Superbowl 14

[Bob Davis]

Superbowl 14 – Los Angeles Rams vs Pittsburgh Steelers

This is the fourth Superbowl meeting between these two teams. They are by far the two most successful teams in league history. 10 out the 13 previous Superbowls featured one or both of these teams.  They have won 8 Superbowls between them. The Steelers are the defending champions having beat the Oakland Raiders in last year’s Superbowl.

The Rams win the coin toss and elect to defer to the second half. Steeler WR Anthony Carter, a dangerous return man returns the kickoff only to the 17 yard line. The Steeler offense uncharacteristically starts with a running play. RB Franco Harris is only able to eake out one yard. Harris gets another try, and this time gets great blocking, going up the middle for a 73 yard gain to the Ram’s 9 yard line. Carter attempts a jet-sweep around left end but is stuffed for a 5 yard loss. Bradshaw fakes to Harris and throws toward the endzone to WR John Stallworth. Rams Safety Fred Dryer intercepts the pass at the goal line and returns it to the Rams 14 yard line. What a turn of events! Rams QB Doug Williams goes straight to the air completing a pass to TE Charlie Young that yields 48 yards. The Rams try the ground game, as RB Wendell Tyler takes the handoff. The ball pops loose and is recovered by Steeler CB Ron Johnson at the Rams 49 yard line. The Steeler offense goes back to work. Bradshaw fades back to pass and is sacked by LB Bob Brudzinski for a 13 yard loss. After an incomplete pass on 2^nd down, Bradshaw completes to TE Benny Cunningham for 32 yards and a first down. Harris is stuffed for a 5 yard loss. Bradshaw then connects with WR Calvin Sweeney in the endzone for the game’s first score. K Matt Bahr misses the extra point and the Steelers settle for a 6 point lead. The Rams start their next drive with a Williams to Young completion of 34 yards. Williams then finds WR Preston Dennard for a 30 yard TD tying the game. K Frank Corral breaks the tie with the extra point. RB Greg Hawthorne returns the kickoff to the 47 yard line giving the Steelers good field position to start their next drive. Bradshaw scrambles and is ultimately sacked for a two yard loss by Brudzinski. Bradshaw then throws over the middle and is picked off again by Dryer. The Rams take over with good field position and a chance to increase their lead before halftime. Williams is sacked for a 10 yard loss on first down. After a second down incompletion, Tyler breaks a run for 15 yards bringing up a 4^th and 5. With time running out, the Rams go for it. Williams is stopped 2 yards short. The Steelers take over with only one play before the half. Bradshaw throws another incompletion and the Rams take a 7-6 lead into halftime.

Rams WR Ron Jessie returns the second half kickoff only to the 12 yard line. With their offense backed up, the Rams try rushing the ball. FB Cullen Bryant is stuffed for a 5 yard loss. Williams fades back to pass on second down. During the play his base barely but definitively touches the out of bounds line and the call is a safety. **In solitaire as you all know, it is difficult to follow all the action. I was busy watching for open receivers and neglected the QB** In a bizarre twist, the Rams go from leading by one point to trailing by one point. Bahr’s missed extra point suddenly doesn’t loom quite so large. Carter takes the short kickoff and looks like he might break a big return. He reaches midfield and the ball pops out of his arm! Fortunately for the Steelers, no one is able to recover before it rolls out of bounds at the Ram’s 48 yard line. Bradshaw is sacked for 12 yard loss. On second down Bradshaw throws his 3^rd interception of the day. Again it is Fred Dryer chalking up another interception. The Rams start the drive at their own 42 yard line. Bryant breaks a 25 yard run up the middle setting up the Rams in Steeler territory. Bryant and Tyler are both stuffed for loss on consecutive downs and Williams is sacked for an 8 yard loss on third down. Just out of field goal range at the Steeler 48 yard line, the Rams are forced to punt. **In my league, the offense must be at least to the 45 yard line of the opposing team to attempt a field goal**. Carter returns the punt to the Steeler 28 yard line. After an incomplete pass by Bradshaw on first down, Harris breaks another big run, this time for 32 yards. Both Carter and Harris are stuffed on 1^st and 2^nd down. Bradshaw fades back to pass and is sacked for a 14 yard loss. The Steelers punt and the Rams down it in the endzone. Still trailing by one with 7 plays remaining in the game, the Rams start this definitive drive at their own 20 yard line. After a short scramble and an incomplete pass, Williams completes to Bryant on a wheel route yielding 33 yards and a first down. Williams is then sacked for a 15 yard loss. Another two incomplete passes and the Rams are facing 4^th and 25 with one play remaining. William’s pass is intercepted by Johnson and the game ends. The Steelers hang on to win by the score of 8-7. CB Ron Johnson is named the MVP because of his fumble recovery and interception.

For the Steelers, it is their second straight Superbowl victory, and 4^th overall. Ironically, this is the Rams 4^th loss in a Superbowl. Superbowl 14 is also the lowest scoring Superbowl in history beating Superbowl 13 by one point.

[Capanther]

I remember when i was in my early 20s ...these two met in the super bowl....i was so excited that my rams had finally made it to the big game after so many years of losing to the vikings and the cowboys in the championship and winding up 1 game short of the super bowl.....the rams controlled the game till late ...but then bradshaw found stalworth down the middle and pulled it out for the steelers....great memories.