1976: Boryla Unlikely Star as NFC Rallies to Win Pro Bowl

There were 32,108 fans in attendance at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans for the Pro Bowl on January 26, 1976, a Monday night. The coaches were Chuck Knox of the Rams for the NFC and Oakland’s John Madden for the AFC. The league had to dig deep to find a second quarterback for the NFC behind Jim Hart of the Cardinals. Philadelphia’s Mike Boryla (pictured at right) made the roster because Minnesota QB Fran Tarkenton, who was originally selected, had to drop out due to a sore arm and QB Roger Staubach of the Cowboys, chosen in his place, was forced to skip the game due to injured ribs suffered during the preceding week’s Super Bowl loss to Pittsburgh. Archie Manning of the Saints, Atlanta’s Steve Bartkowski, and James Harris of the Rams all backed out, leaving Boryla as the next available substitute. In his second season, he had been underwhelming, completing 87 of 166 passes (52.4 %) for 996 yards with twice as many interceptions (12) as TD passes (6) and started just five games in competition with the veteran Roman Gabriel.

The first quarter was scoreless as both teams missed field goals. Kansas City’s Jan Stenerud was wide to the right on a 46-yard try following the AFC’s first possession and Jim Bakken of the Cardinals was short on a 50-yard attempt that concluded a long series by the NFC in which his St. Louis teammate, Jim Hart, completed two 17-yard passes, to Minnesota WR John Gilliam and HB Terry Metcalf of the Cards.

The AFC had the ball in a series that extended into the second quarter. Pittsburgh FB Franco Harris ran effectively, with a long carry of 15 yards, and Cincinnati QB Ken Anderson threw to WR Lynn Swann of the Steelers for 11 yards to the NFC 11 on the final play of the opening period. However, a sack by LB Isiah Robertson of the Rams cost the AFC seven yards and a 35-yard field goal attempt had to be aborted when punter Ray Guy of the Raiders, the holder, couldn’t handle the snap.

The NFC punted following the next possession and WR Billy “White Shoes” Johnson of the Oilers, who initially bobbled the kick, returned it 55 yards to the NFC 33. On second down, HB Lydell Mitchell of the Colts reversed field and ran 20 yards to the 11 and, while the drive stalled at that point, Stenerud kicked a 20-yard field goal for the game’s first points.

Neither side was able to generate much offense until , with 1:31 remaining in the first half, the AFC took possession at its 45 following a punt and Houston QB Dan Pastorini threw to WR Cliff Branch of the Raiders for 32 yards on first down. After reaching the NFC 18, Stenerud kicked another field goal from 35 yards to put the AFC up by 6-0.

There was still time for the NFC and, following a short carry by FB Chuck Foreman of the Vikings on first down, Hart passed to Detroit TE Charlie Sanders for 28 yards to the AFC 43. However, Hart’s next throw was intercepted by Pittsburgh LB Jack Lambert, and on the next play Pastorini went long for his Houston teammate, WR Ken Burrough, for a 64-yard touchdown. Stenerud added the extra point and the AFC took a 13-0 lead into halftime.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter, with Guy booting one that hit the replay screen that hung 90 feet above the playing field – the first player to ever do so in the Superdome. The play having been ruled dead as a result, Guy’s re-kick traveled 50 yards and the NFC proceeded to drive 62 yards in nine plays. Metcalf ran for 14 yards on first down and he and Foreman got the ball to the AFC 29 before Hart completed a short toss to Gilliam. The advance was blunted at that point and Bakken came on to score the first points for the NFC with a 42-yard field goal.

The AFC drove into NFC territory on a possession that featured Anderson running for nine yards and then tossing a lateral to Buffalo HB O.J. Simpson for another 13. But the AFC was forced to punt and the NFC responded with an 80-yard advance in 11 plays. Foreman broke away for a 26-yard gain and on a third-and-four play he caught a pass from Hart for 10 yards to the AFC 35. Three plays later Hart converted another third down with an eight-yard completion to Philadelphia TE Charle Young. Foreman lost a yard on the next play but Metcalf ran for 19 yards to set up a Hart pass to Foreman in the end zone for a four-yard TD. Bakken’s try for the extra point was blocked by DT Joe Greene of the Steelers, but the AFC lead was narrowed to 13-9.

As the game entered the fourth quarter, the AFC advanced to the NFC 31, but came up empty when Stenerud missed a 48-yard field goal attempt. But a short NFC series ended in a punt that Johnson gathered in at his ten yard line and returned 90 yards for a touchdown, setting a Pro Bowl record. Stenerud converted and the AFC had a seemingly comfortable 20-9 advantage.

On the NFC’s next play from scrimmage, HB Lawrence McCutcheon of the Rams broke away for a 41-yard gain (also a new Pro Bowl high) and, while he fumbled at the end, Los Angeles WR Harold Jackson recovered to maintain possession at the AFC 28. Runs by St. Louis FB Jim Otis and McCutcheon moved the ball to the AFC 13, but Hart threw two incomplete passes and Bakken’s 31-yard field goal attempt missed to the left.

The AFC punted after its next series and, with 5:39 remaining to play and the ball at the NFC 36, Mike Boryla came in at quarterback. After a running play and an offside penalty, Boryla connected with WR Mel Gray of the Cardinals for 25 yards. An incompletion and a three-yard McCutcheon run had the NFC facing third-and-seven, and another pass drew a 20-yard pass interference penalty on Pittsburgh CB Mel Blount. Two plays later, Boryla threw to Metcalf in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown and, with Bakken adding the point after, it was a four-point contest with the clock down to just over three minutes remaining.

The AFC went three-and-out on the ensuing possession and the NFC used razzle-dazzle to again move into scoring position. Returning the AFC punt, a lateral by Green Bay WR Steve Odom to CB Lem Barney of the Lions resulted in a 50-yard return to the AFC 30. Boryla overthrew Foreman on first down, but the AFC drew an offside penalty, and the next throw to Foreman in the flat picked up 26 yards to the AFC eight. Two plays later, it was Boryla to Gray for an eight-yard TD and Bakken’s extra point provided the final three-point margin. The NFC held on to win by a final score of 23-20.

Despite starting slowly on offense, the NFC ended up with the edge in total yards (389 to 325) and first downs (22 to 14). Each team turned the ball over once, and while the AFC recorded two sacks and harassed the opposing passers consistently, the NFC had more sacks with five.

Jim Hart completed just 10 of 28 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown while giving up an interception, and in relief Mike Boryla was four-of-eight for 73 yards and two TDs with none picked off. Chuck Foreman led the NFC with 85 yards on 13 rushing attempts and Lawrence McCutcheon contributed 75 yards on just seven carries. Foreman also led the club in pass receiving with 5 catches for 48 yards and a score. DE Cedrick Hardman of the 49ers was credited with three of the NFC sacks.

For the AFC, Dan Pastorini was successful on five of 12 throws for 133 yards and a TD with one picked off and Ken Anderson was four-of-12 for 48 yards. O.J. Simpson rushed for 52 yards on 10 attempts and Franco Harris (9 carries, 48 yards) and FB John Riggins of the Jets (10 carries, 47 yards) were right behind. With the one long scoring TD, Ken Burrough topped the team with four pass receptions for 96 yards. Thanks to the two long punt returns, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson (pictured above) edged out Boryla for game MVP honors.

“The whole thing was very unexpected, being here and all,” said Mike Boryla. “I didn’t get called until Monday.”

Boryla’s unexpected participation and strong performance didn’t portend better things to come in his career. While he saw more action in 1976, again in combination with Roman Gabriel, the results again were not strong. With Head Coach Dick Vermeil choosing to pursue a different direction (the Eagles obtained QB Ron Jaworski from the Rams in ’77), Boryla was dealt to Tampa Bay but, beset by injuries, he saw little action and retired. His Pro Bowl appearance ended up being the high point of his pro career.

1978: Oilers Overcome 23-Point Deficit to Defeat Patriots

Two AFC contenders, the Houston Oilers and New England Patriots, faced each other in Foxboro, MA on November 12, 1978. The Oilers, coached by O.A. “Bum” Phillips for the fourth year, had a 6-4 record, with most of those wins coming in closely-fought contests. The offense benefited from the addition of star rookie RB Earl Campbell (pictured above), who was in contention for the league rushing title and drawing comparisons to Hall of Fame FB Jim Brown with his combination of power and speed. QB Dan Pastorini was playing with greater maturity at age 29 and behind a capable line. The defense was especially tough up front where NT Curley Culp was flanked by DEs Elvin Bethea and Jim Young, and the linebacker corps headed by Robert Brazile was outstanding.

New England was guided by sixth-year Head Coach Chuck Fairbanks and was on a roll at 8-2, having won seven consecutive contests. The team was highly talented on both sides of the ball, with QB Steve Grogan directing an offense that featured a fine group of running backs led by FB Sam “Bam” Cunningham and receivers that included game-breaking WR Stanley Morgan and TE Russ Francis, one of the NFL’s best at the position. The defense was strong from front the back, although injuries were becoming a factor. 

There were 60,356 fans in attendance at Schaeffer Stadium on a windy and cloudy day. CB Raymond Clayborn returned the opening kickoff 36 yards and the Patriots advanced 33 yards in seven plays. Steve Grogan threw to Russ Francis for 13 yards and Sam Cunningham (pictured at right) ran for 14 along the way. David Posey kicked a 32-yard field goal for the early 3-0 advantage.

The Oilers drove into New England territory on their first series, keeping the ball on the ground with Earl Campbell and FB Tim Wilson handling the ball carrying. The drive stalled at the 44 and Houston was forced to punt. New England came back with a 62-yard advance in seven plays, the big ones Grogan passes to Cunningham for 13 and 27 yards. Posey made it 6-0 with a 34-yard field goal.

The Patriots quickly regained possession when Campbell fumbled following a six-yard run and LB Rod Shoate recovered at the Houston 35. Grogan went to the air on first down and his pass was complete to Stanley Morgan for a gain of 32 yards as the first quarter came to an end. HB Horace Ivory started the second quarter with a three-yard touchdown run and, following Posey’s extra point, the home team was now in front by 13-0.

It got worse for the Oilers on the ensuing kickoff when WR Johnnie Dirden fumbled after returning it 20 yards and LB Ray Costict recovered at the Houston 28. The Patriots were only able to advance nine yards in six plays, but added another three points when Posey booted his third field goal, this time from 37 yards.

The Oilers moved well on their next series as Dan Pastorini completed passes to FB Rob Carpenter for nine yards and TE Mike Barber for 16. But they continued to be afflicted by turnovers as Wilson fumbled and the Patriots recovered at their 41. Cunningham ran effectively, with two 12-yard carries along the way, and Grogan scored a touchdown on a three-yard bootleg to complete the 59-yard drive in nine plays. Posey added the point after and, with 11:36 to go in the first half, the home team had an imposing 23-0 lead.

Now in a deep hole, Houston had a three-and-out series but got a break when Morgan fumbled Cliff Parsley’s punt and LB Ted Thompson recovered for the Oilers at the New England 32. Pastorini immediately threw to WR Ken Burrough for a 20-yard gain and, two plays later, Carpenter (pictured below) ran eight yards for a TD. Toni Fritsch added the PAT and the visitors were finally on the board, although down by 23-7. That remained the score at halftime as Posey’s 38-yard field goal attempt on the last play of the half was unsuccessful.

The start to the third quarter was unpromising for the Oilers when a Pastorini pass was intercepted by LB Steve Nelson and he returned it 17 yards to the Houston 37. Runs by Ivory and Cunningham got the ball inside the 10, but the drive stalled at the seven and Posey’s 25-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright and was no good.

Given a reprieve, Houston advanced 80 yards in 17 plays, helped along when a punt was wiped out by an illegal chuck on the Patriots to keep the series going. Pastorini completed five passes, the longest to Barber for 18 yards, and Campbell, who caught a swing pass for 14 yards, pounded away on seven carries for 24 yards. Carpenter dove into the end zone from a yard out and, with Fritsch adding the point after, the New England lead was narrowed to 23-14.

With time running out in the period, Grogan passed on the first play following the kickoff and it was picked off by CB Willie Alexander. As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Oilers moved methodically down the field, covering 72 yards in 15 plays. Following two runs by Carpenter, Pastorini was sacked by Shoate for a six-yard loss but, facing second-and-16, he completed passes to Barber for six yards and WR Mike Renfro for 14 to keep the series going. Lining up for a 48-yard field goal attempt, Houston instead faked with Pastorini tossing a shovel pass to Carpenter for an 18-yard gain and first down at the New England 13. Five plays later, Campbell blasted into the end zone from a yard out. A bad snap forced the extra point attempt to be aborted, but Houston was now down by just three points at 23-20.

Clayborn’s 30-yard kickoff return had 15 yards tacked on for unnecessary roughness on Dirden of the Oilers, giving the Patriots good starting field position at the Houston 49. Three running plays netted eight yards and a Grogan pass on fourth down was broken up by FS Mike Reinfeldt. The Oilers proceeded to drive 59 yards in ten plays. Pastorini converted a third-and-10 situation with a pass to Barber for 14 yards and followed up with a throw to Burrough that gained 26. Pastorini finished the series off by floating a pass to WR Rich Caster, who had gotten free in the corner of the end zone, and that resulted in a 10-yard touchdown. While they again had to abort the try for extra point, the visitors, who were once behind by 23-0, were ahead by three points.

There was 2:29 left on the clock as the Patriots came back on offense but, facing fourth-and-five, they again failed to convert when Grogan, facing a heavy rush, threw an incomplete pass. The Oilers ran the clock down, punted, and Grogan’s last-ditch pass with seven seconds remaining was intercepted by CB J.C. Wilson. Houston came away with a 26-23 win.

The Oilers led in total yards (322 to 274) and first downs (24 to 16) and, most critically, controlled the ball for almost 23 minutes in the second half. Each club turned the ball over four times apiece.

Dan Pastorini, who was three-of-nine at the half, completed 15 of 28 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception. Earl Campbell rushed for 74 yards on 24 carries that included a TD and Rob Carpenter, in addition to gaining 33 yards on 11 rushing attempts, two of them for scores, also caught four passes for 39 yards. Unfortunately, he also suffered a season-ending knee injury. Mike Barber (pictured below) had four pass receptions as well, for 54 yards, and Ken Burrough led the team with 62 yards on his three receptions.

For the Patriots, Steve Grogan was successful on 9 of 18 throws for 130 yards with no TDs and two interceptions. He also ran the ball five times for 22 yards and a touchdown. Sam Cunningham rushed for 87 yards on 16 carries and caught three passes for 45 more. Stanley Morgan gained 49 yards on two pass receptions. David Posey had a mixed day, hitting on his first three field goal attempts but then missing two kicks.

“A comeback like that, I won’t ever forget it,” said Ken Burrough. “I think I’ll purchase a copy of the game film and carry it with me the rest of my life.”

It was the sixth time that Houston rallied to a win in 1978 and the Oilers went on to finish second in the AFC Central with a 10-6 record, thus qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot. They reached the AFC Championship game before bowing to the powerful division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots placed first in the AFC East at 11-5, but the departure of Coach Fairbanks just prior to the season finale took the air out of the team and New England lost meekly to the Oilers in the Divisional playoff round.

Earl Campbell won the league rushing title with 1450 yards and received MVP honors from the Pro Football Writers and NEA as well as being named Rookie of the Year and a consensus first-team All-NFL selection.

1971: Morrall Tosses 3 TD Passes as Colts Sink College All-Stars

The 38^th annual College All-Star Game in Chicago on July 30, 1971 featured the Baltimore Colts, defending champions of the NFL, against an All-Star squad coached by Blanton Collier, who had retired from the Cleveland Browns following eight years as head coach.

The Colts, under Head Coach Don McCafferty, started 37-year-old Earl Morrall (pictured at right) at quarterback due to the unavailability of long-time star QB Johnny Unitas, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury during the offseason. The offense was typically more effective through the air than on the ground while the tough defense featured DE Bubba Smith, linebackers Ted Hendricks and Mike Curtis, and safeties Rick Volk and Jerry Logan.

The All-Stars included quarterbacks Jim Plunkett, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Stanford, and Dan Pastorini of Santa Clara, FB John Brockington from Ohio State, Northwestern HB Mike Adamle, and WR J.D. Hill of Arizona State. The defense had hard hitters in DB Jack Tatum from Ohio State and DE Jack Youngblood of Florida, plus DT Julius Adams from Texas Southern, Grambling DE Richard Harris, and linebackers Jack Ham of Penn State and Isiah Robertson from Southern.

There were 52,289 fans in attendance for the Friday night game at Soldier Field, which had undergone renovation that included a new artificial surface. The contest’s initial score was set up thanks to a poor punt by Dan Pastorini in the first quarter. It gave the Colts good starting field position at the All-Star 45 to start their second possession of the game, and they made the most of it. Earl Morrall threw to FB Norm Bulaich on a swing pass that picked up 17 yards and to WR Ray Perkins, who outmaneuvered Kansas State CB Clarence Scott for a 24-yard touchdown. Jim O’Brien kicked the extra point.

On their next series, a holding penalty backed the Colts into their own territory and they were forced to punt. It looked as though the All-Stars would get nothing out of the ensuing possession when John Brockington was stopped for no gain on a third-and-one play at the Baltimore 40, but the Colts refused an offside penalty on the collegians, preferring to bring up fourth down. The All-Stars converted when Brockington ran for three yards to keep the series alive. Jim Plunkett connected with Mike Adamle for a 22-yard gain to the 15 and the collegians got another break when Plunkett threw for J.D. Hill and interference was called on CB Jim Duncan to move the ball to the one yard line. From there, on the third play of the second quarter, Brockington ran around right end for a touchdown. Pastorini added the point after to make it a 7-7 game.

The Colts responded on their ensuing possession with Morrall throwing to HB Tom Matte for a 15-yard TD. O’Brien again successfully converted. With Pastorini at quarterback, the All-Stars advanced from their own 30 into Baltimore territory and Bob Jacobs of Wyoming kicked a 40-yard field goal with just over two minutes remaining in the half. The Colts moved well in the remaining time as Morrall completed six of seven passes for 102 yards, but they came up empty when O’Brien missed a 26-yard field goal try. The score remained 14-10 at the intermission.

Baltimore’s lead was extended in the quiet third quarter when O’Brien was successful on a field goal attempt, this time from 22 yards. Early in the fourth quarter, the Colts appeared to take command when Morrall threw to TE Tom Mitchell for a 44-yard TD and O’Brien’s extra point put the pro champs ahead by 14.

Sam Havrilak, normally a halfback but being tried at quarterback, relieved Morrall and on his second play, he botched a handoff to FB Tom Nowatzke and Jack Ham recovered for the All-Stars and ran 47 yards for a touchdown. It narrowed the margin to seven points, but proved to be the last gasp for the collegians, who were kept in check offensively as Baltimore held on to win by a final score of 24-17.

The Colts had far more total yards than the All-Stars (403 to 150) and also had the edge in first downs (18 to 11). The collegians turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the NFL champs.

Earl Morrall, who played for a full three quarters, completed 20 of 30 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Norm Bulaich led Baltimore’s runners with 46 yards on 9 attempts. Tom Matte, who carried the ball 10 times for 18 yards, caught 5 passes for 63 yards and a TD, having great success on swing passes out of the backfield. WR Eddie Hinton also had 5 pass receptions, for 75 yards, and Tom Mitchell gained 95 yards on his four catches.

Jim Plunkett was successful on 6 of 15 throws for 65 yards and an interception and Dan Pastorini went two of nine for 13 yards and gave up an interception, although Pastorini led the All-Stars in rushing with 40 yards on two carries (Plunkett #16 and Pastorini #7 pictured below). John Brockington gained 27 yards on 12 rushing attempts that included a touchdown. Houston WR Elmo Wright, Mike Adamle, and J.D. Hill each had two receptions, for 25, 24, and 23 yards, respectively.

“They put a lot of pressure on me,” said Earl Morrall regarding the All-Star defense. “They were coming from a lot of directions. I couldn’t quite get a bead on what to do about it.”

The win for the Colts gave the pro champs a winning streak of eight games and a 27-9-2 edge in the series. It was the last of three College All-Star Game appearances for the club that reached the postseason again in 1971 as a 10-4 Wild Card but lost the AFC Championship to Miami.

1980: Steelers Defeat Oilers for Second Straight Year in AFC Title Game

The AFC Championship game on January 6, 1980 featured a rematch of the previous year’s participants, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Oilers. The clubs were rivals in the AFC Central, where the Steelers had finished first with a 12-4 record and then thrashed the Dolphins in a Divisional playoff game and Houston came in second at 11-5 to qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card, defeating Denver in the first round and then upsetting the Chargers in their Divisional game. The teams had split their games during the regular season, each winning at home.

Under Head Coach Chuck Noll, the Steelers had won the Super Bowl the previous season and three in five years. At 31, QB Terry Bradshaw (pictured above) was at the height of his abilities and directed the NFL’s highest-scoring offense that included wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth plus the running of FB Franco Harris, who crossed the thousand-yard rushing threshold for the seventh time in eight years. HB Rocky Bleier was splitting time with Sidney Thornton, but remained a capable performer. The top-rated defense was still anchored by DT Joe Greene and contained such stalwarts as DE L.C. Greenwood, OLB Jack Ham, MLB Jack Lambert, CB Mel Blount, and SS Donnie Shell.

Houston was coached by O.A. “Bum” Phillips and featured an offense centered around second-year RB Earl Campbell, who rushed for 1697 yards and 19 TDs. QB Dan Pastorini had an outstanding deep threat in WR Ken Burrough (40 catches, 752 yards, 18.8 avg.). However, Campbell was playing hurt and had missed the Divisional playoff game and Burrough was below par and ended up seeing little action against the Steelers. The heart of Houston’s 3-4 defense was NT Curley Culp and linebackers Robert Brazile and Gregg Bingham, and there were other notable performers in DE Elvin Bethea and FS Mike Reinfeldt, who led the NFL with 12 interceptions, plus SS Vernon Perry, who intercepted four passes in the previous week’s game.

There were 50,475 fans in attendance at Three Rivers Stadium on a bitterly cold day. The Steelers had the first possession and advanced into Houston territory thanks to a pass from Terry Bradshaw to John Stallworth for 17 yards, but after reaching the 35, a throw intended for TE Bennie Cunningham was intercepted by Vernon Perry, who returned it 75 yards for a touchdown. Toni Fritsch added the extra point.

The teams exchanged punts, but the Oilers started off at their 17 and lost yards when Dan Pastorini was sacked on third down back to his 10 by L.C. Greenwood. Cliff Parsley’s 31-yard punt gave Pittsburgh the ball at the Houston 40 and Bradshaw immediately threw to Lynn Swann for 15 yards. A penalty moved the Steelers back and they were facing a third-and-14 situation when Bradshaw, unable to find an open receiver, scrambled for 25 yards to the four yard line. They couldn’t penetrate the end zone from there, but Matt Bahr kicked a 21-yard field goal to narrow Houston’s margin to 7-3.

The Oilers made a big play on their next series when Pastorini completed a screen pass to FB Tim Wilson that gained 41 yards to the Pittsburgh 44. Two plays netted a loss of a yard, but on third-and-14 Pastorini threw to HB Ronnie Coleman for 32 yards. Two plays into the second quarter, Fritsch kicked a 27-yard field goal to put the Oilers up by 10-3.

The Steelers responded with a 67-yard drive in 10 plays. Bradshaw completed five passes, starting the series with a 17-yard completion to Swann, keeping it going with third down throws to Rocky Bleier for eight yards and Swann for 11, and finishing it off with a seven-yard pass to Cunningham for a touchdown (pictured at left). Bahr kicked the point after to tie the score at 10-10.

Houston’s next series ended with a third-and-19 pass from Pastorini to WR Mike Renfro that was complete, but the receiver fumbled and Mel Blount recovered for the Steelers. Pittsburgh advanced 49 yards in six plays as Harris and Bleier ran effectively and Harris also gained 15 yards on a swing pass. Bradshaw threw to Stallworth for a 20-yard TD, Bahr converted, and Pittsburgh was in front by 17-10.

The Oilers regained possession with 2:25 to go in the first half, and on the third play CB Dwayne Woodruff intercepted a Pastorini pass to give the Steelers the ball at their 45. However, after reaching the Houston 23 with seven seconds to go, Bahr’s 40-yard field goal attempt was wide and the score remained unchanged at halftime.

The teams traded punts throughout the third quarter, with neither able to mount a drive until the Oilers, starting from their own 14 with 6:39 remaining in the period, advanced methodically down the field. Pastorini completed three passes, with one to Renfro (pictured below) for a 21-yard gain to the Pittsburgh 23 and a third-and-seven throw to Coleman for 14 yards to the six. The visitors could get no farther, with a pass to Renfro in the corner of the end zone ruled incomplete because the receiver failed to maintain possession before going out of bounds (a call that was vigorously disputed), and on the first play of the fourth quarter, Fritsch kicked a 23-yard field goal to narrow Pittsburgh’s lead to 17-13.

The Steelers came back with an 11-play, 55-yard possession. Franco Harris ran for 13 yards on first down and Bradshaw completed a pass to Swann for 21 yards on a third-and-21 play. The series finally stalled at the Houston 22 and Bahr was successful on a 39-yard field goal attempt, once more putting the defending champs ahead by seven points.

A penalty on the ensuing kickoff had the Oilers starting from their 11 and, while Pastorini completed five passes, the last one to WR Guido Merkens resulted in a fumble that Donnie Shell recovered for the Steelers at the Houston 45. Harris ran twice for eight yards and, on third-and-two, Bradshaw threw to Bleier for a 20-yard gain. With Harris and Bleier picking away, Pittsburgh reached the four, and from there it was Bleier running for a touchdown. Bahr added the extra point, but with less than a minute remaining on the clock, the result was not in doubt. The Steelers won by a final score of 27-13.

Pittsburgh led in total yards (358 to 227) and first downs (22 to 11), grinding out 161 yards on the ground and holding the Oilers to 24 rushing yards. Houston turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by the Steelers, although the Oilers had a three to one edge in sacks.

Terry Bradshaw completed 18 of 30 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns while giving up one interception. Franco Harris (pictured at left) rushed for 85 yards on 21 carries and also caught six passes for 50 yards. Lynn Swann gained 64 yards on four pass receptions and John Stallworth added three catches for 52 yards that included a TD. Rocky Bleier contributed 52 yards on 13 rushing attempts and caught three passes for 39 yards.

For the Oilers, Dan Pastorini was successful on 19 of 28 throws for 203 yards and no TDs while being picked off once. Earl Campbell was well defensed by the Steelers, who did an excellent job of closing off his running lanes, and he was held to just 15 yards on 17 carries. Tim Wilson, who gained nine yards on four rushing attempts, led the team with 7 catches for 60 yards. Mike Renfro had three receptions for 52 yards, but it was the one that was ruled incomplete in the end zone late in the third quarter that drew the most comments afterward.

Of that controversial call on the non-catch in the end zone, Houston’s Bum Phillips summed up by saying “The officials are human. We had fifty-nine other minutes to beat Pittsburgh.”

The Steelers went on to defeat the Rams in the Super Bowl, giving them back-to-back titles and a total of four in six years. Houston again went 11-5 in 1980, finishing second to the Browns this time (Pittsburgh fell to third place at 9-7). The Oilers didn’t make it to the conference title game, as they were routed by Oakland in the Wild Card playoff round (a defeat that cost Coach Phillips his job).

1975: Oilers Defeat Dolphins Thanks to Two Bubba Smith Blocks of PATs

The Houston Oilers were a surprising 6-2 as they hosted the Miami Dolphins on November 16, 1975. Under first-year Head Coach Bum Phillips, the team that had been 1-13 in both 1972 and ’73 was playing like a contender. The Oilers ran the ball effectively with HB Ronnie Coleman and FB Don Hardeman carrying most of the load, and while the passing game was unexceptional, there was an emerging star in WR Ken Burrough. The solid 3-4 defense was the key to Houston’s success, with NT Curley Culp anchoring the line and rookie LB Robert Brazile proving to be a valuable addition. Topping it off was WR Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, who was an exciting kick returner and had already scored twice on punt returns.

One lineup change for the Miami game involved a fading star who had been brought in to provide defensive depth. 30-year-old DE Bubba Smith (pictured above) had been let go by the Raiders and was now backing up his younger brother, Tody, on the defensive line, who was out with a knee injury.

The Dolphins came into Houston at 7-1, having not lost since the opening week. Since Head Coach Don Shula’s arrival in 1970, Miami had been as successful as the Oilers were mediocre. But while there were still some stalwarts, such as QB Bob Griese and HB Eugene “Mercury” Morris, remaining, the Dolphins were in the process of retooling.

There were 48,892 fans in attendance at the Astrodome. The Oilers had first possession and drove 48 yards in 13 plays. Ronnie Coleman and Don Hardeman ran effectively, picking up three first downs, but after reaching the Miami 17 QB Dan Pastorini was sacked by LB Bob Matheson on third down and Skip Butler kicked a 43-yard field goal.

The teams exchanged punts following short possessions, and Miami was driving as the first quarter ended. Bob Griese completed a screen pass to FB Norm Bulaich for 13 yards on a third-and-nine play and then hit on three straight throws to WR Freddie Solomon for eight yards, TE Jim Mandich for 10, and WR Howard Twilley for 31 yards to the Houston 18. But on the second play of the second quarter, another Griese pass was intercepted by LB Ted Washington, who returned it 23 yards.

On a series that advanced 63 yards in seven plays, Pastorini threw to FB Fred Willis for 16 yards and Hardeman broke away for a 37-yard carry to the Miami 12. Butler kicked a 26-yard field goal to make it a 6-0 game.

Miami responded with an eight-play, 64-yard possession. Griese completed three of his passes, the last to Mandich for a 26-yard touchdown. However, the score remained tied when Bubba Smith blocked Garo Yepremian’s try for the extra point.

The Oilers moved into Miami territory on the next series thanks to a Pastorini throw to Ken Burrough that covered 24 yards, but after reaching the 35, two sacks backed them up and they were forced to punt. With time running out in the first half, the Dolphins drove to the Houston 32 before Griese was sacked by Robert Brazile and DE Elvin Bethea. The teams went into halftime still tied at 6-6.

A short Miami series to start the third quarter lost yardage and ended with a punt that Billy “White Shoes” Johnson returned 83 yards for a touchdown. Butler converted and the home team was ahead by 13-6.

Griese started off the next series for the Dolphins by throwing to Twilley for 24 yards and they drove methodically to the Houston nine. However, a completion to HB Larry Seiple at the goal line that was originally called a touchdown by one official was instead ruled down inches short of the goal line by the referee.  FB Don Nottingham was stopped by Smith on a fourth down play and Miami came up empty.

The Oilers went three-and-out and punted and this time Miami didn’t fail to put points on the board. Again facing fourth down, HB Benny Malone ran for the last two yards and a TD and, with Yepremian successfully adding the point after, the score was tied at 13-13 as the game headed into the fourth quarter.

Houston had to punt from deep in its own territory following the next series and the Dolphins took possession at the Oilers’ 48. Three plays later, Solomon took the handoff on a double reverse and sped 35 yards to the Houston three, and from there Nottingham ran for a TD. But once again Bubba Smith blocked Yepremian’s extra point try and the visitors held onto a six-point lead at 19-13.

Following another exchange of punts, the Oilers took possession at their 11. They proceeded to drive 89 yards in 15 plays. Johnson ran for 19 yards on an end-around, Pastorini completed a pass to TE Mack Alston for 24 yards, and on a third-and-seven play from the Miami 26 at the two-minute warning, Pastorini connected with Coleman for 10 yards. Still, the Oilers were facing fourth-and-six when it appeared that another pass intended for Alston was picked off by SS Charlie Babb. But Miami was penalized for defensive holding, allowing Houston to keep the ball with a first down at the seven. Coleman swept around end for a touchdown from there, breaking three tackles in the process, and Butler’s all-important extra point was good to put the Oilers on top by one. A few plays later, an interception by LB Gregg Bingham sealed the 20-19 win for Houston.

The Dolphins led in total yards (350 to 239) and first downs (23 to 15). They also recorded four sacks, to three by Houston, and the Oilers were penalized 10 times at a cost of 90 yards while Miami was flagged five times. However, the Dolphins turned the ball over twice, to none by Houston, and gave up the punt return touchdown as well as the two blocked extra points that ultimately determined the outcome.

Dan Pastorini completed 11 of 22 passes for 111 yards and no touchdowns, although also with none intercepted. Don Hardeman gained 60 yards on seven attempts and Ronnie Coleman rushed for 58 yards on 13 carries that included a TD and caught three passes for another 20 yards. Fred Willis, in addition to running the ball 9 times for 32 yards, led the Oilers with four pass receptions for 33 yards. In addition to his third punt return touchdown of the season, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson (pictured at left) had two catches for 10 yards plus the one 19-yard run.

For the Dolphins, Bob Griese was successful on 21 of 29 throws for 257 yards and a TD, but was intercepted twice. Jim Mandich caught 6 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown and WR Nat Moore contributed five receptions for 59 yards. The ground game was not strong and Benny Malone was the club’s top rusher with 38 yards on 12 carries that included a score.

“Take a step, watch for the kick, and jump up. Just as easy as that,” said Bubba Smith of how he blocked the two extra point attempts, also noting that in film study they had noticed that Yepremian tended to kick low and center Jim Langer took a step back to block.

“I hit the ball low on the second (blocked) one,” explained a dejected Garo Yepremian in talking about his two blocked extra point tries, his fourth and fifth of the season. “I had a bad day…I got to go back to work. I cost us the game. There’s nobody to blame but myself.”

Houston lost its next two games to the only teams it lost to all year, the Steelers and Bengals, and ended up in third place behind those AFC Central rivals with a 10-4 record, missing out on the postseason. The Dolphins lost again the next week, and it was especially costly because Bob Griese went down with a knee injury. They also finished at 10-4, placing second in the AFC East and missing the postseason for the first time since Shula’s arrival.

Bubba Smith appeared in 12 games for the Oilers and started two of them in what was his next-to-last season in the NFL. Billy “White Shoes” Johnson led the league with a 15.3-yard average on 40 punt returns, including the three touchdowns. He also averaged 24.2 yards on 33 kickoff returns and returned one for a TD. Adding in his 393 pass receiving yards and 17 by rushing, he totaled a career-high 1820 all-purpose yards and was named to the Pro Bowl.

Garo Yepremian, in his sixth year with the Dolphins, ended up failing on six of his 46 extra point attempts, but led the NFL with a field goal percentage of 81.3 (13 for 16). He spent another three seasons with Miami.

1978: Campbell-less Oilers Rally Past Browns

Both teams meeting in Cleveland on October 1, 1978 were missing key personnel and coming off losses the previous week. The visiting Houston Oilers were without star rookie RB Earl Campbell, who was sidelined by a pulled hamstring, and WR Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, the outstanding kick returner who had gone down with a knee injury. Head Coach Bum Phillips’ team was 2-2 after a low-scoring loss to the Rams and still had a potent defense while QB Dan Pastorini continued to direct the ball-control offense.

The host Cleveland Browns had won their first three games under first-year Head Coach Sam Rutigliano, but lost a close contest to the Steelers the previous week thanks to a flea-flicker pass in overtime after an apparent Pittsburgh fumble had been blown dead. They were without HB Greg Pruitt, who had a calf injury, although FB Mike Pruitt (no relation) was healthy. QB Brian Sipe was showing improvement and had capable receivers in WRs Reggie Rucker and Dave Logan plus rookie TE Ozzie Newsome. There was talent in the defensive backfield, but the pass rush was lacking.

It was an overcast day at Municipal Stadium with 72,776 fans in attendance. The Oilers took the opening kickoff and drove into Cleveland territory. HB Ronnie Coleman (pictured above), starting in place of Campbell, carried four times for 15 yards and caught a pass for another seven, but when the drive was held up at the Cleveland 33, an attempt to convert a fourth-and-one situation failed when Dan Pastorini was stopped for no gain.

The Browns advanced 43 yards in nine plays, helped by a pass interference penalty in a third-and-10 situation. Brian Sipe converted another third-and-10 play with a pass to Reggie Rucker for 18 yards to the Houston 26, but the drive finally stalled and Don Cockroft kicked a 41-yard field goal.

The Oilers put together a long series. Pastorini completed three passes and Coleman and FB Tim Wilson ran effectively, but after getting a first-and-goal at the seven, the drive came to a halt at the one. On the first play of the second quarter, Pastorini once again tried to convert a fourth down, and once again was stopped short when tackled by LB Charlie Hall before he could reach the goal line.

Cleveland managed to get out to the 14 before punting and Coleman’s 17-yard return gave Houston good field position at the Browns’ 41. With Coleman and Wilson carrying the load and Pastorini throwing to WR Mike Renfro for eight yards to convert a third-and-four play, the Oilers again moved into scoring territory, but Coleman fumbled at the 15 and DE Mack Mitchell recovered for the Browns.

The teams traded punts until, with 1:40 remaining in the half, CB Clarence Scott intercepted a Pastorini pass to give the Browns the ball at the Houston 42. They scored in seven plays, four of them Sipe pass completions. The last two were to Dave Logan, for a 21-yard gain followed by a seven-yard touchdown. Cockroft added the extra point and the home team took a 10-0 lead into halftime.

The Browns went three-and-out to start the third quarter but got the ball back when Coleman fumbled again and CB Ron Bolton recovered. However, four plays later the Oilers benefited from a turnover when CB Willie Alexander intercepted a Sipe pass at midfield. Pastorini converted a third down with an 18-yard completion to Renfro and, two plays later, connected with WR Rich Caster for a 41-yard TD. Toni Fritsch’s extra point attempt was blocked, but the Oilers were on the board and behind now by 10-6.

The teams again traded punts, with Houston winning the battle for field position. A kick that pinned the Browns back at their two led to a punt that gave the Oilers the ball at the Cleveland 43, and in a series that extended into the fourth quarter, they went 43 yards in eight plays. FB Rob Carpenter ran for the last seven and a touchdown, and this time Fritsch successfully converted to give the visitors a three-point lead.

Neither team was able to move the ball and punted following a possession apiece. They then traded turnovers, with FS Mike Reinfeldt intercepting a Sipe pass and Hall recovering a Coleman fumble at the Houston 24, and that led to Cockroft booting a 40-yard field goal that tied the score at 13-13.

There were just over six minutes remaining as the Oilers started their next series, and they were forced to punt. Cleveland took over at its 30 but, four plays later and with 1:24 left on the clock, Mike Pruitt fumbled and LB Art Stringer recovered for Houston at the Browns’ 48. Pastorini immediately went long to WR Ken Burrough, who out-wrestled Bolton for a 44-yard gain. To the Browns and their fans, it appeared that Bolton had been the winner in the battle for the ball and that it should have been ruled an interception. Cans and bottles came flying out of the east stands, delaying play and finally causing the officials to shift to the other end of the field. Three running plays were followed by a Fritsch field goal from 19 yards. A last-gasp pass by Sipe was intercepted and the Oilers won by a final score of 16-13.

The yardage totals were low, reflecting the defensive nature of the game, with Houston gaining the most (215 to 104) and also accumulating the most first downs (20 to 11). Even without Earl Campbell, the Oilers rushed for 164 yards, to just 78 for Cleveland. Each team turned the ball over four times.

Dan Pastorini completed 14 of 29 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown as well as an interception. Tim Wilson led the ground game with 72 yards on 16 carries and Ronnie Coleman contributed 63 yards on 19 attempts to go along with his team-high four catches, good for another 63 yards. With the controversial late-game catch, Ken Burrough (pictured at left) had 68 yards on three pass receptions.

For the Browns, Brian Sipe was successful on just 12 of 32 throws for 106 yards and a TD, giving up three interceptions. Reggie Rucker topped the club with three catches for 48 yards. Mike Pruitt ran for 41 yards on 11 attempts. 

“I think it was a helluva call,” said Coach Phillips of the Oilers regarding the controversial catch awarded to Ken Burrough. “When you go down in a tie, it goes to the offense…I know the fans didn’t like it.”

“I reached over and pulled the ball in and he came with it,” added Burrough. “I caught the ball and Bolton held on.”

Not surprisingly, Ron Bolton’s perspective was different (Bolton pictured below). “I had the ball,” he said. “He came across my back, which is a foul, reached over my shoulder and got his hand on the ball.” 

The Oilers, with Earl Campbell back in action, lost at Oakland the following week but then won seven of their last ten games to finish at 10-6 and second in the AFC Central. Qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot, they advanced to the AFC Championship game before succumbing to the Steelers. Cleveland won the next game but was successful only sporadically thereafter, ending up third in the division at 8-8.

For Ronnie Coleman, once a starting halfback for the Oilers but now relegated to backup duty when Campbell was playing, the rushing total against the Browns was his highest output of the season as he gained 188 yards on 61 carries (3.1 avg.) and caught 19 passes for 246 yards.  

1979: Steelers Bury Oilers to Win AFC Championship

The AFC Championship game on January 7, 1979 featured the Pittsburgh Steelers, seeking to return to the Super Bowl after falling short the previous two seasons, against the division-rival Houston Oilers. Under Head Coach Chuck Noll, the Steelers were in the playoffs for the seventh straight year. In his ninth season, QB Terry Bradshaw (pictured above) was at his best and had wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth to pass to while FB Franco Harris was a consistent ground-gainer, in tandem with HB Rocky Bleier. The “Steel Curtain” defense was well-seasoned and still sound, featuring DT “Mean Joe” Greene, DE L.C. Greenwood, MLB Jack Lambert, OLB Jack Ham, and CB Mel Blount. Pittsburgh topped the AFC Central with a 14-2 record, splitting the season series with the Oilers, and easily dispatched Denver in the Divisional playoff round.

Houston was coached by O.A. “Bum” Phillips for the fourth year and was in the postseason for the first time since 1969, the last year of the American Football League. The key player on offense was FB Earl Campbell, the power-running Heisman Trophy winner out of Texas who led the league in rushing as a rookie (1450 yards). QB Dan Pastorini had a good year and benefited not only from Campbell’s running but the break-out season of TE Mike Barber. The defense was solid and included DE Elvin Bethea, MG Curley Culp, and LB Robert Brazile. The Oilers went 10-6 to finish second in the division to Pittsburgh and defeated Miami in the Wild Card playoff game and the Patriots at the Divisional level to advance to the AFC title game.

It promised to be a rugged contest. The last time the teams met during the regular season, 13 players were injured during the course of the game, including Earl Campbell, who suffered a broken rib.

49,417 fans were in attendance on a wet day at Three Rivers Stadium, with a cold rain leaving puddles scattered on the artificial surface. The precipitation occurred throughout the contest, but the partisan crowd was enthusiastic and waved their “Terrible Towels” in earnest.

The tempo was set on Houston’s first play when Earl Campbell took a handoff and was tackled by Jack Ham for a loss of two yards. The Oilers went three-and-out and punted, with WR Theo Bell returning the kick 12 yards to give the Steelers good field position at their own 43. They went 57 yards in five plays, the biggest a pass from Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swann for 34 yards. Franco Harris ran for a seven-yard touchdown, Roy Gerela kicked the extra point, and Pittsburgh had the early lead.

Following another Houston series that ended with a punt, Bradshaw completed back-to-back passes to TE Randy Grossman that picked up 29 and 14 yards, respectively, to reach the Houston 21, but two plays later CB Willie Alexander came up with an interception. The Oilers weren’t able to take advantage – two plays after that, Mel Blount returned the favor by picking off a throw by Pastorini, and his 16-yard return gave Pittsburgh the ball at the Houston 26.

The Steelers couldn’t move in three plays and Gerela’s 40-yard field goal attempt fell short. Once again the Oilers gave the ball back as Campbell fumbled and Ham recovered for Pittsburgh at the Houston 17. Harris fumbled the slippery ball on the next play, but the Steelers maintained possession and Rocky Bleier (pictured at right) went around right end for 15 yards and a TD. Gerela added the PAT and Pittsburgh took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter.

The ball was hard to handle and, at one point in the second quarter, there were fumbles on three consecutive plays. Bradshaw fumbled on first down from his own 32 and, while the Steelers recovered, it was at a cost of 20 yards. Harris carried and lost the handle on the ball, with Robert Brazile recovering for the Oilers at the Pittsburgh 19. Campbell then fumbled on Houston’s first play, but managed to recover, and the Oilers, helped by a pass interference penalty, advanced to first-and-goal at the four. They couldn’t reach the end zone and settled for a Toni Fritsch field goal of 19 yards to at least get on the board.

The Steelers responded by driving into Houston territory, with Bradshaw scrambling for 13 yards and then passing to Swann for 18. But two plays after Bradshaw connected with Bleier for a 16-yard gain to the five yard line, he was again intercepted, this time by CB Greg Stemrick in the end zone.

L.C. Greenwood sacked Pastorini on the next play and Houston went three-and-out and had to punt. Harris fumbled twice on the ensuing series, the second recovered by the Oilers at their own 30. The clock showed 2:16 remaining in the half, but before it was over the Steelers put the game out of reach.

Pastorini threw to HB Ronnie Coleman, but after he gained 15 yards, Ham stripped the ball away and made the recovery. Four plays later, and with the clock down to 52 seconds, Bradshaw connected with Swann for a 29-yard touchdown. The extra point put the Steelers ahead by 21-3.

On the ensuing kickoff, WR Johnnie Dirden fumbled the return and HB Rick Moser recovered for Pittsburgh at the Houston 17. After a run by Harris gained nothing, Bradshaw threw to John Stallworth for a touchdown from that distance. However, the first half scoring still wasn’t over. On Houston’s next play, Coleman again fumbled and DT Steve Furness recovered at the Oilers’ 24. Gerela kicked a 37-yard field goal and, in a matter of less than two minutes, the Steelers had scored 17 points and taken a commanding 31-3 lead.

The second half was only a formality. The Steelers had the first possession in the third quarter and punted, but two plays later Ham intercepted a Pastorini pass and it set up another Gerela field goal, this time from 22 yards.

MG Ken Kennard recovered a fumbled handoff for Houston at the Pittsburgh 20, but SS Donnie Shell intercepted a Pastorini throw that gave the Steelers the ball at their one yard line. The Oilers did come up with points when LB Ted Washington tackled Bleier in the end zone for a safety, but that was it. Houston’s next two possessions ended in interceptions as the Steelers continued to dominate on defense. Pittsburgh won the AFC title by a final score of 34-5 and moved on to the Super Bowl.

The teams combined for 12 fumbles, breaking a 45-year-old NFL record. The Oilers lost four of their six fumbles and also gave up five interceptions (four in the second half alone) on the way to a staggering total of nine turnovers. Pittsburgh turned the ball over five times, three on fumbles and twice on intercepted passes. The Steelers outgained Houston by 379 yards to 142, running for 179 yards while holding the Oilers to 72 rushing yards – their seventh straight contest in which they held their opponent to under a hundred yards on the ground. Pittsburgh also recorded four sacks, to none by Houston.

Terry Bradshaw completed 11 of 19 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns with two intercepted. Franco Harris ran for 51 yards on 20 carries that included a TD, and fumbled four times in the first half, losing two. Rocky Bleier contributed 45 yards and a score on 10 rushing attempts and also caught four passes for another 42 yards. Lynn Swann also had four pass receptions, for a total of 98 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Jack Ham (pictured below, tackling Earl Campbell) had a sack, an interception, and recovered two fumbles while Jack Lambert was credited with 11 tackles.

Earl Campbell was held to 62 yards on 22 carries and fumbled three times, losing one. Dan Pastorini was successful on 12 of 26 throws for 96 yards with the five interceptions. TE Rich Caster had 5 catches for 44 yards and FB Tim Wilson also caught 5, for 33 yards.

Responding after the game to a pre-game comment by Bum Phillips that the Oilers were breaking off diplomatic relations with the Steelers and declaring war, Coach Chuck Noll wryly commented, “Our football team wanted an unconditional surrender. And we got it.”

“The big thing was the fact that we got up on them so fast,” explained Jack Ham. “To try to play catch-up football in that weather was about impossible.”

The Steelers went on to defeat the Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl and repeated the next year. The Oilers again finished second in the AFC Central in 1979 and advanced once more to a showdown with Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship, which the Steelers won by a score of 27-13.