1968 New York Jets: The Guarantee

1968 New York Jets: The Guarantee

1968 New York Jets: The Guarantee

The Baltimore Colts lost only one game during the 1968 regular season. They lost 30-20 in Week 6 to the Cleveland Browns. The Colts would face the Browns again in the NFL Championship game where they would crush the Browns 34-0. The Colts averaged 28.7 points per game and allowed only 10.3 points per game during the regular season. Entering Super Bowl III, the Colts were heavy favorites against the AFL champions, the New York Jets. The media and common sense picked the Colts to beat the Jets. One man believed in the Jets. The Jets’ quarterback Joe Namath made that clear to everyone when he announced to the world that Jets were going to win – he guaranteed it.

In 1968, the NFL was seen to have the better players and the better teams. The AFL was seen as the NFL’s little brother. The Jets’ offense was second in the league in points scored. They averaged 29.9 points per game and allowed 20 points per contest. They had two terrific wide receivers in Don Maynard and George Sauer. Maynard and Sauer were second and third in the league in yards receiving. Maynard was second with 1297 yards to go with his 10 touchdowns. Sauer added 1141 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Throwing the ball to Sauer and Maynard was fourth year quarterback, Joe Namath. Namath showed flashes of his brilliance the year before when he threw for 4007 yards and 26 touchdowns. During the 1969 campaign, Namath threw for 3147 yards and 15 touchdowns on his way to Player of the Year honors.

With Namath, Maynard and Sauer wreaking havoc in the air, Matt Snell and Emerson Boozer gained yards on the ground. Snell led the team in rushing yards with 747 and 6 touchdowns. Boozer added 441 yards and 5 touchdowns.

The Jets finished the regular season with an 11-3 record to set up an AFL Championship game against the Oakland Raiders. The Jets were second in the league in scoring, but the Raiders were first. They were led by 1967’s Player of the Year, Daryle Lamonica. The Raiders finished 12-2 which included a dramatic come from behind win against the Jets in Week 11. They demolished the Kansas City Chiefs 41-6 in the Divisional playoff round on their way to their matchup against the Jets.

The Jets gained an early 10-0 lead in the first quarter but the Raiders kept the game close. They trailed the Jets 13-10 at halftime before tying the game in the 3rd quarter. Joe Namath found Pete Lammons for a 20 yard touchdown to give the Jets a 20-13 lead, but the Raiders scored 10 consecutive points to take a 23-20 lead in the 4th quarter. Namath would drive the Jets down the field and find Don Maynard for a 6-yard touchdown to give the Jets the lead once again. The Raiders failed to mount a comeback and fell to the Jets, 27-23.

After the NFL’s Green Bay Packers won the first two Super Bowls against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders, the Baltimore Colts were expected to continue the NFL’s dominance over the AFL. Joe Namath guaranteed the Jets would win and his confidence made his team believe. The Jets controlled the game by running the ball and keeping the potent Colts offense off the field. When the Colts’ quarterback, Earl Morrall, did make it on the field, the Jets defense was opportunistic. The Jets forced Morrall to throw three interceptions. The Colts committed five turnovers total while the Jets committed only one. Matt Snell ran the ball thirty times for 121 yards and he scored the only touchdown of the game for the Jets. Namath didn’t throw any touchdowns, but he constantly beat the Colts’ defense with quick throws and smart decisions. He threw for 206 yards on his way to Super Bowl MVP honors as the Jets shocked the Colts 16-7.