a team from the AFC East. Coincidentally, the 1974 NFC Championship Game was also the first such game to not include a team from the NFC East.

After trailing 10–3 at the end of the third quarter, the Steelers scored three touchdowns in the final period to earn their first championship appearance in team history.

The first half was controlled by both defenses. Oakland got a big opportunity in the first quarter when they recovered a muffed punt by Lynn Swann on the Steelers 41-yard line, but Mel Blount's deflection of a 3rd down pass by Ken Stabler forced them to settle for a 40-yard field goal from George Blanda. Meanwhile, the Steelers got close to the Oakland end zone twice, but each time they had to settle for Roy Gerela field goal attempts. He missed his first one from 20 yards in the first quarter but kicked a 23-yard field goal in the second to tie the game at 3 going into halftime.

Steelers linebacker Jack Lambert blocked a Blanda field goal in the second quarter, however in the second half, the Raiders eventually took a 10–3 lead with Ken Stabler's 38-yard touchdown pass to Cliff Branch. But Pittsburgh tied the game again six seconds into the fourth quarter with Franco Harris' 8-yard touchdown run at the end of a 61-yard drive. Then linebacker Jack Ham intercepted a pass from Stabler (his second interception of the day) and returned it to the Raiders' 9-yard line, setting up Bradshaw's 6-yard touchdown pass to Swann. Oakland responded with a drive to the Steelers 7-yard line, featuring a 45-yard reception by Fred Biletnikoff, but on 3rd down, a blitz by defensive back Mike Wagner forced Stabler to throw the ball away, and the team to setting for a 24-yard Blanda field goal, and the Steelers still led, 17–13.[2]

Oakland got the ball back for a chance to drive for a go-ahead touchdown, but J. T. Thomas made a clutch interception and returned the ball 37 yards to the Raiders 24. Harris then scored on a 21-yard rushing touchdown to put the game away.

Harris rushed for 111 yards and 2 scores, while Rocky Bleier added 98 rushing yards and 2 receptions for 25. Branch finished the game with 9 receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown.

• First quarter
  • OAK – field goal Blanda 40 OAK 3–0
• Second quarter
  • PIT – field goal Gerela 23 3–3
• Third quarter
  • OAK – Branch 38 pass from Stabler (Blanda kick) OAK 10–3
• Fourth quarter
  • PIT – Harris 8 run (Gerela kick) 10–10
  • PIT – Swann 6 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick) PIT 17–10
  • OAK – field goal Blanda 24 PIT 17–13
  • PIT – Harris 21 run (Gerela kick) PIT 24–13

The AFC champion Steelers made their first Super Bowl appearance. Pittsburgh defeated the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football Conference 16-6 in Super Bowl IX to win the first NFL title in their then-42-year history.

This was the first of three consecutive AFC title game appearances by the Steelers, all of which were against the Raiders. The Steelers repeated as AFC and Super Bowl champions before the Raiders won their first AFC and Super Bowl title the following year. The Raiders also appeared in the following AFC title game after dethroning the Steelers for five consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances, however the 1976 title game was the only time they advanced to the Super Bowl in that span.

This was the last AFC Championship Game in which home field advantage was determined by an annual rotation between the divisions. From the 1975 season to the present, home field advantage for conference title games has been awarded to the highest remaining seed, with the division winners receiving the top seeds and the wild card(s) receiving the bottom seed(s).

• 1974 NFC Championship Game
• AFC Championship Game
• 1974-75 NFL playoffs
• 1974 NFL season
• American Football Conference
• National Football League