The Miami Dolphins were facing the Oakland Raiders in an American Football Conference (AFC) Divisional playoff game on December 21, 1974 at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum.
The game was ultimately decided in the final seconds by a now-iconic play in which Oakland quarterback Ken Stabler launched an 8-yard touchdown pass to running back Clarence Davis, who seemed tightly covered but somehow wrestled the ball away from multiple Miami defenders to secure victory for the Raiders, thus ending Miami's historic run of Super Bowl appearances.
Oakland's defense made a stand to force a punt, and the Raiders would subsequently tie the game on a Stabler 31-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Smith.
Branch made a spectacular diving catch and, as no Dolphins defender touched him while he was down, got back up and ran to the end zone for a 72-yard touchdown, giving the Raiders a 21–19 lead with 4:37 left in the game.
Malone evaded four tackle attempts by Raider defenders Skip Thomas, Jack Tatum, George Atkinson and Art Thoms on the way to the end zone.
The Dolphins got the ball back on the kickoff with 21 seconds left, now trailing 28–26, but Griese would be intercepted by Oakland linebacker Phil Villapiano, allowing the Raiders to run out the clock.
[1] The expectations were understandable: The Raiders had gone 12–2 during their regular season, had appeared in four of the previous seven AFC/AFL Championship games, advancing to Super Bowl II, and boasting the 1974 NFL MVP, Kenny Stabler, while the Dolphins, 11–3 that year, had appeared in the previous three Super Bowls (VI, VII, and VIII) and were two-time defending champions.