Daryle Lamonica: Profile Of a Turnaround in Oakland, 1967

While the Raiders try to figure out what to do with the quarterback position, let's do a little flashback to the glory days....or, before the glory days really got underway.

In 1966, Oakland was 8-5-1. not bad for the AFL, but working forward. A three game losing streak hurt the team early in the season against the Oilers, Chiefs and Chargers. They would go 7-2-1 to finish the season, but would be in second place, with no Wild Card at that time. This team was led by John Rauch, a former assistant to Al Davis, who was elevated to league president, which turned out to be a joke as the NFL and AFL was secretly meeting without his knowledge.

As the 1966 season played out, Tom Flores was coming into his own, but wasn't able to start four games. His backup, Cotton Davidson went 1-3 and threw 11 interceptions.

To the layman, the Raiders couldn't rely on Davidson to work things out. Oakland's GM at the time, Scotty Stirling made a deal to send Flores, along with Art Powell, for Daryle Lamonica and Glenn Bass.

Go ahead and take a second look at that.

Oakland swapped off it's starting QB, keeping a guy who threw 11 interceptions in four games....or passed like JaMarcus Russell, while bringing in a backup from the Buffalo Bills.

What is telling, is that Al Davis wasn't crazy about this deal, from the standpoint that Lamonica would have to learn the Raiders' offense in a hurry. Flores, meanwhile already knew the offense. What finally settled it, was Davis' pride. He didn't like it, primarily because if it went bad, he'd be blamed for keeping Flores.

Oakland's fans weren't nearly as optimistic, booing Daryle when he was announced. Davis, to solve this, would start with his defense coming out onto the field to spare him the heckling.

But what became a good indication on Lamonica's career, was in weeks four and five of an east coast road trip for the Raiders.

In Week Four, Oakland would go out and play the New York Jets, with Joe Namath. Oakland at that time was riding a 5-13-2 record against the East....being Al's old stomping grounds, he wanted to win.

Daryle Lamonica threw four interceptions against the Jets, losing 14-27.

The very next week, Lamonica would go play his former club, the Bills...and throw another four interceptions.

The result, though, was different. Oakland won this game, 24-20.

Oakland would then win the next two games, scoring 99 points, against the Patriots and Chargers, in two weeks, as Oakland seemed to hit their stride.

Oakland would not lose again, that season until the Super Bowl, to the Green Bay Packers....and Oakland had found their quarterback for the next six seasons, going 62-16-6.

Could you imagine what would have happened, had the Raiders decided to sit Lamonica after losing to the Jets?

Thanks to Glenn Dickey, for the information in Just Win, Baby that was helpful in assembling this article.