Jets Dominate Winless Raiders as Snell Shines

Oct. 10, 1964 - There were 40 seconds remaining tonight when New York Jets fullback Matt Snell (pictured) was replaced by punt specialist Curley Johnson. Coach Weeb Ewbank met Snell at the sideline and told him: “I’m taking you out because everybody’s piling on you. We don’t want you hurt now.”

The frustrated Oakland Raiders were landing on ball carriers with a little extra enthusiasm by this time, and Ewbank wasn’t taking any chances.

Snell, a superlative rookie out of Ohio State, gained 168 yards in 26 carries to lead the Jets to a 35-13 victory over the winless Raiders. The figures broke the club record of 21 carries by Mark Smolinski last year and 127 yards rushing by Bill Mathis in 1961. His performance earned a loud “Beautiful, isn’t he?” from Jets owner Sonny Werblin, but Matt took it all in stride.

“I didn’t have the slightest idea about any records, and I don’t think anybody else on the team did either,” said Snell.

Matt preferred to talk about the blocking he got. “That line! Man, it’s what every back dreams of,” he said, mentioning guards Dan Ficca and Pete Perreault and tackles Sherman Plunkett and Winston Hill. “Why on that long one [43 yards in the fourth quarter], Winston was a real sinner. I think he took the whole left side of the line out by himself.”

Snell saved his highest praise for halfback Mathis, who sported a freshly opened gash across his nose for the third straight week since having it broken on the last play of the game in Boston. “It’s a pleasure to run behind him,” Snell said. “I don’t care who the man is on the other team, Mathis will move him for you.”

From the time with seven minutes gone in the first quarter when Larry Grantham blocked a punt at the Oakland five to set up Snell’s first scoring run, the Jets’ defense was outstanding. And they kept smashing to the end, though Billy Cannon finally scored to ruin their shutout. At that, Cannon collided head-on with Jets middle linebacker Wahoo McDaniel and only barely made it into the end zone.

“It looked like Wahoo had him stopped,” Grantham said. “A shutout would have been nice, but we were so far in front by then [35-0] that we didn’t argue.” Oakland was held to only 17 yards rushing.

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