The Contenders for Super Bowl XVIII were without question the best in the National Football League (NFL). Washington compiled a 14-2 regular-season record, losing only to Dallas, 31-30, and Green Bay, 48-47, in nationally televised Monday night games. Los Angeles dominated the American Football Conference with 12 victories and losses only to St. Louis, Washington and Western Division rival Seattle (twice). On the playoff road that led to Tampa Stadium, the Los Angeles Raiders easily disposed of Pittsburgh and Seattle. The Washington Redskins seriously thumped the Los Angeles Rams, 51-7, before squeezing past San Francisco, 24-21, in a game they had led, 21-0, entering the final quarter. The Washington Redskins were installed as three-point Super Bowl favorites. Who could question the odds makers' wisdom? They were, after all, the defending champions with the best record in the NFL against the rush.

The Redskins thoroughly shut down the Dolphins a year earlier, but they were not as fortunate this time around. Less than 5 minutes into the game, the Redskins were dealt a blow when, after their first drive stalled at their own 30-yard line, punter Jeff Hayes, who had not had a punt blocked all year, had his kick swatted down by Derrick Jensen. The Raiders special teams captain then chased the ball into the end zone, where he fell on it for a touchdown. Chris Bahr's kick gave Los Angeles a 7-0 lead. On their next possession, the Skins moved more than 50 yards to the Los Angeles 27 where the drive stalled. On fourth down, however, Mark Moseley pulled a 44-yard field-goal attempt left of the goal post and Washington came up empty. Starting from their own 35-yard line early in the second quarter, the Raiders put together a drive that was keyed by a 50-yard pass from Jim Plunkett to wide receiver Cliff Branch that moved the offense to the Redskins 15. Two plays later Plunkett connected with Branch again, this time for 12 yards and the touchdown. Washington finally got on the scoreboard after putting together a 12-play, 73-yard drive that resulted in a 24-yard Mark Moseley field goal. When the Raiders' ensuing drive stalled, punter Ray Guy pinned the Redskins back at their own 12. With just 12 seconds remaining before halftime, Washington decided to try a screen pass, and the results were disastrous. As Theismann's pass slowly arched over the head of defensive end Lyle Alzado toward running back Joe Washington, second-year linebacker Jack Squirek stepped in front of the would-be receiver and took the pass five yards the other way for a touchdown and a 21-3 halftime lead.

As the second half began, it looked as if the Redskins would get back in the game. Washington drove 70 yards in nine plays, with Riggins plunging over right tackle from one-yard out for the touchdown. Moseley's extra-point attempt was blocked by the Raiders Don Hasselbeck, leaving the score at 21-9. The Raiders answered quickly, traveling 70 yards in nine plays including a five-yard scoring run by Allen. The drive was aided by a pass interference penalty against rookie cornerback Darrell Green that accounted for 38 yards. After stopping Riggins on a fourth-and-one at the Raiders 26-yard line later in the third quarter, the Raiders widened their lead to 35-9 with a Super Bowl record-setting 74-yard touchdown run by Allen. The Redskins made one last threat, moving into a first-and-goal situation at the Raiders eight-yard line late in the fourth, but Mike Davis blind-sided Theismann, who was setting up to pass, and the knocked the ball free. Raiders linebacker Rod Martin recovered it at the Raiders 31. Late in the fourth quarter, cornerback Mike Haynes set up the final score of the game by picking off a Theismann pass at the Raiders 42. Los Angeles quickly moved to the 3, and Bahr kicked a 21-yard field goal, making the final score 38-9. Marcus Allen was named the game's most valuable player. The victory over Washington raised Raiders coach Tom Flores' playoff record to 8-1, including a 27-10 win against Philadelphia in Super Bowl XV. The 38 points scored by the Raiders were the highest total by a Super Bowl team. The previous high was 35 points by Green Bay in Game I. The Los Angeles Raiders dominated the Washington Redskins from the beginning in Super Bowl XVIII and achieved the most lopsided victory in Super Bowl history, surpassing Green Bay's 35-10 win over Kansas City in Super Bowl I. The game achieved a 46.4 rating and 71.0 share. Apple's famous "1984" television commercial, introducing the Macintosh computer and directed by Ridley Scott, ran during the two minute warning time out in the fourth quarter. The advertisement changed how the Super Bowl would be used as a media platform after that. The fact that the Redskins had come into the game as such a heavily favored team and left with such a humiliating defeat led Super Bowl XVIII to be known as "Black Sunday," in reference to the colors of the then World Champion Oakland Raiders.