NFL: Super Bowl Memories - running documentary (1 to 57)

[ChuckyTheGoat]

On the next play Franco Harris ran up the gut. Would-be tackler Charlie Waters ran into an official. TD, PITT 28-17.

On the following kickoff, Randy White picked up the bouncing kick. Incredibly poor decision by White, who wearing a cast on his thumb. Fumble, recovered by PITT.

Bradshaw then hits Swann for ANOTHER circus catch in the endzone, 35-17. See why I think the Steelers would have won even if Smith catches the TD?

[ChuckyTheGoat]

On the next play Franco Harris ran up the gut. Would-be tackler Charlie Waters ran into an official. TD, PITT 28-17.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Cowboys settle for FG. PITT, 21-17.

Early in the 4th qtr, Steelers are gifted 33 yards on a dubious Pass Interference call. Looked like Swann's feet got tangled with DB Benny Barnes.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Dallas is driving for the potential tying TD. This is the play that always shows up on the replays:

*Staubach hits veteran Jackie Smith in the #s.

Smith loses his footing and drops what looked like a sure Touchdown. My only question: Would the Cowboys have won even if Smith catches that ball?

[ChuckyTheGoat]

One thing is clear to me:

*PITT didn't want to mess with Dallas on the interior.

All Pittsburgh's scores came on the wings. Bradshaw hits Bleier, who makes an acrobatic catch. 21-14.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Bradshaw was very loose w/ the ball. Hegman long fumble return for TD. DALL, 14-7.

Stallworth catches short pass, picks up some downfield blocks, scores on 75-yd TD. 14-14.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

PITT: scored early on pass to Stallworth.

DALL: replied on pass to Tony Hill. Staubach beat an 8-man blitz.
...Funny clip on this one. Mel Blount was so intent on locking down Pearson that Hill ran right past Blount en route to the end zone. 7-7.

Bradshaw was very loose w/ the ball. Hegman long fumble return for TD. DALL, 14-7.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

PITT: scored early on pass to Stallworth.

DALL: replied on pass to Tony Hill. Staubach beat an 8-man blitz.
...Funny clip on this one. Mel Blount was so intent on locking down Pearson that Hill ran right past Blount en route to the end zone. 7-7.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

SB13: Cowboys vs Steelers

*Cowboys: were defending champs.
*Steelers: were back after a 2-year absence

Biggest thing that stuck out to me: *All the talent on the field.

Try to count the # of Pro Bowlers on the field. Pretty awesome.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

i remember the SB with the 49rs and bengals maybe 1988 when joe montana thre a td pass to john taylor in the end zone for the win.tx chucky.just wonderful memories.

Thx, Agenda. This is taking some time. I'm soaking it in.

Yes, the 1988 season capped w/ Niner TD drive. Some other stories attached to that game.

Except for maybe SB3, that game is possibly the most memorable. At least for me.

[agendaman]

i remember the SB with the 49rs and bengals maybe 1988 when joe montana thre a td pass to john taylor in the end zone for the win.tx chucky.just wonderful memories.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Good stuff Chucky

Thanks, steve. Too much time on my hands, I guess.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

A mobile Norris Weese replaced Morton at QB. TD for Denver, cutting lead to 10.

The capper was an awesome Cowboy gadget play:

*Robert Newhouse took a toss to the left that looked like a sweep.

But he stopped and threw deep for Golden Richards. The pinpoint pass connected with Richards for a TD.

Final: Dallas, 27-10.

[stevek173]

Good stuff Chucky

[ChuckyTheGoat]

A mobile Norris Weese replaced Morton at QB. TD for Denver, cutting lead to 10.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

At 13-3, key play of the game:

*Butch Johnson broke thru the coverage. Staubach hit him in stride perfectly.

The pinpoint catch was perfect. TD Dallas, 20-3.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

It was a game of miscues:

*Dallas fumbled 3x early in the game but Denver recovered none of them.
*Morton threw four 1st-half INTs to swing the game.

DALL 13-0 at halftime.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

The 1977 Cowboys were pretty damn good:

1) 1977 was Dorsett's rookie year.
...He gave a jolt to the running game. Was named Off ROY.

2) The pass rush was strong behind Harvey Martin, Randy White and Too Tall Jones.
...Harvey Martin had 20 sacks this season and won Def POY.

3) They led the league in:
*Most OFF Yards per game, and
*Fewest DEF Yards Allowed per game

[ChuckyTheGoat]

SB12: Broncos vs Cowboys

*One parallel for this game was the QB matchup.

Several years earlier, Craig Morton and Roger Staubach shared QB duties for the Cowboys. Now, Morton was playing for the Broncos. And it was Morton vs Staubach for all the marbles.

Broncos were the upstart. They went thru Oakland, 20-17, to win the AFC title.

I remember how fired up Tom Jackson was after that game: "Do you they believe now?"

[ChuckyTheGoat]

SB12: Broncos vs Cowboys

*One parallel for this game was the QB matchup.

Several years earlier, Craig Morton and Roger Staubach shared QB duties for the Cowboys. Now, Morton was playing for the Broncos. And it was Morton vs Staubach for all the marbles.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Up 26-7, the Raiders sealed it when Willie Brown picked off Tarkenton and returned it for a TD.

It's a classic video that NFL Films plays repeatedly. "Old Man Willie, Touchdown Raiders."

The Vikings scored a consolation TD with only seconds left. The margin was wider than the 32-14 final indicated.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

This game was one-sided. Oakland's defense bottled up the Vikings, too:

*Foreman didn't have a big day, except for one 28-yard catch.
*Pass coverage by Thomas was tight.
*Jack Tatum almost beheaded Sammie White.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

In the first half, the Raiders did what they wanted against the Viking defense. WR Fred Biletnikoff had two nice catches.

Madden talked about the artistry of Biletnikoff. The route-running and the ability to find holes in the defense.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Dave Casper's skills were on display. Great hands, Stabler hit him on two nice passes. Field Goal, 3-0.

TD pass to Casper, 10-0. Telling you, Casper was an awesome player. Blocking skill and sure hands.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Similar to Shula's blocking scheme, the Raiders solved the MINN defensive front. Off the left flank:

*Upshaw was assigned to Page.
*Shell was assigned to Marshall.
*RB Van Eeghen had a great day blocking LB Wally Hilgenberg.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Dave Casper's skills were on display. Great hands, Stabler hit him on two nice passes. Field Goal, 3-0.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

1st break goes to the Vikings:

*They block Guy's punt.

First punt that Guy had blocked (in his four-year career). Vikings recovered on the Raider 2-yard line.

But the Raiders didn't capitalize. Brent McClanahan fumbled and the Raiders recovered.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

SB11: Raiders vs Vikings

Similar theme for me on this one:
*What happened to the Purple People Eaters?

Upshaw/Shell were awesome in this game.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Dallas scores a TD with less than 2:00 remaining, 21-17 PITT. With Bradshaw in the locker room, Hanratty comes off the bench to play QB. With decidedly conservative play calls, the Steelers go 3/out.

With Dallas' timeouts exhausted, Noll made the strange call of running Bleier into the line on 4th/8. I have to think Noll just didn't want a cold Hanratty to throw pick-six there.

And Noll thought the prospect of a blocked punt was a real possibility.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Safety Mike Wagner picks off Staubach on a great read and returns it into the red-zone. Cowboys stiffen and force a chip-shot FG. PITT, 15-10.

Next Steeler drive, on 3rd/4 Bradshaw read the Cowboy blitz and sent Swann deep. Swann AGAIN connects, this time for a 64-yard TD. And Mark Washington's coverage was so tight that he could breathe on Swann all three times. This was the play that Bradshaw took one for the team. Larry Cole's hit knocked Bradshaw senseless.

Dallas scores a TD with less than 2:00 remaining, 21-17 PITT. With Bradshaw in the locker room, Hanratty comes off the bench to play QB. With decidedly conservative play calls, the Steelers go 3/out.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Safety Mike Wagner picks off Staubach on a great read and returns it into the red-zone. Cowboys stiffen and force a chip-shot FG. PITT, 15-10.

Next Steeler drive, on 3rd/4 Bradshaw read the Cowboy blitz and sent Swann deep. Swann AGAIN connects, this time for a 64-yard TD. And Mark Washington's coverage was so tight that he could breathe on Swann all three times. This was the play that Bradshaw took one for the team. Larry Cole's hit knocked Bradshaw senseless.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

With Dallas leading 10-7, the Steelers blocked a punt for a safety.

After the free kick, the Steelers moved the ball. Props to Gerela, he made a 36-yard FG when the Steelers surely had no other kicking option. Steelers take the lead, 12-10.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

After another amazing Swann catch for 53 yards, missed a FG late in the first half.

Early in the second half, a dinged-up Gerela missed again. This led to a hilarious sequence of events. Dallas safety Cliff Harris patted the diminutive Gerela on the top of his helmet. Jack Lambert was having none of it. Lambert tossed Harris to the turf and, funny, I didn't see any flags on the play.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

After Steeler punter Walden drops a snap, the Cowboys score the opening TD, Staubach to Drew Pearson. 7-0.

On the Steelers' subsequent drive, this was the Swann catch that defies physics (for me). Swann runs a fly-route, and DB Washington's perfect coverage has Swann pinned to the sideline. Facenda called it a "kangaroo catch" as Swann contorts his body to catch the ball and come back down in bounds.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

SB 10: Steelers vs Cowboys

Key play on the opening kickoff:
*Cowboys received and ran a reverse to LB Thomas Henderson.

Henderson was incredibly athletic and showed good movement in the opening field. Steeler kicker Roy Gerela made a pretty bold tackle to prevent an even longer gain.

According to Facenda, the undersized kicker paid a price with bruised ribs that would impact his kicking the rest of the day.