Steel City Blitz
The Pittsburgh Steelers have an overall 17-13 record against the Buffalo Bills while in Pittsburgh they are 10-3 ahead. The last time these two teams met was the snow game in the 2023 playoffs which the Steelers lost 31-17.
The 1979 Steelers were coming off their third winning championship season and were making a good run towards winning a fourth. Their momentum took a knock in week 15 when they lost 20-17 to division rivals Houston Oilers. Despite their win, Houston’s coach Bum Phillips noted, “The road to the Super Bowl always seems to go through Pittsburgh.”
That Oilers win saw them join the Steelers on top of the AFC Central division. It also meant the Steelers season finale against Buffalo became a must win game. If Pittsburgh lost and Houston won their game, the Oilers would be division champions. If both teams won, it would be decided by the fifth tie-breaker, the point differential in games within the division. The Steelers were leading plus 43 while the Oilers were plus 10.
The Buffalo Bills were now without O.J Simpson who they had traded two years earlier. Their head coach of two years was Chuck Knox and their quarterback 6-year veteran Joe Ferguson. They also had former Steelers receiver Frank Lewis, who Pittsburgh traded for Paul Seymour. When Seymour failed a physical, he was returned to Buffalo although Lewis remained with the Bills.
For Bills rookie linebacker Jim Haslett, born in Avalon, Pa., it was his homecoming game.
The (11-4) Steelers vs the (7-8) Bills; December 16, 1979
In a defensive start to the game, the first thirteen minutes saw the teams contribute one first down each in seven possessions. Buffalo doing their best to keep it scoreless. Their 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Joe Greene.
At the end of the first quarter with the help from the running game, Terry Bradshaw found Lynn Swann twice with two passes. The second found Swann open on a crossing pattern. He made a leaping catch to haul in Bradshaw’s pass for a 20-yard touchdown to put the Steelers first points on the board. Matt Bahr added the extra point.
In a game littered with mini brawls, the second quarter saw Jim Haslett ejected for kicking Bradshaw in the head. Two plays later, Franco Harris carried the ball over for a 1-yard touchdown to extend the Steelers lead to 14-0.
Two turnovers by the Steelers gave opportunities to the Bills, but Pittsburgh’s defense held them both times. A fumble by Franco Harris was followed by a Bradshaw interception.
The Steelers fielded the second half kickoff. Bradshaw led them on a 9-play drive of 71 yards that finished with Sidney Thornton’s 8-yard touchdown run.
The Steelers defense continued to shut out any momentum by their opponents for the rest of the game. It was the Steelers who put the final points on the board in the fourth quarter. Franco Harris scored an11-yard touchdown, and the Steelers secured their seventh division title after...
