Super Bowl XIV
In the sunny dreamland of California, the Pittsburgh Steelers solidified their status as the team of the seventies, as they bagged their fourth Super Bowl victory in six seasons, including two back-to-back wins.
Their win over the surprise Los Angeles Rams was far from a walkover, however, with the Rams entering the final period in front, 19-17, before Pittsburgh finally claimed the contest.
In fact, the Rams had arguably had the better of the contest for huge parts of the first forty-five game minutes. After the Steelers took the lead off the back of a 41-yard field goal from Matt Bahr, the Rams answered with a drive that ended with a Cullen Bryant 1-yard touchdown plunge to give Los Angeles a 7-3 advantage. Incidentally, the rushing touchdown was the first allowed by the Steelers defense in a Super Bowl game.
Pittsburgh took the lead back early in the second period, as Franco Harris rumbled over the goal-line making the score 10-7 Steelers. Before halftime, however, the Los Angeles Rams had booted through two field goals to lead 13-10 at the break.
Pittsburgh looked much more like their dominant selves in the opening minutes of the third period, with Terry Bradshaw hitting receiver, Lynn Swann, with a 47-yard bomb for a score, and another lead for the Steelers, 17-13. However, the Rams would use a trick play to take the lead back when running back Lawrence McCutcheon, after taking a hand-ff from Rams' quarterback, Vince Ferragamo, lobbed the ball to Ron Smith for the score. The extra point was missed, however, but the lead was still with Los Angeles, 19-17.
The final period though would see the Steelers return to form, with scoring plays from receiver John Stallworth and running back Franco Harris making the final score 31-19. The Steelers defense finally proved too much for the Rams, who could not answer the apparent late knock out blows of Pittsburgh.
Their win over the surprise Los Angeles Rams was far from a walkover, however, with the Rams entering the final period in front, 19-17, before Pittsburgh finally claimed the contest.
In fact, the Rams had arguably had the better of the contest for huge parts of the first forty-five game minutes. After the Steelers took the lead off the back of a 41-yard field goal from Matt Bahr, the Rams answered with a drive that ended with a Cullen Bryant 1-yard touchdown plunge to give Los Angeles a 7-3 advantage. Incidentally, the rushing touchdown was the first allowed by the Steelers defense in a Super Bowl game.
Pittsburgh took the lead back early in the second period, as Franco Harris rumbled over the goal-line making the score 10-7 Steelers. Before halftime, however, the Los Angeles Rams had booted through two field goals to lead 13-10 at the break.
Pittsburgh looked much more like their dominant selves in the opening minutes of the third period, with Terry Bradshaw hitting receiver, Lynn Swann, with a 47-yard bomb for a score, and another lead for the Steelers, 17-13. However, the Rams would use a trick play to take the lead back when running back Lawrence McCutcheon, after taking a hand-ff from Rams' quarterback, Vince Ferragamo, lobbed the ball to Ron Smith for the score. The extra point was missed, however, but the lead was still with Los Angeles, 19-17.
The final period though would see the Steelers return to form, with scoring plays from receiver John Stallworth and running back Franco Harris making the final score 31-19. The Steelers defense finally proved too much for the Rams, who could not answer the apparent late knock out blows of Pittsburgh.
First |
Second |
Third |
Fourth |
Total |
|
Steelers |
3 |
7 |
7 |
14 |
31 |
Rams |
7 |
6 |
6 |
0 |
19 |
Scoring Record
First Quarter
Steelers 3, Rams 0
FG: Matt Bahr 41-yard kick
Steelers 3, Rams 7
TD: Cullen Bryant 1-yard run (Frank Corral extra point)
Second Quarter
Steelers 10, Rams 7
TD: Franco Harris 1-yard run (Matt Bahr extra point)
Steelers 10, Rams 10
FG: Frank Corral 31-yard kick
Steelers 10, Rams 13
FG: Frank Corral 45-yard kick
Third Quarter
Steelers 17, Rams 13
TD: Lynn Swann 47-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Matt Bahr extra point)
Steelers 17, Rams 19
TD: Ron Smith 24-yard pass from Lawrence McCutcheon (extra point missed)
Fourth Quarter
Steelers 24, Rams 19
TD: John Stallworth 75-yard run (Matt Bahr extra point)
Steelers 31, Rams 19
TD: Franco Harris 1-yard touchdown run (Matt Bahr extra point)
First Quarter
Steelers 3, Rams 0
FG: Matt Bahr 41-yard kick
Steelers 3, Rams 7
TD: Cullen Bryant 1-yard run (Frank Corral extra point)
Second Quarter
Steelers 10, Rams 7
TD: Franco Harris 1-yard run (Matt Bahr extra point)
Steelers 10, Rams 10
FG: Frank Corral 31-yard kick
Steelers 10, Rams 13
FG: Frank Corral 45-yard kick
Third Quarter
Steelers 17, Rams 13
TD: Lynn Swann 47-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Matt Bahr extra point)
Steelers 17, Rams 19
TD: Ron Smith 24-yard pass from Lawrence McCutcheon (extra point missed)
Fourth Quarter
Steelers 24, Rams 19
TD: John Stallworth 75-yard run (Matt Bahr extra point)
Steelers 31, Rams 19
TD: Franco Harris 1-yard touchdown run (Matt Bahr extra point)
Rams' running back, Wendell Tyler, spies the end zone
The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
Game Facts and Stats
Date: Sunday 20th January 1980
Stadium: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Attendance: 103,985
MVP: Terry Bradshaw, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
TV Broadcast: CBS (Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier)
Referee: Fred Silva
National Anthem: Cheryl Ladd
Halftime Show:"A Salute To The Big Band Era" by Up With People
Stadium: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Attendance: 103,985
MVP: Terry Bradshaw, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
TV Broadcast: CBS (Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier)
Referee: Fred Silva
National Anthem: Cheryl Ladd
Halftime Show:"A Salute To The Big Band Era" by Up With People
Jack Lambert (58) led a devastating Steelers' defense
Although his play had dropped slightly, Joe Greene (79) was at the height of his popularity in the late-1970s
Steelers' quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, took away his second straight Super Bowl MVP award.
Other Notable Game Notes
Super Bowl XIII would be the only game where Pittsburgh Steelers' Hall of Fame quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, would throw 4 touchdown passes in a single game.
The contest between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers was the first time in Super Bowl history where two teams that had previously met in the Super Bowl, would meet again in the big game.
Los Angeles Rams' defensive lineman, Jack Youngblood, played Super Bowl XIV with a broken leg - an injury he had suffered several weeks earlier.
Super Bowl XIII would be the only game where Pittsburgh Steelers' Hall of Fame quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, would throw 4 touchdown passes in a single game.
The contest between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers was the first time in Super Bowl history where two teams that had previously met in the Super Bowl, would meet again in the big game.
Los Angeles Rams' defensive lineman, Jack Youngblood, played Super Bowl XIV with a broken leg - an injury he had suffered several weeks earlier.
Steelers' wide receiver, John Stallworth makes one of his fantastic catches in Super Bowl XIV
With the 31-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, the Pittsburgh Steelers were the team of the 1970s
SUPER BOWL XV
The wild card Oakland Raiders would become the first team to win the Super Bowl, as they dominated the much favoured Philadelphia Eagles from the start of the fifteenth big game.....