OAKLAND RAIDERS RAP
FLASH RECAP:
Quarterback Rich Gannon throws for five touchdowns as Oakland (12-4) wins its first AFC West championship since 1990 by thrashing Carolina before 60,637 fans at Network Associates Coliseum on Dec. 24, 2000. Needing a victory or tie to finish first in the division and clinch homefield advantage for at least a divisional-round playoff game, the Raiders respond with a dominanting performance. After building a 24-9 lead at halftime, Oakland erupts for two touchdowns in 57 seconds early in the third quarter. Gannon hits tight end Rickey Dudley for a 21-yard score after a Steve Beuerlein fumble. Two plays later, Raiders cornerback Eric Allen returns a Beuerlein interception 37 yards for a touchdown to boost Oakland's advantage to 38-9 only 3:44 into the second half. The Panthers finish 7-9, George Seifert's first losing season as an NFL head coach in 10 years.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
QB Rich Gannon -- Completes 26 of 32 passes for 230 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. Also rushes for 32 yards on three carries.
RB Tyrone Wheatley -- With 66 yards rushing on 17 carries against Carolina, he becomes the seventh Raiders running back to reach the 1,000-yard plateau in a season. Rushes for 33 of Oakland's 77 yards on a 12-play touchdown drive on the game's first possession. Finishes the regular season with 1,046 yards rushing.
Raiders offensive line -- No sacks allowed and the running game has 176 yards on 39 carries. Dominant blocking helps the Raiders control the ball for a whopping 38:24.
TE Rickey Dudley -- Contributes four catches for 32 yards, including two for touchdowns. Lines up in the backfield and then runs unguarded to the end zone on a 21-yard scoring pass from Rich Gannon.
WR Tim Brown -- Has only three receptions for 18 yards, but the final catch is his career-best 11th touchdown of the season (on a 9-yard pass from Rich Gannon).
PK Joe Nedney -- Makes field goals of 46, 21 and 51 yards in the first half. The former Raider is a perfect 7-for-7 on kicks in two games this season against the team that cut him in August. He hits four field goals in helping Denver beat the Raiders 33-24 on Sept. 17, 2000.
WR Muhsin Muhammad -- Has 10 receptions for 114 yards. He finishes the year with 102 catches, tying him with the Colts' Marvin Harrison for the league lead.
MLB Lester Towns -- Contributes 10 solo tackles.
GOAT OF THE GAME:
Quarterback Steve Beuerlein fails to get the Panthers offense into the end zone despite completing 12 of 21 passes for 156 yards. His lone interception is returned 37 yards for a touchdown by Oakland cornerback Eric Allen. Beuerlein also loses a fumble, which sets up Rich Gannon's 21-yard scoring pass to Rickey Dudley early in the second half.
TURNING POINT:
Rich Gannon engineers touchdown drives of 82 and 54 yards on successive possessions in the second quarter as Oakland builds a 24-6 lead. On the two drives, Gannon is 11-of-13 passing, including a 1-yard touchdown to Rickey Dudley and a 9-yard score to Tim Brown.
KEY DRIVE:
The Raiders move 36 yards in four plays for a touchdown after Darrell Russell recovers a Steve Beuerlein fumble. Following three rushes for 15 yards by Tyrone Wheatley, Rich Gannon throws a 21-yard scoring pass to Rickey Dudley for a 31-9 Oakland advantage 2:47 into the third quarter.
BY THE NUMBERS:
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1: AFC West titles won by the Raiders since 1991.
2: Defensive touchdowns by Oakland (CB Eric Allen returns an interception 37 yards for a score and CB Darrien Gordon brings back a fumble 74 yards for another).
4: Touchdown catches by Oakland tight ends, two each by Rickey Dudley and Jeremy Brigham.
51: Yards rushing on 11 carries by RB Terry Kirby in his Oakland debut.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders DE Lance Johnstone
"It ain't no time to pop the champagne just yet. You don't get nothing for being Western Division champions with a bye. But it's a good start."
"I'll never forget this game. I've never been embarrassed like that before."
Panthers CB Jimmy Hitchcock
DID YOU KNOW?:
The Raiders finish the 2000 regular season with a 7-1 record at Network Associates Coliseum. The Raiders went a franchise-best 9-0 at home (including two playoff victories) in 1976. The team also was 7-1 at home in the 1985 regular season, but the then L.A. Raiders lost to New England in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.
Oakland's Darrien Gordon returns a fumble 74 yardsfor a touchdown by The Associated Press
