The Holy Roller (known as the Immaculate Deception by San Diego Chargers fans) was an infamous game-winning play executed by the Oakland Raiders against the Chargers on September 21, 1978. What should have been called an incomplete pass (and possibly intentional grounding) was seen as a fumble and the rest of the play involved illegal batting of the ball. The officials did not think the illegal actions were obvious enough to call a penalty so the play ended in a touchdown. During the off-season the NFL tightened the rules to prevent future "holy rollers".

The play took place with 10 seconds on the game clock in the fourth quarter. The Raiders had posession of the ball on the Chargers 14-yard line, facing fourth down, and were behind 20-14. Raiders quarterback, Ken Stabler took the snap and found himself about to be sacked on the 24 yard line. With only 10 seconds to go a sack would have run out the clock, and given the Chargers possession on downs in any event, so Stabler tossed the ball underhand toward the goal line. This was a forward pass so the ball should have been dead when it hit the ground but the officials never saw the toss and called it a fumble. (When asked after the game by radio announcer Bill King if he intentionally fumbled, Stabler said, "You bet your ass I did.") Running back Pete Banaszak recovered the ball on the 12-yard line, but could not keep his footing. Once again, knowing that going down would end the game with a loss he shoveled the ball toward the goal line. Raiders Dave Casper was the next player to reach the ball but couldnt get a handle on it. He batted and kicked the ball into the end zone where he fell on it for the game-tying touchdown; the Raiders won with the ensuing extra point.

The Chargers and their fans were furious. Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts said the officals just plain blew it. After the game Chargers fans began wearing T-shirts depicting a blindfolded referee signaling a touchdown. Under the referee were the words "IMMACULATE DECEPTION". The game ignited a bitter rivalry between the Chargers and the Raiders that continues to this day (of course, it is understandable that the rivalry is more important to Chargers fans that Raiders fans, since the Chargers got the short end of the stick). When the Chargers host the Raiders, extra security is hired, fans entering the stadium are more closely scrutinized and fights always break out in the stands. There are many more police arrests at the stadium when the Chargers host the Raiders than at other games (mostly Raiders fans). San Diego sports headlines after a Raiders game are as much about the fans as the game.

The next year the NFL changed the rules. Now, if the ball is intentionally fumbled it is automatically an incomplete pass. Rules against illegally batting the ball were confirmed and a fumble in the final two minutes of a game, or on fourth down at any time in the game, is dead at the point of fumble unless the player who fumbled recovers the ball.

The nickname "Immaculate Deception", coined by Chargers fans, is in reference to the Immaculate Reception, another history-making play the Raiders were involved in. That time it was the Pittsburgh Steelers who turned a great defensive play by the Raiders into a controversial game-winning touchdown.

External link

• NFL Features: Inside the 'Holy Roller' play