OAKLAND, CALIF. ? Rich Gannon chases perfection every time he steps on the football field, whether it’s in a minicamp practice or the AFC championship game.

On the most important day of his biggest season, Gannon very nearly caught it.

The Oakland Raiders’ tireless, unsmiling quarterback was practically flawless on Sunday, leading the Raiders to a 41-24 victory and their first Super Bowl since the 1983 season.

It will be the first Super Bowl for Gannon, a former Kansas City Chief who began his career as an undrafted rookie from Delaware in 1987.

“I’m excited, (but) I think what it means for our football team is my focus,” Gannon said. “It’s a great opportunity for us. We’ve worked a long time for it.”

From a smart adjustment on the game’s first play to a scrambling fourth-quarter touchdown that broke Tennessee’s will, the 37-year-old Gannon commanded the AFC title game right to the finish, when he kneeled down inside the Oakland 10 to kick off an ecstatic celebration.

Of course, Gannon didn’t take much part in that celebration, beyond congratulating his teammates. He has an aversion to personal reflection that borders on an obsession, and he wouldn’t say more than a few words about his own thoughts on making his first Super Bowl.

“I don’t feel like I finally made anything,” Gannon said. “I finally got the chance to play in the big game, but if we can’t go out and play a solid football game next week, then it’s all for naught.”

Gannon completed 29 of 41 passes for 286 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions while also leading the Raiders with 41 yards rushing. He completed his first 12 passes, and his receivers dropped at least four perfectly-thrown balls.

He staked the Raiders to an early lead, coolly led them back ahead when the Titans rallied, then put the game away with two fourth-quarter touchdown drives, rushing for a score on the first one.

It was a performance that recalled other famed quarterbacking exhibitions in this game — like John Elway’s play in the Broncos’ five trips to the game from 1986 to 1998, for instance.

But for Gannon, the victory was much longer in coming. The Raiders lost to Baltimore in his first AFC title game two years earlier, and time is running out for him and his veteran team.

Thanks to Gannon, the Raiders are just in time for a trip to San Diego.

“Rich is the decision-maker,” Jerry Rice said. “He spreads the ball around. He did a great job. He was very composed. He also had some big plays running the ball.”

The Raiders’ passing offense was tops in the NFL this season, and Oakland quickly made sure the Titans knew it. Incredibly, the Raiders called just one rushing play in the first three quarters, although Gannon made several scrambling runs into Tennessee’s secondary.

Oakland coach Bill Callahan relied on his quarterback to control the offense. The Raiders used a no-huddle scheme at times to keep the Titans’ defense working hard, while Gannon made several of his typical line-of-scrimmage adjustments to change routes and schemes according to the defense.

“We never worry about Rich,” Tim Brown said. “We know he won’t make a mistake.”