NFL playoffs, 1979–80

The NFL playoffs following the 1979 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIV.NFL seeds 1978-1989
AFC 1 = San Diego Chargers
AFC 1 div = West
AFC 2 = Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC 2 div = Central
AFC 3 = Miami Dolphins
AFC 3 div = East
AFC 4 = Houston Oilers
AFC 5 = Denver Broncos
NFC 1 = Dallas Cowboys
NFC 1 div = East
NFC 2 = Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC 2 div = Central
NFC 3 = Los Angeles Rams
NFC 3 div = West
NFC 4 = Philadelphia Eagles
NFC 5 = Chicago Bears

"Note: The Dallas Cowboys (the NFC 1 seed) did not play the Philadelphia Eagles (the 4 seed) in the Divisional playoff round because both teams were in the same division."

Wild Card playoffs

December 23, 1979

AFC: Houston Oilers 13, Denver Broncos 7

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Broncos
R1=7
R2=0
R3=0
R4=0
RT=7
Home=Oilers
H1=3
H2=7
H3=0
H4=3
HT=13

"at Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas"

*TV: NBC

The Oilers managed to shut down the Broncos offense for most of the game en route to a 13-7 win. After Toni Fritsch kicked a 31-yard field goal on Houston's first drive, Denver marched 80 yards in 13 plays to score on quarterback Craig Morton's 7-yard touchdown pass to running back Dave Preston. From that point on, the Oilers controlled the rest of the game. With less than 3 minutes left in the first half, Houston advanced 74 yards to score on running back Earl Campbell's 3-yard touchdown run. Although Campbell and starting quarterback Dan Pastorini were both knocked out the game during the second half with injuries, the Oilers defense continued to dominate. In the fourth quarter, an interception by linebacker Gregg Bingham set up Fritsch's 20-yard field goal to close out the scoring.

*Scoring
**HOU - field goal Fritsch 31 HOU 3-0
**DEN - Preston 7 pass from Morton (Turner kick) DEN 7-3
**HOU - Campbell 3 run (Fritsch kick) HOU 10-7
**HOU - field goal Fritsch 20 HOU 13-7

NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 27, Chicago Bears 17

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Bears
R1=7
R2=10
R3=0
R4=0
RT=17
Home=Eagles
H1=7
H2=3
H3=7
H4=10
HT=27

"at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia"

*TV: CBS

Eagles Quarterback Ron Jaworski threw for 204 yards and 3 touchdown passes as Philadelphia overcame a 17-10 Bears halftime lead. The Eagles scored first when Jaworski threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Harold Carmichael. Chicago responded with an 82-yard drive to score on running back Walter Payton's 2-yard rushing touchdown. Then after Philadelphia added a field goal, Payton scored again on a 1-yard touchdown to give the Bears a 17-10 lead. In the third quarter, Carmichael's 29-yard touchdown reception tied the game. Then on their next drive, Chicago advanced deep into Philadelphia territory only to see Bobby Howard intercept a pass in the end zone. A few plays later, Jaworski threw a 63-yard touchdown to running back Billy Campfield to take the lead for good. Carmichael finished the game with 6 receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

*Scoring
**PHI - Carmichael 17 pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 7-0
**CHI - Payton 2 run (Thomas kick) 7-7
**PHI - field goal Franklin 29 PHI 10-7
**CHI - Payton 1 run (Thomas kick) CHI 14-10
**CHI - field goal Thomas 30 CHI 17-10
**PHI - Carmichael 29 pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) 17-17
**PHI - Campfield 63 pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 24-17
**PHI - field goal Franklin 34 PHI 27-17

Divisional playoffs

December 29, 1979

AFC: Houston Oilers 17, San Diego Chargers 14

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Oilers
R1=0
R2=10
R3=7
R4=0
RT=17
Home=Chargers
H1=7
H2=0
H3=7
H4=0
HT=14

"at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego"

*TV: NBC

The Oilers offense, playing without starting quarterback Dan Pastorini, receiver Ken Burrough, and running back Earl Campbell, could only generate 259 yard compared to San Diego's 385. But they still won the game, largely due to the effort of rookie safety Vernon Perry, who set a playoff record with 4 interceptions as the Oilers defeated the Chargers, 17-14. In his first career playoff game, Chargers future hall of fame quarterback Dan Fouts threw for 333 yards, but was intercepted 5 times. The Chargers high powered offense scored on their first possession of the game and of the second half but turnovers prevented further scoring.

San Diego scored first on running back Clarence Williams' 1-yard rushing touchdown, but on the Chargers' next drive, Perry intercepted a pass at the Houston 18-yard line. In the second quarter, Perry blocked a field goal attempt and returned the ball 57 yards to the San Diego 28-yard line, setting up Toni Fritsch's 26-yard field goal. Perry recorded another interception on the Chargers 38-yard line on the ensuing possession, and Boobie Clark ran for a 1-yard touchdown to give the Oilers a 10-7 lead. In the third period, San Diego regained the lead with running back Lydell Mitchell's 8-yard touchdown run. However, Houston defensive back J.C. Wilson's interception later set up Mike Renfro's 47-yard touchdown reception to take the lead for good. Perry recorded two more interceptions as the Oilers defense shut down the Chargers offense for the rest of the game.

After the game, it was revealed that the Oiler coaching staff was able to figure out the Chargers' coaches' signs as they signaled the play call from the sideline; this was one reason their defensive backs seemed to always be in the right place at the right time. "We pretty much knew ahead of time when they were going to pass" said Oilers defensive coordinator Ed Biles. [http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/NFLplayoffperform.html]

*Scoring
**SD - Williams 1 run (Wood kick) SD 7-0
**HOU - field goal Fritsch 26 SD 7-3
**HOU - Clark 1 run (Fritsch kick) HOU 10-7
**SD - Mitchell 8 run (Wood kick) SD 14-10
**HOU - Renfro 47 pass from Nielsen (Fritsch kick) HOU 17-14

NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, Philadelphia Eagles 17

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Eagles
R1=0
R2=7
R3=3
R4=7
RT=17
Home=Buccaneers
H1=7
H2=10
H3=0
H4=7
HT=24

"at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida"

*TV: CBS

The Buccaneers won their first playoff game in team history by holding the Eagles to 48 rushing yards, while running back Ricky Bell recorded 142 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. Tampa Bay marched on an 18-play, 80-yard opening drive that took 9:34 off the clock to score on Bell's 4-yard touchdown run. Then after the Buccaneers added a field goal, defensive lineman Randy Crowder recovered a fumble which led to Bell's 1-yard touchdown to give Tampa Bay a 17-0 advantage. The Eagles scored just before halftime with quarterback Ron Jaworski's 11-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Smith, then they added a field goal in the third quarter to make the score 17-10. However, quarterback Doug Williams threw a 9-yard touchdown to Jimmie Giles to increase Tampa Bay's lead, 24-10. Although Philadelphia scored a late touchdown, they could not overcome the deficit before time expired.

*Scoring
**TB - Bell 4 run (O'Donoghue kick) TB 7-0
**TB - field goal O'Donoghue 40 TB 10-0
**TB - Bell 1 run (O'Donoghue kick) TB 17-0
**PHI - Smith 11 pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) TB 17-7
**PHI - field goal Franklin 42 17-10
**TB - Giles 9 pass from Williams (O'Donoghue kick) TB 24-10
**PHI - Carmichael 37 pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) TB 24-17

December 30, 1979

AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Miami Dolphins 14

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Dolphins
R1=0
R2=0
R3=7
R4=7
RT=14
Home=Steelers
H1=20
H2=0
H3=7
H4=7
HT=34

"at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania"

*Game time: 12:30 PM EST
*Game weather:
*Game attendance: 50,214
*Referee:
*TV: (NBC) Don Criqui (play-by-play), John Brodie (color commentator)

The Steelers scored 20 points in the first quarter and held the Dolphins to 25 rushing yards. Miami future hall of fame running back Larry Csonka was held to just 20 rushing yards on 10 carries in the final game of his career, while Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw for 230 yards and 2 touchdowns. On the opening drive of the game, Pittsburgh marched 62 yards to score on running back Sidney Thornton's 1-yard touchdown run. On their second possession, the Steelers advanced 62 yards again to score on wide receiver John Stallworth's 17-yard touchdown reception (although the extra point was blocked). And on their third drive, wide receiver Lynn Swann made a 20-yard touchdown reception. Miami finally scored in the third quarter after a muffed punt led to quarterback Bob Griese's 7-yard touchdown pass to Duriel Harris. However, the Steelers responded by advancing 69 yards to score on running back Rocky Bleier's 1-yard touchdown. Running back Franco Harris' 5-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach.

*Scoring
**PIT - Thornton 1 run (Bahr kick) PIT 7-0
**PIT - Stallworth 17 pass from Bradshaw (kick blocked) PIT 13-0
**PIT - Swann 20 pass from Bradshaw (Bahr kick) PIT 20-0
**MIA - D. Harris 7 pass from Griese (von Schamann kick) PIT 20-7
**PIT - Bleier 1 run (Bahr kick) PIT 27-7
**PIT - F. Harris 5 run (Bahr kick) PIT 34-7
**MIA - Csonka 1 run (von Schamann kick) PIT 34-14

NFC: Los Angeles Rams 21, Dallas Cowboys 19

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Rams
R1=0
R2=14
R3=0
R4=7
RT=21
Home=Cowboys
H1=2
H2=3
H3=7
H4=7
HT=19

"at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas"

*TV: CBS
*Referee: Jerry Markbreit

Nobody gave the aging Rams much of a chance in this game, especially considering that the Cowboys had soundly defeated L.A. during the regular season, 30-6, and had shut them out in last season's NFC title game, 28-0.

Quarterback Vince Ferragamo led the Rams to a victory by throwing for 3 touchdown passes, the last one with 2:06 left in the game. The Cowboys scored first when defensive tackle Randy White sacked Ferragamo in the end zone for a safety. However, Ferragamo responded by throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass to running back Wendell Tyler. Dallas kicker Rafael Septien kicked a 33-yard field goal with 52 seconds left in the first half, but Ferragamo completed a 43-yard touchdown pass to Ron Smith before time expired to make it a 14-5 halftime lead. The Cowboys, led by quarterback Roger Staubach in what proved to be his last NFL game of his hall of fame career, then scored 2 unanswered touchdowns in the second half to take the lead, 19-14. With about 2 minutes left in the game and the Rams at midfield, Ferragamo found wide receiver Billy Waddy on a short crossing route and Waddy sprinted the rest of the way for a game winning 50-yard touchdown. Staubach was unable to engineer a late fourth quarter comeback like the ones that made him famous throughout his career. The Rams defense forced a sack, and then pressured the Dallas quarterback to throw a pass illegally to an ineligible receiver, guard Herbert Scott, on fourth down; the last pass of his career.

*Scoring
**DAL - Safety, R. White tackled Ferragamo in end zone DAL 2-0
**LA - Tyler 32 pass from Ferragamo (Corral kick) LA 7-2
**DAL - field goal Septien 33 LA 7-5
**LA - R. Smith 43 pass from Ferragamo (Corral kick) LA 14-5
**DAL - Springs 1 run (Septien kick) LA 14-12
**DAL - Saldi 2 pass from Staubach (Septien kick) DAL 19-14
**LA - Waddy 50 pass from Ferragamo (Corral kick) LA 21-19

Conference Championships

January 6, 1980

AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Houston Oilers 13

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Oilers
R1=7
R2=3
R3=0
R4=3
RT=13
Home=Steelers
H1=3
H2=14
H3=0
H4=10
HT=27

"at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania"

*Game time: 1:00 PM EST
*Game weather:
*Game attendance: 50,475
*Referee: Jim Tunney
*TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg (play-by-play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

The Steelers held the Oilers to only 24 rushing yards, but was also aided by a controversial non-touchdown call to come away with a 27-13 win. Houston jumped to a 7-0 lead with just 2:30 into the game when Vernon Perry returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown. Then after the teams exchanged field goals, Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw completed two touchdown passes, a 16-yarder to tight end Bennie Cunningham and a 20-yard one to wide receiver John Stallworth.

With the Steelers leading 17-10, the controversial play occurred during the last seconds of the third quarter after the Oilers advanced to the Pittsburgh 6-yard line. Quarterback Dan Pastorini threw a pass to Mike Renfro at the back of the end zone, and Renfro appeared to have caught it for a touchdown with both feet in bounds before he fell out of the end zone. However, the officials ruled the pass incomplete, saying that he did not have complete control of the ball before going out of bounds. The Houston Oilers then had to settle for a 23-yard field goal.

The Steelers would then score 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory. A 78-yard drive ended with a field goal and running back Rocky Bleier scored on a 4-yard rushing touchdown. Steelers running back Franco Harris rushed for 85 yards and caught 6 passes for 50 yards. Houston running back Earl Campbell, the NFL's leading rusher during the season, finished the game with just 15 yards on 17 carries.

*Scoring
**HOU - Perry 75 intercpetion return (Fritsch kick) HOU 7-0
**PIT - field goal Bahr 21 HOU 7-3
**HOU - field goal Fritsch 27 HOU 10-3
**PIT - Cunningham 16 pass from Bradshaw (Bahr kick) 10-10
**PIT - Stallworth 20 pass from Bradshaw (Bahr kick) PIT 17-10
**HOU - field goal Fritsch 23 PIT 17-13
**PIT - field goal Bahr 39 PIT 20-13
**PIT - Bleier 4 run (Bahr kick) PIT 27-13

NFC: Los Angeles Rams 9, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Rams
R1=0
R2=6
R3=0
R4=3
RT=9
Home=Buccaneers
H1=0
H2=0
H3=0
H4=0
HT=0

"at Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida"

*TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
*Referee: Pat Haggerty

In a defensive battle in which the Rams squandered numerous scoring opportunities, Rams kicker Frank Corral kicked 3 field goals to win the game. Los Angeles was able to record 369 yards of total offense, while running backs Cullen Bryant and Wendell Tyler rushed for 106 and 86 yards, respectively. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers only had 177 total offensive yards, including 92 rushing yards and 85 passing yards. Most of Tampa Bay's passing yards came from a 42-yard halfback option pass from Jerry Eckwood to wide receiver Larry Mucker in the fourth quarter. During the game, two touchdowns were nullified by penalties, one by each team: A four yard run by Bryant and a 27-yard reception by Buccaneers' tight end Jimmie Giles.

*Scoring
**LA - field goal Corral 19 LA 3-0
**LA - field goal Corral 21 LA 6-0
**LA - field goal Corral 23 LA 9-0

uper Bowl

January 20, 1980

Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) 31, Los Angeles Rams (NFC) 19, at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

Bracket

NFLBracket 1978-1989
RD4=Super Bowl XIV
G1=NFC
G2=AFC
December 23 - Veterans Stadium|5|Chicago|17|4|Philadelphia|27
December 23 - Astrodome|5|Denver|7|4|Houston|13
December 30 - Texas Stadium|3|L.A. Rams|21|1*|Dallas|19
December 29 - Tampa Stadium|4|Philadelphia|17|2*|Tampa Bay|24
December 29 - Jack Murphy Stadium|4|Houston|17|1|San Diego|14
December 30 - Three Rivers Stadium|3|Miami|14|2|Pittsburgh|34
January 6 - Tampa Stadium|3|L.A. Rams|9|2|Tampa Bay|0
January 6 - Three Rivers Stadium|4|Houston|13|2|Pittsburgh|27
January 20 - Rose Bowl|N3|L.A. Rams|19|A2|Pittsburgh|31

References

*"Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League" (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
*"The Sporting News Complete Super Bowl Book 1995" (ISBN 0-89204-523-X)