SAN FRANCISCO _ The run as described by NFL Films narrator John Facenda was so moving to the late Todd Christensen that he got choked up just talking about it in an interview for “America’s Game: The 1983 Raiders.”

It’s still special to Marcus Allen, whose 74-yard touchdown run helped finish off Washington 38-9 in Super Bowl XVIII on Jan. 22, 1984.

“It was really sort of time travel, that’s basically what it was,” Allen said Tuesday at the media center for Super Bowl 50. “Everything slowed down. My awareness was just off the charts, the things that I could see and the anxiety in people’s faces as I ran by. It was just that slow.”

The play was called “17 Bob Trey O” but didn’t exactly go as planned on the final play of the third quarter at Tampa Stadium.

Allen was supposed to run to his left, but reversed his field before cutting up the middle through the heart of the Washington defense.

Christensen, who died in 2013 at 57 after complications from liver transplant surgery, recounted the run on the NFL Films series that debuted in 2006. The episode chronicled the Raiders last championship season.

“Even now, when I see that play, I get tingles. I remember John Facenda saying, `On came Marcus Allen, running with the night,’ ” Christensen said, his voice catching. “That’s a good memory.”

The 74-yard touchdown was the longest run from scrimmage for a score on record, later broken by Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker (75 yards in Super Bowl XI).

Allen gained 191 yards on 20 carries, had another touchdown run, and was the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Jim Plunkett was as surprised as anybody when Allen reversed field then cut back up the middle. For a moment, Plunkett was actually the lead blocker.

“They had the right defense called, they had a couple of defensive backs in the backfield, ready to stop him,” Plunkett said. “But Marcus made a great decision. Couldn’t go left, cut back right. I tried to get out and block, and although I didn’t block anybody, when I widened out the defense thought Marcus would go outside me. I’ll take credit for that.”

Also taking credit was linebacker Rod Martin, who set the table for the touchdown run by helping stop John Riggins for no gain on a fourth-and-1 play on the Raiders 26-yard line.

Martin said he was opposed by Washington tight end Rick Walker, a UCLA product whom he had faced while at USC. Martin said he told announcers John Madden and Pat Summerall Saturday night there was no way Walker could block him.

As Washington came to the line, Martin remembered how Riggins had broken a fourth-and-1 play for a 43-yard touchdown against Miami in the previous Super Bowl.

“I wanted to make sure Rick Walker wasn’t going to block me so I stuffed him the other way and stopped Riggins with some help from my other guys,” Martin said. “Marcus made the big run after that, and we were all standing up and watching the glory of him running downfield.”

Former Raiders coach Tom Flores called it “simply a magnificent play improvised by a great player. He did it instinctively.”

Allen said the feeling of slow motion began to leave him as he got closer to the goal line.

“It sped up as it got closer to normal speed right around the 10-yard line,” Allen said. “And then I remember just the jubilation in the locker room. It was the best thing in the world.

“And really, from the guys that were in their latter years, it was the sunset of their careers. At that time I thought, `We’re pretty good. We’ll be back.’ That was actually the last time I was able to go back.”