1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season

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1978 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head Coach Chuck Noll
Home Field Three Rivers Stadium
Results
Record 14-2
Place 1st AFC Central
Playoff Finish W Super Bowl XIII
Timeline
Previous Season Next Season
1977 1979

Contents

[edit] Offseason

The 1978 season began with some controversy, when players were caught wearing shoulder pads at minicamp in violation of league rules. The infraction cost the team its third-round draft pick in the 1979 draft.[1][2]

[edit] Roster

1978 Pittsburgh Steelers Roster
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Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

 Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive Backs

Special Teams

Hall of Fame members in italics

[edit] Regular Season

[edit] Schedule

Week Date Kickoff (ET) TV Opponent Result Record Game Site
1 Sunday September 3 1:00 PM NBC Buffalo Bills W 28–17 1–0 Rich Stadium
2 Sunday September 10 1:00 PM NBC Seattle Seahawks W 21–17 2–0 Three Rivers Stadium
3 Sunday September 17 1:00 PM NBC Cincinnati Bengals W 28–3 3–0 Riverfront Stadium
4 Sunday September 24 1:00 PM NBC Cleveland Browns W 15–9 (OT) 4–0 Three Rivers Stadium
5 Sunday October 1 1:00 PM NBC New York Jets W 28–17 5–0 Shea Stadium
6 Sunday October 8 1:00 PM CBS Atlanta Falcons W 31–7 6–0 Three Rivers Stadium
7 Sunday October 15 1:00 PM NBC Cleveland Browns W 34–14 7–0 Cleveland Municipal Stadium
8 Monday October 23 9:00 PM ABC Houston Oilers L 24–17 7–1 Three Rivers Stadium
9 Sunday October 29 1:00 PM NBC Kansas City Chiefs W 27–24 8–1 Three Rivers Stadium
10 Sunday November 5 1:00 PM CBS New Orleans Saints W 20–14 9–1 Three Rivers Stadium
11 Sunday November 12 9:00 PM ABC Los Angeles Rams L 10–7 9–2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
12 Sunday November 19 4:00 PM NBC Cincinnati Bengals W 7–6 10–2 Three Rivers Stadium
13 Monday November 27 9:00 PM ABC San Francisco 49ers W 24–7 11–2 Candlestick Park
14 Sunday December 3 4:00 PM NBC Houston Oilers W 13–3 12–2 Astrodome
15 Saturday December 9 1:00 PM NBC Baltimore Colts W 35–13 13–2 Three Rivers Stadium
16 Saturday December 16 4:00 PM NBC Denver Broncos W 21–17 14–2 Mile High Stadium

[edit] Game Summaries

[edit] Week 1 (Sunday September 3, 1978): at Buffalo Bills

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 14 0 14 28
Bills 0 0 0 17 17

at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 64,147
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Jay Randolph (play by play), Mike Haffner (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 2 (Sunday September 10, 1978): vs. Seattle Seahawks

1 2 3 4 Total
Seahawks 0 7 3 0 10
Steelers 0 14 0 7 21

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 48,277
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Sam Nover (play by play), Mike Haffner (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 3 (Sunday September 17, 1978): at Cincinnati Bengals

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 14 7 7 0 28
Bengals 0 3 0 0 3

at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 50,260
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Curt Gowdy (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:


The Steelers entered the third week 2-0 and favored to win; one sportswriter called the Steelers "convincing but not overpowering," and noted that in their first two victories had not beaten the point spread.[3]

[edit] Week 4 (Sunday September 24, 1978): vs. Cleveland Browns

1 2 3 4 OT Total
Browns 0 6 3 0 0 9
Steelers 3 0 0 6 6 15

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Scoring Drives:

The Steelers went on to win the game in overtime; controversy developed when officials ruled that Steelers kick returner Larry Anderson had not fumbled the kickoff. Anderson caught Don Cockroft's kick at Pittsburgh's 11-yard line, but was tripped up by teammate Rick Moser at the 21. As Anderson went down the ball slipped from his hands and was recovered by Browns player Rick Feacher. Officials ruled that Anderson was down by contact and Pittsburgh retained possession.[4] Pittsburgh would score on that drive and win the game 15–9. Later that week league officials indicated that, in their view, the officiating crew should have ruled it a fumble.[5]

[edit] Week 5 (Sunday October 1, 1978): at New York Jets

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 7 7 14 0 28
Jets 0 10 7 0 17

at Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 52,058
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Sam Nover (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commenator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 6 (Sunday October 8, 1978): vs. Atlanta Falcons

1 2 3 4 Total
Falcons 0 0 7 0 7
Steelers 3 14 7 7 31

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 48,202
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (CBS) Bob Costas (play by play), Tom Matte (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 7 (Sunday October 15, 1978): at Cleveland Browns

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 6 7 14 7 34
Browns 0 7 0 7 14

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 81,302
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 8 (Monday October 23, 1978): vs. Houston Oilers

1 2 3 4 Total
Oilers 0 10 7 7 24
Steelers 0 10 0 7 17

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 9:00 PM EDT
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 48,021
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Howard Cosell (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 9 (Sunday October 29, 1978): vs. Kansas City Chiefs

1 2 3 4 Total
Chiefs 3 0 14 7 24
Steelers 7 13 7 0 27

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 48,185
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Jay Randolph (play by play), Paul Maguire (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 10 (Sunday November 5, 1978): vs. New Orleans Saints

1 2 3 4 Total
Saints 0 7 0 7 14
Steelers 3 0 10 7 20

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 48,526
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (CBS) Don Criqui (play by play), Hank Stram (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 11 (Sunday November 12, 1978): at Los Angeles Rams

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 0 7 0 7
Rams 0 0 3 7 10

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

  • Game time: 9:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 63,089
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Howard Cosell (color commentator)

[edit] Week 12 (Sunday November 19, 1978): vs. Cincinnati Bengals

1 2 3 4 Total
Bengals 3 3 0 0 6
Steelers 0 7 0 0 7

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 4:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 47,578
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 13 (Monday November 27, 1978): at San Francisco 49ers

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 3 14 0 7 24
49ers 0 0 7 0 7

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 14 (Sunday December 3, 1978): at Houston Oilers

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 3 0 3 7 13
Oilers 0 3 0 0 3

at Astrodome, Houston, Texas

  • Game time: 4:00 PM EST
  • Game weather: Dome
  • Game attendance: 54,261
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Sam Nover (play by play), Len Dawson (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 15 (Saturday December 9, 1978): vs. Baltimore Colts

1 2 3 4 Total
Colts 0 7 6 0 13
Steelers 7 14 7 7 35

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 41,957
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Curt Gowdy (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Week 16 (Saturday December 16, 1978): at Denver Broncos

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 7 14 0 0 21
Broncos 0 0 7 10 17

at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

  • Game time: 4:00 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 74,104
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Postseason

[edit] Schedule

Week Date Kickoff (ET) TV Opponent Result Game Site
Divisional Saturday December 30, 1978 12:30 PM NBC Denver Broncos W 33–10 Three Rivers Stadium
Conference Sunday January 7, 1979 1:00 PM NBC Houston Oilers W 34–5 Three Rivers Stadium
Super Bowl XIII Sunday January 21, 1979 4:15 PM NBC Dallas Cowboys W 35–31 Orange Bowl

[edit] Game Summaries

[edit] AFC Divisional Playoff (Saturday December 30, 1978): vs. Denver Broncos

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 3 7 0 0 10
Steelers 6 13 0 14 33

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time: 12:30 PM EST
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 48,921
  • Referee: Gene Barth
  • TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

[edit] AFC Championship (Sunday January 7, 1979): vs. Houston Oilers

1 2 3 4 Total
Oilers 0 3 2 0 5
Steelers 14 17 3 0 34

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Scoring Drives:

[edit] Super Bowl XIII (Sunday January 21, 1979): vs. Dallas Cowboys

1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 7 14 0 14 35
Cowboys 7 7 3 14 31

at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

Scoring drives

[edit] Awards, Honors, and Records

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bouchette, Ed. "Flagging New England for illegal use of camera is on Steelers' minds", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 17, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-25. 
  2. ^ Brady, Dave. "Lone Steeler 'Incident' Involved Bouncing Ball", Washington Post, August 6, 1978, p. E7. Retrieved on 2007-11-25. 
  3. ^ Strine, Gerald. "Falcons Should Be Favorites; It's Time to Go for Seven", Washington Post, September 14, 1978, p. F1. Retrieved on 2007-11-26. 
  4. ^ Brady, Dave. "Steeler Trick Play Wins in Overtime; Overtime Flea-Flicker Defeats Browns, 15-9", Washington Post, September 25, 1978, p. D1. 
  5. ^ Brady, Dave. "Cheerleader Boom Shakes Up NFL", Washington Post, September 26, 1978, p. E7. Retrieved on 2007-11-26. 

[edit] External Links

Steelers' 1978 at NFL.com

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1977		 Super Bowl champion
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1979