Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

MatthewToy wrote:Is it just me or have the Steelers always had special teams issues?

They were spared their first loss of the '78 season when Larry Anderson fumbled the opening kickoff of OT, allowing the Browns to recover and (supposedly) line up for an immediate game-winning FG. However, a quick whistle saved Anderson and instead, the Steelers drove down the field to score a TD.

The Cowboys' first score in SB X was setup when Bobby Walden dropped the snap in an attempt to punt on Pittsburgh's opening possession. The Cowboys started their "drive" at the Steeler 29, and Staubach threw to Drew Pearson for a 29-yard TD on the first play. Walden had two other punts in the game that were nearly blocked (as told by John Facenda). Noll said that he would have punted had he only been up 3 points, but since Dallas needed a touchdown he felt it was ok to run the ball on 4th and 9. Perhaps the Michigan-Michigan State game of this year is a cautionary tale as well.

Bryan wrote:The Cowboys' first score in SB X was setup when Bobby Walden dropped the snap in an attempt to punt on Pittsburgh's opening possession. The Cowboys started their "drive" at the Steeler 29, and Staubach threw to Drew Pearson for a 29-yard TD on the first play. Walden had two other punts in the game that were nearly blocked (as told by John Facenda). Noll said that he would have punted had he only been up 3 points, but since Dallas needed a touchdown he felt it was ok to run the ball on 4th and 9. Perhaps the Michigan-Michigan State game of this year is a cautionary tale as well.

There was also the early Gerela FG miss, which resulted in the sarcastic pat on the head by Cliff Harris, followed by the Lambert blowup.

I think in the book "The Last Headbangers", among other places, an anecdote is recounted that after the game a reporter questioning his 4th-and-9 strategy asked him if he was worried that Staubach might complete a game-winning Hail Mary like he did at Minnesota.

"No," Noll said.
"Why not?", the reporter pressed.
"Because we're not Minnesota," Noll said.

(Yes, it pains me greatly as a Vikings fan to recount this anecdote, but I thought it should be a part of this historical recollection. I'm going to go outside in our 30 inches of snow and scream now.)

MatthewToy wrote:Is it just me or have the Steelers always had special teams issues?

Well, in Super Bowl XIII, it was the Cowboys who screwed up by having Randy White on the kickoff return team.

His injured hand was in a cast. When the Steelers squibbed a kickoff, Randy recovered it, and rather than fall down with it, he tried to advance the ball and fumbled it when he was it.

I never understood why Landry (or his special teams coach) had Randy on the kick return team with a bad hand.