13. 1962 AFL CHAMPION DALLAS TEXANS at 4. 1978 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION PITTSBUFGH STEELERS
4. 1978 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Record: 14-2
Pythag: 13-3
Off: 5th
Def: 1st
d. Broncos Div Rnd 33-10
d. Oilers AFC Title 34-5
d. Cowboys Super Bowl 35-31
HC: Chuck Noll, DC George Perles
Three Rivers Stadium: 45 degrees
Jack Fleming/Myron Cope
Offense
QB Terry Bradshaw (30 LA Tech) All Pro
RB Franco Harris (28 Penn St)
RB Rocky Bleier (32 N Dame)
WR John Stallworth (26 Alabama A&M)
WR Lynn Swann (26 USC) All Pro
TE Randy Grossman (26 Temple)
LT Jon Kolb (31 Okla St)
LG Sam Davis (34 Allen)
C Mike Webster (26 Wisc) All Pro
RG Gerry Mullins (29 USC)
RT Ray Pinney (24 Wash)
Defense
LDE LC Greenwood (32 Ark P-Bluff )
LDT Joe Greene (32 N Tex)
RDT John Banaszak (28 E Mich)
RDE Dwight White (29 Tex A&M Comm)
LLB Jack Ham (30 Penn St) All Pro
MLB Jack Lambert (26 Kent St)
RLB Loren Toews (27 Cal)
RCB Mel Blount (30 Southern)
LCB Ron Johnson (22-R E Mich)
SS Donnie Shell (26 S Carolina St)
FS Mike Wagner (29 W Illinois)
K Roy Gerela (30 N Mex St)
P Craig Colquitt (24 Tenn)
KR Larry Anderson (22 La Tech)
PR Theo Bell (25 Arizona)
We welcome the 1970s Steeler dynasty the tournament, here's the 1978 Super Bowl Champs, 4th seeds in Region 4, which seems a little low - top defense in the league. One All Pro, 30 year old Jack Ham - 5 other Pro Bowlers, Greenwood and Mean Joe are both 32, Lambert's 26, Mel Blount is 30 and Donnie Shell is 26. The offense is 5th overall, 3 All Pros, Bradshaw is 30, 29 total scores and 20 picks. Lynn Swann and Mike Webster are both 26, Swann had 11 scores. Like our last game, we get a SB Champ against a pre-SB era Champ, winner to face the 2021 Rams in the next rnd.
13. 1962 AFL CHAMPION DALLAS TEXANS
Record 11-3
Pythag: 11-3
Off: 1st
Def: 1st
d. Oilers AFL Title 20-17
HC Hank Stram
Offense
QB Len Dawson (27 Purdue) All Pro
RB Abner Haynes (25 N Texas) All Pro
FB Curtis McClinton (23 Kansas)
WR Bill Miller (22-R Miami)
WR Chris Burford (24 Stanford) All Pro
TE Fred Arbanas (23-R Michigan)
LT Jim Tyrer (23 Ohio St)
LG Marvin Terrell (24 Ole Miss)
C Jon Gilliam (24 Tex A&M Comm)
RG Al Reynolds (24 Tarkio)
RT Jerry Cornelison (26 SMU)
Defense
LDE Curt Merz (24-R Iowa)
LDT Paul Rochester (24 Mich St)
RDT Jerry Mays (23 SMU)
RDE Mel Branch (25 LSU)
LLB EJ Holub (24 T Tech) All Pro
MLB Sherrill Headrick (25 TCU) All Pro
RLB Smokey Stover (24 La Monroe)
LCB Duane Wood (25 Okla St)
RCB Dave Grayson (23 Oregon)
LS Bobby Hunt (22-R Auburn) All Pro
RS Johnny Robinson (24 LSU)
K Tommy Brooker (23 Alabama)
P Eddie Wilson (22 Arizona)
KR Dave Grayson (23 Oregon)
PR Frank Jackson (23 SMU)
It's the pre-Kansas City Chiefs; the '62 Texans won the AFL Title and were first in both offense and defense. Lenny Dawson is 27, 32 total scores, 17 picks. He's an All pro, as is 25 year old Abner Haynes who scored 19 TDs in 14 games - and 24 year old Chris Burford who scored a dozen times. Two All Pros linebackers, it's too early for Lanier and Bell - this is 24 year old EJ Holub and 25 year old Sherrill Headrick. The rookie safety Bobby Hunt is also an All pro with 8 picks.
The battle of World Champions in the prior game went down to the last play - let's see what happens in Pittsburgh with this one. Let's go to Three Rivers for the kick.
First Qtr
Steelers open at the 32.
On the first play from scrimmage, Franco fumbles - he and Bradshaw never quite getting the handoff situated - the Chiefs recover and take over at the Steeler 34.
1/10 - Abner Haynes gers 1
2/9 - Lenny Dawson to Fred Arbanas for 14 - Chiefs now at the 19.
1/10 - Curtis McClinton gets 1.
2/9 - Haynes again, 15 yards - all the way to the Steeler 3 yard line for a first and goal.
That's it. The drive ends on an LC Greenwood sack - Tommy Brooker short FG makes it 3-0 Chiefs.
Steelers at the 38.
1/10 - Chuck Noll tries again - Franco gets the carry and he gets 14. 5 yards is tacked on and it's 1st and 5 at the Dallas 43.
1/10 - Rocky Bleier gets a carry, it's a dozen yards to the 31.
1/10 - Franco for 1.
2/9- Incomplete
3/9 - Bradshaw's first completion - it's to Swann - 14 yards and a first down at the Texan 16.
1/10 - Bradshaw finds Randy Grossman ovee the middle for 13.
1/goal - Franco picks his way into the end zone -- TOUCHDOWN STEELERS - It takes just 3 and a half minutes and the Steelers are up 7-3.
Chiefs at the 19. 6:39.
1/10 - McClinton stacked up.
2/10 - Dawson to Haynes for 8.
3/2 - McClinton picks it up.
1/10 - Dawson to Chris Burford for 7.
2/3 - McClinton gets 1
3/2 - Haynes picks it up.
1/10 - McClinton gets 2
2/8 - Haynes gets 5
3/3 - Dawson finds Burford for a 24 yard gain - all the way to the Steeler 30.
Last two plays of the quarter net 6, it's 3rd and 4 as we switch sides.
2nd Qtr
Franco is the key figure in the first qtr, he scored the game's TD and his fumble led to the Texan FG. Dallas has 3rd and 4 at the 24 - they don't pick it up, Brooker hits another FG and it's 7-6.
Steelers at the 20.
1/10 - Bleier loses 1.
2/11 - Bradshaw goes vertical - Swann - acrobatic catch around midfield.
1/10 - Franco gets 4.
2/6 - Franco loses 1
3/7 - Bradshaw goes to his other receiver - it's 22 to Stallworth and now the Steelers are at the 27.
1/10 - Franco for 2
2/8 - Bleier gets a dozen - it's a first down at the 13, a Steeler penalty then backs them up 5 -- and that will be it -- the Steelers lose a yard over the next 3 plays - Roy Gerela....misses...a 36 yard FG attempt and the Chiefs get the ball back at their own 26, down 7-6, 8:34 left in the half.
3 and out. Steelers good field position at their own 43.
3 and out. Chiefs at their own 24. 4:07 left in the half. Down 7-6.
1/10 - Haynes goes for 5.
2/5 - Incomplete
3/5 - Haynes goes for 15, Chiefs up to their own 44.
The next 3 plays net 3 yards. Chiefs punt to the Steeler 31, 1:38 left.
1/10 - Bradshaw short to Bennie Cunningham, makes a man miss and makes his way out of bounds after a big 23 yard gain.
The next 3 plays net 2 yards and the Steelers punt it back with 1:02 left.
Chiefs at the 24. 3 and out. Bradshaw gets 1 play, a 22 yard pass to Grossman and we hit halftime.
Third Quarter
Top defense from '78 vs the top AFL defense from '62 and this is what we get, 7-6 Steelers.
Cheifs start at the 34. 3 and out.
Steelers at their 34, they get a first down on an 11 yard pass to Swann, but punt from just inside Chiefs teritory - it's a good one, Chiefs pinned back at their own 4.
They get out to the 30 on a 10 yard run by Frank Jackson and a 14 yard run by Haynes - but a Jack Ham sack ends the drive, Steelers to start at their own 45. 4:48 left in the third.
1/10 - Bleier gets 1
2/9 - Franco gets 1
3/8 - Bradshaw finds Bleier for a dozen. Steelers in KC territory.
1/10 - Franco gets 6, a holding call on the next play makes it 2nd and 14.
2/14 - Sidney Thornton's first carry, gets 1.
3/13 - Bradshaw picks it up - finds Swann for 16 yards and the Steelers are at the KC 28.
The next two plays net 5, the quarter ends - as we start the 4th, Pittsburgh has a big 3rd and 5 at the KC 23, up 7-6 in this defensive battle.
4th Qtr -
Third and 5 at the 23 - Bradshaw is going for it -- looks to the end zone --- Stallworth --- TOUCHDOWN STEELERS -- Bradshaw strike to Stallworth on the first play of the 4th quarter extends the lead to 14-6.
Chiefs at the 27. 14:46.
1/10 - McClinton for 16. Holding on the next play.
The Chiefs get 6 on the next 3 downs, leading a 3rd and 14.
Steelers start at the 26. 12:26. Bradshaw finds Grossman for 10 - but that's all. Dallas regains at the 30. 10:42. They need to move the ball.
1/10 - Haynes is stopped.
2/10 - Dawson to Arbanas for 18 - Chiefs out near midfield. They really need a score.
1/10 - McLinton for 5.
2/5 - Haynes loses a yard.
3/5 - Dawson finds McClinton on the sideline - he makes his way all the way to the Steeler 25 - that's the big play the Chiefs have needed and now, with 7:15 left, down 14-6, the Chiefs have a first down at the 25 yard line. Big, big play.
1/10 - Haynes gets 2.
2/8 - Dawson finds Bill Miller, it's 4 yards - big, big third and 4 at the 19.
3/4 - A give to Haynes gets just one.
Hank Stram has a decision - kick the FG, just a 35 yarder, cutting the deficit to 14-9. or go for it. Just 5:15 to go.
Stram.....goes for it.
Dawson drops back - Dawson looks over the middle - Dawson looking for Arbanas -- Knocked Down by Ham - Jack Ham deflects the Dawson pass and the Steelers take over at their own 18 yard line, just 5:12 to go.
1/10 - Franco for 1.
2/9 - Bleier for 2
3/7 - Bradshaw finds Stallworth - it's 27 yards -- that's a huge, huge play - Steelers near midfield.
1/10 - Bradshaw to Stallworth again for 7.
2/3 - Bradshaw keeps throwing - Swann for 9, Steelers with their foot on the gas - at the Chiefs 36 with just 2:13 left and an 8 pt lead.
1/10 - Bleier gets 2
2/8 - Franco gets 6.
3/2 - Franco gets 5 - the Texans are stopping the clock now - but that might be that - Steelers with the first down at the 23.
1/10 - Franco for 2
2/8 - Franco busts it - Franco rumbles into the end zone -- TOUCHDOWN STEELERS - and that's the ballgame - a minute to go - Steelers up 21-6.
Chiefs get to about midfield as the clock expires.
Final: Steelers 21 Texans 6
The Steeler defense was number one in 1978 and we see why here.
Bradshaw: 16 for 25, 247 yds, 1 TD
Dawson: 11 for 21, 117 yds
Franco: 19 carries, 77 yds 2TD
Haynes: 19 carries, 82 yds
Swann: 5 catches, 79 yds
Stallworth: 4 catches, 79 yds 1 TD
Arbanas 3 catches, 39 yds
Player of the Game: Jack Ham
That's the upper half of region 4 - the 4 winners:
1991 Redskins
2016 Falcons
2021 Rams
1978 Steelers
