Raiders' top plays Bob Trey

Oakland Raiders This is one of three nominations for the most memorable play in Raiders' history. Oakland Raiders In the previous two days we featured the Sea of Hands, when Clarence Davis somehow came down with Ken Stabler’s flip in the end zone to upend the defending two-time Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins in the AFC divisional playoffs in 1974; and the Holy Roller, Oakland Raiders which gave the Raiders a "zany" victory in San Diego on the final play of regulation when Ken Stabler purposely fumbled forward while being sacked and, Oakland Raiders after Pete Banszak batted the ball even further forward, Oakland Raiders Dave Casper recovered in the end zone for a touchdown in 1978. Please vote for your choice as the Raiders’ most memorable play. Oakland Raiders The Raiders, then calling Los Angeles home, Oakland Raiders were already trouncing defending champion Washington 28-9 in Super Bowl XVIII when their offense lined up for the final play of the third quarter. Oakland Raiders What happened next has gone down in NFL lore as “Marcus Allen, running with the night,” courtesy of legendary NFL Films voice John Facenda. Oakland Raiders Because it was a busted play, one in which Allen had to improvise, it is seen in many corners as the greatest run in Super Bowl history, a reverse-field 74-yard scamper that put the dagger in Washington. Oakland Raiders “Yeah, I called it, but Marcus made it work,” Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett told me with a laugh as he recounted the play. Oakland Raiders “It was one of our steady plays: When in doubt, call ‘Bob Trey O.’ It was always solidly blocked where you shouldn’t lose any yards on it. But their safety messed it up.” Oakland Raiders The play was supposed to be a simple power run to the left, right guard Mickey Marvin pulling to clear space for Allen. But Allen went too far wide of Marvin and safety Ken Coffey blew it up by closing in. Allen stopped on a dime, spun to his left and reversed field. A hole had opened on the right side of the line and Allen sped through it, after Coffey lunged for the ball and Allen’s waist in the backfield. Oakland Raiders Accelerating through the gap, Allen ran past defensive end Todd Liebenstein and linebacker Rich Milot. “After I made that turn, everything slowed down,” Allen told ESPN radio affiliate 95.7 The Game during Super Bowl Week this past winter. Oakland Raiders “I remember Neal Olkewicz just grasping. I could almost see the anxiety on their faces and the tension as I was running by. And then, about 20 yards from the goal line, everything came back to normal speed.” Oakland Raiders The lone Washington player with a shot at Allen past the 50-yard line was cornerback Anthony Washington, but he was cut off by Raiders receiver Cliff Branch. Oakland Raiders Allen, who was supposedly too slow to be a game-breaking running back coming out of USC as the 1981 Heisman Trophy winner, had nothing but open field to the left pylon. After the score, Oakland Raiders which was then the longest run in Super Bowl history, Allen was joined in celebration in the end zone by nearly the entire Raiders team. Oakland Raiders “You can’t teach that kind of running,” John Madden, the former Raiders coach-turned-broadcaster, said while describing the replay. Oakland Raiders “You don’t teach that. You don’t practice that. You don’t see that on film. That happened,” Oakland Raiders.

linebacker Mack impresses with athleticism

Oakland Raiders Some players make you want to draw, and there was Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver on draft night scribbling down possible formations and pass rushes as he waited for Oakland's first pick to arrive. Oakland Raiders The Raiders got their man, Oakland Raiders taking Buffalo outside linebacker Khalil Mack with the fifth pick of the first round, Oakland Raiders and the special athlete now has teammates excited after a month of practices and a three-day minicamp, Oakland Raiders which ended Thursday. Offensive tackle Donald Penn said the 6-foot-3, Oakland Raiders 255-pound Mack "moves like a defensive back" and "has a motor that's relentless." Quarterback Matt Schaub said it's early and players aren't wearing pads yet, but he can see the comparison to his former Texans teammate J.J. Watt, Oakland Raiders the 2012 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. "You can see the impact that he can create," Schaub said. "You can see his physical gifts and his ability to shed blockers and be able to disrupt the passer and the timing of the route." Even coach Dennis Allen, who'd rather bite his tongue than make grand overstatements, has been gushing over Mack. He said Mack's power, length and ability to bend and move reminds him of feared Broncos pass rusher Von Miller, who Allen coached in Denver in 2011. "I know we've thrown out some comparisons, I've thrown out some comparisons, but really I'm focused on Khalil Mack being the best football player that he can be," Allen said. "I think he's an outstanding talent. I think he's got a huge upside. If he continues to work the way that he has, I think he'll fulfill those goals and the expectations that we have of him." Mack doesn't worry about the expectations to be a playmaker. "I'm a relaxed individual," Mack said. "I don't really think 'pressure, pressure, pressure.' I think, 'OK, this is what it is, work on this, work on that, do your job.' " Mack will start at strong-side outside linebacker, but will also move around and have his hand on the ground as a third-down pass rusher. "We've got his head spinning right now, which is a good thing," Allen said. "We're going to throw as much at him as we can into the early part of training camp, and then we'll settle down into the things we can execute as a team at a high level." Mack said he is still getting comfortable before each play, figuring out all of the defensive calls by teammates. Oakland Raiders "It is a lot of voices behind my head, Oakland Raiders trying to figure out what safeties are saying," Mack said. Oakland Raiders "You've got to listen to the right things. I'm trying to break down and assess the game at a high level like those guys are." Oakland Raiders Once the play is over, Mack seeks the voices of defensive stalwarts Justin Tuck and Lamarr Woodley. Oakland Raiders "It'd be dumb for me not to ask questions knowing the skill level they play with and that they're pretty much the best in the game when it comes to pass rushing," Mack said. Oakland Raiders The players all went their separate ways Thursday, Oakland Raiders to return to training camp July 24 in Napa. Mack doesn't relish the time off. "I want to work on stuff tomorrow if I could," Oakland Raiders he said. "I want to do what I can to prepare myself, especially for training camp and be that immediate impact player," Oakland Raiders.