In poker, winners tell jokes and losers say “just deal the cards.” In football, winners make reservations and losers blame the referees.

Patriots fans looking ahead to Sunday’s conference championship game with the rugged Pittsburgh Steelers are still looking back with rare satisfaction at last week’s sensational, snow-capped victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Because payback is a … beautiful thing.

Any fan who can remember Patriots games at Harvard Stadium, Fenway Park and Boston University Field, along with old-time players such as Ron Burton (first draft choice) and Syracuse running back Gerhardt Schwedes, (first territorial choice) and other trivia answers such as Babe Parilli and Sam “Bam” Cunningham, certainly remembered Dec. 18, 1976, and another Patriots-Raiders game. The Patriots were leading 21-17 with less than a minute to go for a certain win and a trip to the Super Bowl.

Rockland’s Red Jacket Lounge had a major attraction in the area’s first wide-screen television, a technological breakthrough of the time. It had a terrible picture (by today’s standards) and you had to sit directly in front of the screen to see anything at all.

Still, there must have been 100 people jammed in front of the screen to watch the closing minutes. “We” were going to the Super Bowl.

Every Patriots fan over age 30 knows what happened next.

That was the day that the name of referee Ben Dreith went down

in New England sports history with Bucky Dent and Bill Buckner (Ben, Bucky and Bill). Dreith was the official who threw the flag and called a roughing the passer call on Patriot Ray “Sugar Bear” Hamilton, for a tackle on Raider quarterback Kenny Stabler. That gave the Raiders a first down, which led

to a game-winning touchdown

and a ticket to the Super Bowl.

Our Super Bowl.

The Red Jacket crowd threatened to break up the bar and beat up the bartender, Dick (Mr. Warmth) Libby. Somehow, we got over it.

But we never forgave. We never forgot. Especially when the Raiders won Super Bowl XI by easily defeating the Minnesota Vikings 32-14.

In this year’s Raider game, we were about to give up at 11 p.m. when sensational Patriots quarterback Tom Brady fumbled the ball with just under two minutes left and the Patriots trailing 13-10.

But wait.

In a bit of delicious, celestial payback, the referee called it an incomplete pass, which allowed the Patriots to tie the game, then win it in overtime 16-13. We yelled at our television like madmen.

A quarter-century of frustration exploded as the game-winning field goal somehow found its snowy way through the goal posts. After the victory, we loved to hear the Raiders, including certain Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, complain about the refs.

As all front-running fans, we tried to take credit for the win.

After giving up on the Pats early in the year (who knew?), some Camden fans started having game-day chicken barbecue dinners. First the Patriots beat the Jets 17-16. Then the Cleveland Browns by 27-16. We were on a roll and ordered more chicken. Naturally the Pats beat the Buffalo Bills, 12-9, then the Dolphins 20-13. Beating the Panthers, 38-6, was a mere formality.

More chicken.

By the Raider game, we were convinced that the barbecues and Patriots win were no coincidence. The chicken kept cooking and the wins kept coming. Sports fans will believe in anything, if their team keeps winning.

We have been feasting on cheap “family pack” chicken for the past five weeks. For Sunday, we are splurging on chicken breasts, with the bone in, for flavor. Against Pittsburgh, we are not taking any chances.

We think we have used up all our “payback” on the Oakland win.

Send complaints and compliments to Emmet Meara at emmetmeara@msn.com