The Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of the previous two
Super Bowls, were sporting a 4-1 record as they hosted the Cincinnati Bengals
on October 12, 1980. But while the Bengals were 1-4, that win had come against
the Steelers three weeks earlier. Still, Pittsburgh had won 18 straight home
games and ten in a row over the Bengals at Three Rivers Stadium.
Head Coach Chuck Noll’s Steelers were winning games, but
both of their regular wide receivers, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, were
sidelined by injuries. Cincinnati, under new Head Coach Forrest Gregg, was
showing improvement on defense, where they had shifted to a 3-4 alignment, but
were having difficulty putting points on the board. Moreover, the Bengals were
13.5-point underdogs even though they had beaten the Steelers in the prior
meeting.
There were 53,668 fans in attendance at Three Rivers
Stadium on an overcast afternoon. The tone was set early for the Steelers when QB
Terry Bradshaw fumbled the first two snaps from center in a three-and-out
possession. Pittsburgh was going with two tight ends and one wide receiver in
an effort to better run the ball against Cincinnati with the injury-depleted
receiver corps.
The Bengals also punted after a short series. Pittsburgh
still couldn’t move the ball (they abandoned the two tight end alignment) but,
forced to abort a punt, Craig Colquitt ran 17 yards for a first down although
he injured his left foot in doing so and was done for the afternoon. Four plays
later, the Steelers again had to punt and Bradshaw, who took over that chore
for the remainder of the game, booted it 33 yards. As Colquitt also was the
holder on placekicks, backup QB Cliff Stoudt took over that responsibility for
the remainder of the contest as well.
On Cincinnati’s second play of the ensuing series, RB
Charles Alexander took off for a 37-yard gain to the Pittsburgh 29. Facing a
third-and-13 situation a few plays later, QB Ken Anderson (pictured at top) connected with TE Dan
Ross for 15 yards. Another Anderson completion, this time to TE M.L. Harris,
gained 15 yards and set up Alexander’s one-yard scoring carry. The nine-play
series covered 66 yards and Ian Sunter added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.
On the third play of Pittsburgh’s next series, Bradshaw
was intercepted by LB Glenn Cameron and that set up another score for the
visitors. Sunter booted a 24-yard field goal that caromed off an upright, but
the ball still managed to go over the crossbar. The Bengals took a 10-0 lead
into the second quarter.
The Steelers moved into Cincinnati territory on a
possession that was highlighted by a Bradshaw pass to WR Jim Smith that covered
22 yards. The series bogged down at the 27 but the Steelers had less luck in
the placekicking department when Bahr tried for a field goal from 47 yards that
hit the left upright and fell back onto the field.
The teams traded punts until the Bengals mounted a
five-play, 36-yard scoring drive following a short 24-yard Bradshaw punt.
Anderson threw to FB Pete Johnson (pictured at left), who left LB Jack Ham sprawling as he caught
the ball in the middle of the field and went the distance for a 28-yard
touchdown. The visitors took a 17-0 lead into halftime.
The Steelers finally came alive in the third quarter on
both sides of the ball. On the opening series, CB Mel Blount intercepted an
Anderson pass. With the help of a Bradshaw throw to WR Calvin Sweeney, it led
to a one-yard touchdown carry by FB Russell Davis. However, Bahr’s try for the
extra point was blocked by backup NT Mike White to keep the score at 17-6.
On their next possession, following a short series by the
Bengals, the Steelers went 55 yards in six plays for another score. Bradshaw
threw to Sweeney for 19 yards on a third-and-six play and then to Jim Smith for
a 13-yard TD. This time Bahr successfully added the PAT and Cincinnati’s lead
was narrowed to 17-13.
Once again the visitors couldn’t move on offense and
punted. Again the Steelers came away with points as Bahr kicked a 35-yard field
goal. The Steelers had scored 16 points in less than ten minutes to make it a
one-point contest.
The Bengals finally put together a sustained drive to
finish out the period, methodically moving into Pittsburgh territory, but on
the second play of the fourth quarter Sunter missed a 52-yard field goal try.
The Steelers finally cooled off on offense and had to
punt, and Cincinnati once more drove into Pittsburgh territory. Jack Thompson
came in at quarterback in place of the injured Anderson. However, Sunter again
failed on a field goal attempt, this time from 38 yards.
The teams traded punts and, with less than two minutes
remaining, the Steelers were down to their last chance and pinned back at their
two yard line. Bradshaw threw to TE Randy Grossman for 26 yards and, after two
incomplete passes, ran for 13 yards in a third-and-ten situation. RB Sidney
Thornton carried for 13 yards and, three plays later, Bradshaw again connected
with Grossman in a third down situation, gaining 22 yards to the Cincinnati 24.
The clock was down to 17 seconds and the Steelers were at
the Cincinnati 24. Following an incomplete pass, and rather than going to the
air again, they gave the ball to Thornton, who picked up two yards before
fumbling, although OT Larry Brown recovered to save a potential turnover. With
four seconds remaining, Bahr attempted a 39-yard field goal that hooked badly
to the left and was unsuccessful. By a margin of 17-16, the Bengals had hung on
to sweep the season series with their division rival.
The Steelers had more total yards (331 to 304) but
Cincinnati led in first downs (17 to 15). Pittsburgh also turned the ball over
twice, to one suffered by the Bengals, and Bradshaw was sacked four times, as
opposed to one sack registered by the Steelers. In addition, the first quarter
injury to Craig Colquitt caused problems with both the punting game (Bradshaw
averaged 34.6 yards per kick) and placekicking as Matt Bahr missed two field
goals and an extra point with an unfamiliar holder (although Cincinnati’s Sunter
nearly derailed his team’s chances with two misses in three field goal tries).
Ken Anderson completed 17 of 32 passes for 179 yards and
a touchdown with one interception. Charles Alexander ran for 72 yards on 12
carries that included a TD. WR Don Bass caught 5 passes for 58 yards.
For the Steelers, Terry Bradshaw was successful on just
14 of 35 throws for 237 yards with a TD and an interception. Jim Smith pulled
in 5 passes for 98 yards and a score. RB Franco Harris topped the rushers with
47 yards on 13 carries and Sidney Thornton was right behind with his 41 yards
on 8 attempts.
“We’re not a good football team,” stated a frustrated
Terry Bradshaw. “We won’t be until we start eliminating mistakes. If somebody
tells you we’re a great football team, I’d like to know who said it. A 4-2
record isn’t great football.”
The Steelers remained tied atop the AFC Central with that
4-2 record since Houston also lost. However, they dropped their next two games
and ended up at 9-7, which placed them third in the AFC Central and out of the
postseason for the first time in nine years. Complacency and injuries were
viewed as the keys to Pittsburgh’s fall from the top.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, won again the next week but then
dropped five straight on the way to a 6-10 record and last place finish in the
division. However, the groundwork was laid for significant improvement in 1981.
