Steelers Ohio
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Super Bowl IX Super Bowl IX was the 9th Super Bowl, the championship game of the National Football League (NFL). The game was played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana following the 1974 regular season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings, 16–6. This game matched two of the NFL's best defenses -- Pittsburgh's Steel Curtain against the Purple People Eaters of Minnesota -- and two legendary quarterbacks: Terry Bradshaw and Fran Tarkenton, respectively. Steelers running back Franco Harris, who ran for a Super Bowl record 158 yards and a touchdown, was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player. Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh advanced to their first Super Bowl and were playing for a league championship for the first time in team history. Their 73-year old owner Art Rooney founded the Steelers as a 1933 NFL expansion team, but suffered through losing seasons for most of its 42-year history. But in 1969, Rooney hired Chuck Noll to be the team's head coach and its fortunes started to turn. Noll rebuilt the Steelers through the NFL draft, selecting defensive tackle Joe Greene and defensive end L.C. Greenwood in his first season as head coach. In 1970, Noll drafted quarterback Terry Bradshaw and cornerback Mel Blount. In 1971, linebacker Jack Ham, defensive tackle Ernie Holmes, defensive tackle Dwight White, and defensive back Mike Wagner were selected by the team. Running back Franco Harris was drafted in 1972. And in 1974, the Steelers picked linebacker Jack Lambert and center Mike Webster. Bradshaw, Webster, and Harris ended up being hall of fame players on offense, while the others formed the core nucleus of their "Steel Curtain" defense. But en route to Super Bowl IX, the Steelers had started the regular season slowly, as Bradshaw and Joe Gilliam fought to be the team's starting quarterback. Gilliam had started for the first 4 games of the season, but Noll eventually made Bradshaw the starter. Although Bradshaw ended up completing only 67 out of 148 passes for 785 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, he helped lead the team to a 10-3-1 regular season record. But the Steelers main offensive weapon was running the ball. Harris rushed for 1,006 yards and 5 touchdowns, while also catching 23 passes for 200 yards and another touchdown. Running backs Rocky Bleier, Preston Pearson, and Steve Davis also made important contributions, gaining a combined total of 936 yards and 8 touchdowns. But the Steelers main strength during the season was their "Steel Curtain" defense, who led the league with the fewest total yards allowed (3,074) and the fewest passing yards allowed (1,466). Greene won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award for the second time in the last 3 seasons, and he and Greenwood were named to the Pro Bowl. Both of the team's outside linebackers, Ham and Andy Russell, had been also selected to play in the Pro Bowl, while Lambert already had 2 interceptions for 19 yards in his rookie year. And in the defensive backfield, Blount, Wagner, and Glen Edwards made an impact against opposing passing plays. Minnesota Vikings The Vikings came into the season trying to redeem themselves after Super Bowl VIII during the previous year when they became the first team ever to lose two Super Bowls (the other loss was in Super Bowl IV). Minnesota's powerful offense was still led by veteran quarterback Fran Tarkenton, who passed for 2,598 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Vikings' primary offensive weapon was running back Chuck Foreman, who lead the team in receptions with 53 for 586 yards and 6 touchdowns. He was also their leading rusher with 777 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns. Wide receiver Jim Lash was a major deep threat, with 32 receptions for 631 yards (a 19.7 yards per catch average). Fullback Dave Osborn contributed with 514 rushing yards, and 29 receptions for 196 yards. And the Vikings offensive line, led by future Hall of Fame left tackle Ron Yary, allowed only 17 sacks. Aided by the "Purple People Eaters" defense, lead by future hall of fame defensive linemen Carl Eller and Alan Page, and future hall of fame safety Paul Krause, the Vikings won the NFC Central for the 6th time in the last 7 years. Playoffs Minnesota allowed only a combined 24 points in their playoff wins against the St. Louis Cardinals, 34-10, and their narrow defeat of the Los Angeles Rams, 14-10, after their defense stopped an attempted comeback touchdown drive from the Rams on the Vikings' own 2-yard line. Meanwhile, the Steelers never faced the Miami Dolphins, who advanced to the previous 3 Super Bowls. While the Steelers defeated the Buffalo Bills, 32-14, in the first round, the Dolphins lost to the Oakland Raiders, 28-26, giving up Raiders running back Clarence Davis' 8-yard touchdown reception with 26 seconds left in the game in a play that became known as the Sea of Hands. The Steelers then won the the AFC Championship Game over the Raiders, 24-13. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Sports writers and fans predicted that Super Bowl IX would be a low scoring game because of each team's defenses. The Steelers' "Steel Curtain" had lead the AFC in fewest points allowed (189) and the Vikings' "Purple People Eaters" had only given up 195. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC with play-by-play announcer Curt Gowdy and color commentators Al DeRogatis and Don Meredith. The Grambling State University Band performed during both the pregame festivities and the national anthem. The halftime show was a tribute to American jazz composer, pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington, also featuring the Grambling State University Band along with Ellington's son Mercer. Game summary As many predicted, the game was low scoring; both teams failed to score a touchdown or a field goal until the third quarter and ended up with the second lowest total of combined points in Super Bowl history. However, Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" defense dominated the game, allowing only 119 yards of total offense and a Super Bowl low 17 rushing yards from the Vikings. Fran Tarkenton was held to only 11 out of 26 completions for 102 passing yards, no touchdown passes, and threw 3 interceptions. The Steelers also set a Super Bowl record by preventing the Vikings offense from scoring any points; Minnesota's only score came on a blocked punt, and their offense did not even score on the extra point attempt. The Steelers accomplished this with 2 backups: linebackers Ed Bradley and Loren Toews replaced injured starters Andy Russell and Jack Lambert for most of the second half. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh had 333 yards of total offense. The first quarter of the game was completely dominated by both teams defense. The Vikings were limited to 0 rushing yards, 20 passing yards, only 1 first down. The Steelers did slightly better with 15 passing yards, 64 rushing yards, and 4 first downs. Pittsburgh even managed to get close enough for their kicker Roy Gerela to attempt 2 field goals. But Gerela missed his first attempt, and the second one failed because of a bad snap. In the second quarter, the Vikings got an opportunity to score when they recovered a fumble from fullback Rocky Bleier at the Steelers 24-yard line. But they could only move the ball 2 yards in their next three plays, and then Vikings kicker Fred Cox missed a 39-yard field goal attempt. The first score of the game occurred later in the period, when fullback Dave Osborn fumbled a pitch from Tarkenton in Minnesota's own end zone. Tarkenton quickly dove on the ball to prevent a Steeler touchdown, but he was downed for a safety, giving Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead. The Vikings threatened to score again when Tarkenton led them on a 55-yard drive to the Steelers 20-yard line. With 1:17 left in the half, Tarkenton threw a pass to receiver John Gilliam at the 5-yard line, but Steelers safety Glen Edwards hit him just as he caught the ball. The ball popped out of his hands and right into the arms of Mel Blount for an interception. The half ended with the Steelers leading 2-0, the lowest halftime score in super bowl history. On the opening kickoff of the second half, Minnesota's Bill Brown lost a fumble, and the Steelers recovered the ball at the Vikings 30-yard line. Then, Harris moved the ball to the 6-yard line with a 24-yard run. Harris was then tackled for a 3-yard loss on the next play, but then made up for it with a 9-yard touchdown run after that, giving the Steelers a 9-0 lead. Later in the period, The Vinkings managed to drive to the Steelers 45-yard line, but the drive ended with no points after Steelers defensive lineman Joe Greene intercepted a pass from Tarkenton. Early in the fourth quarter, the Vikings got another scoring opportunity when Minnesota safety Paul Krause recovered a fumble from Harris on the Steelers 47-yard line. On the next play, a 42-yard pass interference penalty on Pittsburgh moved the ball up to the 5-yard line. But once again the Steelers stopped them on the next play; Greene forced and recovered a fumble on Chuck Foreman. However, Pittsburgh falied to get a first down on their next possession and was forced to punt from deep in their own territory. Minnesota defender Matt Blair burst through the line to block the punt, and Terry Brown recovered the ball in the endzone for touchdown. Cox missed the extra point, but the Vikings had cut their deficit to 9-6 and were just a field goal away from a tie. But on the ensuing drive, the Steelers put the game out of reach with a 66 yard, 11 play scoring drive that took 6:47 off the clock and featured 3 successful third down conversions. The first was a key 30-yard pass completion from Terry Bradshaw to tight end Larry Brown. Another third down pass to Bleier, who had already ran the ball each time on the last three plays, advanced the ball to the Vikings 5-yard line. The Steelers gained just 1 yard with their next 2 plays, but on third down Bradshaw's 4-yard touchdown pass to Brown gave the Steelers a 16-6 lead with only a few minutes left on the clock, effectively closing out the scoring. Harris finished the game with 34 carries for a Super Bowl record 158 yards and a touchdown. Bleier had 65 rushing yards, and 2 receptions for 11 yards. Bradshaw completed 9 out of 14 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Foreman was the Viking's top offensive contributor, finishing the game as the team's leading rusher and receiver with 18 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards. Scoring summary PIT- Safety, White tackled Tarkenton in end zone PIT- Harris 9 run (Gerela kick) MIN- T. Brown recovered blocked punt in end zone (kick failed) PIT- Brown 4 pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)
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