PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 20: Quarterback Terry Bradshaw #12 of the Pittsburgh Steelers along with other teammates celebrate after scoring a touchdown during Super Bowl XIV against the Los Angeles Rams on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images)
DOG COMMENTARY:
In the playoffs leading up to Super Bowl XIV….the Rams avenged the previous year’s NFC Championship Game shutout loss to the Dallas Cowboys by beating them 21–19…..followed by a 9 – 0 beating of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game….while scoring only three field goals. Meanwhile, the Steelers went on to defeat the Miami Dolphins, 34–14….followed by a win over the Houston Oilers 27–13….while during those two playoff games….the Pittsburgh defense limited running backs Larry Csonka and Earl Campbell, respectively, to a combined total of only 35 rushing yards. Campbell was the league’s rushing leader during the regular season with 1,697 yards….but could only gain 15 yards against the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.
Pittsburgh was heavily favored to win Super Bowl XIV and become the first team to win 4 Super Bowls…..as most people did not think that the Rams even belonged on the same field with the Steelers. In fact, Sports Illustrated had called the NFC Championship Game a game for losers played by losers….as one sports writer sarcastically suggested that Bradshaw throw left-handed and the Rams should be allowed to play with 12 men on the field to make the Super Bowl more competitive. However, the Steelers were not taking their opponents lightly….cuz in their previous meetings….the Rams held a 12–1–2 all-time record over the Steelers….which included wins in 1971, 1975, and 1978….with the wins in 1975 (by a score of 10–3) and 1978 (by a score of 10–7) being over Steeler teams that eventually won the Super Bowl those seasons. Also, the Steelers had shown clear signs of weakness when playing away from their home stadium during the season. Their first loss of the year was on the road in a 4-turnover performance against the Philadelphia Eagles…..and two weeks later at 5–1, Pittsburgh was blown out 34–10 in Cincinnati against an 0–6 Bengals team. In week 12, the team lost 8 turnovers in a 35–7 loss on the road against the San Diego Chargers. Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw became the second quarterback to start four Super Bowls….joining his counterpart from Super Bowls X and XIII Roger Staubach….while 49’ers QB Joe Montana became the third to start four Super Bowls….but all were passed by John Elway, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Super Bowl XIV holds the record for attendance with 103,985 spectators.
CBS televised the game in the United States with play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator Tom Brookshier….with one of the guest analysts for the network’s studio pregame show was former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden….who impressed CBS executives so much that he replaced Brookshier as lead game analyst in 1981. CBS Radio coverage featured Jack Buck and Hank Stram….with Brent Musburger working both radio and television coverage by hosting the Super Bowl Today pregame show and the Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation). The performance event group Up with People performed during the halftime show titled “A Salute to the Big Band Era”….and the famous Coca-Cola commercial titled “Hey Kid, Catch!” in which “Mean” Joe Greene gives a boy his game jersey aired during CBS’ telecast of the game.
The city of Pittsburgh celebrated its third major pro championship in 13 months….as the Steelers had also won the previous year’s Super Bowl….and the city’s Major League Baseball team, the Pirates, had won the World Series three months before this Super Bowl game….then 10 days after the Steelers’ Super Bowl victory….the city’s National Hockey League team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, changed its uniform colors to match the black and gold scheme of the Pirates and Steelers, as well as that of the Pittsburgh city flag to win the NHL championship.
Despite being the underdogs….the Rams managed to hang on to a 13–10 lead at halftime and a 19–17 lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter….but the Steelers held the Rams scoreless in the fourth quarter and scored two touchdowns for the win. Despite the game’s uneven matchup and the final score….this game is regarded by some as one of the most competitive games in Super Bowl history….as overall, the lead changed 7 times between both teams….a Super Bowl record….as the Rams took the lead 3 times while the Steelers took it 4 times.
