Super Bowl XIV

Super Bowl XIV - Los Angeles Rams vs Pittsburgh Steelers: Second Half

Part 1 - SB XIII Pregame | Part 2 - SB XIII 1st Half

Quarter 3

Larry Anderson again got a good return, 37y to the 39. The kicker Frank Corral made the tackle for the second time.

Second-year pro Anderson, by his own admission, had been in Coach Noll's doghouse at the start of the season. Chuck explained, "He was having trouble holding onto the ball, but he has great talent." "I was in my own doghouse," Anderson said after the game. "I had some injuries, and I was disappointed with myself. Today it was super blocking that did it. I only had to run with the ball. ... No, we didn't set up any special patterns for this game, except that we ran to the left more than usual. ... I took my time while the blocking set up, then ran."

Retreating under pressure, Terry Bradshaw threw to Lynn Swann running underneath the LBs from right to left for 4y. Rocky Bleier ducked up the middle for another 4. Franco Harris put his head down and lunged over RG for the 2y needed for a 1st down at the 49. Then The Italian Stallion slanted off RT for 4 behind Bleier's block. Bradshaw then dropped back and, just before being smothered by Hacksaw Reynolds on a delayed blitz, threw to Swann running down middle past CB Pat Thomas. Lynn leaped and snagged the ball at the 2 and fell into the EZ just before S Nolan Cromwell arrived. Steelers 17 Rams 13 (12:12)

Youngblood recalled: "Nolan makes that play nine times out of ten. But Terry stood in there and didn't flinch at the heat and delivered the ball perfectly 45y downfield."
Ferragamo had confidence the Rams would counterpunch. "Ray Malavasi was one of the main reasons why we did so well. He always game planned an offensive plan best suited for the defense we would be confronted with. He knew what offensive sets and plays gave defenses the most trouble."

RB Eddie Hill returned Matt Bahr's kickoff from the 5 to the 24. The Rams started slowly, RB Wendell Tyler gaining 2 at RT and Cullen Bryant only one on a swing pass. But on 3rd-and-7, Vince Ferragamo did his best Bradshaw imitation and Billy Waddy his best Swann impersonation, leaping and catching the underthrown pass just as CB Ron Johnson arrived for a 50y gain to the Pitt 24. Then LA pulled a surprise on the vaunted Steel Curtain. Lawrence McCutcheon took a handoff and started right before throwing an "ugly floater" to WR Ron Smith in the EZ to retake the lead. Corral's extra point sailed wide left. Rams 19 Steelers 17 (10:15)

Ferragamo calls signals as Lambert prepares to blitz.

McCutcheon: "I was looking at film of Pittsburgh at that time, and they were a team of very aggressive corners and safeties. Once they recognized you were running a sweep, they had a tendency to really rush the line of scrimmage. We felt that the halfback pass would be a great play under those circumstances."
Robin Cole: "Our defensive players were wondering what we had to do to stop them. But that touchdown was a turning point for us on defense. We knew that the offense would score more points, so we ust went out there dtermined not to let them score again."

Corral's kickoff, intentionally or not, carried only to the 20. Anderson ran up and caught it but was able to gain only 10y to the 30. The Steelers made a first down in just two plays, a 2y run by Bleier and a 14y Bradshaw-to-Harris pass. Disaster almost struck on the next snap as Bradshaw, chased out of the pocket to the right, foolishly threw back to the middle toward Swann. Cromwell came up and had the ball hit him squarely in the chest and fall to the turf.

Cromwell: "I had it ... and then I didn't. When I looked up and saw where I was, I was sick. There was one Steeler in front of me, and he was blocked. I just took my eyes off the ball. We could've had a nine-point lead, and that might've changed the outcome."
Youngblood: "Nolan Cromwell was the best athlete I ever played with in 14 years. We had the Steelers backed up, and Bud had called the right defense. Nolan obviously read the play, stepped in front of the pass, and it hit him dead between the numbers. There was nobody in front of him except me. ... You throw that ball to him a hundred times, and he catches 99 of them. ... Believe me, Nolan still sees that one in his dreams."

After a false start penalty, Terry took the next snap and faded deep to avoid the oncoming rushers. He threw off his back foot to Swann for a gain of just 6. Steeler fans held their breath as Lynn stayed on the ground after landing on his right shoulder. He soon walked off on his own with a headache and blurred vision. He would not return. Facing 3rd-and-8, Bradshaw targeted WR Jim Smith, but S Eddie Brown intercepted the wobby pass and, while being tackled, lateraled to fellow S J. T. Thomas, who was downed on the LA 39.

In three previous Super Bowls, Terry had thrown only one INT but was picked off three times in Super Bowl XIV.
After the game, Coach Noll was told that Bradshaw was mad at himself for throwing interceptions. Chuck replied, "Whenever Terry is intercepted, he's mad at himself. That's nothing new. They were playing us tight and tough on our short stuff, and we thought maybe we could go deep." That decision would pay big dividends in Q4.

The Steel Curtain needed a three-and-out and got it. Tyler gained 2, then 1, before Ferragamo's deep pass to WR Preston Dennard down the left sideline sailed over his head. So Ken Clark punted out of bounds at the 27.

Donnie Shell recalled the tongue-lashing that Jack Lambert delivered to the defense. "He hollered so hard in the huddle that I got scared. I can't repeat what he said, but he got real red in the face."

The Rams continued to give up ground grudgingly. They threw Harris for a 1y loss before he gained 5 up the middle. Bradshaw then fired to Harris sneaking out of the backfield up the middle for 20y to the LA 49. Following Harris's 1y gain and Sidney Thornton's 5y run, the Steeler QB took a quick snap from C Mike Webster and, seeing no middle LB, scurried straight ahead for 5 and a 1st down. Changing his pattern, Bradshaw faked to Harris and found Thornton for 22y to the 16. Next, Harris tried to skirt RE but gained zilch. Then Thornton tried the middle with the same result. So Bradshaw tried a pass with disastrous consequences. S Dave Elmendorf deflected the ball thrown over the middle toward John Stallworth, and CB Ron Perry snagged it at the 5 and was tackled on the 4.
Tyler immediately gained the Rams some breathing room by sweeping LE for 13y to the 17.
END Q3: Rams 19 Steelers 17

Overjoyed to be leading with 15 minutes to play, all 11 Rams sprinted to the other end of the field while the Steelers jogged. With their young QB playing mistake-free football and the defense strangling Pitt's running game, the young Rams could taste the upset.
"We talked about doing it," said LT Doug France. "It was to let them know we were ready to go. We had 83y to cover, and we had to show them we had the strength to do it. We were saying, 'Hey, we're not that tired.'"
McCutcheon: "We were real excited. We were two- or three-touchdown underdogs, but we felt that we were playing well at that time - had won six of the last seven games. We came into the game with a lot of momentum and confidence and felt we had a chance to win the game."
On the LA sideline, DE Fred Dryer surveyed the situation. "We had 'em on the ropes. We knew if we could score again, we'd win."
Defensive coordinator Bud Carson thought, "If we lose it now, it's a total giveaway."
DE Jack Youngblood: "I'm thinking, 'Here we are on the verge of winning the Super Bowl. Let's do what we're doing just a little bit better for the final 15 minutes.' I was trying to encourage the team to keep up our good play and not give them something that could break our back."
Ferragamo recalled: "We were going toe-to-toe with the champs and felt good about our chances. Our defense was playing great. We were able to put a couple drives together and kick some field goals."

Quarter 4

After Tyler gained 0 at LT, DT Steve Furness and LB Loren Toews sacked Ferragamo for a loss of 8. With the defense playing loose, Bryant gained 14 off the left side - not enough for the 1st down but enough to give Clark more room to punt. And punt he did, booming a 57-yarder to Smith, who returned 7y to the 25.
Since Swann was no longer available because of a head injury, someone had to step up for the Steelers, and that man was the other WR, Stallworth. With fans of both teams standing up as the game entered the home stretch, Harris gained 2 and Thornton dropped a screen pass.Noll normally let Bradshaw call his own plays, but on 3rd-and-8, he sent in "60 Prevent Slot Hook and Go," a play Noll had installed for the Super Bowl because he knew that Rams D-coordinator Bud Carson, who had been the main architect of the Steel Curtain defense on Noll's staff, would be double-covering Stallworth with his innovative zone scenes. Neither Bradshaw nor Stallworth liked the play because they had tried it six times in practice without a completion. In fact, Terry almost changed the play. The Rams sent in a sixth DB, Eddie Brown, a six-year veteran safety. Stallworth lined up in the slot to the right. On the snap, he ran hard into the middle, faked the hook, then broke up field once again, outmaneuvering CB Rod Perry. Protected by a perfect pocket, Bradshaw made the throw of his life, hitting Stallworth in stride at the 30. Perry was right there but just missed the ball and fell to the turf, allowing John to sprint untouched to the EZ. Steelers 24 Rams 19 (12:04)

Bradshaw fades to pass.

Stallworth's great catch #1

Bradshaw and Harris rejoice after the TD pass.

Terry on the TD play: "It was the same one Swann had caught for a touchdown earlier. I told John we'd try the play again. I thought they might be in the same coverage and by gosh it was the same."
Stallworth didn't like the play either but went along with it against the coverage with Swann out of action. "We tried to beat them with the hook and go on a fly pattern because they were double covering me short and long. They thought they could get away with it after Lynn got knocked out. ... My first impression when I looked back at the trajectory of the ball was, 'Bradshaw, dammit! You've overthrown me.' ... Perry was running and not looking for the ball. He was in position to knock it away." But Stall caught the ball over the wrong shoulder, his left or outside shoulder, which prevented Perry from getting a finger on the ball.
Noll: "Stallworth had a knee problem but still did what he did. We put that hook-and-go play in for the Super Bowl and only used it twice. We wanted to get him to freedom."
Bud Carson, the Rams' defensive coordinator who had fulfilled the same role with the Steelers, said years later, "Until that pass to Stallworth, I would've bet my right arm that we had them under control. That was the most sickening play of my entire career. We had him doubled all the way. But in the hole underneath him ... Eddie Brown was supposed to cover over the top. He just blew it. ... I spent the rest of the game chewing out a couple of guys, so I probably missed the rest of the damn game after that. Without Swann, I knew Bradshaw was going to throw the ball to one guy: Stallworth. ... It was an easy interception for a free safety who's doubling on Stallworth, but he's not back there. Hell, I could have intercepted it."
Brown had played as if the Rams were in a nickel defense - five DBs - instead of dime - six DBs. "I blew it. I should have gone to the inside, but I took the outside receiver instead." Eddie would never play another NFL game.
Carson thought the play affected the entire team. "We lost steam on offense, too, after that. Emotionally, I thought the game was never the same. After that, they just ripped us. If ever a Super Bowl was thrown away, it was that one."
Cole: "We knew if we could stop them on their next possession, it would provide as big a boost as the touchdown had."

Hill handed the kickoff on a reverse to Jim Jodat who made it only to the 14. Tyler gained 5 at RE. Then Wendell started left only to run into Toews, who caused the runner to reverse his field and slip down for a loss of 10. Ferragamo tried to make up the yardage but failed to connect with Dennard at the Pitt 40 as Johnson almost intercepted over the receiver. So Clark punted 44y to Smith, who returned 7 to the LA 46.
Knowing they couldn't give up any more points, the gritty Rams kept the Steelers from getting even a FG. Bradshaw threw incomplete to TE Bennie Cunningham, then Harris gained 3 at LE. After a 5y penalty when Terry took too much time to get the snap, Thornton gained just 1 at RE. That brought on P Craig Colquitt for only the second time. His punt traveled 35y to Brown, who gained 4 on the return to the 16.
Ferragamo excited the home team fans by throwing down the middle to Dennard, who made a sliding catch for 24y. Then Vince went to Preston again for 8 to the 48. After Preston was attended to and left the game, Tyler got another 8 up the middle to move the chains into Steeler territory. But the slippery field got to Wendell again as he went down after taking the handoff for a loss of 3. Ferragamo then threw too high to Nelson to the right. On the next snap, Waddy went into the same area and snagged the ball for a 15y gain to the Pitt 47. Then disaster struck the Rams. Ferragamo faked a handoff and threw down the middle for Smith, but Lambert, dropping back from his MLB position, caught the ball in his bread basket and moved it 16y to the 32.

Ferragamo said the fake was designed to freeze the LBs but "it didn't hold anyone. ... I saw they were in a deep zone, but I felt I could hit Ron Smith across the middle. I felt I could get in there, but Lambert was on a deeper drop than I thought. ... They called a play we hadn't practiced that was a play we used during the preseason. We called it a switch where the end and flanker switch roles. One runs in, and the other a post, but confusion on my part and not readlly reading it correctly. ... I showed a lack of experience there. I should have known if I had any questions, I could call another play that I knew how to run ..."
Lambert: "It's my responsibility to drop back and cover the deep middle on that play. Luckily for us he (Ferragamo) didn't see me."
As the play developed, the Rams coaching staff in the press box was yelling at Vince to throw the ball to a wide open Waddy deep down the sideline. "It was a good old-fashioned dig pattern, the double in," recalled receivers coach Lionel Taylor, one of three former Pittsburgh assistant's on the Rams staff. "One inside receiver going inside and the outside receiving coming in. Front and back door. Sometimes in play-action you take your eye off the defense for a second. Sometimes you don't come back and recognize it quick enough. It will always live with me. To me, that was the killer."
Steelers D-coordinator George Perles: "He made the throw against Cover-2. He tried to get it 18y down the middle. That's the weakness of that defense, but Lambert had great speed and got deep enough to pick it off."
Stallworth on Lambert: "He was always fiery, but a lot of people miss that Lambert is a very intelligent ballplayer. Our defense was complex, and Lambert primarily made the call keyed on shift changes in the offense. Jack was agressive, smart, and very athletic."

With the clock under 4:00 after Harris's 5y run and Thornton's loss of 2, Bradshaw, seeing Perry creeping toward the line of scrimmage, called the same play that got the go-ahead TD. This time S Elmendorf helped Perry, but the ball again fell right over the defenders to Stallworth as he ran just ahead of them. He squeezed the ball against his face mask for a moment before being tackled for a 45y gain to the 27.

Bradshaw: "Stall faked the hook, the safety missed the coverage, and Stall took off. The DB couldn't recover."
Stallworth: "We couldn't believe we went back to it, and they stayed in the same formation."
Noll: "Knowing Bud, he always wanted to get you in a third-and-long situation. Then they would make sure they jumped on your short routes. So every time we got in third-and-long, we went deep, and Terry would find [the receivers]. That was Terry's strength - his ability to go deep and accurately."

Bleier got nothing at LT. So Terry went back up top, overthrowing Smith at the goal. But Thomas was called for pass interference. Since the penalty occurred in the EZ, the ball was placed at the 1.

The replay showed Pat moving in front of Smith as the ball descended, and CBS commentator Tom Brookshier, a former DB, questioned the call, saying Thomas was there first. Referee Fred Silva explained afterward, "He was not playing the ball."

Would Bradshaw hand off to Harris or Bleier? He chose Rocky first, but he was stuffed in the middle for no gain. So Harris got the next crack but also gained nothing. The Rams called timeout with 1:52 left to play. Finally, the third time was the charm as Franco pushed through Jack Youngblood's tackle and fell over the goal line. Steelers 31 Rams 19 (1:49)

Franco scores clinching TD.

After Hill returned the kick 27y to the 35, Ferragamo had no choice but to fill the air with passes. On 1st down, finding a clear path up the middle as the blockers parted the rush like the Red Sea, he ran for 7y. Then he hit Hill for 28y to the Pitt 30. The next throw went to the goal line where it was batted away from Hill. With no one open downfield, Ferragamo dumped the ball to Tyler for a gain of 3 before calling timeout. When play resumed, S Thomas blitzed from the right side and dropped Ferragamo for a loss of 10. On 4th-and-17, after LA's final timeout, the gritty Ram QB overthrew Waddy down the middle.
With the Terrible Towels waving, Bradshaw knelt down to seal the hard-fought victory.
FINAL SCORE: STEELERS 31 RAMS 19

Joe Greene and Jackie Slater, nemeses during the game, shake after the game.

Larry Anderson

Rocky Bleier

Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds

Swann catches between Pat Thomas and Nolan Cromwell

Ferragamo throws between Gary Dunn and Joe Greene.

Lambert tries to get to Ferragamo.

Preston Dennard

Franco Harris on the move.

Mike Webster

Dave Elmendorf

Rod Perry

Bradshaw cuts loose to Stallworth.

Stallworth catches the bomb beyond outstretched arm of Perry.

Lambert intercepts Ferragamo's pass.

Stallworth's second great catch.

Bradshaw and Ferragamo
after the game.

Dennis Harrah

Steelers Super Bowl Ring

Rams Super Bowl Ring

Final statistics

Time of possession: Steelers 22:11 Rams 37:49
First downs: Steelers 19 Rams 16
Rushing: Steelers 37-84 Rams 29-107
Passing: Steelers 21-14-3/309 Rams 26-16-1/194
Return yardage: Steelers 10-209 Rams 10-104
Fumbles-Lost: Steelers 0-0 Rams 0-0
Penalties: Steelers 6-65 Rams 2-26
Punting average: Steelers 2-42.5 Rams 5-44.0
Attendance: 103,985

Postgame

Writers voted Bradshaw as the Sport Magazine Most Valuable Player for the second straight year.

Terry recalled his feelings at the end of the game. "There are few great moments in an athlete's life. Just this one time, Super Bowl XIV, I decided that this was my moment, and I wanted to take it all in. I wanted to pick it away in my mind forever. I felt that for this bunch of Steelers the run was over, we would never be in this situation again. So I did just that. I stood there and absorbed that stadium."
C Mike Webster said of Bradshaw: "God-given ability. You just can't beat it. Terry had enough ability to overcome the mistakes, the three interceptions. He had to courage to go with that long stuff."

Steelers Locker Room

Captain Joe Greene gave the symbolic game ball to a surprised recipient: Larry Anderson. Asked why, Greene replied, "Did you see the game?" Anderson set a Super Bowl record with 162y in kickoff returns. "I have a simple explanation for my success in running back those kickoffs," Anderson said. "It was the guys up front. Most of the guys on special teams are young, and they have to prove they belong on this football team, and they did a great job of that today." Joe also singled out another teammate "Lambert's interception, that was the defensive play of the game." Asked the secret of the Steelers' success, Greene answered: "Charles Henry Noll. He's the guy who keeps it going. He's the man who does it all."
Coach Chuck Noll refused to confirm directly that his club, with four Super Bowl crowns in six years, was the best ever. "The facts speak for themselves," he said. "This probably is the best team I've ever had. It has the best coaching staff and owner in the nation. We came from behind when we had to and this is a sign of the tremendous character this team has displayed over the years I have been coaching them."
Chuck explained that the game plan was to go deep "as often as we could to get the big play because we knew they would take aweay the high-percentage passes." Noll called it probably the most physical Super Bowl game in which Pittsburgh had played. "The big play was the key. When you have two good defensive teams, usually the team with the big play wins. Stallworth's two catches, Swann's catch, Lambert's interception, and Larry Anderson's returns were big plays for us."
"Nothing about the Rams surprised me, especially their QB. He's a fine one."
Terry Bradshaw said "I'm tired of football. It was one of the toughest Super Bowls I ever played in." When he added that he wanted time to "search out myself," a writer asked if he was contemplating retirement. "I didn't say that," Terry responded. Jack Lambert, within earshot of Bradshaw's indecision, settled the case for him. "Next year we'll be back and so will Brad." Noll also didn't seem overly concerned about Terry's raising the possibility of retirement. "I think he'll continue to play, but I'm not surprised to hear that he's considering it. Terry is spent, just like the rest of us."
Bradshaw said, "The pass to Stallworth was the key. It put us ahead, and it put the pressure on them to come back. They had to score a touchdown - a field goal wouldn't do it. The second pass to Stallworth iced it down - it was the nail in the coffin."

Bradshaw recalled: "I was really relieved that we won. So I really thought about quitting. ... All I could think about was getting away from it all. I felt like running. I didn't want to see a football and didn't want to touch one. Didn't want even to talk about football. I always have a letdown after a big game, but this one was particularly tough. It was a real low." After talking to teammates over the next few days, Terry felt better. "I realize I love the game, and I think I can contribute for a couple more years at least."

CB Mel Blount, whose name was hardly mentioned during the game because the Rams stayed away from his side, pointed to the Steelers blanking the Rams for the final 25 minutes when the game hung in the balance. "That's the difference between a championship team with character and a team that is trying to become a champion. I think the Rams played their game in the papers. I was surprised at the comments they made about us. That tells us right there that they didn't have any confidence. They were saying the Steelers weren't as good as they thought they were. I was surprised to see that Ray Malavasi was saying things like that himself."

John Stallworth: "We took it a bit easy in the first half, and I don't know why. But I think we showed our championship caliber in the second half. A champion should be able to come from behind, and we did it."

Stallworth would later admit that he and Swann "were friends, got along, but down deep there was some jealousy there. Bradshaw was tuned into Swann, but how could I complain? It just made me want to be better. But it also put a wall between us."

Rams Locker Room

Coach Ray Malavasi: "They didn't outplay us. We ran on them, we threw on them, we just didn't get the big plays. I thought we were going to win right from the beginning, and I thought so right to the end. ... Those two passes to Stallworth. They turned the game around." On the interference call on Pat Thomas, Ray said, "I thought it was offensive interference. You don't call it that close in that situation in a game as important as this." On Lambert's INT: "Vince shouldn't have thrown the ball although I thought we had Waddy open deep."
Vince Ferragamo: "I didn't do well in particular; the whole team did well. And if we didn't win this one, we'll win next year." He tried to describe what it was like to face the mighty Steelers in front of over 100,000 spectators. "I tried audibling one time at the noisy end of the field. No one heard me. I was a little leery about audibling after that. There was a 30-second clock, but it was kind of concealed. It was tough to see. ... It just hurts to know you're that good, and you can't win it. It's a hurting feeling inside."
Fred Dryer praised both teams. "They're the best team in pro football because they've repeated so many times. But the Rams match up against 'em better and play 'em harder than any other team. I think we proved that this time. We knew it all along, but the world didn't. Now the world knows it."
RG Dennis Harrah: "We gave it everything we had. We went out there with everything in our hearts. We picked up all their stunts, all their defensive-line games. I think we surprised them with our guts and determination." He was looking at the floor, but reporters could see he was crying. "I'm sorry, but I just can't talk about it anymore."
D-coordinator Bud Carson: "We had them by the jugular and we let them go. They got to where they only had one receiver they wanted to throw to, and it should've been all over."
While reporters interviewed Malavasi, Jack Youngblood approached. "Excuse me, please, but we have to take an X-ray." The newsmen parted so that Jack could get to the machine. "Is your foot any worse than it was before the game," he was asked. "I don't know. It hurts right now. I know that." His left hand also hurt; so an X-ray was taken of that also.

Youngblood later estimated that he played in Super Bowl XIV at about 60% efficiency. "It felt like a bunch of knives being stabbed into [my] leg, but I wasn't going to do more damage to a broken leg. I just tried to minimize the pain and go."

Part 1 - SB XIII Pregame | Part 3 - SB XIII 2nd Half

References: The Super Bowl: Celebrating a Quarter-Century of America's Greatest Game (1990)
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The Football Game I'll Never Forget: 100 NFL Stars' Stories, selected by Chris McDonell (2004)
Steel Dynasty: The Team That Changed the NFL, Bill Chastain (2005)
The Ultimate Super Bowl Book, Bob McGinn (2009)
50 Years, 50 Moments: The Most Unforgettable Plays in Super Bowl History, Jerry Rice and Randy O. Williams (2015)
Super Bowl Gold: 50 Years of the Big Game, Sports Illustrated (2015)
The Super Bowl: The First Fifty Years of America's Greatest Game, David Fischer (2015)
The NFL in the 1970s: Pro Football's Most Important Decade, Joe Zagorski (2016)
The First 50 Super Bowls: How Football's Championships Were Won, Ed Benkin (2018)