Quarter 1

The Dallas staff thought they could take advantage of the Steelers' weak link—their special teams. So the "tricky" Cowboys lived up to their billing on the first play, which had been concocted by special teams coach Mike Ditka. Roy Gerela kicked off to Preston Pearson. The former Steeler took the ball at the three and started to run upfield. At the 10, he handed to Hollywood Henderson, who had sprinted back from the 30. The speedy linebacker raced across the field and up the left side untouched until Gerela knocked him out of bounds on the Pitt 44. Gerela suffered a broken rib making the tackle, and the constant pain hampered his kicking all afternoon. Deploying a shift, then a man in motion to confuse the defense, Roger Staubach took the snap and rolled right. But nobody blocked LDE L.C. Greenwood, who grabbed Roger the Dodger at the Dallas 46, causing a fumble that C John Fitzgerald picked up and carried to the Pitt 49. On 2nd-and-15, FB Robert Newhouse gained 2y up the middle. On 3rd-and-long Jim Allen replaced MLB Jack Lambert as a fifth defensive back. From the shotgun, Staubach overthrew Preston Pearson. Mitch Hoopes' punt into the wind was returned 10y by Glen Edwards to the 17.
QB Terry Bradshaw called for five straight runs. Franco Harris sped around left end for 8y. Then Rocky Bleier burst up the middle for another eight. Harris gained five, then four. But on 3rd-and-one, CB Mark Washington closed strong and dumped Franco for a loss of two as he tried to skirt right end. Bobby Walden came in to punt but dropped the snap and was smothered at the 29.
Dallas immediately capitalized on the break. Staubach faked a handoff to Newhouse to the right behind a pulling guard, then fired down the middle to Drew Pearson running free across the middle from the right against the movement of the defense. He continued into the end zone untouched. Toni Fritsch, "the bald Austrian import," added the extra point. Dallas 7 Pittsburgh 0 (10:24) Mel Blount returned Fritsch's kickoff 27y to the 33. The Steelers stayed on the ground with four more runs. Harris found a hole at right tackle to the 40. Following a 2y gain by Bleier, Franco took it again for five and a 1st down at the 47. Then it was Bleier's turn to go wide, through a hole at left tackle 2y into Dallas territory. Bradshaw threw his first pass, and what a completion it was. The high-arcing ball looked like it was sailing out of bounds. But Lynn Swann removed any doubts about how he would play as he ran down the right side and made a leaping acrobatic catch over CB Washington and somehow kept both feet in bounds before being tackled by—of all people —S Cliff Harris for a 32y gain to the 16. Three plays later, the Steelers tied the game. Bleier got five at left tackle and Harris four over the right side. With Pittsburgh deploying a heavy three-tight end package on 3rd-and-one (G Gerry Mullins the extra tight end), the Cowboys expected a run. But Bradshaw crossed them up by rolling out to the right and throwing on the run to TE Randy Grossman, who had faked a block and angled diagonally to the right in the end zone. Gerela's wobbly kick made it through the uprights. Dallas 7 Pittsburgh 7 (5:57) Dallas got another good runback, Preston Pearson keeping it this time for 24y to the 35. FB Robert Newhouse swung around the left side for eight before Doug Dennison ran through a big hole at right tackle to the 43 for a 1st down. Staubach hit TE Jean Fugett who had his feet taken out from under him by Edwards just after he caught the ball at the Pitt 43. Then Newhouse took a quick inside handoff for 16y. Staubach called the same play for another five. The top man in the I formation, Dennison, gained four at left tackle. Facing 3rd-and-one, the Cowboys went to a two tight end formation. Ernie Holmes stopped Newhouse just inches short a 1st down. Landry kept the offense on the field. Dennison went over left tackle behind Blaine Nye and Rayfield Wright for 3y to move the chains to the 15. Then MLB Lambert decided enough was enough and dropped Preston Pearson for no gain. Jack Ham closed the hole and stopped Newhouse for a gain of just one.
END Q1: Dallas 7 Pittsburgh 7

Quarter 2

The Cowboys had a false start that made their task harder—3rd-and-14. From the shotgun, Staubach threw toward Fugett, but Edwards broke in front of the tight end and almost intercepted it. So Fritsch booted a 36y field goal. Cowboys 10 Steelers 7 (14:45) Mel Blount took the kickoff on the bounce at the 13 and returned 19y. For the first time, Bradshaw passed on 1st down but, hit by LE Too Tall Jones just as he let the ball go, overthrew John Stallworth. Bleier gained six on a crossbuck at left guard. Terry then went back to pass but, seeing an open lane, ran up the middle, then angled left to avoid MLB Lee Roy Jordan for the first down at the 45. Franco then wiggled through left tackle for his best gain so far—11y. A flanker screen to Stallworth in the left flat resulted in a 5y loss. Next came a controversial play. LE Stallworth ran a button hook and caught the ball at the Dallas 49. Harris hit him immediately and drove him back. The ball came loose, but the officials ruled no fumble as forward motion had been stopped. On 3rd-and-two, Harris went nowhere on a crossbuck. Like the Cowboys earlier, the Steelers went for it. Bradshaw saw Franco Harris running free down the right side and threw to him. But Cliff Harris arrived a split second after the ball. Incomplete. Cowboys take over on their 36. The Steel Curtain, getting used to the Cowboys' shifting and motion, got a three-and-out. Newhouse for three, Staubach 6y pass to Dennison, then an overthrow of Newhouse. Mitch Hoopes punted 37y to Dave Brown, who returned 6y to the 23. The Cowboys returned the favor, three-and-out. Bleier ran for two at right tackle before LB D. D. Lewis broke up a pass to Stallworth. Then forced out of the pocket by Harvey Martin, Bradshaw was tripped up by Randy White for a loss of two. Walden punted high into the wind for only 32y, Golden Richards making a fair catch.
Staubach faded back deep and connected with Preston Pearson to the Steeler 43. With a foot to go, Roger tried to hand off to Dennison, but the ball dropped to the artificial turf. But the former Navy star recovered for no gain. Captain Comeback then took a quick drop and hit Preston Pearson just inside the left sideline for a 1st down at the 36. After Newhouse's 2y run and an incompletion to Preston Pearson behind the line of scrimmage, it was 3rd-and-eight. So Allen replaced Lambert in the Pitt secondary. Staubach's elusiveness then moved the chains. He dropped deep but, finding his no one open, ran forward a few steps to avoid the rush, looked left, then right and threw to a new receiver, RB Charley Young, for 14y to the 20. In field-goal range to increase the lead to 13-7, Dallas went backward. First down: Newhouse nailed by Andy Russell for a 3y loss. Second down: DLE L. C. Greenwood, working the loop ploy with DLT Joe Greene, sacked Staubach for a loss of 12. Third down: Staubach looked and looked until Dwight White pulled him down by the shirt for a 10y setback. So on 4th-and-35, Hoopes punted out of bounds at the six. Bleier ran wide but gained only two. Then Harris went the opposite way for another 2y. Next came the play that is still shown in Super Bowl highlights over 40 years later. Bradshaw dropped back to the goal line and threw for Swann on a fly pattern down the right hashmarks. Lynn jumped over Washington, who tipped the ball into the air as he fell to the ground. The wide receiver caught it lying on his back on the Dallas 44 several yards beyond the prone cornerback, then got up and gained seven more for a total of 53y to the Dallas 37 before Mark brought him down.

Not giving Swanny time to rest but doing the same to Washington, Bradshaw went to Lynn again who sped past the beleaguered cornerback toward the center of the field. However, the pass fell in front of the diving Swann at the six. Play stopped for the two-minute warning. Bleier found running room over the right side to the 30. On 3rd-and-two, TE Randy Grossman and G Jim Clack came in. Franco gained three at right tackle for a 1st down. After a Pittsburgh timeout, Bradshaw did a great Staubach imitation, scrambling right, then left, before throwing to Larry Brown for 7y. Martin stuffed Bleier for no gain at right tackle. Timeout Steelers. One left. Bradshaw faded deep and threw all the way to the three to Stallworth, but veteran DB Ray Renfro broke it up. So Gerela, his ribs aching, came on for a 36y field goal attempt against a gusting wind. Dallas used a timeout when a sub was late getting off the field. Whether that had the effect of "icing" the kicker we don't know, but the boot went wide left.
Dallas ran off the final 22 seconds with a 5y run by Newhouse.
The Cowboys led despite being outgained 194-98.
END Q2: Dallas 10 Pittsburgh 7