Steelers Become First Three Time Champion

The Pittsburgh Steelers were back in 1978 with a 14-2 record after the NFL extended the regular season by adding two games. While the Steel Curtain was still very much intact, many wrongly considered it an aging and almost over the hill bunch. Where the Steelers really improved in 1978, however, was on offense. Terry Bradshaw took full advantage of the NFL’s new pass blocking rules and led the league in passing. Franco Harris ran for more than 1000 yards. The Steelers rolled through the playoffs uncontested, routing the Broncos and Oilers. 

Over in the other conference, the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys had a little more difficulty in the regular season, losing to the Rams, Redskins, Vikings and Dolphins, and then barely escaping the Falcons in the playoffs before shutting out the Rams 28-0 in the NFC Championship. The Cowboys defense was back in full force, setting up a remarkable Super Bowl with the Steelers only favored by 3 ½.

This was the first rematch in Super Bowl history. Many considered the previous Cowboys/Steelers in Super Bowl X the most entertaining game ever. Whenr you thought about football in 1979 it was hard not to think Steelers and Cowboys. Each team had a strong record since the NFL merger and the winner here would take the lead in Super Bowl victories. The stage was set for a loud and rocking Orange Bowl in this déjà vu event.    

Dallas began strong with Tony Dorsett running freely until a fumble stopped them cold and Bradshaw threw a 28 yard touchdown pass to John Stallworth. Dallas ended a second scoring threat by intercepting Bradshaw but then were stopped cold themselves by the suddenly young again Steel Curtain.

Harvey Martin got in the mix and continued where he had left off the previous year by forcing a fumble on a sack. Staubach then found Tony Hill on a 39 yard touchdown pass and the crowd jumped in excitement as the game leveled at 7. The Cowboys struck gold again when Hollywood Henderson sacked Bradshaw and Mike Hegman recovered the fumble and returned it 37 yards for a score. Dallas ahead 14-7!

It didn't take the black and gold long to reply as Bradshaw found John Stallworth on a 75 yard touchdown pass to tie it up. Before the half, Pittsburgh put together a great scoring drive on Bradshaw's darts including a 7 yard score to Rocky Bleier gave them a 21-14 lead.

Both defenses held strong in the third quarter, but Roger “the dodger” showed that he could run as well as pass as he led his team into field goal position for Rafael Septien's  27 yarder to edge closer 21-17.

With 12 minutes left, Bradshaw found Randy Grossman on a terrific 9 yard first down pass to keep a drive alive. The nation stood in awe of his performance under pressure. The drive culminated in a Franco Harris 22 yard touchdown run to give Pittsburgh a 28-17 lead with seven minutes remaining. Dallas fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Bradshaw quickly struck again on an 18 yard touchdown pass to Lynn Swann. At 35-17 everyone except Dallas thought the game was over.

Staubach roared back on an 89 yard drive in 8 plays, scoring on a 7 yard pass to Billy Joe DuPree. Dallas then recovered an onside kick with a little more than two minutes remaining and drove 52 yards in 9 plays with Staubach finding Butch Johnson on a 4 yard touchdown pass. America gasped in awe as this game was now 35-31 and just one onside kickoff recovery from a miracle. It was not to be as Pittsburgh fell on the ball and Bradshaw knelt for the victory and his MVP award.

An MPI analysis in this wild game showed how these teams actually performed. Pittsburgh prevailed on the MPI total score .502 to .491. The Steelers offense outperformed the Cowboys defense .496 to .482. Their special teams also performed better (.514 to .433) and they won the pressure game as well (overall .519 to .462, offense .654 to .558, and defense .385 to .365). The Cowboys lone success came on offense (.515 to .504). In sum, the Steelers took 6 of 7 MPI categories so that we can say without doubt that the better team this day won.    

It was the Steelers pressure offense that controlled this game with a tremendous .654 to the Cowboys pressure defense score of .365. The Steelers continued doing what they had done all year long with big plays from Bradshaw, Harris and others. Terry Bradshaw's true legend was born on this day.

After this game, the Pittsburgh Steelers stood alone as the only team to win three Super Bowls. It seemed like there would be no end to their glory.  

See the Musical Side of Terry Bradshaw

The MPI or Mental Performance Index is the first system of scoring  developed in sports which includes in the scoring key mental factors such as pressure management, reduction of mental errors and focused execution. It was developed by licensed clinical and sport performance psychologist Dr. John F. Murray in 2002 to show the extreme importance of mental factors in sports. It is much more accurate than the final score and other statistics in showing how one team performed relative to another team. It has almost perfectly estimated the relative performance of the teams before each of the past 5 Super Bowls. Dr. Murray's MPI forecast has also beaten the official Super Bowl spread 4 out of 5 times now. He has appeared on hundreds of radio and television shows, and the forecast has also appeared in hundreds of articles. Why all the focus, energy and interest in this topic? Because it so clearly demonstrates the importance of mental factors in sports. For more information about the MPI or Dr. Murray's services, please call 561-59-9898 or send an email to: johnfmurray@mindspring.com