1982: Third Quarter Surge Lifts Steelers to Win Against Cowboys

With the threat of an impending players’ strike looming, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys met in a first-week Monday night game on September 13, 1982. There were streaks on the line as the Steelers had beaten Dallas four straight times, including twice in Super Bowl meetings, while the Cowboys had won 18 consecutive season-opening games.

Pittsburgh was entering its 14^th season under Head Coach Chuck Noll, and four of those campaigns had ended with NFL Championships. However, the Steelers missed the postseason the previous two years, including 1981 when they broke even at 8-8. Many of the aging stalwarts of the title-winning years were still on the roster, including QB Terry Bradshaw, FB Franco Harris, WR John Stallworth (pictured above), LB Jack Ham, and CB Mel Blount.  But DT “Mean Joe” Greene had retired and MLB Jack Lambert was injured and would be replaced by David Little, one of several rookies debuting on defense.

The Cowboys were coached by Tom Landry, as they had been since 1960, and coming off back-to-back 12-4 seasons that had concluded with losses in the NFC title game. QB Danny White was solid, if not spectacular, and there were dependable targets in wide receivers Tony Hill and Drew Pearson plus tight ends Billy Joe DuPree and Doug Cosbie. RB Tony Dorsett was coming off of a 1646-yard rushing season that nearly topped the NFL. The defense remained tough from front to back, even with the retirements of SS Charlie Waters and OLB D.D. Lewis.

There were 63,431 fans in attendance for the nationally-televised contest at Texas Stadium with the game-time temperature at 85 degrees. On the opening kickoff, DB Fred Bohannon of the Steelers fumbled after returning it 33 yards and the Cowboys recovered at the Pittsburgh 41. However, after driving to the 15, they turned the ball over when an errant handoff was recovered by David Little.

The Steelers struck back, gaining 26 yards on three plays before Terry Bradshaw threw to John Stallworth for a 48-yard pickup to the Dallas six yard line. A running play lost yardage, but Bradshaw again connected with Stallworth, this time in the corner of the end zone where he outmaneuvered CB Dennis Thurman for an eight-yard touchdown. The extra point attempt failed when rookie holder Rick Woods muffed the snap, but the visitors held the early lead.

The Cowboys advanced 66 yards in eight plays that featured Danny White falling at one point but recovering to throw to Doug Cosbie for a 30-yard gain. The drive ended with White passing to Drew Pearson for a four-yard TD and, with Rafael Septien successfully converting, the home team was up by 7-6.

Pittsburgh responded with a nine-play, 61-yard series that stretched into the second quarter. It concluded with Bradshaw firing a pass to WR Jim Smith, who made a diving catch in the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown. Gary Anderson, appearing in his first regular season game, was successful on the point after this time and the visitors were back on top by 13-7.

Dallas came back with an 80-yard drive in 10 plays. Facing third-and-two at the Pittsburgh 12, a scrambling White connected with Cosbie in the end zone for a TD. Septien booted the extra point and the Cowboys led by 14-13. Each club had a chance to add three points before the end of the half, but Septien missed wide on a 52-yard field goal attempt and Anderson’s 35-yard try for the Steelers was blocked by DT John Dutton. Dallas maintained a one-point edge at halftime.

On the first possession of the third quarter, the Cowboys were forced to punt from their 16. DE Keith Willis charged in from the left side to block Danny White’s kick and Pittsburgh took possession at the 19. Five plays later, Thurman was called for pass interference at the goal line and RB Frank Pollard powered in from the one for a touchdown. Anderson added the extra point and the visitors were in front by 20-14.

On the next Dallas possession, a third down pass by White was deflected and intercepted by Rick Woods, playing at safety, who returned it 12 yards to the Dallas 35. The Steelers took five plays to reach the end zone as Franco Harris started off with an eight-yard carry and Pollard ran 11 yards around end. Bradshaw threw to Jim Smith for a 15-yard TD and Anderson converted to extend the lead to 27-14.

Three plays into the next Cowboy series, White was again picked off, this time by Jack Ham. Bradshaw threw to Stallworth for a gain of 21 yards but the Pittsburgh drive was halted short of a touchdown this time, although Anderson booted a 26-yard field goal. Down by a point at the half, the Steelers were now ahead by 30-14.

The Cowboys went three-and-out on the ensuing possession and punted from their 21. Taking over at the Dallas 48, Pittsburgh advanced 22 yards and, early in the fourth quarter, Anderson added a 43-yard field goal to expand the lead to 33-14.

Now in a deep hole, the Cowboys fought back on a five-play, 76-yard drive that concluded with White throwing long for Tony Hill (pictured at left) and a 45-yard touchdown. Septien converted to make the score 33-21.

The Cowboys regained possession at their 32 and White connected with Cosbie for a 26-yard gain and, on a trick play, White tossed the ball to Pearson who fired long to Hill for 26 yards to the Pittsburgh 15. A pass by White to Hill in the end zone was dropped but the Steelers were penalized for illegal contact. Now with a first down at the Pittsburgh 10, an offside penalty moved the ball five yards further and White tossed another scoring pass, this time to Billy Joe DuPree. The Pittsburgh lead was narrowed to 33-28 with 5:47 remaining in regulation.

The Steelers, needing to run the clock down, put together a long drive of 49 yards in 10 plays that featured Bradshaw connecting with RB/WR Greg Hawthorne for 22 yards on a first-and-20 play following a holding penalty and with TE Bennie Cunningham for a three-yard completion to convert a third-and-three situation at the Dallas 36. After three running plays, Anderson came in kick a 40-yard field goal that clinched the 36-28 win for Pittsburgh.

Dallas accumulated more total yards (436 to 388) and first downs (28 to 23). However, the Cowboys also turned the ball over four times, to one by the Steelers, and in the crucial third quarter that was the key to Pittsburgh building a big lead. The Steelers also recorded three sacks, to one for Dallas, but were penalized eight times while three flags were thrown on the Cowboys.

Terry Bradshaw (pictured at right) completed 17 of 28 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. John Stallworth had a big night with 7 catches for 137 yards and a TD. Jim Smith caught two passes for 22 yards and both were good for touchdowns. Franco Harris rushed for 103 yards on 24 carries, the fortieth hundred-yard game of his career, and also had three pass receptions for 29 yards.

For the Cowboys, Danny White was successful on 25 of 36 throws for 347 yards and four TDs while being intercepted twice. Two receivers reached the hundred yard threshold with Tony Hill pulling in 6 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown and Doug Cosbie caught 5 for 102 yards and a score. Tony Dorsett topped the club with 30 yards on 11 rushing attempts and also had 5 receptions for 44 yards.

“We lost it in the third quarter,” said Coach Tom Landry in defeat. “You can’t expect to give a team what we gave them and expect to beat them. You can’t expect to give a team like that five turnovers and do anything. The whole game was the third quarter.”

Both teams won the following week, after which the players’ strike materialized and wiped out the next two months. When they returned to action in November, each went on to finish at 6-3 in the abbreviated season. With divisions eliminated for the year, for Pittsburgh that meant a fourth-place ranking in the AFC. The Steelers lost to San Diego in the first round of the resulting postseason tournament. Dallas was second in the NFC and again reached the NFC Championship game, losing to the Washington Redskins.

1977: Broncos Defeat Steelers in AFC Divisional Playoff

The AFC Divisional playoff game on December 24, 1977 featured the Denver Broncos, champions of the AFC West at 12-2 and newcomers to the postseason, hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers, AFC Central champs for the fourth straight year with a 9-5 record.

The Broncos, coached by Red Miller, were appearing in the postseason for the first time in a franchise history dating back to 1960 in the American Football League. They had made it with a conservative offense directed by QB Craig Morton (pictured above), who was new to Denver but a 35-year-old veteran previously with Dallas and the Giants. The key to success was the rugged “Orange Crush” defense that included DE Lyle Alzado, linebackers Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson, CB Louis Wright, and SS Bill Thompson.

Pittsburgh had enjoyed great success under Head Coach Chuck Noll, winning back-to-back Super Bowls following the 1974 and ’75 seasons and reaching the AFC title game in 1976. However, there had been off-field turmoil heading into the 1977 season and the team was uncharacteristically turnover-prone on offense and less dominating on defense, and they lost to Denver during the regular season. Still, the nucleus of QB Terry Bradshaw, FB Franco Harris, and wide receivers Lynn Swann on offense and DT “Mean Joe” Greene, linebackers Jack Lambert and Jack Ham, and CB Mel Blount on defense was intact.

It was a sunny day at Mile High Stadium with over 75,000 fans in attendance and they saw the teams exchange punts to start the game. The Steelers had to punt again following their second possession but the kick by Rick Engles was blocked by WR John Schultz and Denver had the ball at the Pittsburgh 17. HB Rob Lytle carried four straight times, the last for a seven-yard touchdown, and Jim Turner added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

The clubs resumed trading punts as the game moved into the second quarter. The Steelers finally mounted a scoring drive that covered 56 yards in 11 plays. Terry Bradshaw converted a third-and-nine situation with a pass to TE Bennie Cunningham that covered 19 yards and Franco Harris (pictured below) ran effectively, including a 14-yard run on a fourth-and-one play at the Denver 27. Two carries by HB Rocky Bleier and a Bradshaw throw to Lynn Swann had the visitors facing first-and-goal at the two, and while it took three plays, the Steelers got a TD when Bradshaw leaped into the end zone from just inches away. Roy Gerela converted to tie the score.

The Broncos had to punt again and the Steelers advanced to their 45 before Harris fumbled after being hit by DE Lyle Alzado and LB Tom Jackson recovered and returned it 30 yards. On the next play, HB Otis Armstrong ran 10 yards for a touchdown and, with Turner’s point after, the home team was back on top by 14-7.

The Steelers started their next series with 4:04 remaining in the first half and drove 65 yards in nine plays. Bradshaw completed four passes, the longest to John Stallworth for 21 yards, and just after the two-minute warning Harris took a handoff, started to his right, and then reversed field for a 20-yard gain to the Denver two. Two plays later, Harris ran to the right for a one-yard TD and, with Gerela’s kick, the score was once more knotted at 14-14, and that was the tally at the half. The Steelers had outgained Denver by 183 yards to 44, but the ability of the Broncos to capitalize on the blocked punt and fumble to stay even on the scoreboard.

The teams again exchanged punts to start the third quarter. Denver advanced deep into Pittsburgh territory on its second series, with the big plays passes by Craig Morton to WR Haven Moses for 27 yards and TE Jim Jensen for 29. That gave the Broncos a first-and-goal at the two, but the Steelers kept them out of the end zone as Armstrong ran for a yard, Morton had a pass batted down, and Lytle was stopped three inches short of the goal. Jensen gained nothing on a fourth down run and the Broncos turned the ball over on downs.

The Steelers were pinned back at their one and the resulting short possession led to a punt that gave the ball back to Denver at the Pittsburgh 41. Four plays later, Morton passed to TE Riley Odoms, who gathered the ball in at the six and ran the remaining distance for a 30-yard touchdown. Turner converted and the Broncos again had a seven-point lead at 21-14.

Pittsburgh had to punt on the last play of the period and Denver’s first series of the fourth quarter resulted in a punt as well. WR Jim Smith returned the kick 17 yards to the Pittsburgh 39 and, following a short run by Bleier, Bradshaw fired passes to Cunningham for 11 yards and Stallworth for 48 yards to the Denver one. From there on the next play, Bradshaw threw to Larry Brown, a tackle lined up at end, for a TD. Gerela kicked the extra point and the score again was tied.

The Broncos responded with a 39-yard drive in seven plays. Morton threw to Armstrong for a nine-yard gain and followed with a pass to Moses for 18 yards to the Pittsburgh 36. Lytle ran for three yards and a Morton bootleg picked up six. While a third-and-one pass was tipped and fell incomplete, Turner kicked a 44-yard field goal that staked Denver to a 24-21 lead.

Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 34 yards to give the Steelers good starting field position at their 40, but on their second play a Bradshaw pass was intercepted by Jackson, who returned it 32 yards to the nine yard line. The Broncos couldn’t reach the end zone from there but came away with another Turner field goal, this time from 25 yards, to extend the lead to 27-21.

Pittsburgh took over again on offense with just over five minutes to play and Bradshaw came out throwing. He had four completions, one to Cunningham for 12 yards to convert a third down and another to Bleier for seven yards in a third-and-six situation. But his next pass was picked off at midfield by Jackson, making yet another big play on defense, and the linebacker ran it back 17 yards. Two plays later, with the defense anticipating that the Broncos would keep the ball on the ground, Morton fired long to WR Jack Dolbin (pictured at right) in the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown. While the Steelers had one more possession, the game was effectively over. Denver won by a final score of 34-21.

The Steelers had more total yards (304 to 258) and first downs (18 to 15), but also turned the ball over four times, to one by Denver. Pittsburgh also was hurt by 10 penalties, at a cost of 67 yards, to three flags for 20 yards thrown on the Broncos.

Craig Morton completed 11 of 23 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Otis Armstrong topped the Broncos with 44 rushing yards on 11 carries that included a TD and Rob Lytle contributed 26 yards and a score on his 12 attempts. Riley Odoms had 5 catches for 43 yards and a touchdown and Haven Moses gained 45 yards on his two pass receptions. Tom Jackson (pictured below) was the defensive star with the two big interceptions plus a fumble recovery.

For the Steelers, Terry Bradshaw was successful on 19 of 37 throws for 177 yards and a TD, but gave up three interceptions. Franco Harris gained 92 yards on 28 carries that included a touchdown and also caught four passes for another 20 yards. John Stallworth also had four receptions, for a team-leading 80 yards.

Denver, having achieved its first playoff victory, went on to defeat the division-rival Oakland Raiders for the AFC Championship but was dominated in the Super Bowl by the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers, with many commentators suggesting that they were a fading club following the disappointing 1977 season, bounced back to win the next two Super Bowls and defeated the Broncos at the Divisional level in ’78.

Highlighted Year: Terry Bradshaw, 1982

Quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers

Age:  34

13^th season in pro football & with Steelers

College: Louisiana Tech

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

The first overall pick by the Steelers in 1970, Bradshaw took time to develop. In 1974, his fifth season, he lost his starting job early to Joe Gilliam but reclaimed it and led Pittsburgh to the first NFL Championship in franchise history. Unchallenged as the starting quarterback, he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 1975 as the Steelers won a second straight Super Bowl. Following an injury-plagued 1976 season, he came back in ’77 to achieve a new high with 2523 passing yards while leading the NFL with 8.0 yards per attempt and in 1978 he received MVP and consensus first-team All-NFL honors as he led the league in TD passes (28) and yards per attempt (7.9) and the AFC in passing (84.7 rating), and the Steelers won another Super Bowl. Bradshaw had another Pro Bowl season in 1979, throwing for a career-high 3724 yards and leading the Steelers to a fourth NFL title. While there were no more championships, Bradshaw played well for a team showing its age in 1980, passing for 3339 yards and 24 touchdowns, and he threw for 2887 yards and 22 TDs in 1981.

1982 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 9 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 240 [15]

Most attempts, game – 42 vs. Cincinnati 9/19

Completions – 127 [15]

Most completions, game – 29 vs. Cincinnati 9/19

Yards – 1768 [14]

Most yards, game – 298 vs. Cincinnati 9/19

Completion percentage – 52.9

Yards per attempt – 7.4 [11]

TD passes – 17 [1, tied with Dan Fouts & Joe Montana]

Most TD passes, game – 3 at Dallas 9/13, vs. Cincinnati 9/19, at Houston 11/21, vs. Kansas City 12/5

Interceptions – 11 [8, tied with six others]

Most interceptions, game – 4 at Cleveland 12/19

Passer rating – 81.4 [8]

200-yard passing games – 6

Rushing

Attempts – 8

Yards – 10

Yards per attempt – 1.3

TDs – 0

Postseason: 1 G (AFC First Round playoff vs. San Diego)

Pass attempts – 39

Pass completions – 28

Passing yardage – 325

TD passes – 2

Interceptions – 2

Rushing attempts – 2

Rushing yards – 12

Average gain rushing – 6.0

Rushing TDs – 1

Steelers went 6-3 in the strike-shortened season and were fourth seed in the AFC playoff tournament that replaced the usual postseason format. Lost First Round playoff to San Diego Chargers (31-28).

Aftermath:

The 1982 season proved to effectively be Bradshaw’s last as a severe elbow injury limited him to the season finale in 1983, and he was forced to retire. For his career, he passed for 27,989 yards and 212 TDs, but most significantly had a 107-51 record as a starting quarterback (as well as 14-5 in the postseason, 4-0 in the Super Bowl). Bradshaw was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection once, received second-team All-NFL or All-AFC honors after two other years, and was selected to the Pro Bowl three times. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1980: Plunkett Leads Raiders to Win Over Steelers

The Oakland Raiders were at 3-3, having won for the first time in three weeks in their previous game, as they faced the 4-2 Steelers in Pittsburgh on October 20, 1980. Not much was expected of the Raiders heading into the season as they sought to retool following a 9-7 record in ’79 that caused them to miss the playoffs for the second straight season. QB Dan Pastorini had been obtained from the Oilers for the exciting, if erratic, QB Ken Stabler and he had gone down for the year with a broken leg two weeks earlier. QB Jim Plunkett (pictured above), once a highly-touted prospect with the Patriots who had become a forgotten backup in Oakland, was now behind center. Castoffs and savvy veterans were filling out the roster (a typical occurrence over the course of the franchise's history) and beginning to show results under second-year Head Coach Tom Flores.

Pittsburgh was coming off of back-to-back NFL titles in 1978 and ’79, the third and fourth under Head Coach Chuck Noll. But injuries had knocked starters out of the lineup at running back (FB Franco Harris) and wide receiver (Lynn Swann and John Stallworth). QB Terry Bradshaw was still formidable but other veterans were showing their age, particularly in the once-proud defensive unit. The Steelers were upset by the Bengals the previous week.

It was a cool, partly cloudy Monday night at Three Rivers Stadium with 53,940 fans in attendance. The Steelers had the first possession and drove 69 yards in six plays. Terry Bradshaw started off with passes to WR Theo Bell for 15 yards and FB Greg Hawthorne for 16. Another completion to Bell picked up 21 yards and was followed by a throw to WR Jim Smith in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown. Matt Bahr added the extra point and the home team was ahead by 7-0.

On Oakland’s first play from scrimmage, HB Kenny King fumbled and SS Donnie Shell recovered to give Pittsburgh the ball at the Raiders’ 19. HB Rocky Bleier ran for 12 yards on first down and, while the Steelers were unable to reach the end zone, Coach Noll declining to not run a play on fourth down with less than a foot to go, Bahr kicked an 18-yard field goal to extend the lead to 10-0.

A short kickoff return had the Raiders starting their next series at their own 15, but a pass interference penalty advanced them 39 yards and the six-play, 85-yard drive ended with King running around end for a 27-yard TD. Bahr converted to make it a three-point game. To make matters worse for Pittsburgh, MLB Jack Lambert left with strained knee ligaments, removing a key player from the defense.

The teams traded punts until the Steelers, in a series that extended into the second quarter, drove 84 yards in ten plays. Bradshaw (pictured above) threw to Smith for a 25-yard gain on first down and Hawthorne followed up with a 13-yard carry. Hawthorne and FB Russell Davis pounded away, with Davis gaining three yards in a fourth-and-one situation at the Oakland 37, Bradshaw passed to TE Bennie Cunningham for 15 yards, Davis ran for another 12, and after Hawthorne ran around end for six yards, Davis dove into the end zone from a yard out for a touchdown. Bahr’s PAT put the home team ahead by ten points once again at 17-7.

The Raiders again had to punt following their next series, but they got the ball back in short order when LB Ted Hendricks intercepted a Bradshaw pass. Starting from the Pittsburgh 39, it took the visitors seven plays to score. The key play along the way was a Plunkett throw to WR Bob Chandler for 37 yards to the one yard line, and while the Raiders stopped three consecutive running plays, FB Mark van Eeghen reached paydirt from a yard out on fourth down. Bahr again converted and the score was 17-14.

The Steelers were backed up by a holding penalty to start their next possession but got a first down on a Bradshaw completion to Cunningham for 21 yards and a pass to Bell gained another 16. But on a third down play near midfield, Bradshaw fumbled when sacked by DE Cedrick Hardman. DE Willie Jones recovered for Oakland and lateraled to LB Rod Martin, who ran 34 yards for a touchdown. Bahr added the point after and the Raiders were in front by 21-17.

Backup QB Cliff Stoudt replaced Bradshaw, who had a bruised shoulder, and his third pass was picked off by Hendricks to give Oakland the ball at the Pittsburgh 49. Three plays later, Plunkett connected with WR Morris Bradshaw for a 45-yard TD. Bahr kicked the extra point and the visitors were now ahead by 28-17.

The Steelers got the ball with 1:17 remaining in the first half and advanced 79 yards in seven plays. Stoudt passed to Bell for 26 yards, Hawthorne for seven, and Bleier for 17 yards and finally to Smith for a 13-yard touchdown. Bahr’s conversion made the halftime score 28-24 in favor of the Raiders.

The Raiders wasted little time extending their lead in the third quarter, driving 75 yards in five plays. Plunkett connected with WR Cliff Branch (pictured at right) for a 56-yard TD and, with Bahr’s extra point, Oakland was ahead by 35-24. Terry Bradshaw was back behind center for the Steelers and they responded by going 68 yards in 11 plays. Bradshaw converted a third-and-10 situation by throwing to WR Calvin Sweeney for 19 yards and hit Smith for 15 yards on a third-and-11 play. The series ended with another Bradshaw pass, this time to Bell for a 36-yard touchdown. Bahr’s conversion made it a four-point game once more.

The Raiders, with van Eeghen and King primarily running the ball, drove into Pittsburgh territory, but van Eeghen fumbled at the 37 and LB Robin Cole recovered and ran to the Oakland 49. Bradshaw was sacked on first down for a loss of six yards but came back with a pass to Cunningham for 15 yards and a personal foul on Hardman for roughing the quarterback advanced the ball further, although it necessitated Stoudt coming back into the game for two plays. After reaching the Oakland 15, two Bradshaw passes into the end zone fell incomplete but Bahr booted a 32-yard field goal to make it a one-point contest at 35-34.

The Raiders had the ball as the fourth quarter started and drove 82 yards in eight plays. Plunkett completed a pass to TE Raymond Chester for 11 yards and had back-to-back throws to Branch for 13 yards apiece. One more pass to Branch resulted in a 34-yard touchdown and, with Bahr’s kick, the visitors had an extended lead of eight points at 42-34.

A short series by the Steelers resulted in a punt and Oakland, taking over with 8:41 on the clock, put together a 14-play, 35-yard drive. The Raiders converted two fourth downs along the way and HB Arthur Whittington carried most of the load on the ground. Bahr kicked a 36-yard field goal with 58 seconds left in the game to nail down the 45-34 win.  

The Steelers had the most total yards (467 to 390) and first downs (27 to 20). However, Pittsburgh turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by the Raiders, and hurt themselves with 10 penalties at a cost of 115 yards, to five flags thrown on the visitors. Oakland also accounted for five sacks as they battered Terry Bradshaw, who had to leave the game three times, while the Steelers registered none.

Jim Plunkett completed 13 of 21 passes for 247 yards with three touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Cliff Branch was the primary recipient with five catches for 123 yards and two TDs. Kenny King (pictured below) rushed for 70 yards on 14 carries that included a score and Mark van Eeghen contributed 52 yards and a TD on 18 attempts.

For the Steelers, Terry Bradshaw was successful on 18 of 27 throws for 299 yards and two TDs while giving up one interception. Jim Smith caught 6 passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns and Theo Bell gained 114 yards on his five receptions that included one TD. Russell Davis led the team in rushing with 51 yards on 9 carries and Greg Hawthorne gained 38 yards on 12 attempts with one score and also caught four passes for 46 yards.

Oakland lost only twice more the rest of the season, putting together an 11-5 record that placed second in the AFC West and secured a Wild Card playoff spot. The Raiders went on to reach the Super Bowl, becoming the first Wild Card team to win. As for the Steelers, the loss to the Raiders was viewed as a major sign that the Pittsburgh dynasty was coming to a close, even though they remained in a tie atop the AFC Central. They lost again the next week, rallied to win three straight games, but split the remainder to end up at 9-7 and out of the postseason for the first time since 1971.

Jim Plunkett received Comeback Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press as he passed for 2299 yards and 18 touchdowns while the club went 9-2 with him behind center in the regular season. He capped the year by being named Super Bowl MVP.

1979: Staubach Rallies NFC to Pro Bowl Win

The AFC-NFC Pro Bowl returned to Los Angeles for the first time in seven years on January 29, 1979. After regularly being played at the Memorial Coliseum for 22 seasons, the annual all-star contest had been held in six different NFL cities since then.  The contest also marked the first time that players wore their respective team helmets rather than helmets with logos designed for the game.

There were 38,333 fans in attendance at the Coliseum on a chilly 45-degree Monday night. Los Angeles Rams season ticket holders had been required to purchase Pro Bowl tickets, and some 13,310 tickets went unused. The first quarter was scoreless, with the AFC failing to convert a fourth-and-seven play at the NFC 36 and Frank Corral of the Rams missing a 37-yard field goal attempt for the NFC.

In the second quarter, after Miami’s Garo Yepremian was short on a 47-yard try for a field goal, the NFC drove 70 yards in 11 plays. QB Archie Manning of the Saints completed four passes and RB Wilbert Montgomery of the Eagles, who had a 17-yard carry along the way, finished the series off at 7:06 into the period with a two-yard touchdown on a fourth down play. However, Corral missed wide on the extra point attempt.

The AFC came right back with a nine-play, 62-yard possession. With less than four minutes remaining in the first half, QB Bob Griese of the Dolphins threw to Seattle WR Steve Largent for back-to-back gains of 27 and 10 yards, and finished off the series with a throw once more to Largent for an eight-yard touchdown. Yepremian added the extra point and the AFC held a 7-6 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, and following a shanked 16-yard punt by Oakland’s Ray Guy, the NFC was backed up by a holding penalty but then proceeded to advance 55 yards. Dallas QB Roger Staubach (pictured at top), who was ineffective in the first quarter, completed five straight passes in the series. Two were to WR Ahmad Rashad of the Vikings for 15 and 17 yards and, following a six-yard run by Montgomery, Staubach connected with WR Tony Hill, a Dallas teammate, in the corner of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown with 3:43 remaining in the period. Corral converted this time to give the NFC a six-point advantage, and in the game dominated by defense, that was enough.

The teams traded punts as the contest entered the fourth quarter and a Manning pass was intercepted by SS Bill Thompson of the Broncos at the AFC 16. But following one more AFC possession, the NFC was able to control the ball for the last 6:20. They had an opportunity to add more points in the last minute, reaching the AFC five yard line, but Manning fell on the ball twice to run out the clock. The NFC won the low-scoring contest by a final score of 13-7.

The AFC led in total yards (320 to 296) and also had the edge in first downs (18 to 17). 169 yards of the AFC’s total came on the ground, against 151 passing yards, while the NFC threw for 199 yards and rushed for 97. The NFC turned the ball over twice, to one turnover suffered by the AFC.

Roger Staubach completed 9 of 15 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown while giving up one interception. Archie Manning, who played the second and fourth quarters, was 8 of 17 for 78 yards and also had a pass picked off. Wilbert Montgomery ran for 53 yards on 9 carries and RB Tony Dorsett of the Cowboys gained 27 yards on 7 rushing attempts. Ahmad Rashad had 5 pass receptions for 89 yards and was named Player of the Game. G Tom Mack of the Rams finished off his Hall of Fame career with an 11^th Pro Bowl appearance and received a standing ovation from the Los Angeles fans with a minute remaining in the contest.

For the AFC, Terry Bradshaw was successful on 8 of 17 throws for 54 yards and no interceptions. Bob Griese threw 20 times with 10 completions for 122 yards and a TD and also gave up no interceptions. Houston’s star rookie RB Earl Campbell rushed for 66 yards on 12 carries to lead both teams. Steve Largent, the first Seahawk to appear in a Pro Bowl, caught 5 passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, all in the second quarter.

“One of the highlights of my career was just being here,” said Ahmad Rashad (pictured at left) who, along with Steve Largent, set a then-Pro Bowl record for pass receptions. “The Most Valuable Player award was just gravy.”

“I’m not going to go home and stay up all night, but it was disappointing to lose,” said Terry Bradshaw, who had quarterbacked the Steelers to a win over Dallas in the Super Bowl the previous week. “Emotionally, I went into this game drained. I thought I’d be okay but I think I’m still mentally fatigued from the Super Bowl.”

The win gave the NFC a 5-4 lead over the AFC since the restructuring of the Pro Bowl into AFC vs. NFC in 1970. The game moved to Honolulu the following season, leaving the Memorial Coliseum once and for all.

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).

1977: TDs Off Turnovers Lead Bengals to Win Against Steelers

The Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers were both fighting for supremacy in the AFC Central as they met on December 10, 1977. The Bengals, coached by Bill Johnson, had gotten off to a 2-4 start and were 4-5 before a three-game winning streak pulled them up to 7-5 and a chance to win the division. QB Ken Anderson, normally a precision passer, was having a less stellar year but was still formidable. He was missing star WR Isaac Curtis due to a knee injury but second-year backup WR Billy Brooks (pictured above) was proving to be a good deep threat in his place and Pat McInally, the punter, was also effective in the other spot. Two ex-Ohio State stars, FB Pete Johnson and HB Archie Griffin, were the ball carriers. The Bengals had lost six consecutive games to the Steelers, including earlier in the season, and that made the difference in their placing second in each of the previous two years.

Pittsburgh had won three straight division titles, and twice went on to win the Super Bowl. The Steelers were coached by Chuck Noll, who had broken his arm due to slipping on ice and falling the night before the game and was wearing a cast. It was symbolic of a season in which Pittsburgh, while still formidable, was having difficulties, getting off to a 4-4 start before also turning hot and winning four straight games prior to the rematch with Cincinnati. There were off-field distractions that seemed to affect the club’s performance, which showed in the offense turning the ball over with greater frequency and the defense giving up more points.  

It was a bitterly cold Saturday for the game at Riverfront Stadium with temperatures down to single digits. Attendance was low at 36,133, with 23,518 no-shows. While the sky was clear, the artificial surface was frozen and in poor condition.

The Steelers had the game’s first possession, but on their third play CB Lemar Parrish intercepted a pass by QB Terry Bradshaw and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown. Chris Bahr added the extra point and the home team had a quick 7-0 lead.

On the next series, and following a holding penalty on the kickoff return that had the Steelers starting from their 12 yard line, HB Rocky Bleier fumbled and the Bengals gained possession at the Pittsburgh 7. However, Cincinnati came up empty when, facing fourth-and-goal at the one, Pete Johnson was stopped short of the goal line by linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert.

The teams exchanged punts before the Bengals, starting from their 29, drove to the Pittsburgh 20. A pass interference penalty on a third-and-eight play gave Cincinnati 17 yards as well as a first down and Ken Anderson threw to TE Bob Trumpy for a 13-yard gain. But Bahr’s 37-yard field goal attempt was wide to the left and yet another scoring opportunity was for naught.

The Steelers were driving as the opening period drew to a close. Bradshaw completed a pass to TE Bennie Cunningham for 22 yards and FB Franco Harris ran effectively. On the first play of the second quarter, Harris picked up the last five yards for a TD and Roy Gerela’s point after tied the score.

The Bengals punted after a short series and Pittsburgh put together another promising drive as Bradshaw completed passes to WR Lynn Swann for 17 yards and Cunningham for 23. But a holding penalty backed the visitors up and the series stalled at the Cincinnati 42, forcing a punt.

Another Cincinnati punt was followed by another long possession by the Steelers. Harris rushed for 45 yards on six carries, Bleier had a 16-yard run, and Bradshaw completed two passes. A fourth down was converted when Bradshaw threw to Swann for 19 yards. With 51 seconds remaining in the first half, Gerela kicked a 32-yard field goal and Pittsburgh took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

On the first series of the third quarter, the Bengals advanced into Pittsburgh territory, but an Anderson pass was intercepted by CB Mel Blount. The Steelers were forced to punt but got the ball back three plays later when Billy Brooks fumbled after catching a pass for 35 yards and CB Jim Allen recovered. Bradshaw completed passes to rookie WR Jim Smith (pictured at left), subbing for the injured Swann, on consecutive plays and the Steelers reached the Cincinnati 24 before Harris fumbled the ball back to the Bengals.

Anderson immediately threw to Brooks for a big gain of 57 yards and, after the series stalled at the Pittsburgh seven, Bahr tied the game with a 24-yard field goal. On the ensuing kickoff, Smith fumbled on the return and Anderson again went to the air on first down, connecting with Pat McInally for a 43-yard touchdown. Bahr added the extra point to put the Bengals, who had scored ten points in just 18 seconds of playing time, ahead by seven points.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Steelers had a promising series following a Cincinnati punt. Bradshaw threw to Smith for a 27-yard pickup and a personal foul on the Bengals following a completion to WR John Stallworth gave Pittsburgh a first down at the Cincinnati 20. But Harris again fumbled after catching a short pass and CB Ken Riley recovered to end the threat.

With just under ten minutes to play, the Bengals put together another good drive. Anderson threw to McInally for 21 yards on a third-and-seven play, Johnson had a 17-yard run and Archie Griffin a 13-yard catch on a screen pass and 15-yard carry in a second-and-13 situation. But the Bengals couldn’t gain any further ground after reaching the Pittsburgh six and Bahr’s 24-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright and was no good.

A three-and-out series by the Steelers was followed by a Cincinnati possession that ended with Griffin fumbling and FS Glen Edwards recovering at the Pittsburgh 21. With the clock down to 1:51, Bradshaw threw to Harris for a gain of 17 yards and to Stallworth for 20 yards to the Cincinnati 40. But a sack by DE Gary Burley lost seven yards and, while an offsides penalty on the Bengals regained five yards, Bradshaw was unable to complete any more passes. A fourth-and-12 throw fell incomplete to clinch the 17-10 win for the Bengals.

Cincinnati had the edge in total yards (413 to 362) although the Steelers accumulated more first downs (21 to 17). Pittsburgh turned the ball over five times, to three suffered by the Bengals, and the Steelers were penalized 11 times, at a cost of 95 yards, to five flags for 55 yards thrown on Cincinnati.

Ken Anderson was successful on 15 of 33 throws, but they generated 303 yards and he had a touchdown as well as an interception. Billy Brooks caught 6 passes for 166 yards and Pat McInally (pictured at right) contributed 71 yards on three receptions that included the game-deciding TD. Archie Griffin topped the Bengals with 61 rushing yards on 13 carries and added another 31 on four catches.  Pete Johnson had 51 yards on 15 attempts.

For the Steelers, Franco Harris rushed for 101 yards in the first half, but was held to minus-six yards in the second and ended up with a net of 95 yards on 25 carries that included one touchdown. Terry Bradshaw completed 20 of 39 passes for 246 yards and had no touchdowns while giving up one interception. Four receivers caught four passes apiece, with Jim Smith gaining 80 yards on his first four pro receptions (although he also had the critical fumble on a kickoff return) and Bennie Cunningham generating 64 yards on his four.

“We beat them, and we beat them right,” exclaimed a jubilant Coach Johnson to his celebrating players in the locker room.

“It was a hell of a game between two good teams under lousy circumstances,” said Chuck Noll from the Pittsburgh side. “But it wasn’t exactly a fun afternoon out there for us today.”

The win put Cincinnati in the driver’s seat in the race for the AFC Central title, but the Bengals failed to cash in when they lost to Houston in the season finale. They finished at 8-6, falling to third place. Pittsburgh ended up on top at 9-5 with a win at San Diego. The Steelers were ousted by Denver in the Divisional playoff round.

Billy Brooks caught 39 passes for 772 yards (19.8 avg.) and four touchdowns in what was the most productive of his five NFL seasons. Pat McInally had 17 receptions for 258 yards (15.2 avg.) and three TDs. He also punted 67 times for a 41.8-yard average.

Jim Smith had no more pass receptions for the Steelers in ‘77, being used almost exclusively on kick returns in his rookie season. He would go on to catch 110 passes for 2075 yards and 24 touchdowns in six years with Pittsburgh before departing for the USFL.

1975: Gilliam Rallies Steelers to Win Over College All-Stars

After a delay of one year due to the NFL preseason players’ strike in 1974, the 41^st College All-Star Game was held on August 1, 1975. The Pittsburgh Steelers, having won the first championship in franchise history the preceding season, represented the professionals while John McKay of USC coached a group of All-Stars that included 22 first round draft choices.

Pittsburgh, under Head Coach Chuck Noll, featured an outstanding defense and an offense that also had plenty of talent, with FB Franco Harris, the Super Bowl MVP, leading the ground attack and a good group of receivers. QB Terry Bradshaw had regained the starting job that Joe Gilliam (pictured above) had held for the first six games in ‘74, and displayed savvy as the team reached the top.

The All-Stars included California QB Steve Bartkowski, HB Walter Payton from Jackson State, and Oregon TE Russ Francis on offense and, on defense, DT Randy White from Maryland, Jackson State LB Robert Brazile, and Ohio State CB Neal Colzie. John McKay was coaching the collegians for the second time (he had also been designated as head coach for the game that was cancelled the previous year).

There were 54,562 fans in attendance on a Friday night at Soldier Field. The field was wet after a shower doused it two hours before kickoff, and it rained throughout the contest.

The All-Stars scored on their first possession, going 80 yards in just four plays. Steve Bartkowski threw to Northwestern WR Larry Burton for a 48-yard gain and then to WR Pat McInally from Harvard for a 28-yard touchdown and the successful conversion by Maryland PK Steve Mike-Mayer made it 7-0. However, the receiver suffered a broken leg on the play

The fired-up All-Star defense forced the pro champs to punt on the next series, but when the Steelers regained possession, they drove 87 yards in 17 plays and tied the score when Bradshaw tossed a two-yard TD pass to TE Randy Grossman at five minutes into the second quarter, Roy Gerela adding the PAT. Along the way, Pittsburgh overcame a second-and-24 hole as Bradshaw passed to WR Ron Shanklin and HB Rocky Bleier to set up a fourth-and-one situation that the quarterback converted with a plunge into the line. Bradshaw also completed passes of 20 yards to TE Larry Brown, 11 yards to Bleier, and nine to FB Reggie Harrison.

On the next Pittsburgh possession, Coach Noll chose to put many backups into the game, although Bradshaw remained at quarterback. The Steelers went three-and-out and punted, but on the next play FS Glen Edwards intercepted a Bartkowski pass. Pittsburgh got a first down on the ensuing series but ended up having to punt again and, in the most exciting play of the game, DB Virgil Livers of Western Kentucky returned Bobby Walden’s kick 88 yards. The return set an All-Star Game record, and, with Mike-Mayer’s conversion, the collegians took a 14-7 lead into halftime.

The pro champs were further damaged when Franco Harris and CB Mel Blount left the game with minor injuries during the first half. Still, Pittsburgh’s other starters were back for the third quarter, although they continued to have difficulty moving the ball against the tough All-Star defense. The Steelers managed to pin the All-Stars back inside their one yard line after a punt, and Neil Clabo had to kick from his end zone after the collegians went nowhere. The punt was a good one to midfield and the defense again came through, sacking Bradshaw twice to squelch any threat.

The Steelers were passing more than usual, especially with Harris sidelined. With three minutes remaining in the period, Pittsburgh got the ball on a turnover when LB Jack Lambert recovered a Bartkowski fumble. On a series highlighted by two runs and a pass reception by HB John “Frenchy” Fuqua, the Steelers advanced to the All-Star 15, but then Florida LB Ralph Ortega came up with an interception that he returned to his 35.

The All-Stars had difficulty on offense themselves in the second half, managing just two first downs in the third quarter and none in the fourth. Bartkowski (pictured below) stayed in the game but was victimized by dropped passes and untimely holding penalties.

Joe Gilliam relieved Terry Bradshaw in the fourth quarter and the Steelers came alive on offense. Finishing off a 42-yard series, Gilliam threw to HB Rocky Bleier for a six-yard TD at less than five minutes into the final period. Then, with 4:16 left on the clock, Gilliam put the Steelers ahead with a touchdown pass to WR Frank Lewis that covered 21 yards and capped a 45-yard drive that was set up by a shanked punt. Gerela successfully added the extra points after each and, after much difficulty, Pittsburgh came away with a 21-14 win.

For all of the trouble that the Steelers had on offense, they still significantly outgained the All-Stars (287 yards to 123) and had far more first downs (17 to 4). The All-Stars recorded six sacks of Pittsburgh quarterbacks to just two of the collegians by the Steelers.

Terry Bradshaw completed 14 of 24 passes for 145 yards with one touchdown and one interception and Joe Gilliam was successful on five of his six throws for 50 yards and two TDs while giving up no interceptions. Rocky Bleier paced Pittsburgh’s ground game with 41 yards on 11 carries and also led the club with five pass receptions, for 41 yards and a touchdown. Larry Brown gained 45 yards on his three catches.

For the All-Stars, Steve Bartkowski was successful on 7 of 18 passes for 126 yards and a TD. Russ Francis was the best of the receivers with two catches for 46 yards and Walter Payton was the leading rusher, although with only 16 yards on 7 carries.

“Physically, we got the hell kicked out of us,” said an irritated Chuck Noll afterward, disappointed at his team’s effort. “That’s what happens when you underestimate somebody.”

The Steelers went on to repeat as NFL Champions, putting together a 12-2 record in the regular season. While Joe Gilliam played well in relief of Terry Bradshaw against the College All-Stars, it was Bradshaw guiding the offense all the way and receiving Pro Bowl recognition for the first time.

Steve Bartkowski went on to play for the Atlanta Falcons, who had taken him in the first round of the draft, and became a two-time All-Pro. Walter Payton had a great career with the Chicago Bears that ended with his topping the NFL career rushing list and gaining enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Pat McInally, who suffered the broken leg while scoring the game’s first touchdown, spent ten years with the Cincinnati Bengals, although he was more productive as a punter than as a pass receiver. Virgil Livers, who had the long punt return for a score, joined Walter Payton with the Bears, where he played cornerback and returned kicks for five seasons.

There were concerns about the future of the All-Star Game, and only one more was played before the series that had started in 1934 came to an end. The win by the Steelers was the 30^th for the pro champs, as against nine for the All-Stars and two ties (Pittsburgh also won the final contest in ’76). 

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.