The AFC Championship Game
is being played in Kansas City this weekend minus the team that has played-in
(16) and hosted (11) the game the most...The Pittsburgh
Steelers. While the Steelers couldn’t muster their way in this
past season, there have been some very memorable moments featuring the
black-and-gold. Here are some that pop up most in the craniums of Steeler
Nation.
J.T. THOMAS’
REDEMPTION - DECEMBER 29, 1974
The Steelers were on the doorstep of finally getting Art
Rooney Sr. to the ““Big One” courtesy of rushing greatness by Franco Harris and
Rocky Bleier and great defensive performances by Joe Greene, Jack Ham (two
picks) and Jack Lambert. Home Team Oakland was down by four and driving with
1:18 left. The Steelers gang rushed Ken Stabler and sacked him, but J.T. Thomas
was nailed for holding in the secondary. Enraged, he picked up the flag and
spiked it. Today that would have definitely drew more of a penalty. On the next
play, Thomas intercepted a Stabler duck and returned it 38 yards to the Oakland
25 with one minute remaining. The game was sealed when Franco scored from 21
out, two plays later. After 41 years, Art Rooney finally found his team in the
big game and we all know what followed.
THE NON-CALL THAT
HELPED CHANGE THE NFL - JANUARY 6, 1980
On a drive in which Mike Renfro recovered a fumble in the
vicinity of five Pittsburgh defenders, drew Mel Blount into a chuck penalty and
caught a key first down...the second-year man from TCU was involved in one of
the most controversial calls in Title Game history. With 1:30 left in the
third, Dan Pastorini threw a six-yard rainbow to Renfro for an apparent
touchdown in the corner of the end zone over Ron Johnson. The replay showed
that Renfro had clear control of the ball with his left foot down and his right
foot hitting the pylon. NFL Films much later showed some movement in Renfro’s
hands. If instant replay was in effect, the call on the field very well could
have been reversed and Pittsburgh fans would have been hard pressed to argue
it. (It was much more borderline than what first appeared on NBC television.)
The officials conferred and referee Jim Tunney ruled it out of bounds. Houston
was livid. Steeler fans accepted the gift. It was now second down and goal from
the six and the Steeler defense held the Oilers to a field goal. It was 17-13
at the end of the third. The game ended 27-13 and the Steelers went on to win
their fourth Super Bowl.
The Renfro play became a major factor in replay being inserted into the NFL.
ERNIE MILLS COMES
UP BIG AGAIN AND THE UNANSWERED PRAYER - JANUARY 14, 1996
The Steelers were heavy favorites to advance to the first
Super Bowl appearance of Bill Cowher’s career and the first for the franchise
in 16 years, but somebody forgot to tell Jim Harbaugh and the Colts to
lay down and let it happen. With 3:03 remaining in the game and Indy up 16-13,
the Steelers got the ball back needing at least three to tie. But the way the
Colts were playing, a TD seemed necessary. The game almost ended on that drive
when Quentin Coryatt seemingly iced the game with an interception of Neil
O’Donnell. But at the last moment, WR Ernie Mills bumped the ball out of the
linebacker’s grasp. On fourth down, O’Donnell completed a crucial pass to Andre
Hastings. On the very next play, No. 14 launched a 37-yard pass to Mills. No.
89 caught the ball in traffic, while managing to stay in bounds at the one. Bam
Morris helped Pittsburgh take the lead on the next play. However, Captain Comeback
wasn’t done. With very little time left, Harbaugh got the Colts to the Steeler
29. He then lined up with: 05 seconds on the clock and launched a Hail Mary
into the right corner of the end zone, where Aaron Bailey was
waiting. Everybody in Three Rivers Stadium and at home watching on NBC thought
Bailey caught the prayer. But Myron “Boo” Bell helped knock the ball away and
the Steelers celebrated the big win. Eventually, they would fall two weeks
later to Dallas in SB XXX.
BEN
ROETHLISBERGER’S XL BOOTLEG - JANUARY 22, 2006
The Steelers had lost three-straight AFC Championship Games
at home, so playing in the rarified Denver air was fine for the 2005 sixth
seed. A week after stunning the favorites, the Indianapolis Colts, on the
road...the “Road Warrior” Steelers won their seventh-straight elimination game
of that season behind a masterful performance by Ben Roethlisberger. The
second-year QB was 21 for 29 and threw two TD passes in the game. But with 2:59
left and the team leading 27-17, Big Ben scored off a four-yard bootleg to the
left to put the contest out of reach and send Jerome Bettis
home to Detroit for the Steelers first Super Bowl in ten years and their first
victory in 26.
NO. 43 ZIG ZAGS
THE STEELERS INTO SUPER BOWL NO. 43 - JANUARY 19, 2009
In the fourth quarter and nursing a slim 16-14 lead at home
against their bitter division rivals, the Steelers’ saw a drive (attempting to
ice the game) fail after Terrell Suggs sacked
Ben Roethlisberger after the Steelers started at their own 40. The Baltimore
Ravens took to the turf with a chance to take the lead with
6:50 remaining on the clock. What seemed to be a starting point at the 40,
Darren Stone whipped Anthony
Madison down miles out of bounds by the B-More bench.
Instead of starting off only 60-yards away, Flacco and the offense started way
back at their own 14. The Ravens were trying to move the ball, but the Steeler
defense came up big on back-to-back plays. On second down, James Farrior forced Joe Flacco into
LaMarr Woddley and No. 56 got his second sack. But fortunes really changed when
Flacco threw a pass to Derrick Mason on
third and 13 with hopes to move the chains. Troy Polamalu,
who had been dominant all game, undercut the route and thieved the ball. No. 43
zigged and zagged and ran from sideline to sideline before he made a beeline to
the end zone. In what was one of the most majestic plays in Steeler lore from a
player with a wrapped calf, the pick-six basically iced the game for
Pittsburgh. They would go on to win SB XLIII in even more memorable fashion two
weeks later.
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