Super Bowl XII|Super Bowl XIV
January 21, 1979
In a repeat of Super Bowl X, the Steelers once again beat the Cowboys in a wild matchup that went down to the wire.
Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw was selected MVP for the game for his stellar passing game, passing for a total of 318 yards and 4 touchdowns. The game was an offensive one overall, with the two teams combined yardage adding up to nearly 700 total yards.
Pittsburgh tried to run away with the game by scoring two touchdowns in the 4th quarter. Dallas, however, scored two TD's of their own in response, but an onside kick recovered by Steelers running back Rocky Bleier with just 17 seconds left in the game ended the contest.
Attendance for the game was 79,484. Pittsburgh coach Chuck Noll became the first coach to win three Super Bowls, while Tom Landry coached the Cowboys.
Statistics (from www.superbowl.com):
SCORING
Pittsburgh 7 14 0 14 -- 35
Dallas 7 7 3 14 -- 31
PIT- Stallworth 28 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick),
5:13 1st
DAL- Hill 39 pass from Staubach (Septien kick),
15:00 1st
DAL- Hegman 37 def. fumble rec. (Septien kick),
2:52 2nd
PIT- Stallworth 75 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick),
4:35 2nd
PIT- Bleier 7 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick),
14:34 2nd
DAL- FG Septien 27, 12:24 3rd
PIT- Harris 22 run (Gerela kick), 7:50 4th
PIT- Swann 18 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick),
8:09 4th
DAL- DuPree 7 pass from Staubach (Septien kick),
12:33 4th
DAL- Johnson 4 pass from Staubach (Septien kick),
14:38 4th
TEAM STATISTICS Pitt. Dal.
Total First Downs 19 20
Rushing 2 6
Passing 15 13
Penalty 2 1
Total Net Yardage 357 330
Total Offensive Plays 58 67
Avg. Gain per Offensive Play 6.2 4.9
Rushes 24 32
Yards Gained Rushing (Net) 66 154
Average Yards per Rush 2.8 4.8
Passes Attempted 30 30
Passes Completed 17 17
Had Intercepted 1 1
Tackled Attempting to Pass 4 5
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass 27 52
Yards Gained Passing (Net) 291 176
Punts 3 5
Average Distance 43.0 39.6
Punt Returns 4 2
Punt Return Yardage 27 33
Kickoff Returns 3 6
Kickoff Return Yardage 45 104
Interception Return Yardage 13 21
Fumbles 2 3
Own Fumbles Recovered 0 1
Opponent Fumbles Recovered 2 2
Penalties 5 9
Yards Penalized 35 89
Total Points Scored 35 31
Touchdowns 5 4
Rushing 1 0
Passing 4 3
Returns 0 1
Extra Points 5 4
Field Goals 0 1
Field Goals Attempted 1 1
Safeties 0 0
Third-Down Efficiency 9/15 8/16
Fourth-Down Efficiency 0/0 1/1
Time of Possession 26:18 33:42
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Pittsburgh No. Yds. LG TD
Harris 20 68 22t 1
Bleier 2 3 2 0
Bradshaw 2 -5 2 0
Dallas No. Yds. LG TD
Dorsett 16 96 29 0
Staubach 4 37 18 0
Laidlaw 3 12 7 0
P. Pearson 1 6 6 0
Newhouse 8 3 5 0
Passing
Pittsburgh Att. Comp. Yds. TD Int.
Bradshaw 30 17 318 4 1
Dallas Att. Comp. Yds. TD Int.
Staubach 30 17 228 3 1
Receiving
Pittsburgh No. Yds. LG TD
Swann 7 124 29 1
Stallworth 3 115 75t 2
Grossman 3 29 10 0
Bell 2 21 12 0
Harris 1 22 22 0
Bleier 1 7 7t 1
Dallas No. Yds. LG TD
Dorsett 5 44 13 0
D. Pearson 4 73 25 0
Hill 2 49 39t 1
Johnson 2 30 26 1
DuPree 2 17 10 1
P. Pearson 2 15 8 0
Interceptions
Pittsburgh No. Yds. LG TD
Blount 1 13 13 0
Dallas No. Yds. LG TD
Lewis 1 21 21 0
Punting
Pittsburgh No. Avg. LG Blk.
C. Colquitt 3 43.0 52 0
Dallas No. Avg. LG Blk.
D. White 5 39.6 50 0
Punt Returns
Pittsburgh No. FC Yds. LG TD
Bell 4 0 27 12 0
Dallas No. FC Yds. LG TD
Johnson 2 1 33 21 0
Kickoff Returns
Pittsburgh No. Yds. LG TD
L. Anderson 3 45 24 0
Dallas No. Yds. LG TD
Johnson 3 63 23 0
Brinson 2 41 25 0
R. White 1 0 0 0
Pittsburgh Steelers Dallas Cowboys
== Offense ==
Webster, Mike C Fitzgerald, John C
Davis, Samuel G Rafferty, Tom G
Mullins, Gerry G Scott, Herbert G
Kolb, Jon T Donovan, Pat T
Pinney, Ray T Wright, Rayfield T
Grossman, Randy TE DuPree, Billy Joe TE
Stallworth, John WR Hill, Tony WR
Swann, Lynn WR Pearson, Drew WR
Bleier, Rocky RB Dorsett, Tony RB
Harris, Franco RB Newhouse, Robert FB
Bradshaw, Terry QB Staubach, Roger QB
== Defense ==
Furness, Steve DT Cole, Larry DT
Greene, Joe DT White, Randy DT
Banaszak, John DE Jones, Too Tall DE
Greenwood, L. C. DE Martin, Harvey DE
Ham, Jack OLB Henderson, Tom OLB
Toews, Loren OLB Lewis, D. D. OLB
Lambert, Jack MLB Breunig, Bob MLB
Blount, Mel CB Barnes, Benny CB
Johnson, Ronald CB Kyle, Aaron CB
Wagner, Mike FS Harris, Cliff FS
Shell, Donnie SS Waters, Charlie SS
== Substitute ==
Anderson, Fred Bethea, Larry
Anderson, Larry Blackwell, Alois
Beasley, Tom Brinson, Larry
Bell, Theo Brown, Guy
Brown, Larry Frederick, Andy
Cole, Robin Hegman, Mike
Colquitt, Craig Hughes, Randy
Courson, Steve Huther, Bruce
Deloplaine, Jack Johnson, Butch
Dungy, Tony Laidlaw, Scott
Dunn, Gary Lawless, Burton
Gerela, Roy Pearson, Preston
Mandich, Jim Randall, Tom
Moser, Rick Septien, Rafael
Oldham, Ray Smith, Jackie
Petersen, Ted Stalls, Dave
Smith, Jim A. Steele, Robert
Thornton, Sidney Thurman, Dennis
White, Dwight White, Danny
Winston, Dennis
== Did Not Play ==
Cunningham, Bennie Carano, Glenn
Kruczek, Mike Cooper, Jim
Stoudt, Cliff Pugh, Jethro
Washington, Mark