PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Its memories forged mostly in Super Bowls, and before the 33rd meeting between the Steelers and Cowboys on Sunday, here are a few moments that may bring a smile or even a tear your face depending on which team you root for.
Bradshaw Is Dumb
After being heckled by Cowboys linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson, where Henderson said Terry Bradshaw couldn’t spell cat if you spot him the “c” and the “a," Bradshaw threw for 318 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Steelers won Super Bowl XIII, 35-31.
Swann Soars
Lynn Swann suffered a concussion in the AFC Championship game leading up to Super Bowl X, spending a couple of days in the hospital. Unsure if he could go, Swann said he wouldn’t let a veiled threat from Dallas safety Cliff Harris keep him from playing. Swann made 4 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown, and two of them were among the toughest made in Super Bowl history. Questionable leading up to it, Swann was named the Super Bowl MVP.
Don’t Mess With Our Kicker
Trailing 10-7 in the third quarter of Super Bowl X, Roy Gerela missed his second field goal of the game, a 33-yarder that would have tied it. After the miss, the same Cliff Harris, patted Gerela on his helmet, mocking him. A part of the field goal unit on special teams, linebacker Jack Lambert saw it and immediately threw Harris to the ground. Lambert led the team in tackles that day, but it may have been the one that didn’t count that spoke the loudest.
O No O’Donnell
The Cowboys were loaded, future Hall of Famers Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, Charles Haley and an offensive line of four Pro Bowlers, Dallas was favored by 13 and a half points. The Steelers were led by young head coach Bill Cowher and had stars Rod Woodson, Kevin Greene and Greg Lloyd on defense. That defense held Smith to 49 yards and Aikman to 209 yards, but turnovers killed their chances. Neil O’Donnell threw three interceptions, a pair to Larry Brown, and Brown ended up being named the MVP in the 27-17 Dallas victory.
Thriller at Heinz
The last meeting between the teams was November 13, 2016, and while not an important game, it had the big plays of any of the Super Bowl matchups. The lead changed hands five times in the last 16:35 of the game and the outcome wasn’t decided until there were 9 seconds left. Ben Roethlisberger gave the Steelers the lead back with 42 seconds to play on a fake spike and throw to Antonio Brown. Dak Prescott would later hit Jason Witten for a 5-yard gain around midfield with 23 seconds left, but a face mask penalty on Sean Davis gave Dallas the ball at the Steelers' 32. Rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott ran nearly untouched up the middle on the next play and the Cowboys won 35-30.
Deshea Wins The Day
Trailing 13-3 going into the fourth quarter of a Dec. 2008 matchup at Heinz Field, Jeff Reed hit a 41-yard field goal. Later, Ben Roethlisberger connected with Heath Miller to tie it with just over three minutes left. On the next series, Deshea Townsend picked off Tony Romo with 1:40 to play, one of three interceptions by the Steelers on the day, and returned it 25 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Steelers won 20-13.
Farrior Shines
Trailing again to Dallas in the fourth quarter, Ben Roethlisberger led another comeback against the Cowboys in 2004. Roethlisberger hit a tight end late, finding Jerame Tuman to put the Steelers within three. On the next possession, James Farrior not only had his second sack of Vinnie Testaverde, he forced a fumble, his third of the day, recovered by Kimo von Oelhoffen. The Steelers would go 34 yards, finished by a Jerome Bettis 2-yard run as the Steelers won 24-20.
Bradshaw Gets Cowboys Again
It was the start of what ended up being the final 10 games of Terry Bradshaw’s career. A Monday Night Football opener in Dallas with the faces starting to change for both teams with Joe Greene, LC Greenwood and Roger Staubach no longer there. Dallas had won 17 straight season openers and 18 straight at home. Bradshaw threw for 246 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. John Stallworth caught the opening score and 6 others for 137 yards. Franco Harris rushed for 103 yards and had 3 receptions for 29 more yards. Jack Ham had an interception and the defense held Tony Dorsett to 30 rushing yards. It was the end of an era between the teams and the Steelers won 36-28.
The Cowboys lead the all-time series 17-15 as the Steelers look to go 8-0 on the year this Sunday in Dallas.