This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history.
The Pittsburgh Steelers faced the San Diego Chargers at Jack Murphy Stadium on Monday night football during week 16 of the 1980 NFL season.
The Steelers were the defending back-to-back Super Bowl champions under head coach Chuck Noll, but struggled in 1980, missing the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons.
San Diego was on the other side of success. They qualified for the playoffs in 1979 for the first time in 13 years under the guidance of head coach Don Coriel.
They were still flying high in 1980, needing a win in this game to lock up the AFC West.
This audio recording is from the CBS Radio broadcast featuring announcers Jack Buck and Hank Stram.
CBS Radio Sports presents a National Football League AFC battle between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Diego Chargers.
Hello everybody, I'm Dick Stockton along with Jack Buck, Hank Stram and Brent Musburger.
Together we'll bring you all the action and excitement of tonight's game, sponsored by English Leather Colon and Aftershave, Budweiser, Pennzoil Motor Oil.
By the copier division of Sharp Electronics Corporation.
By Buick and your Buick dealer. Levi's jeans, Bayer aspirin and by Express Mail Next Day Service.
The final playoff berth in the National Football League is at stake as the Steelers and Chargers get ready to conclude the regular season in just a few minutes in San Diego Stadium.
Before yesterday's action, the postseason picture was a maze of possibilities, but that's no longer the case.
The story tonight is simple. If the Chargers defeat the Steelers, they are the AFC Western Division champions for the second straight year and will advance to the playoffs.
However, should Pittsburgh beat San Diego, the season is over for the Chargers.
Here's how it works. A Chargers victory gives them the division title over Oakland by virtue of a tiebreaker.
Both teams would finish with identical records of 10 and 6.
The Raiders would be a wild card entry.
A Chargers loss gives Oakland the AFC Western crown and then the New England Patriots would gain the playoffs as a wild card team under tiebreaking procedures.
Now a deadlock tonight makes the Chargers a wild card team.
But basically San Diego has to win to survive and they have to win against the Steelers who saw their faint playoff hopes vanish yesterday and will be on the outside looking in for the first time in nine years.
More after this message.
The only thing that may need trimming right now is the Christmas tree, but next year there will be plenty of grass and weeds to take care of.
Hi, Pat Summer also suggests you give the Weed Eater Model 807 electric trimmer from True Value Hardware stores.
It quickly cuts a 14-inch path along sidewalks, fences, and driveways, and the exclusive tap and go line advance makes it even easier on its user.
This Christmas, give the gift that's appreciated now for the work it'll do later.
The Weed Eater electric trimmer from participating True Value Hardware stores and home centers.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll promises no wholesale housecleaning when the four-time world champions try to get their act together again next season.
It has become a popular pastime and will continue to be to analyze and dissect where the Steelers fell down this year.
But Noll's refusal to panic is an indication of the man. In his very first season back in 1969, when the Steelers finished 1-13, Noll never lost his poise, his perspective, or his sense of purpose.
He was the same this year despite the problems and the ultimate failure of his club to make the playoffs.
For a team to know the success the Steelers have experienced, it is not easy to face the consequences of 1980.
And here's what All-Pro Center Mike Webster says about that.
Disappointment is probably not a strong enough word.
You know, we've been successful the last eight years. We've been in the playoffs.
It was something that we took for granted, but I thought we missed that little bit of intensity.
All year long, that's gotten us over the hump in the past in the tight, tough, close games.
And there's no excuse and no reason for us to let down because we respected our opponents.
We knew what they were capable of, and yet we didn't meet the challenger past the test.
And that's something that's going to be hard to swallow during the offseason.
Mike Webster, the Steelers' center and their only Pro Bowl member on offense this season, what a difference a year makes.
The Steelers' incentives in this one are the obvious.
Pride, finishing on a high note, a 10-6 record, knocking the Chargers out of the postseason playoffs.
Individually, Frank O'Harris needs 241 yards to wind up with 1,000 yards rushing for the seventh straight time.
It'll be tough, and Chuck Noll can move ahead of one of his former mentors, Sid Gilman, as the NFL's ninth all-time winningest coach.
And we'll have the San Diego picture in just a moment.
The Sun Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the Senior Bowl.
From CBS Radio Sports comes postseason college play at its finest on most of these stations.
On Saturday, December 27th, we take you to El Paso for the Sun Bowl, as Mississippi State takes on the Cornhuskers of Nebraska.
Dick Stockton handles the play-by-play and Roman Gabriel the analysis and color.
Then it's on to the Cotton Bowl for this traditional New Year's Day game.
Jack Buck and Hank Stram will be there for play-by-play and color, as the Southwest Conference champs, the Baylor Bears, try to hold back the Crimson Tide of Alabama.
On Saturday, January 17th, the Senior Bowl, as top college seniors from around the country show their grid-iron skill.
Jim Kelly calls the play-by-play with Bill Wilkerson covering common and color.
So get in on all this great postseason college play with CBS Radio Sports on most of these stations.
The Sun Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the Senior Bowl. Hear them here.
It has been a dazzling season for the San Diego Chargers, particularly on offense.
The quarterback Dan Fouts has already broken his own record for most passing yards in a season, and he's established a new NFL mark going over 300 yards in the air seven times this season.
On the other end, there's tight end Kellen Winslow, who has caught 79 of Dan Fouts' passes, the most ever by a tight end in the NFL.
With John Jefferson also with 79 receptions, and Charlie Joyner with 68, it is a spectacular array indeed.
Now Chuck Muncie has come on to give San Diego the balance with the running attack they didn't have earlier, and it all adds up to the number one offense in the AFC.
Defensively, the Chargers are not nearly as impressive, despite leading the NFL in quarterback sacks.
Three of their defensive linemen are heading for the Pro Bowl, including Louis Kelcher, who was injured and didn't play last year.
Kelcher looks upon the importance of this game in this way.
We're up for this game, you know, the biggest game of the year for us. This is for all the marbles.
We knew it was going to be close all the way down the wire, and we're just glad to be in a position that we are.
We could be completely out of it by now, like a lot of teams are.
So we're grateful to be 10 and 5 and coming home and playing many night's footballers at Pittsburgh, and winning this will mean the division.
The Chargers, Louis Kelcher, named to the Pro Bowl along with Fred Dean and San Diego's top pass rusher, Gary Johnson.
Dean, however, may miss tonight's game due to the death of his young daughter.
Back with a final word in just a moment.
Despite the Steelers' obvious pride and intent to finish the season on a positive note, it's San Diego playing at home with the same opportunity Buffalo and Cleveland had yesterday,
a chance to win their game and become division champions.
The Bills and Browns did just that. Now we'll see if the San Diego Chargers are hungry and have what it takes to follow suit.
In just one minute, we'll be going to Jack Buck and Hank Stram in San Diego Stadium for football action.
Until next time, this is Dick Stockton, CBS Radio Sports.
At right end, number 75, Go Green. At right end, number 64, Steve Brunette. At right end, number 76, John Vanizak.
It's 24 degrees at WNIX under a partly cloudy sky. This is WNIX, Yankton, South Dakota, your big friend for sports in the Midwest.
And now with the play-by-play of this evening's game between Pittsburgh and San Diego, here's Jack Buck and Hank Stram.
At right corner, at number 29, Ron Johnson. At right corner, at number 47, Bell Run.
At number 31, Donnie Schell. At number 23, from the San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California, on the CBS Radio Network,
and around the world with American Forces Radio, CBS Radio presents the final 1980 Monday Night National Football League game with the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers taking on the San Diego Chargers.
Good evening everyone, this is Jack Buck along with Hank Stram. And we'll be bringing you all the action and excitement of tonight's game.
About 55,000 fans are here. And you can tell that. The temperature is 60 degrees. The Steelers have already been introduced.
The defensive unit of the San Diego Chargers being introduced at the moment. And the Chargers song this evening is all or nothing at all.
They're either the division champions or they are out of the playoffs altogether. This big crowd greets Louis Culture, their favorite defensive lineman.
This broadcast is presented by the authority of the National Football League. It is intended for the private use of our audience.
Any rebroadcast or other use of this broadcast without the express written consent of the San Diego Chargers is prohibited.
We're at the San Diego Stadium in San Diego. The Chargers are hosting the Steelers. We'll hear from Hank Stram and we'll continue in just one moment.
Hank Stram, this has to be a good football game. And from the Charger viewpoint, I would hate to go on the field knowing that I had to beat a team as good as the Pittsburgh Steelers.
They're out of the playoffs. They've been in the playoffs nine years in a row until this year. And going out there knowing you have to beat them is a handful, isn't it?
It really is. And thank goodness from the San Diego standpoint, really that they don't have Starworth, they don't have Smith, they lost some offensive people.
And for that reason, why they haven't been nearly as efficient as they've been in the past, but they're still a very good football team.
And on a one game basis, as you say, boy, they can always be very tough.
And tonight they've lost the linebacker Dennis Winston with the flu. And Randy Grossman has a bad back and Benny Cunningham will be starting.
The referee is Jim Cunningham. He brings the co-captains to the center of the field for the coin toss. The visiting Steelers will call the toss.
We have a grass field here at San Diego Stadium. Little or no wind advantage. Whoever wins the toss will take the ball.
The coin is in the air. The Steelers call it and the Steelers have won it.
The Steelers will receive. Both teams are on the field and shortly we'll have the opening kickoff.
Ralph Fenerska will kick it off. The deep man is Larry Anderson. He's averaged 28 yards plus for a kick return.
He is flanked by Greg Hawthorne and Frank Pollard. San Diego kicking off from our right to our left to get this game started.
San Diego Hank looks like they're up on the clouds and Pittsburgh looks like they're right down on the grass emotionally.
You really have to be careful from an emotional standpoint when you get so high that you don't know when you're going to come back down.
In the process you might get yourself in serious trouble.
Here's the kick to Anderson on the nine. To the 15 running right, to the 20, to the 25 getting outside to the 27 yard line.
Downfield was Glenn Edwards as he frequently is for San Diego to make the tackle at the 27 yard line of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The first thing I think is very important as far as the beginning of this football game.
I think that if I were the coach of the San Diego Chargers I would feel much, much better about starting the game playing defensively
than I would if I had to take the ball off into 75 or 80 yards because the emotional level is very high and you can make a big mistake on offense and get yourself in serious trouble.
Sal and Swanner to the left. Flyer and Harris are in the backfield for Jerry Bradshaw. The up man is Cranko Harris got only a yard over the right side.
Filling in very quickly was Ray Preston the outside linebacker. He jammed things right back at Louis Keltcher and Harris got only one yard.
And we should acknowledge the appearance here of Rocky Flyer at the outset. Hank what a fine individual and a great football player he's been.
Yes and Pittsburgh is going to miss him and professional football is going to miss a great player and a person like Rocky Flyer.
Right into Benny Cunningham he's on the right side. I think we're going to see Pittsburgh try to throw their backs more than they have in the past.
They like to throw the ball downfield. Here's Rocky Flyer out to the 31 yard line and he was felted by Woody Lowe the outside linebacker.
It is going to be third down and five.
The one thing that Pittsburgh Steelers cannot afford to do is get themselves in trouble by not making yardage on first and 10.
They have to stay out of the third and long situations because the defensive line of the San Diego Chargers is big and strong and they can really control the line of scrimmage and really get after the passers on the obvious passing situations.
Third and five from the Steeler 31 the tight end to Cunningham is out for the additional wide receiver.
Calvin Sweeney is in Bradshaw back to throw a lot of time. Steps up and throws. Oh the middle and it's caught at the 45 yard line of San Diego by Theo Bell.
And there's nothing wrong with Bradshaw's iron even though it's late in the year. Brother he threw a fastball.
Bell went high and caught it and he was tackled immediately and they give him forward progress down to the 43 yard line of San Diego.
Bradshaw was trying to throw the ball to Rocky Blyer the linebacker the left linebacker on that side knocked him right to the turf.
He had no chance as Ray Preston 52. He went inside to Theo Bell and he made the big play.
And the first down at the San Diego 43 yard line. Split bags Harrison Blyer.
Right handed back in there Blyer all over the left side breaks it inside the 35 yard line down there the 34. And he got a quick five yards.
Mike Puller was playing the safety spot with Glenn Edwards came up and made the hit.
I think the common feeling the Pittsburgh Steelers like the trap especially in even spacing even spacing meaning that you have two tackles over the offensive guards and a middle linebacker off the ball.
I think they feel they can go after Bob Horn the middle linebacker and they've done a pretty good job of it so far.
Blyer picked up nine yards and it is second down and one from the 34 and it's Franco Harris for a first down down to the 30 yard line of San Diego.
And he was tackled by DeJournay who was playing in place of Fred Dean at the defensive end spot and the Chargers will miss Fred Dean here.
They really will and Ted Peterson the offensive left tackle number 66 of the San Diego Chargers. I guarantee he feels much much better playing against DeJournay than he would against Dean because Dean is really a snoot for.
11 55 remaining in the first quarter no score. Pittsburgh has held the ball from the outset there at the 30 yard line of the Chargers.
And on first down here is Bradshaw going to throw on first down a lot of times and looks now throws and it is caught inside the 20 yard line for another first down for the Steelers and the hit was made immediately by the cornerback Willie Buchanan.
Lynn Swan went high and caught it. Buchanan dropped him and the ball is now resting at the 18 yard line of San Diego.
Very good march by Pittsburgh very good march by Pittsburgh and that time they ran a play action pass. Bradshaw had all the time in the world to throw the ball did a good job of reconnoitering the area.
Finally threw the ball to the outside to Swan and they're now in a great position to win and get some scoring to score some points on this very first drive of the game.
They're at the 18 they haven't put any pressure on Bradshaw. He was now at the 18 yard line of San Diego and on first down he gives the ball to Franco Harris following a block by Blyer he gets three yards to the 15 Woody Lowe tackled him along with Louis Keltcher.
He waited for Blyer's block and Harris picked up three.
That was a counter play. He took a step to the right with the express purpose of making the linebacker the middle linebacker stay at home so that a guard or a tackle to get a good block on him. Then he went back to the left side.
Blyer did a good job of blocking the linebacker and he popped through there for three yards. Oh boy they're rooting for the Steelers in New England.
The ball is at the 15 yard line and it is second down and seven for Pittsburgh. Oh gold trousers black stripe black jersey black helmets and a delay to Franco Harris over the right side.
He moves down to about the 12 yard line. It'll bring about a third down play Leroy Jones tackle him he's the biggest man up front.
He and Louis Keltcher but Jones is 6 8 2 60 and it's going to be third down and four for Pittsburgh and talking about New England very happy to hear today that they gave Ron Erhard a new contract.
I think he's very deserving and I think that eventually they're going to do a super job there with the great talent they have in New England.
But they'll be through for the year unless Pittsburgh can upset San Diego here tonight. The ball is at the 12 it's third and four.
Steelers have kept the ball for more than five minutes. Brad John third down and four is straight back to throw.
There's no pressure he throws into the end zone and incomplete and a flag. No flag no flag.
I thought the official was reaching for it. Benny Cunningham is really complaining.
Cunningham is really complaining about the actions of Mike Williams over there on the corner and I thought the official was reaching in his pocket for that flag.
I think it was the reason for his comb on to comb his hair Jack Cunningham came up beeping about the call and into the game with Matt Far he's kicked off out of his last 14 he's kicked 18 out of 26.
The ball will be held by the punter cold quit Bradshaw two out of three.
He missed that one in the end zone and the field goal try by the soccer style kicker Matt Far the ball at the 19 and 29 yard drive.
Good snap good set and another it went off to the left and the Steelers failed to score. Matt Far has been hot but he missed that one 928 left in the quarter.
The ball will come out to the 20 the Chargers get it for the first time and we'll see some fireworks now with the score nothing nothing let's take time out.
Well you would have figured the Steelers would come away with some points I thought it was a good enough snap and set didn't you Hank?
Oh yeah he just kicked the ball crooked my little daughter won after one of our games in Kansas City.
We missed the field goal and she came back after the game she said dad how come the kicker kicked the ball so crooked.
That's the opposite of straight here's Fouts with Chuck Munsee the lone setback two tight ends.
Kellen Winslow and Greg McCrary for San Diego and a first down pass by Fouts what's new over the middle caught up to 25 and then dropped and stripped of the ball was Winslow and Ron Johnson the little quarterback climbed his frame he had the ball but then dropped it.
You know I missed a five yard game.
Excuse me Jack one thing that you cannot do against the Pittsburgh Steelers you just can't line up in a vanilla formation basic formations without any movement and expect to beat Pittsburgh because they're big and strong do an excellent job of putting pressure
using a pressure kind of defense on past defense.
You've got to move their strong safety Donnie Shell around some and to keep him out of the running game.
Here's the running game of San Diego Munsee sweeping right comes out for four yards and hit hard at the 24 yard line by Donnie Shell.
Shell is the strong safety a very good tackler and it's going to be third down and six Pittsburgh up front is playing LC Greenwood Joe Green Steve Brunette John Banizak the linebackers Jack Ham Jack Lambert and Lauren Taves
the cornerbacks are Ron Johnson and Mel Blunt Donnie Shell and Mike Wagner are the safety net.
You know one thing about the stealer defense their seventh internal defense very good against the rush and 12 against the pass which means they haven't done a good job of rushing the passer during the course of this 80 season.
Motion by Jefferson fouls with a quick pass it's caught by Winslow for a first down across the 35 yard line out to the 39 yard line and he was tackled by Wagner.
That Winslow is 6 6 2 52 that's the 80th pass he has caught this year and he's going to be one of the keys to the game because they throw the ball to him from so many different formations and so many different looks.
You don't know where he's coming from and it's very difficult to be very difficult with Donnie Shell when they get him one on one to cover him on any passing situation.
Pittsburgh kept the ball for five minutes 32 seconds missed a field goal the Chargers just got their first first down here is Muncie popping it out to the 45.
He is out to the 47 and near the 48 with a strong power run over the right side and he carried for about eight yards on the first down run Jack Lambert and Donnie Shell Mike Wagner were all there for the hit.
You know they changed their personality a little bit since they got Chuck Muncie Jack. They used to be a one one backfield formation and that one back was always the fullback.
Now because once he had such an outstanding dimension to their attack he's the guy that occupies that deep position has really done a good job.
It is second down and one at the San Diego 48 motion by Winslow and here's a gift to Muncie gets a first down he's out to midfield and beyond to the 49.
A first out for San Diego Hanks the Steelers are using the back when Woodruff on every down and why not because San Diego pearls and almost every now.
That's exactly right and with five defensive backs however you miss a linebacker and that one defensive back has to play like a linebacker.
If you run the ball more than you expected you were expected to run the ball. They're going to have some success from that standpoint.
We have 659 remaining in the scoreless first quarter and the clock is running the balls at midfield and a charger first down.
They're clad in white with a gold trouser. Jefferson goes in motion.
Bouts gives to Muncie coming outside to the left comes to the 45 and he is out of bounds at the 44 yard line of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mel Blunt shoved him out.
That time was a great illustration of how they're trying to control Donnie Shell. Normally he's up close to the line of scrimmage and is ready to murder against the run.
That time they send Jefferson in motion to the left and he was about 12 yards off the ball when the ball was snapped and that's where you want him because he can't tackle anybody when he's down the field 12 yards.
Muncie got six and it's second and four from the Pittsburgh 44 no score. Six forty three left in the quarter.
Look at all the movement and look where Shell is. He's about 12 yards deep. Double covers on the outside people. Somebody inside.
Bouts goes over the middle and it is in it. It's incomplete and almost picked off by Donnie Shell. Shell should have intercepted it. He has seven this year.
He tried to float it out there to Kellan Winslow. Hadn't turned around and that was on a second down play and it's going to be third down.
And if you notice the absence of flags that's far this game. Yeah. Kind of fun to watch a game where you don't have to look like look at the game like a tennis match and try to figure out where the flag is going to be thrown.
Third and four from the 44. And here are a couple of first downs in this drive. Ron Smith is a wide receiver.
Muncie is out. Mike Thomas is in the backfield for the Chargers. He can catch the ball.
Now here comes Shell. Look how deep he is. Here's Bob's going to throw. He throws off to the right and it is caught for a first down inside the 40 yard line.
Back on the immediately by Woodruff and it'll be another first down. And it was Kellan Winslow with another reception.
Yeah it's fun to watch this because Donnie Shell who has to cover has to cover him man for man usually was in the middle of the formation.
Wasn't even close to him on the play. They're using the five defensive backs as you mentioned. But Donnie Shell they're negating his alignment and the great thing that he does from a defensive standpoint.
Neither team has applied pressure to the passer thus far in this game. Now they're all looking at Pittsburgh and watching the man go in motion.
The ball's at the 38 off the Steelers and a first down for Pouch. He's going to put it up. He sets up and throws one over the middle and Jefferson caught incomplete at the 10 yard line.
And he was walloped by Mike Wagner. They tried to catch him with one hand. That's all he could do. And Wagner unloaded on him and the ball fell to the turf at the 10.
Now that's an interesting mismatch there. They finally wound up with Jefferson running a pattern down the middle and Donnie Shell trying to cover him man for man.
He had some help from the inside. Had he not had that help he'd have made a big play.
The Steelers secondary had been burned frequently this year. Other teams have been able to move the ball through the air 204 yards per game and a 52 percent passing completion.
But 26 interceptions by the Steelers. Second down and 10. From the Pittsburgh 38 Pouch on a delay to Muncie.
Muncie stretches out to the 35 yard line and it'll be third down and seven. And Muncie is doing a much better job of keeping the ball close to his body and not swinging it out away from his body like he has in some of the other games that we've seen him play.
He has to practice and rehearse that every day of the week because he has some bad habits as far as hearing the football is concerned and you have to stay on him and he'll do a good job.
I didn't think he really exploded when he got the ball Hank did you? No he was looking. He was looking reading the blocks trying to get as much out of the play as he could.
Robin Cole is in as a linebacker for the Steelers. He's quite good at blitzing and it's third down and seven. Look at the players Pouch. He has blitzed the pass.
He's caught by the running back Muncie. He has the first down to the 25. Tackled at the 21 yard line. They beat the blitz.
They beat the blitz and Schell again was about 12 or 13 yard deep and he's the key to the defense as I mentioned earlier to keep him out of the defensive flow of things.
And he was going to do a good job of moving the football but they're doing a fine job of putting pressure on Donnie Schell at this stage of the game.
It was third and four. He passed to Winslow for a first down. It was third and seven now. He passed to Muncie for a first down.
Earlier it was it was another third and six and he passed to Winslow. Look at the switch this time. Jefferson comes on the other side. Look at now.
They got Donnie Schell on Winslow on Jefferson. There's Muncie's hit popping it straight up the middle and going down to the 15 yard line for three yards.
Spinning his way into the arms of Jack Lambert at second down and four. We have four ten left in the first quarter and no score.
This is quite a drive by the Chargers. They started from their own 20 after Pittsburgh missed the field goal. There is no score here.
And the great thing about it is they had a head they have at this stage of the game a very very good blend of pass and run.
And that's putting a lot of pressure on the defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Joiner and Jefferson come to the left.
Winslow is on a wing and now he comes in motion. Second down and four and straight ahead is Muncie one yard. That's all he got to the 14.
And it'll be third down and three and Steve Pernes stops him in cold fashion. And that time they're still using five defensive backs.
They're using Ron Johnson, Blanchell, Wagner.
Up front Don Masick is the center for San Diego with Doug Wilkerson and Ed White to guard. Billy Shields and Audick are the tackles.
And Dwayne Woodruff is the fifth defensive back. Mike Thomas checks in for the Chargers and it's third and three from the 14 of Pittsburgh.
They'll send it back to somebody over to the left side maybe on the notion. Oh they don't this time.
Foul's going to put it up. He throws inside the pen. Incomplete. Incomplete. Off the hands of Greg McCrary the tight end.
Covered by Mike Wagner. Fourth down field goal time for San Diego.
And Bernerska, Ron Bernerska comes in.
Mike Fuller will hold the ball and Bernerska will try to put San Diego on top. He'll kick it from 23 yards away a 33 yard try.
Pittsburgh missed one earlier. 3.05 left in the first quarter. No score. The snap is right on. Fuller gets it down and the kick is good.
San Diego jumps out front with 3.01 remaining in the first quarter. Time out of the field to score. The Chargers three, fifth turn nothing.
Bernerska will kick it off. Larry Anderson deep flanked by Hawthorne and Pollard for Pittsburgh. This game's off to a rather good start Henry.
We thought it would be and so far it's very exciting and everything we thought the game would be that's exactly what it has been so far in the first quarter.
Pittsburgh missed the 29 yard field goal. Bernerska kicked a 33 yard field goal. The Chargers lead 3-0. 3.01 left in the first quarter.
Right at the 60 mark. Full House 55,000. Grassfield here at San Diego Stadium and Jim Tunney the referee says kick it away.
And Bernerska boots it. Kicks it high rather short. Anderson took it on the seven up the middle. 10-15 running right 20-25. That's all.
That's all. San Diego all over him. Downfield first with Bauer a very good member of their special teams.
Yeah it really is. He's a tough two-fisted guy that really is kind of a sledgehammer back. Does a good job on short yardage situation and very very outstanding on the special team.
Well the last time Pittsburgh had the ball. They started at their 27. This time they started the 25.
Sidney Thornton checks in. He's in the backfield with Franco Harris. Thornton can give an offense quite a lift.
Here's 5'11, 230 pounds. First down for Bradshaw. Cunningham the tight end. He blocks for Franco. Nothing going. No game.
The linebacker Ray Preston. Cracked right in there as soon as he read run and stopped Harris in his tracks.
The defensive line of the San Diego Chargers really at that time really licked the offensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers at no chance whatsoever.
And I thought that the pullback Franco Harris was kind of soft trying to run into that time. Looked for a place to run and there was no place to go.
Second down and 10 from the 25. Up front it's Jones, Kelcher, Johnson and Descherner for the Chargers.
Bradshaw is going to pass on second down. Throws it off to the left. It's caught by Franco Harris.
A first down and more beyond the 35. Out to the 38. A first down. Bob Horne the linebacker trailing him tackled him.
Because of the great pressure that you get from the defensive line I think it can be very important as I mentioned earlier for the Pittsburgh Steelers to throw the ball a lot to the backs.
Get rid of the ball quickly. Not wait too long in the pocket and make sure that you don't get in a situation where you have third and long very often.
If that's the situation why they're going to be in trouble.
Come on Washington when they beat the Chargers 40 to 17 they just kept dropping the ball off to those backs and the Chargers couldn't stop them.
That's exactly what you have to do. You have to be get rid of the ball quickly and get it to the backs.
Again of 13 here is Sydney Thornton straight ahead out to the 40. Got only two yards on the play.
Willie Low tackled him Bradshaw is three out of four. 51 yards. He's faced with second and eight and we have 120 left in the first quarter.
The other thing that's very important is to throw play action passes on first down.
That's why they want to run the ball as much as they have been running it on first down to make sure they establish that so that they can incorporate the play action pass with a run on first and 10.
Steelers with a record of nine and six trying for their 10th win at second down and eight from their own 40.
Bradshaw sets the running backs. They are Thornton and Harris.
Bell is to the left. Swan to the right here is Thornton running right and gets only the 40 yard line. No game.
Bob Horn tackled him after he's been slowed down up front.
Louis Kelcher and others had prevented Thornton from getting a full head of steam and it's third down and eight. That's the one that's the one deficiency that the Pittsburgh Steelers have.
They do not have blazing speed as everybody knows to run outside.
They're a much better straight ahead running team with play action passes and pocket passes than they are.
And East West team trying to go sideways.
Alvin Sweeney is a wide receiver 15 seconds left in the first quarter. San Diego leads three to nothing. Steelers have third and eight from their own 40 yard line.
Three wide receivers. Bradshaw is going to pass. That's good blocking. Dumps it off short and it is caught for a first down and now a flag goes down late.
And a completion to the 45 of San Diego a first down and then the flag.
It was a late hit Jack. I'm sure it was a late hit. They'll tack on a penalty against the San Diego Chargers.
Lynn Swan caught the ball at the 45 and as Hank Strams said a late hit. That's what it was. Puts the ball down.
First to fall. Late hit. Number 27. First down.
Lynn Edwards number 27 was the one who hit late. It's one late on the passing play.
Only three seconds remaining in the first quarter and now they'll start the clock with the snap of the ball and it'll be the final play of the first quarter.
Penny Cunningham the tight end is in there. Good time for a play action pass here in first and 10. They've been running the ball quite a bit.
And it gives it to Franco Harris and Harris dies for about five near the 25 in the arms of Charles Dijonais.
And that marks the end of the quarter. It'll be second and five for Pittsburgh at the San Diego 25 when we come back.
The end of the first quarter with a score. San Diego 3. Steelers nothing.
Each team ran 15 plays in the first quarter. The Steelers had the ball. 8 minutes 23 seconds.
San Diego 6 minutes 36 seconds. San Diego a 33 yard field goal by Panerska and a 29 yard miss by Matt Barr.
Now the Steelers have the ball and with the help of the only family in the first quarter a late hit. They have second down and five at the San Diego 25.
A rather brisk game, Hank Stram. Yes and kind of a brisk night too for San Diego. I haven't seen the weather here like this in a long, long time.
We had to land in Palm Desert yesterday and then fly up in the smog or fog, whatever you call it.
I was looking for fellow Legosi to jump out of there someplace. It was eerie.
Oh West Coast is sucked in. It's second down and five now for the Steelers. They're on the march again.
They have Thornton in the backfield with Harris. And they give it to Thornton. And no game, no game.
Maybe a yard at the 25 yard line. Louis Goucher stopped him in very cold fashion.
One yard for Thornton. He seems to be getting that ball rather late. It's not quite a delay, Hank.
But the handoff is very deep into the line. Well he tries, yeah, he means into the line, not away from the line. Yes, that's right.
And he was looking as he was trying to get the ball from the quarterback time at that time.
And for that reason it looked like he was not hitting into the hole with full steam ahead like he normally does.
Brad Dean checks in for the first time for the Chargers at defensive end, third and four. He's trying to put pressure on Bradshaw.
He steps up and throws incomplete. He tried to get it out to Swan as he was going down.
And now a flag has been thrown. And we'll check the flag. It is not intentional grounding because the referee didn't throw the flag.
I think they call something on San Diego downfield. Let's see what they call.
But I think it looks like it might be possibly against the San Diego Chargers.
And it is interference against San Diego.
Interference will keep the drive going and it will be a first down for Pittsburgh.
And the ball is down at their 24.
That's interference, number 27 defense, first down.
Ball against Glenn Edwards. He was called for the late hit earlier.
14-17 left and a half and a first down at the 24 for Pittsburgh. Brad Dean is out. Charles Dijonnet back in there at the defensive end spot.
Rocky Blyer comes in for Pittsburgh.
Unusual that there's only two penalties so far. Both of them have been against the same person.
Glenn Edwards, number 27 against the San Diego Chargers.
First down at the San Diego 24.
John, under center. Webster snaps the ball. Here's a give to Franco trying to get outside left.
He booms down to the 22-yard line.
Mike Williams had him head on and brought him down. Williams 5'10", 179.
Franco has 6'2", 225 and they've had head on at the San Diego 22, second and eight.
That was a counter play again. That time he took a step to the right.
Rocky Blyer was leading the leading block around the play where they were able to get on the outside of Dijonnet, the defensive right end,
which is really a no-no, but it happened that time and that's why he made a little yardage on the play. Not much, but he did get outside.
San Diego wins this game. They win their division. If they lose the game, they're out of the playoff.
They ought to be able to throw the ball to the back of the flat the way that coverage is, Jack.
Bradshaw back to throw and there it is off the fingertips of Franco Harris rushing over to cover with Bob Horne.
He called the play, Hank, and Bradshaw threw a little too quickly.
Yeah, he didn't have to throw it that fast, but he threw it very quickly and was off balance, falling away when he threw it.
They threw it right into the turf.
Tight end checks out for the Steelers, Cunningham and the three wide receivers are T-Bell, Lynn Swan and Calvin Sweeney.
Bradshaw is now four out of six, 51 yards. The fifth back is Jerome Dove. Bob Horne is out for San Diego, third and eight.
Thirteen and a half left and a half. Tigers leading three to nothing.
On third and eight, Mr. Bradshaw is back to throw.
Rush throws and caught at the 15-yard line by the back court and he has blasted down.
It's going to be fourth down and about a yard and a half and Pittsburgh trailing three to nothing has a decision to make here.
It's fourth down and a yard and a half.
And are they going to go home for the field goal? Yes, here comes Matt Barr.
Jerome Dove with the extra back for the Chargers made the hit on Thornton who caught the ball and smacked it the 15-yard line.
In this kind of a game, you know, you have to play it right to the tilt even though you're out of the race.
I'm talking about Pittsburgh. They have to, they have an obligation as professional people to play the game like they were in the race because it affects the standings and what happens, for example, to the New England Patriots.
They have a strong obligation to do that. Matt Barr missed one from 29 yards.
He'll kick this one from 32 yards with Colquitt holding the ball.
The snap is a little high. They get it down. This pick is good and this game is tied.
We have a 3-3 tie with 12-47 remaining in the half.
Matt Barr is one for two and he ties it up with the score.
San Diego 3, the Steelers 3. Let's take time out. Matt Barr will kick off. Bernard Jackson is deep along with Hank Bauer. Jackson used to play for Denver.
They're standing at the 5. The score is tied 3-all. 12-47 left in the half.
Hank Stram and Jack Buck with you for CBS Radio. Next Sunday, wild card exit.
And you'll hear the games here on CBS Radio on the 28th. And happy holidays to all of our listeners on CBS Radio.
The kick by Matt Barr is a line drive and it goes to Jackson on the 5. Drops it, fumbles it, picks it up at the 8.
He's to the 10 and he's knocked down at the 11 yard line.
Outfield is Tim Moijerty for Pittsburgh. A defensive back.
He's the only member of the Pittsburgh Steelers who ever played for another football team.
Moijerty downfield to make the tackle at the 11 yard line. And about 3 out of 7 goes back to work.
He looked like a little sleepy on that return, didn't he?
Yeah, he did. He was looking downfield as he was trying to pick up the football that time.
And I think anytime that you get the ball between your feet and try to pick it up the way it's hard to find.
The ball's at the 11. Wins law and Jefferson. Both come on the wing.
Joiner the other wide receiver. McCrary the tight end. Muncie the running back.
A fake to him. The pass by Foutslong over the middle and it's complete.
Out around the 35. He tried to get it to Winslow who was in double coverage led by Mike Wagner.
Number two on the play for the Steelers. Number 23.
They take it down and 10.
Fake that time inside to Muncie on a play action.
And then tried to throw the ball. They wanted to hold the linebacker and throw over the top of the linebacker between the defensive backs.
And Winslow, you know, makes those kind of catches usually. He didn't that time and it falls in complete.
Boy, this foul's fouled up some statistics during the year. More than 4,400 yards. 30 touchdown passes.
Joiner's going in motion to the left and they create a triple wing formation. There's Muncie.
Muncie running left and a flag goes down. Muncie is out to the 19 yard line.
He picked up seven yards and a flag is down. Donnie Schell made the tackle.
In of nine yards. Tackle by number 58, Jack Lepper.
And it is a motion penalty against San Diego.
What were you saying about that motion on the part of Joiner, Hank?
Well, they have a slot to the right and they have a tight end on the left side on the wing.
And then they send Joiner in motion to the left. That makes three people on the left side, which is a triple wing formation.
They camouflage it and they put a lot of pressure on Schell so they don't let him get on the line.
They're making a motion offensive right guard, number 67, five yards.
Ed White was in motion. Jim Tunney, the referee, Pat Harder, the umpire,
Burl Tolar, the headlinesman, line judge Dick McKenzie, Pat Knight, the back judge, side judge Gil Mase,
and Don Hakes is the field judge. It's second and 15 for the Chargers at their own seven.
San Diego's really doing a good job of disjoining the defense. Here comes Schell again.
He starts to the left and goes back to the right. He's on the line of scrimmage now.
And on second and long, Pounce drops into the end zone to throw over the middle and incomplete.
Very aggressive play by Jack Hamm against Greg McFerry.
Fans thought it was interference, but the timing was perfect.
Yeah, it wasn't the pass interference. Hamm did an excellent job that time on McFerry,
who was trying to release downfield. And the great thing that he did, he kind of smothered him a little bit coming off the ball,
and he didn't have the timing that he wanted.
Hank, with all that motion and switching on the Chargers, they're just waiting for Donnie Schell to make one mistake here.
That's right. That's exactly right. And he's such a great player.
When we talk about what they're trying to do to Schell, that's a compliment to him because they want to get him removed from the running game.
But he's a great player.
From the end zone, Pounce throws over the middle. And Joyner with a brilliant catch at the 35-yard line.
Down at the 36, what a catch. Right over the top of Mike Lagerpie.
And Charlie Joyner, who came into the game with 68 receptions, he's lifting a bit as he comes off the field.
And that was third down and long, third and 15.
We talk about running shoot offense, that's exactly what this is.
They put guys all over the field. And the nice thing about their attack is that they create mismatches, and they use the entire width of the field.
They spread the defense, and they get the people they want on mismatches. And that, there was a great illustration.
Schell again, now he's on the line of scrimmage.
Johnny Schell, 31, now he's running across the field.
Look, he was on, now he's off the line of scrimmage.
Muncie running to the 40, 45, 49, midfield.
Fresh down, San Diego on the big run by Muncie, down by Wecker.
They're gambling on the fact they're going to throw, throw, throw.
They're playing with two linebackers instead of three.
And if you can run the ball successfully, like they do with a great back like Muncie,
they're doing a good job of establishing balance of the run in the pass, and that's why they're doing a good job of running the football.
14 yards on the run by Muncie. Now we have 11 minutes left and a half.
Mike Thomas is in the backfield. Muncie has carried eight times, 45 yards and caught one bad.
Watch, Johnny Schell is on the line of scrimmage again this time. That's where he likes to play.
Bouts going to put it up on first down.
Jefferson again.
In the middle and incomplete. Down at the 35-yard line on Pittsburgh and they have receivers, Hank, who don't mind at all going over the middle, catching the ball and taking the hit.
That time they had a mismatch with Donnie Schell trying to cover Jefferson. He can't do that.
Usually Schell will cover the tight end. That time he'd cover the outside receiver and it's a tough responsibility.
And you have to give San Diego a lot of credit for establishing this kind of a flow and this kind of pressure on the defense of this Pittsburgh Steelers.
Wagner was over there helping out for Donnie Schell and it's second and 10 from midfield.
3-3 the score, 10-49 left and a half. San Diego has the ball at the 50.
Schell is on the line of scrimmage again this time.
And on second down, Bouts looking to throw. Back to throw. No pressure.
Throws at the 40-yard line and caught by Jefferson. Down to the 35 and that's the first down.
Donnie Schell covering. Did they have the same mismatch, Hank?
Same thing. He's on the line of scrimmage.
He's trying to cover Jefferson and there's no way to where they can do it if they don't rush the passer better than what they're doing right now.
What should Pittsburgh be doing?
Well, they could bring in another linebacker.
They could bring in another linebacker, take the back out and try to do it that way and put more pressure on the quarterback by glitzing himself.
The ball is to the Pittsburgh 35 and a first down.
Ron Smith is the wide receiver with Jefferson.
Here he comes in motion with a triple wing. Look at Schell. He's about 12 yards off the ball.
Here running with the ball is Thomas. He's to the 30, he's to the 25, he's to the 20-yard line with a San Diego first down.
Again, I hate to belabor the point, but the plan is to keep him out of the running game.
And he was out of the running game completely. He's 12 yards deep again. There's no force whatsoever from that triple wing formation.
They ran to the outside and made a big game.
What you're saying, Hank, is that Schell is the key defensive man for Pittsburgh and the Chargers have him all messed up, chasing all over the field.
Yeah, as I say, Pittsburgh loves to play with a sledgehammer kind of attack when you stay in one formation or two.
But when you move around, you get those people out of their normal positions and it puts a lot of pressure on them.
Joyner is back in there now. First down at the Pittsburgh 20. Mike Thomas looking for a place to go, gets two yards to the 18.
It wouldn't open up for him. Steve Pernes and Joe Green were in on the play defensively for Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh likes to, in this situation, on the 20-yard line going in, they like to put pressure on the quarterback by blitzing.
And for that reason, it would be wise for San Diego to go back to normal formation and just let him blitz and throw one-on-one passes, especially to their tight end from his normal position on Donnie Schell.
Muncie is in the backfield, 8.50 left in the half. Scored nine, 3-3. Second down at 8.
Watch Joyner go outside. There's Schell soft again. They're probably going to run outside. There's Muncie running left. He cuts it back. 15-10. He's down to the 5. First and goal, San Diego.
Thanks, guys. You said they're going to have to get that other linebacker in there. They're just killing Donnie Schell.
Yeah, Donnie Schell is running sideways, east and west, and you might as well have him on the bench. He's your best backler, best player.
But they got him in a position where he has no bearing whatsoever on the force. Force meaning that he comes up to make the tack. He cannot force and go sideways at the same time.
He's out of every running play, isn't he? Exactly right, because of the motion.
His first and goal at the 5. That was a 14-yard run by Chuck Muncie. He'll mark the ball at the 6.
His first and goal from the Pittsburgh 6, with 8 minutes left in the half. Motion by Winslow and bounce to Muncie over the left side to the 4.
Second and goal from there. Joe Green first to get him.
It's fun to watch this kind of football because there's a lot of strategy involved in it.
And of course, I'm always excited about seeing people go in motion and creating formations and creating a moment of indecision.
And that's exactly what the San Diego Chargers are doing here tonight.
San Diego has to win, or they are out of the playoffs. If they win, New England is out of the playoffs.
Here's another situation. The same joiner in motion to the right.
Now we have a timeout call by Pittsburgh.
Hank, they probably are as confused as you have indicated with their coverage, particularly on the part of Shell, against the man in motion.
7.5 left in the half. And it's second and goal from the 4.
For San Diego, there's a timeout on the field with a score. The Steelers 3 and the Chargers 3.
Pittsburgh is without linebacker Dennis Winston. He has the flu. He'll not play tonight.
Cole is hurt, but he's in there. They have Ham, Lambert, Taves, and Cole.
Those are their only linebackers, so they try to go with the extra back and only two linebackers.
San Diego moving down the field on them. It's second and goal from the 4.
7.5 minutes left in the half. Score tied 3-all.
Jefferson in motion. Should be another sweep.
And Muncie's in the backfield.
Muncie starts outside and he is dropped for a loss on the play. Joe Green got him.
Joe Green got him back at the 7-yard line.
Everything was set up nicely except they didn't block Joe Green.
And the penalty on the play. A play down.
Off the 4-yard. Penalty flag on the field.
And here is a motion penalty against San Diego.
Now the way they can move the ball, I wouldn't be surprised to see Pittsburgh decline this penalty and make a third and goal from the 8-yard line.
They should decline it because the field goal is not going to make any difference 5-yards deeper.
It's a chip shot regardless. They ought to decline the penalty.
Right side of the line moving before the ball. Decline.
That is declined and it's third and goal from the 8.
San Diego has been very good on their third down plays.
But there's not that much room for these receivers to roll.
Mike Thomas is in their backfield. Very good at catching the ball.
And he joins Chuck Muncie.
Now they've got a basic formation anticipating blitz possibly.
There goes Jefferson in motion to the left side.
Third and goal from the 8-yard line.
And here with the ball. Throw into the end zone and it is incomplete.
He tried to throw into heavy coverage to Winslow and Thomas was wide open going home.
It wasn't anybody around Thomas.
It was knocked down by Ron Johnson and he had some help in there.
I saw Thomas out the corner of my eye Hank. Did he stay free for a long time?
Well he was free. He had to be thrown. The ball had to be thrown to him quickly.
So he could catch it and run with it.
The longer he went the more the coverage caught up with him and that's what happened on the play.
A 26-yard try by Ralph Benerska held by Fuller.
The kick is good and San Diego goes back on top.
But only by a field goal despite all that movement down the field.
7-16 remaining in the half.
But now with the score San Diego 6 and the Steelers 3. Let's take time out.
San Diego kept the ball 7 minutes 16 seconds.
And they ended up with a 26-yard field goal.
An 89-yard drive from their own 11.
Benerska will kick it off. Larry Anderson is flanked by Greg Hawthorne and Frank Pollard.
San Diego twice has led 3-0. Now 6-3.
And the kick by the side wheeler is short.
And it is down to the deep man.
Out to the 20-yard line. To the 25. To the 30. To the 35. To the 40.
Out to the 45-yard line for the Steelers.
Larry Anderson with her own dove making the tackle.
A fine kick return by Larry Anderson who had averaged 28 yards per return.
Because that kick was low Hank and because it went right to Anderson.
San Diego couldn't get downfield to cover it.
Yeah he caught it on the first hop and that's very important.
He got a good jump on the ball caught it moving straight ahead.
And did a good job of bringing the ball back to the 45.
With 7-0-6 left in the half.
Steelers trailing by 3.
T-Bell comes to the left and Lynn Swann is to the right.
The sign in Cunningham is on the right side.
Here's Bradshaw's first down pass.
He is double. He is back inside the 40-yard line by Charles DeGeneres.
San Diego ordinarily has been very good at getting to the quarterback.
58 facts coming into this game.
Bradshaw was just setting up.
Looking around and he lost 6.
And out your own dove comes in as the cornerback replacing Willie Buchanan on the left side for San Diego.
Dove on the corner along with Williams, Edwards and Fuller the safety man.
Second and 16 for Pittsburgh from their 39.
And back to throw Bradshaw.
Throws to the left sideline incomplete to Franco Harris.
And I'm back to Bob Horn right on his tail.
Incomplete.
And with the kind of pressure he's got he has to throw the ball quickly, quicker than he normally likes to.
Especially in this part of the field plus the fact that he's got to get the ball to the backs.
And also to the tight end because of the coverage because they're already playing a pressure defense and the outside receiver was too deep.
And that makes you want to throw to the backs and the tight end.
After the good kick return by Anderson the Steelers haven't been able to do anything.
They're at their own 39 and it's third down and 16.
Bradshaw looking for long yards here.
It falls over the middle and it is caught.
Now incomplete. Incomplete at the 45 yard line.
Incomplete.
Rocky Beier tried to make a two string catch but the official the umpire looking right at him said nope.
Fred Dean was in there at that last play.
He was not supposed to play because of a full muscle but he was in there.
He was a good pressure and he was really a super fast pressure.
Here's the first point of the game.
Craig Colquitt of Tennessee a 40 yard average.
None blocked.
Edwards and Fuller are the deep end.
And Fuller is the deepest of the two.
624 left in the half.
San Diego will get the ball back.
Colquitt kicks a rather high kick and deep and Fuller took it on the 14.
He's back to the 15 and a spun down at the 19.
San Diego will go from there.
We have 613 remaining in the half.
A 46 yard punt.
A five yard return.
San Diego has the ball.
A pause in the action with the score.
The Chargers 6 and the Steelers 3.
If San Diego wins here tonight, Houston will play at Oakland Sunday.
The two wild card teams.
If Pittsburgh wins here tonight, New England will play at Houston next Sunday.
The 28.
Chargers have the ball at their own 19.
And they lead 6-3.
Mike Jefferson come in motion maybe to the right side.
No, it doesn't look like he's coming this time.
He stays in the same spot.
Thomas straight ahead.
Mike Thomas to the 25, to the 30 as the first down.
He's out to his own 32.
Mike Thomas tackled by Robin Cole.
Thomas used to do some brilliant running for the Redskins and he hit a slump.
But he has a great deal of capability.
One thing you have to do going into a game from a defensive standpoint, you say,
well what's the best thing they do?
We have to stop what they do best.
Going into this game, the Steelers are approached at very sound and they have to stop the passing.
Then you say, well if they're going to beat you, they have to beat you with a way that they don't like to do.
And that's with a running game.
And they're doing a good job of running the ball at this stage because there's only two linebackers in the game and five defensive backs.
Thomas over the left side.
He works for four yards to the 35 and John Benizak tackled him.
Now we have 520 left in the half.
Four yards by Mike Thomas.
511, 190 from Nevada, Las Vegas.
I'm really impressed with the way the San Diego Chargers are running the football.
This is the best balance we've seen them have.
And of course it's justified with the way they're running because they have the five defensive backs in the game, as I mentioned.
It is second down and six with Woodruff in the backfield defensively for the Steelers now.
Motion by Jefferson.
Look at Donnie Shell all out here by himself.
Back to throw.
Here as he throws.
Caught by Winslow beyond the 45.
First down.
He's out at the 48.
Right off by Ron Jackson.
And look at Donnie Shell.
All the way here.
The complete opposite side of the field, right?
Exactly right.
And Wagner, Wagner that time had to cover.
Wagner likes the free safety.
And with the motion the way it is, the strong safety is covering the flanker.
And the weak safety, normally it plays in the hole, is covering the tight end.
So you've got different people doing different things and puts a lot of pressure on them.
Robin Cole is in now.
The additional linebacker on first down from the San Diego 48.
449 left in the half.
Here's Pouts to Mike Thomas.
He's to midfield and dives to the Pittsburgh 49.
He got three yards.
Jack Lambert was there to stop him.
On first down San Diego has 11.
Pittsburgh has seven.
Let's pause five seconds for stations to identify themselves on the CBS radio network.
420 left in the half.
Hanks Ram and Jack Fuckwee.
The ball is at the Pittsburgh 49.
The Chargers have it.
The back is in there for Pittsburgh.
Winslow starts one way, goes back the other, and Pouts is going to put it up.
He throws and it has broken up.
The intended receiver fell down and then Johnson got his hands on the ball,
which was intended for Jefferson.
Incomplete and it is third down and eighth.
Jefferson that time was going in motion to the right side and stumbled over Ron Johnson, number 29.
It was an innocent thing, no pass interference on the play, but that's why Jefferson wound up on the turf.
Muncie has carried 10 times 60 yards and Thomas four times 34 yards,
so the Chargers have rolled up 94 yards rushing.
Third down and eighth.
And they have a triple wing on the right side, three wide receivers on the right side.
The pass dropped it up short and it is caught down to the 40-yard line of Pittsburgh
for a first down by Charlie Joyner.
He delayed getting into that pass batter and there was no one around him until Ron Johnson brought him down.
And they are going to measure.
That was a third down play and he didn't get the forward progress that I thought he got down around the 41.
You need ball bearings and a knee joints to cover Joyner on that kind of a pass at that time
because he went to the inside, got him moving, got the knees turned to the inside and broke to the outside
and the ball was delivered right on the money.
Beautiful play.
First down for San Diego at the 41 of Pittsburgh.
It's fun to watch this team play because they create a lot of excitement, a lot of sparks.
And you talk about contemporary football, this is what we're seeing here tonight.
How's Pouts doing, Hank?
Well, he's 7-14 for 101.
And there have been no turnovers in this game.
Convert a few penalties and that's the way you like it.
Ball at the Steeler 41-yard line.
Burness, Vanizak, Green and Greenwood up front for the Steelers.
Look how deep down his shell is.
Here's Thomas, wrestle down as soon as he got the ball by Steve Burness.
Henley on the play, a flag down.
Ball carrier by Thomas.
Well, check the flag as Thomas lost a couple.
And a motion call against San Diego may be declined.
As Thomas lost a couple, the left side of that line, Shields, Wilkerson, the center,
Don Masekaw collapsed and Burness came blowing in there.
I would sure turn it down if I were Pittsburgh.
Two-fifty-seven offense, the five, seven down.
Ed White was the culprit, it's declined and it's second down and 12.
Thomas lost two.
We have 325 remaining in the half.
The score is San Diego 6 and Pittsburgh 3.
You think he'll throw it, eh?
I'll go way out the limb and say they're going to throw it again.
Bob starts Winslow in motion.
And now Jefferson goes back in motion the other direction.
That time he...
Here's Bob, he's going to put it up.
He throws over the middle and it is caught inside the 25-yard line.
And a first down to the 20.
Winslow caught it in thick traffic and Woodruff knocks him down.
That time, Mel Brant was covering the tight end.
You see, they're creating so many different problems coverage-wise.
He plays the right corner that time, they had a tip-of-the-wing formation on the right side.
Donnie Shell, when the man went in motion, ran into his own guy.
There was that much confusion on the coverage.
First down of the Pittsburgh 20-yard line.
Two-fifty remaining in the half.
San Diego took over after the Pittsburgh punt.
And now they're down to the Steeler 20.
From our left to our right, they have Mike Thomas in the backfield to give to Thomas over the left side.
Slants right to the 15-yard line.
Then he's driven back.
He got to the 16. He picked up four.
Elsie Greenwood drove him back.
I'll tell you one thing about Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh is so involved in trying to recognize what they're doing.
It's a good time to run the ball, especially in the middle area.
There's a big hole at the middle linebacker when they're in even spacing.
And they tried to hit at that time, but it was a little too delayed.
San Diego may or may not run another play before the two-minute warning.
We're down to 2.05, and the 30-second clock will allow them to run it out, and they will.
When we resume, they'll have the ball at the Pittsburgh 16-yard line.
And it'll be second down and six for the Chargers.
Two minutes left in the half.
There's a timeout on the field with a score.
San Diego Chargers six, Pittsburgh Steelers three.
The Chargers are taking a punt at their own 19-yard line. San Diego has kept the ball for four minutes, 13 seconds.
They've run ten plays.
They've moved down to the Steelers 16, second and six for the Chargers, with two minutes left in the half.
And San Diego on top on a score of 63.
If they win, they win the championship for the division, and they make a wild-card team out of Oakland.
And if they lose, they make a wild-card team out of New England, and the Chargers will be out of the picture.
Here we go. Wide receivers are Joyner, Jefferson to the right, and Winslow is on a wing left.
Jefferson goes left. They like to sweep. Look at the middle. Look at the middle.
And here is Poutz, looking to throw, and he throws, and it's caught inside the ten-yard line by Winslow.
And that's enough for a first down, as they mark the ball at the nine-yard line of Pittsburgh.
The middle was very open with the runner of the pass that time.
Jefferson was on the right side, went in motion to the left.
It left a big hole in the middle for Winslow.
He got the ball on target, first to nine on the nine.
First and goal from the nine-yard line.
Mike Thomas in the backfield for Poutz. Look at the middle.
On first down, Thomas on a slant lap. He is wrestled down by LC Greenwood.
They did a little stunt on the line, Hank, and Greenwood was in the hole.
Yeah, and Jack Lambert did a good job. They had a stunt.
The tackle came inside. Lambert went outside, and they stuffed the play,
and did a good job and guessed right on that alignment.
No gain on the play for the Chargers, and we're down to one minute left in the half.
You know, one thing that San Diego really hasn't done a good job of,
and that is scoring touchdowns when they get in close.
Second and goal from the ten. As Thomas lost one, Poutz is going to put it up.
He drops it off, fakes it short, throws it away. Incomplete, it hit the upright.
The ball's dead when it does that.
Forty-six seconds remaining in the half, and it'll be third and goal from the ten.
And you have to be very accurate to be able to hit that upright like that.
I'll say. That's what he's trying to do.
Well, the Los Altos high school band is getting ready to perform here at halftime.
We have forty-six seconds remaining in the half, and a third down play coming up.
For San Diego, third and goal from the ten.
On third down, San Diego has been able to pick up a first down four times in seven tries.
And San Diego coming into this game has scored forty-eight touchdowns,
sixteen by the run, thirty by the pass.
Motion by Jefferson, Poutz back to throw, hands off to Thomas.
Thomas is hit, and down to the seven-yard line.
Booth, say the fans, it's fourth down, and they'll try another field goal.
Mike Wagner came up very quickly and made the hit.
Yes he did. Number twenty-three, Wagner really did a fine job of stuffing the play,
and now they're in a field goal situation on fourth and seventh.
Minerska has kicked field goals of thirty-three yards and twenty-six yards.
And this will be another twenty-six yard try with Mike Puller holding the ball.
Ralph Minerska trying to make it nine to three with only seven seconds remaining in the half.
And the kick is good, and now there are only two seconds left in the half.
So they not only got the points, but they've taken the time away from the Steelers with only two seconds remaining.
And now with the score, San Diego nine and the Steelers three, let's take time out.
It is Ralph Minerska nine and Matt Barr three.
Chargers out in front, nine-three over the Steelers, two seconds left in the half.
One thing that's very interesting, Jack, the run-pass ratio here with the San Diego Chargers
is much different than it normally is.
So far in the game they've run thirty-nine plays, twenty-four runs, fifteen passes,
and they're doing a very effective job against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Here's the short kick, and it's taken at midfield.
San Diego may have recovered it. They did, but time has expired.
A short kick from the thirty-five out to the fifty-yard line.
It was recovered by San Diego, but there are no penalties, so it's all academic.
And we're at the intermission, and the fans love it as their club goes off with a six-point advantage.
The gun is sounded, ending the first half with a score.
San Diego Chargers nine, the Pittsburgh Steelers three.
Charlie Joyner on it as the man of the year here at halftime,
where the San Diego Chargers kept the ball for eighteen minutes, twenty seconds.
The Steelers had the ball for eleven minutes, thirty-nine seconds.
Pittsburgh received the opening kickoff, marched right down the field,
but then Matt Barr missed a twenty-nine-yard field goal with nine twenty-eight remaining in the first quarter.
San Diego got the first points with three minutes left in the first quarter on a thirty-three-yard field goal by Ralph Benerska,
and the score was tied three-three when Matt Barr kicked one from thirty-two yards away early in the second quarter.
Benerska put San Diego back on top, this time from twenty-six yards out with seven-sixteen left in the half.
Then they marched down the field after getting the only point of the game from Pittsburgh.
The Chargers went to work, a pass to Winslow, a pass to Joyner, another to Winslow,
a run by Thomas, a pass to Winslow, and a twenty-six-yard field goal by Benerska.
He's kicked two of twenty-six, one of thirty-three, and one field goal by Matt Barr,
and that gives us all the points that we have here in the first half.
The Salto High School band is performing at halftime.
The score is nine to three here at the intermission with the Chargers on top,
and we'll be back with Brent Musburger in just one moment.
San Diego leads it to the half by the score of nine to three, Brent Musburger.
I'm sure you'll agree that my partner, Hank Strand, has really put his finger on the key elements strategically here
with the chasing around on the part of Donnie Shell.
Take it away, Brent. Nice to hear from you again.
All right, Jack, thank you very much, and that certainly is a key part of that game unfolding tonight in San Diego.
We've got a late word now that Ron Earhart has re-signed a contract as coach of the New England Patriots,
and of course the sidebar to that story is the fact that all of the Patriots are watching and listening to this game ever so closely tonight,
because if Pittsburgh can come back in the second half and win, the Patriots are in the playoffs,
and they're going down to Houston for a playoff game.
But should San Diego hold on to that lead, then of course New England would be eliminated,
and Oakland would be hosting Houston in the wild card game.
Now whichever team wins the AFC West title will have the home field advantage all the way to the Super Bowl.
Oakland and San Diego both have nine-three records in the conference, as opposed to eight-four for Buffalo and Cleveland.
Should Buffalo and Cleveland play one another, Cleveland will get the home field edge because of a better record against common opponents.
Now Oakland got into the playoffs with an easy win over the Giants,
but there was nothing at all easy about Cleveland's victory over Cincinnati.
The score was still tied. Less than two minutes to go, Ron Friedman calls it.
One-twenty-nine left on the clock. Paul McDonnell will hold.
It will be a twenty-two yard field goal with them. It is up, and it is good.
Don Topsock puts the Browns in the lead, twenty-seven, twenty-four.
And that was the final score. And you know, they say that good things come in threes,
and Cleveland quarterback Brian Sype believes it.
On Wednesday, I was voted to start in the Pro Bowl, which I consider to be the greatest honor that a player can receive, being recognized by peers.
Then maybe that evening, my wife gave birth to a little girl. And we're talking about number three right now.
Three is, of course, a division championship for the Browns.
Now one thing the Browns were unanimous about yesterday, the key man in their operation is Coach Sam Rotigliano.
This week could have very easily been the tightest week of preparation that I've ever been involved with.
Could have been. But Sam's sense of humor and Sam's outlook on life in this game of football
makes it easy for us to enjoy ourselves, even after a bitter, bitter defeat like we had up in Minnesota last week.
And for that reason, Sam deserves all the credit in the world because he kept us loose enough to allow us to concentrate.
Believe it or not, when you're tight, it's hard to concentrate.
He kept things loose enough this week, which allowed us to prepare like we had to do.
And we came into this game in a much-won situation with a lot of young people, and we could have very easily choked.
Owner Art Modell agrees with his quarterback's assessment.
He knows no more about the X's than those of any other coach. Probably less than some.
But he sure as hell can relate to players, and they relate to him.
The Bills won the Eastern Division of the AFC with a tough win over San Francisco.
It was their first division title in 14 years, and were they ever happy, especially guard Reggie McKenzie.
We're looking down on New York City Jets. We're looking down on the New England Patriots.
And also we're looking down on Bert Jones and the Baltimore Coats. Down use counsel.
It's been nine years, people. Nine years since I've been called champion.
I was a champion at University of Michigan. I was a champ. He had the pro ball for the first time in nine years.
I am a champion of the AFC. It's a great feeling.
And Houston wrapped up a wild card spot with a victory over Minnesota.
Game didn't mean anything to the Vikes, but Coach Bud Grant was still rather testy afterwards.
Didn't seem to hit it off at all with the Texas media.
He was asked if he thought his team would be underrated in the playoffs.
Well, maybe people in your business, not the football business.
Even if you're coaches, you see other teams and you can evaluate them pretty well.
I don't think anybody's underestimating the Vikings or any other team in the playoffs.
Okay, but how do the Oilers stack up against some of the other teams that the Vikes have played?
That's not my job. You guys are the prognosticators and the rankers and the raiders, not, I'm just a coach.
Tommy Kramer broke the passing record. I never said about Francis.
How much more aware of how the boys keep it here?
Well, you guys make comparisons. You sit upstairs. I mean, he broke Francis.
There was a lot of Francis' record last year in terms of the number of, you know,
passing and the placement and what the yardage and whatnot.
But you people, I get paid for that. I get paid for coaching, not analyzing and predicting.
But as a coach, how do you compare the two?
I don't. What in my opinion? I don't do that.
I think we got the message. A couple of AFC notes.
Seattle coach Jack Becerra got a new contract. Kansas City beat Baltimore yesterday.
No big story there, except that less than 17,000 fans showed up for that game for the second year in a row.
Baltimore will have the lowest attendance in the league,
and the Colts will probably be the next team to go shopping for a new stadium in some other city.
Back with a look at the NFC playoffs in just a moment.
Alice needed at least a 25-point victory over Philadelphia yesterday to win the NFC Eastern Division title,
and for a while it looked like they were going to make it.
Behind quarterback Danny White, the Cowboys had a 35-10 lead at one point in the second half.
But according to White, the Cowboys were not thinking about those 25 points.
Nobody wanted to even pretend that we would beat them by 25.
And so we were just concentrating on winning the game.
And you never know what Coach Lattery's mind.
You know, our game plan was a very typical game plan.
You know, we always have a lot of pass plays and reverses and things, yeah, but you know, it's up to him as to whether we use them or not.
In any case, the Eagles lost the game 35-27, but they're still celebrating the division championship.
And Eagle Coach Dick Vermeel is undismayed by the fact that it took a tiebreaker to decide the champion.
I now know how Tom Radry felt last year at the same time.
We had the same records last year, and they wanted a tiebreaker, and they considered themselves champions.
And therefore I would have to say that in representing the Eagles, we consider ourselves champions.
The Rams beat Atlanta in overtime on a corral field goal.
Big day for LA Coach Ray Malavece.
Not only did he get the victory, he got a new three-year contract.
It's been a pleasure to be here. They've been very fair to me, and I've been here a long time.
And I'm very fortunate to have a football team like this and have the coaching staff and the caliber of people that I have.
And I feel very fortunate to be in Los Angeles.
I think it's a great sports town, and all we want to do is go on and win.
So the playoffs are set now in the NFC.
It'll be Los Angeles at Dallas in the wild card game.
And in spite of the loss, Atlanta retains a home field advantage for the rest of the playoffs.
Back with more in a moment.
San Diego leads Pittsburgh 9-3.
And of course if that holds up, New England would be eliminated.
And if not, should the Steelers come on back, then the Patriots are going to wind up in the playoffs after all.
And they would head on down to Houston for a game.
And so Jack Buck and Hank Stramm, you know it's rather dangerous to let Pittsburgh stay in a game like this.
San Diego has moved the ball up and down the field.
But Jack, as Hank has pointed out, the Chargers have been unable to get the ball into the end zone.
And that could come back to haunt them.
Yeah, that really can be a problem because we've seen them play so many times, Brent,
and they do a great job of moving the ball up and down the field.
And I think one of the reasons they don't get the ball into the end zone
is to try to bring it in with just a one-back kind of offense.
I think they'd be much more effective in close to use two running backs, one tight end.
In a normal situation, I think they'd be much better.
I think they might switch to that, Hank.
I had that same observation, particularly that one time when they were down around the five-yard line,
they could have used the extra blocker.
Oh, no question about that, and they've got people who do such an excellent job at that.
And I think Muncie can be so effective with another back-in-the-back deal in that area
because he's so big and strong, and he really makes things happen.
You know, at 6'3", 235, he should be able to stuff it in there some way.
And Hank, that middle has been open on that stealer defense all night long.
You've been pointing it out.
I think, I really think that we'll see more of that in the second half,
and it'll be interesting to see, Brent, whether the Pittsburgh Steelers elect to stay with the five-defensive backs
and only two linemen, if they do, why I think the San Diego Chargers will be successful again
running the ball in the second half.
Should be a good second half, Jack.
Yeah, we've got to go, Brent.
Thanks for the visit here, and we'll be talking to you next Sunday.
Talk to you then.
Both teams back on the field once again.
The score at halftime is San Diego Chargers 9, Pittsburgh Steelers 3.
It's all on the line here for San Diego.
I guess you could say it's all on the pass line for San Diego,
where they put the ball up into the air.
Hank, there is one turnover at the end of the game, meaningless on that on-side kick.
San Diego recovered it, but the Chargers are piling up some yards.
Yeah, they're making a lot of yardage, 226 to 101,
but it always concerned me when you move up and down the field and you don't get touchdowns,
you did get three points.
You know, with the score 9-3, the Pittsburgh Steelers are very, very much in their football game,
and anything can happen.
There was only one punt in the first half.
That was by Colquitt of the Steelers for 48 yards.
And Brad Shaw's 5 out of 9.
Spouts is 9 out of 19.
There have been no interceptions in the game.
Muncie had a rush for 56 yards.
Thomas for 39.
Harris 20 yards.
Blyer 13, Blyer's final game in the National Football League.
Matt Bahr, who kicked a 32-yard field goal for the only Steelers points,
a kickoff to the Chargers without field goals by Rolf Frunerska, 26, 26, and 33 yards.
Bernard Jackson is deep along with Hank Power for the Chargers.
Capacity crowd about 55,000 on hand.
It never seems that the big high school man is that Los Altos high school man.
There must be everybody in the school playing an instrument.
Here we go with the final 30 minutes in the regular season.
And we'll see what kind of an adjustment the Pittsburgh Steelers make at halftime
to try to stop the San Diego Chargers.
Here from the 3-yard line is Jackson to the 10, running left to the 15,
and he's out to the 18-yard line.
Tim Moriarty downfield again to make the Steelers tackle,
and Jackson doesn't give you the blazing speed that a good many other kick return men show.
No, but he didn't have much of a chance to express any kind of speed that time
because they did a good job of covering on the play,
and number 41 specifically really did a good job of making the tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tom Moriarty who played a ball in green.
The ball is at the 18 of San Diego.
They send Joyner and Jefferson to the right.
Winslow is on a wing left, and in the backfield is Chuck Muncie.
Winslow sprints off to the left side in motion, and Fouts are going to put it up on first down,
looks over the middle, throws to the left, deep wide open.
Off by Winslow, he might score.
45-40, 35-30, hauled down from behind, inside the 25, down to the 23, and Mel Blount caught him.
That time he was in motion, came across to the inside, went back to the outside.
Mel Blount that time was covering the big tight end, one for one.
Confusion on the coverage, very obviously.
He ran right by Blount, was wide open, got the ball to him right on the money,
and a big play in the first play of the game, the first play of the second half.
He was flat-footed when he caught the ball, Hank.
Otherwise, had he been moving downfield, he'd have run away from everybody.
That was good for 59 yards, and very good for distance.
Big play down to the 23-yard line up Pittsburgh for San Diego.
Boy, that one hurt New England, which is rooting for the Steelers.
Watch somebody else go in motion to the left.
Jefferson goes to the left, and on first down, Fouts on a delay.
Hands it off to Muncie, he's inside the 20-yard line, and he gets down at the 19.
And he picked up four yards.
The crowd got excited because it looked like it was going to make more yards,
but Robin Cole came in and made the hit.
In a four-yard.
The important thing is here again, as I mentioned, the San Diego Chargers,
they get in there this close with as many big plays as they make.
They've got to be able to get it out, suck it up, and get in there,
into that end zone, get seven points instead of just three.
Woodruff is in as the extra back for the Steelers.
Look at that middle, second and sixth.
Here's Fouts going to put it off.
He looks and throws short, incomplete.
There was coverage on Muncie out there by Jack Hamm.
You don't fool Jack Hamm very often.
He tried to swing it out to Muncie, incomplete, third and sixth.
Yeah, they had a pretty good chance to get Jefferson in the middle area,
but he was looking at Muncie all the way,
trying to get it on him in a one-on-one situation with Hamm,
and didn't succeed and doing a good job of the play.
And McCrary comes out, and Mike Thomas comes into the lineup
with Chuck Muncie in the backfield.
Ball at the 19 of Pittsburgh.
They still don't have a tight end.
They've got three wide receivers.
Third and sixth.
Straight back to throw.
Joyner, Joyner.
Joyner throws into the end zone, and it's caught.
First and goal at the five.
It was caught by Tom, by the wide receiver Jefferson.
He was bumped out of bounds at the five, and it's first and goal.
Ron Johnson got him, but he couldn't.
He rolled him out of bounds, and it's first and goal from the five.
Beautiful catch that time, but John Jefferson was in the end zone
all by himself that time, Jack.
Nobody around him.
He came out to the five-yard line and caught that ball.
First and goal.
That was on third and sixth.
Boy, they've completed a lot of third down back.
This would be a good time to say,
listen, we're on the five-yard line.
We're going to stuff it in there.
We're going to run it in there.
Here they go.
Muncie.
A flag goes down, and Muncie gets to the three.
A flag has been thrown.
Very few penalties.
None against Pittsburgh so far in this game.
Three against San Diego.
It was first and goal from the four,
and the rep regime tells us that it is holding against San Diego.
That's a killer.
Boy, that's murder, isn't it?
You know, as big as those offensive linemen are, Billy Shields weighs 275.
Wilkerson weighs 262.
Mason weighs 253.
White weighs 271.
Audick, you think they would be able to blow somebody off a lot of scrimmage
and not be holding in the process?
Number 56, 10-yard, so far down.
Shields, of all people, 68, 275.
You wouldn't think he'd have to hold, would you?
Billy Shields out of Georgia Tech.
The ball is at the 14.
San Diego's kept the ball for two minutes here at the outset of the third quarter.
Well, we'll see if Jefferson goes in motion to the right side here.
Here he goes.
And they like to run outside.
Look at that middle.
On first down, Fouts gives the ball to Muncie, running right, trying to get outside.
He's to the 10-yard line, inside the 10, and out of bounds.
Bumped out by Dwayne Woodruff.
Anyone out of bounds at the Pittsburgh 7.
You know, they consistently, from that triple-wing formation, run outside.
They pull the left guard on the play.
Muncie does a good job of getting to the outside,
but they also could be able to run inside between the tackles from that same formation.
They're so concerned about stopping the sweep now.
I'm talking about Pittsburgh.
He ought to be able to, from that same formation, same motion,
pop it up the middle and make a big game.
Muncie can throw the ball, too, can't he?
Yes, he can.
The ball is at the 7-yard line.
Up the stealer is actually 7 1⁄2 yards away.
Here he comes in motion again.
Jefferson to run up.
I'm sorry, Jack.
Here we go with Fouts.
He jumps it off to Muncie.
Caught it at the 5.
He's hitting down at the 1.
He's at the 1.
That'll be third and goal.
Lambert with the tackle saves the touchdown.
Is that what you were expecting, Hank?
I thought, from that formation, they've been doing things outside.
I thought sometime along in here they're going to run inside from that same formation
because Pittsburgh is really concerned about the formation and stopping the sweep.
And for that reason, something inside would be very effective.
Obviously, that play was very effective,
and they did a good job of taking the ball down to the 1.
But they've got to stuff it in there.
They've got to get tough and blow that ball into the end.
So they've got two yards to get, two downs to get one yard.
Ball's at the 1, third and goal.
I information Thomas and Muncie.
The give is to Muncie Hurdle.
And he got it.
Did not get over.
Fourth down.
Muncie did not get over.
It is fourth down.
The San Diego players thought he had gotten in there,
but none of the officials gave him the touchdown.
The guys in the white shirt say touchdown,
but the guys in the black and white shirt say no dice.
And now San Diego leading 9-3.
They have a big decision to make, Hank.
And it looks like they're going to go for the core,
the touchdown, rather than the field goal.
Well, it's just less than a yard.
And the rule of thumb, I've said so many times,
if it's less than a yard, if you can't make less than a yard
with a big strong line like they have,
you shouldn't win anyhow.
They ought to go for it, and they should be able to make a touchdown.
They said they're going for the three-pointer.
They're going to go for it, and they should be able to make it.
Split backs the ball right at the goal line.
Fouts big enough to sneak the ball.
He sneaks it and gets over.
Touchdown San Diego, the first of the night,
and that makes it 15-3.
We have 11-32 remaining in the third quarter,
and that's our first touchdown of the night.
Dumb drive, a long pass to Winslow on the first play from Skrimmage.
A pass to Jefferson at the five, made it first and goal.
They overcame a holding call.
They started from their 14 and went on in
for the touchdown on the quarterback sneak.
Here's the extra-point drive by Bernerska.
Fuller holding.
That was perfect.
Fuller gets it down.
The kick is good, and the New England Patriots are fading away
because now San Diego has a 13-point lead with 11-32 remaining
in the third quarter with a score of the Tigers 16-3.
Let's take time out.
Remember a year ago San Diego got in a playoff.
Houston came here and without Pasqualean and without Campbell,
there's Jim Reynolds in quarterback and they knocked San Diego out of it.
It was a bitter pill for the team and the fans out here.
They're leading 16-3 now with 11-1½ left in the third quarter.
The kick by Bernerska, Larry Anderson has to chase to his left and put it on the floor,
running to the 10, to the 15, east to the 20, 25, 30 yard line,
and out to the 35 comes Larry Anderson with another fine return.
And he was picked up by Frank Duncan, a defensive back and rather a saving tackle.
As it was, Duncan, number 47, did a good job of making the tackle,
or else he'd have gone for a longer distance than he did.
Well, don't count the viewers out of this one, folks.
You know, Hank, I think the biggest absence on the club is Stoward, don't you?
Oh yeah, no question about that.
You know, they have such great balance with the outside receivers.
They look also good, excellent job,
but you can't lose those kind of quality people and expect to be as efficient as you normally were.
Red jaws, five out of nine, and he stays on the ground and gives to Franco Harris
on a slam right across the 40 to the 42.
Following the lucky flyer, Bob Horn made the tackle on Franco Harris.
He got six, seven yards.
With it all, the Steelers only trail by 13, a couple of touchdowns, and they go on tough.
And of course they've done such a big play team, throwing the ball to their outside receivers,
and they get back into the game quickly on many occasions,
and we, this thing, as you mentioned, is a long, long way from being over.
Mike Williams is out on the cornerback, Dove is playing for San Diego.
They ought to be able to throw the ball in his backs the way their defense is lined up.
Second down and four.
Red jaws is going to put it up.
He throws and it is caught over the net, but Bell, 35 down to the 30, down to the 26,
a shot line at San Diego.
Jerome Dove made the tackle on Theo Bell.
He is no slouch in the catch of your buck.
And Red jaws, he did a super job of looking left.
Lucky Blair was all by himself on the left side,
and then he looked left and shoot the ball inside to Theo Bell.
A wonderful play by the cornerback, Terry Bradshaw.
He had me looking in this direction.
Yeah, he did a good job looking off the receivers.
That's a 26.
But he can still throw that back on a flat.
The linebacker is way inside, and for that reason,
he ought to be able to throw the ball to the back and let the guy run and make the nut.
He's going to play.
Don't think he's in a lot of racket.
Pittsburgh are having trouble hearing.
Bradshaw is going to put it up.
There he is.
First down.
He looks and he throws into the end zone, and a battle for it.
It is complete.
Double cover, John Lynn Swan right in the corner of the end zone,
just past the goal line by Buchanan and Glenn Edwards.
He had a wide in for the ball of Frank O'Hara.
As he looked at it, Frank O'Hara's paris was wide open again,
but he didn't throw the ball through it right into the double cover.
He's down to Theo.
I think he tried to do the same thing.
He looked off the back and the flat and tried to throw deep thinking
that the defensive back would be low asleep by the actions to the left side.
But they weren't, and they did a good job of staying with their people.
You could tell the way that O'Hara has walked back into the dugout
that he was disappointed he didn't get the bird.
Back into the huddle there that he was disappointed he didn't get the ball.
It's second down and 10 on the San Diego 26.
Now the linebackers on the outside, they don't have the same situation
they had to be trying before for the linebackers inside.
Here's Bradshaw's pass again.
He looks, he's rushed, he draws.
The flag is down.
The pass is incomplete.
And we probably have holding.
We probably have holding.
It was in center for Rocky Gleit.
And a penalty coming up against Pittsburgh the very first double of the evening.
Yeah, he waited for something to happen, something to pop open.
Nothing actually did.
And any time you had that much time to throw you figure somebody's got to be holding.
Ten yards marked off against Pittsburgh.
Back to the 36.
Number 74, still second down.
Second down and 20.
Dean is in the ball game now, number 71, the defensive end.
He's an excellent pass rusher.
It'll be interesting to see what kind of a job Ted Peterson, number 56,
the offensive left tackle will do on Dean.
Brad Dean is one of the Pro Bowlers along with Gary Johnson, along with Louis Coulter.
Three of their front four are in the Pro Bowl for San Diego.
And they got three wide receivers in the game.
All the 36 of the Dodgers and Brad Jogs back to throw.
Four-man rush, sets up throws long inside the 10.
And Bill Carden at the one, first in goal, Pittsburgh.
The defensive end.
And 40, nice four.
They're back to the play and enough will ride in the arms of Dino Bell, 35 yards.
There was a white shirt around the ball, but it looked like that all the white shirts
thought that the other guy was going to make the play.
They were all spectators and they let Bell make the catch right in the middle of the field.
And the ball now is in a one-yard line.
You're right, Haggis.
Alphonse and Gaston, they each thought the other was going to knock the ball down.
Now we have nine minutes remaining in the third quarter.
And the Steelers trailing 16 to three, a few of boys.
They're ready to go into the end zone for the first time with Sydney Thornton
and Tycho Harris in the backfield.
First in goal from the long.
We've seen Brad Jogs throw in this kind of a spot frequently.
He gives the ball to Thornton and he's hit and he lost the yard.
What do you think of that? Sydney Thornton had no surge at all.
And that was the way.
It looked like he was running in quicksand this time.
Very slow getting to the hole and by the time he got there,
he was all over losing the yard in the play.
Woody Lowell, the cornerback and Willie Buchanan, Mike Fuller all there.
Woody Lowell, the first man to get to him.
Second in goal from the two.
As I indicated on first down, I've seen Brad Jogs throw that little
pop pass over there, hang to the side end.
He likes to play action pass. He certainly has.
They have two tight ends.
And it's second and goal.
Here's Brad Jogs to Thornton.
He walks into the end zone, touchdown.
And a touchdown for the Steelers makes it 16 to nine.
Leroy Jones that time was really coming across there like gangbusters.
They tapped him and walked into the end zone like nobody was there.
Good looking play.
And that's something that the Pittsburgh Steelers love to do.
They love the trap and they executed the trap perfectly on the last play.
Makes it 16 to nine with 814 remaining in the third quarter.
And that quiets the crowd down here.
Barr trying the extra point.
He's kicked 37 out of 40 this year.
Colquitt will hold the ball.
Colquitt gets it down.
Barr gets it up and it's good.
And so the Steelers trail by six points with 814 remaining in the third quarter.
A timeout on the field with the score now.
The Charger is 16.
The Steelers 10.
He's rammed the absence of Mike Williams on the corner for San Diego.
Heard him.
Theo Bell beat his replacement, Jerome Dove, a couple of times.
Once on a pass to the Charger 26 and then one to the one yard line.
Yes, and that happens when you have plenty of time to throw the ball.
And Bradshaw did on that last drive.
He didn't have much problem at all.
He got sacked on one occasion.
But most of the time he had good pass protection.
Here's the kick and it comes down to Bernard Jackson.
Took it on the one.
He's to the 10, 15, 20 yard line.
He is out to the 25, 26.
San Diego will go from there and they trail.
They lead by only six now.
Larry Anderson made the tackle.
All right, I'm going to the 26 yard line.
Pittsburgh overcame a holding penalty.
Pass to Bell to the 26.
Pass to Bell to the one.
And then a two yard touchdown run by Parton.
Now the Chargers have to move the ball.
They're at their own 26.
Let's see if they send Jefferson in motion here to the right.
Now they send Winslow to the right.
Winslow to the right and a first down pass by Fouts.
He steps up in the pocket and throws.
And it's in completely.
He overthrew his man and almost put it right into the hands of Donnie Shell.
He tried to get it out to John Jefferson.
Incomplete.
Not a very good throw.
No it wasn't.
And Jefferson was really open in the middle area.
But he just threw it over the top and it fell incomplete.
Stops the clock with 7.59 remaining in the third quarter.
And the Chargers hanging on to a precarious 16-10 lead.
We reiterate, if the Chargers lose, they're out of the playoffs.
If they win, they win the title and New England is out.
Five defensive backs including Woodruff for the Steelers.
They're still committed to the same scheme.
There goes Jefferson in motion to the left side.
You see Donnie Shell.
Followed by Donnie Shell and here's the running play to Muncie White.
Open to the 30.
And Shell came up and made a brilliant tackle at the 30 yard line.
What a good tackle by Donnie Shell at the 31.
That's the best thing he does and that's a great illustration of it.
He did a super job in the last play.
But you want to keep him out of that traffic as much as you possibly can.
And really, he's so far in the game, the Chargers have done that.
That was the short side of the field too, Hank.
And they couldn't get Shell far enough away from the ball.
That's right.
Now it's third down and five.
Three wide receivers including Ron Smith for San Diego.
Triple wing formation on the right side.
Here's Spouts throwing on third and five.
Caught by Winslow.
First down across to 40 and down at the 44 goes Helen.
Winslow tackled by Jack Ham.
I can't believe that he's 6'6", 252, only 22 years old, a two-year-old from Missouri.
He runs and has the agility and quickness of a guy that's six foot even.
Really, he's tremendous.
And a first down.
6'56 remaining in the third quarter.
That was third down and a third down pass to Winslow.
Boy, that San Diego passing attack can really tear you apart.
Robin Cole is in at the linebacker spot now for the Steelers.
They can match you with so many different people.
There's Winslow in motion to the left this time.
There's Thomas running left.
Mike Thomas gets a block and is hit at the 45 and he's down at the 46.
Mike Wagner, the free safety, came up, stopped the play after a two-yard gain.
If you're going to have one of the two safety men force, you'd much rather have Wagner force
than you would Donnie Shell because he does such a good job.
Not that Wagner doesn't, but Wagner is a free safety.
And with that motion like it is, he has to play the strong safety position
and he doesn't play as nearly as well as Donnie Shell.
Bounce is 12 out of 23, 190 yards, one touchdown on his own run.
Now Winslow comes to the right and Jefferson to the left, second down and eighth.
That time they had three linebackers in the game.
They had Cole in there with only four defensive backs.
Now they're back in the right.
Throwing and broken up.
Broken up by Johnson on the corner, intended for Winslow and almost intercepted.
By Woodruff who made a dive for the ball.
It'll be third and eighth.
Tried to force that ball a little bit, Hank.
Was anything else open?
No, really wasn't.
He tried to squeeze it in at that time and was very lucky that it wasn't intercepted.
But here again, the Pittsburgh Steelers are changing a little bit.
They're going with four defensive back on some occasions and five on others.
They take out Jack Hamm, put JT Thomas in.
They have six defensive backs on third and eighth from the 46th of San Diego.
Bouch is going to put it up.
Has time and throws long to the right side.
Caught for a first down at the Steeler 37 by Jefferson.
He's amazing in the defensive backs, including Ron Johnson.
Wayne Redrup is standing there with his hands on a hit saying,
how in the world do you cover him?
Yeah, that's exactly right.
But they got no jump at all on the ball.
Wayne Redrup stood there and didn't respond to the thrown ball at all.
He should have been after the ball when it was in the air,
but he waited before until he caught it and then responded and made the tackle.
And that was on third and eighth.
And it allows San Diego to keep the ball.
Chuck Muncie checks in.
We have 5.45 remaining in the third quarter.
The Chargers lead 16 to 10.
Let's see if they send Jefferson in motion here to the right.
No, they send Winslow again.
And here is a give to the running back.
And behind the block of Winslow, he drives down near the 30-yard line.
Winslow, the big guy, gave him a very good block.
And L.C. Greenwood and Mike Wagner combined for the tackle,
but a gain of six by Chuck Muncie.
He's hanging on to the ball tonight, too.
Yeah, he's doing a much better job of keeping the ball close to his side.
And that's where he has a problem.
He fights so hard for extra yardage, and if he's not careful,
he keeps the ball away from his body.
And that's when he has a fumble problem.
But he's doing a good job here tonight.
The ball is at the stealer 30, and it's second down and four,
with 5.08 left in the third quarter.
Now they got both back in the game.
Here's Bounce going to put it up on second down.
He throws long into the end zone, and a mix-up on the pattern and incomplete.
Trying to get it into the end zone to Jefferson.
That ball was, he was supposed to run a post corner, post flag,
but the defense responded to the route in it with anticipation.
And so Jefferson broke the route,
and he had a hit in the area between the defensive backs,
but it wasn't read well by the quarterback.
It was an adjustment move by the part of the receiver,
and they didn't take it up from the quarterback standpoint.
Five minutes left in the third quarter.
Boy, on third down, and here comes another third and four.
San Diego has been terrific.
Triple wing on the left side this time, which means three receivers.
Now they send Joyner in motion right.
Third down, Bounce walks the pass.
The pass to the sideline is caught for a first down by Joyner.
He is out of bounds at the Bishberg 17.
Piece of work in it.
I tell you, it's fun to see what's happening here.
And on third down, San Diego picks up a first down eight times in 13 tries.
You just take a look at the defensive linemen of the Bishberg Steelers.
They all have their hands on their hips, walking back to the defensive huddles,
scratching their head, trying to figure out what's going on in that secondary.
The ball is to the Bishberg 17.
That was on third down.
There's a forced first down play.
Wagner is out.
Here's the running play.
Muntry skipping left down to the 15-yard line.
Knocked down at the 14.
He got three.
Robin Cole, JT Thomas tackled him.
Steelers are playing without Mike Wagner now,
and JT Thomas playing at free safety spot.
I tell you, this is the first time I've seen San Diego
where I really felt that maybe, maybe they have a better chance
than they've ever had in the past to go all the way
because they have the outstanding running now.
And of course, they've got one of the great backs in the national football league, I think,
and Chuck Munson, he's just coming into result,
learning the system, doing a good job.
They're featuring him more, and with the balance they have here tonight,
they're going to be very, very difficult to handle.
From the 14, here's Muncy knocked down by the middle linebacker, Lambert,
for a loss of a yard.
Jack Lambert was in the hole, and just as Muncy got the ball, he was whacked.
The Pouts has gone over the 200-yard mark in passing here this evening,
and he is 13 out of 25.
And so he now has 207 yards, 4,600-plus yards in passing.
But it's third down and eight.
This is where they consistently falter.
They don't get in for seven points.
Now they get a normal formation, expecting a blitz.
From the 15, Pouts are going to pass.
Offset into the end zone, heavy coverage, incomplete.
Fourth down.
He tried to have Jefferson run under it,
but covering was Mike Wagner, who was back in the lineup.
And it's fourth down.
Vernerska will try to get his fourth field goal of the evening.
This is good from 26, 26, 33, and this one will be 33 yards.
With Fuller holding the ball, the snap nice and low.
Fuller got it.
The kick sails and goes through.
A knuckleball went right between the uprights.
And now it's a nine-point advantage for San Diego.
Nine-point advantage with 333 remaining in the third quarter.
Vernerska has kicked forward tonight.
A timeout on the field with a score.
San Diego 19 and the Steelers 10.
Larry Anderson out of Louisiana Tech waits for the Vernerska kick.
With 333 remaining in the third quarter.
19 to 10, San Diego leads.
A high kick.
And taken by Anderson on the five, running left to the 10, 15, 20, 25 yard line.
And out to the 26, a rather well-controlled kicking game by San Diego.
Hank, they really walled them off over there.
Yeah, they did a good job.
They kicked the ball to the right, which made the back Anderson come up the left sideline.
Everybody converged on him and did a good job from the coverage standpoint.
It only gives them one way to go.
And again, Hank Bauer downfield to make the tackle.
The ball is a Pittsburgh 27, a nine-point lead.
The center is Mike Webster, Ray Penny, and Tyrone McGriff of the guards.
Ted Peterson and Larry Brown are the tacklers.
Tight end is many coming at him.
They haven't been able to get the ball to him much.
Here's a quick snap and Bradshaw is going to put it up on first down.
Zips it over the metal.
It's caught at the 40, 45 yard line.
And out to midfield is the tight end of the 45 to the 40 and out of bounds at the San Diego 38.
Mike Fuller bumped him out.
I guess had a hunch they were going to go to Cunningham, Hank.
They let him alone all night.
Well, here again, the way they're playing defensively, we've talked about it many, many times.
The tight end of the back has to be open.
He got the ball right on the money that time to Cunningham.
And Cunningham did a super job of running down the left sideline.
He got a lot more out of the play than it looked like he would.
But he could do that in first and Tim.
The linebackers are playing inside to try to stop the run.
For that reason, the backs ought to be open or the tight end should be open downfield.
The ball is at the 38 of San Diego.
And on first down, running by nine.
Here is a give to the running back and the play is good only to the 35.
Cliff Griff, who just came in as the middle linebacker, made the tackle on Franco Harris.
Franco Harris really is not busting in there like he normally used to.
He looks like he's looking for a place to run.
And by the time he makes a decision why everything's closed up and he's picking up two or three yards,
then maybe he wouldn't be making four or five.
And that makes a big difference as far as the selection for the quarterback.
San Diego is still in a dangerous spot in this game.
They lead by nine. Pittsburgh is at their 35-yard line.
Second down and seven.
There's another good opportunity to go after the tight end here or one of the backs.
Here is Bradshaw throwing and it's caught inside the 35 by Cunningham.
And he is brought down at the 26 and that's going to be a first down.
Boy, he's tough to tackle. It's 247 pounds.
Woody Low brought him down.
Another first down for Pittsburgh.
Let's pause five seconds for stations to identify themselves on the CBS radio network.
This is WNAS Yankton, South Dakota. The time is 10 o'clock.
The ball is now resting at the San Diego 27-yard line.
One-fifty-five left in the third quarter. San Diego leading 19 to 10.
First down Steelers.
They're doing a good job of holding Smith up at the line of scrimmage.
Same thing again. Same thing again this time.
Here's Thornton and he is tackled after going to the 25. Got two yards.
Ray Preston got him.
I thought they were changing the play and were going to change from a run to a pass.
The back would have been open on the play the way the coverage was.
Thornton good over two yards.
Now we have one-twenty remaining in the third quarter.
Second down and eight from the 25.
Swan is to the right. Theo Bell is to the left.
Thornton in the backfield with Harris. Cunningham the tight end. Grossman hasn't played tonight.
Here is a quick toss to Franco Harris trying to get outside. Ridden down from behind.
And a flag goes down.
Harris was tackled at the San Diego 23.
And a penalty Leroy Jones really showed great speed catching him from behind.
Franco Harris and holding against Pittsburgh.
Franco Harris at this stage of his career is not fast enough to run that kind of a play.
Jack you need outstanding speed and quickness to get outside on that kind of a toss.
And Franco Harris really doesn't have it.
And a foot down at the 35.
Larry Brown the right tackle is holding.
And it's second down and 18 from the San Diego 35.
Scott Perry is in as the extra defensive back now for San Diego.
Three wide receivers for Pittsburgh and Bradshaw back to throw.
Drops it off short. It's caught by Thornton at the 25.
He is down to the 20 yard line.
And it's going to be a third down play. Third down and four.
That's one thing that Terry hasn't done a whole lot of.
He likes to get the ball downfield so much.
And justifiably so because he's got those great outside receivers.
But the linebackers they know that. They try to get good delt to help the defensive backs.
And for that reason the backs are wide open like he was on that last play.
Third down and four at the 20 yard line.
Third down Pittsburgh has picked up a first down only twice in five tries.
Bradshaw is going to throw for it.
Looks throws and it's incomplete inside the 10 yard line.
He whistled the ball off the fingertips of Franco Harris right down the middle.
Incomplete. That's a little bit too high. Had he thrown a little bit lower he had a chance.
Or had he waited a little bit longer he would just start to pop clean beyond the linebackers.
So the same thing. Cliff Griff the linebacker was with him.
Had Bradshaw been able to hold it for about one more count.
Harris was about to break clean and now trailing by nine.
Pittsburgh is going to pass up the field goal try.
It's fourth and fourth at 20.
At the San Diego 20.
Oh hold your breath back there in New England.
Five defensive backs for San Diego the fans on their feet.
And Bradshaw needs four yards to keep the ball.
A short drop now a deep drop he looks he throws and it is incomplete at the 15 yard line.
Broken up by Woody Lowe intended for Thornton.
Incomplete the ball goes to San Diego.
They got the match they wanted. Woody Lowe that time number 51 however.
Rows to the occasion. Covered Thornton in the flat knocked the ball down.
And the Pittsburgh Steelers are out of business.
We have only ten seconds left in the third quarter with a score.
With a score. San Diego 19 the Steelers 10. Let's take time out.
The place the Keebler Company Denver.
Hey Bill our main cracker line is down here in Denver.
Oh now that line makes 720,000 crackers an hour.
It sure does and you people in Chicago have the only part to fix it.
It'll be there tomorrow on News Express Mail Service.
Overnight Express Mail Service delivers.
Hey the part's here let's get back to work.
Express Mail Next Day Service overnight from over 2,000 post offices we deliver.
Sponsored by your postal service.
Thanks Ram and I are puzzled as to why the Steelers failing by nine would pass up.
A field goal try of 37 yards and go for a first down or a touchdown on fourth and fourth.
Yeah they had to come up with ten points in this game.
One over the other and as long as you're that close you ought to try for a three.
And then come back the next time and then you have to go for the seven if that score is still the same.
Hard to understand it. Yep surprised at that.
San Diego's at their 20 yard line and on first down Pouch is going to put it up.
He looks dumps it off short and it's caught.
And out to the 24 yard line to Greg McCrary the tight end.
A pick up of four yards and that'll mark the end of the third quarter.
Second and sixth from their own 24 facing San Diego when we start the final 15 minutes of the game.
And that's the end of the third quarter with a score.
San Diego 19-5 for 10.
San Diego the fans raising heck here.
15 minutes to go the Tigers lead 19 to 10.
Heck we better go back to that other play.
Here is Pittsburgh with the ball at the 24th and for nine points behind.
And they passed up the field goal drive.
Yeah it's hard for me to understand why they did that because as I mentioned earlier.
They've got to get ten points to get back in the game.
And it doesn't make any difference when you get which of the two the three or the seven.
But when you get down there that close you've got to come away with at least three.
And then hope to get the seven the next time.
Second down and sixth from their own 24 for San Diego with Muncie in the backfield.
On second down to give to Muncie outside right.
He's to the 25 he is to the 30.
He got a first down with hard work.
A first down for Muncie and San Diego if they give him the forward progress I thought he had.
First down Wagner and Lambert with the tacklers.
And then the San Diego has tied a club record with four field goals here tonight.
Once he came out to the 30 because of the running so much the Steelers are now playing with four defensive backs and three linebackers.
Coles in the game instead of the defense of back.
Lidrup on first down.
Here is a gift to Muncie.
He's got four yards out to the 34 and now has run 17 times 86 yards.
And it was Gary Dunn the tackler for the Steelers.
They gave Muncie forward progress out to the 35 yard line five yards.
Now Muncie is out and Thomas is in 14 20 remaining in the game.
San Diego leading by nine 19 to 10.
Still have the three linebackers in the game instead of the five defensive backs.
There you see Shell he's out of business.
Second and five. Lidrup put it up and there's the pass and it's caught short out to the 35 yard line and to the 36.
And a mild game by Winslow tackled by Ron Johnson.
It'll be third down and four.
Ron Johnson really did a good job of coming up and being under control was in a good tackling position.
Winslow tried to give him a little juk inside and outside but didn't succeed.
And then he finally got help. I'm talking about Johnson from down a shell number 31.
Well this is where San Diego has been terrific tonight.
Third down plays and they have third and four from their own 36 yard line.
Well you got Shell looking in motion this time again with Jefferson.
He's going to put it up. He looks, drops it off short.
It's caught first down out to the 45 and the players stopped at the 46.
How in the world do you stop Winslow on that kind of a pass play?
That's third and four.
They keep the people around. You don't know where they're going to come from.
They dazzle you with formation and motion.
And they're not dropping the ball Hank.
No and of course they have no reason to. The ball is right on the money.
Now they go in. Now Cole comes in.
Now they go back with the three linebackers and four defensive linemen and four defensive backs
anticipating, anticipating the run.
Muncie is back in there. The ball is at the San Diego 46.
They're grinding it out on this drive.
Muncie runs right, cuts back, is hit.
He gained only about a yard or two over the right side in the arms of Jack Hamm.
From that formation I've mentioned it several times, the middle, the middle looks like it would be very vulnerable.
Talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers are so concerned about stopping the outside from that formation.
The middle linebacker is very deep, Jack Lambert, and for that reason they ought to be able to do some work inside.
Muncie out, Thomas in. 12-20 left in the game. San Diego leading 19-10.
Five defensive backs for Pittsburgh.
On the obvious passing situation, there's Winslow going to the right side.
Jeffers will come back here. There he goes. There you see Donnie Shell.
And here is Poutz under the lid of Mike Thomas to midfield.
He is down inside the 45. He gets the first down.
Down there the 43 yard line.
It's another first down for San Diego on the draw to Mike Thomas.
Yeah, and he popped that nice and clean right up the middle and that's a good area to hit.
Because of the way they are so concerned about the people going sideways in motion and worried about their coverage.
Boy, if San Diego hangs on to this ball, Hank, and there's 11-35 left in the game, they lead by nine.
And any kind of points, including a field goal, will really put them in great shape.
And not only that, they'll kill the clock the way they're moving it now.
Winslow has caught nine passes, 147 yards. Joiners caught three, Jefferson two.
Played down on the play.
Here's Hank Fowler in the game and the running play to Mike Thomas carries to the 40 and a play goes down.
Mel Blunt was the tackler.
In a three yard penalty play on the play.
It was first down. Offside, Pittsburgh. That'll make it first and five.
That's the 38.
Referee Jim Tunney marks off the yardage.
Enforcement defense, number 75, still first down.
With Joe Green lined up offside.
Coach.
Greg McCrary, the tight end, is back in first and five, San Diego.
Joyner and Jefferson come left. Winslow is on a wing.
McCrary, the tight end on the right side and timeout called by the quarterback, Dan Fowl.
We have 11-17 remaining in the game. San Diego has the ball.
They have first and five at the Pittsburgh 38. And with the score, San Diego 19, Pittsburgh 10.
Let's take timeout.
If San Diego wins here tonight, they'll be the champion of the division.
They'll make a wild card team out of Oakland.
They will eliminate New England from the playoffs and Houston will play out Oakland next Sunday.
Meanwhile, we have Los Angeles playing at Dallas on Sunday and CBS Radio will cover both games for you.
The date will be the 28th.
Merry Christmas, happy holidays to all of our servicemen and women tuned in on American Forces Radio.
First and five, San Diego at the Pittsburgh 38, motion by Jefferson.
And a give to Mike Thomas. He's going to throw the ball down field and it is incomplete at the 15-yard line.
Charlie Joyner says, I caught it. The field judge said, no, you didn't, sir.
No blunt covering and it was a dangerous pass thrown by Mike Thomas.
I really thought from this angle that he caught it, but evidently he did not because the official was right on the scene and called it immediately.
Oh, yeah, very obviously looking at the replay he did. He was way short.
Thomas pass incomplete on first down and it's second and five.
The ball still at the Pittsburgh 38 with 11-11 left in the game.
Bounce under center, motion by Winslow. The give to Mike Thomas picks his way up the middle.
A flag goes down and Thomas is down at the 26-yard line.
And we very likely have holding called by the umpire against San Diego.
A.T. Thomas came up and made the tackle on Mike Thomas.
And a penalty call against San Diego.
The complexity of the game has changed tremendously early. We didn't get many penalties at all.
And now suddenly we're getting a lot of them and the officials evidently are detecting some holding that they didn't see early in the game because the technique has to be the same.
Holding 62 off and still second down.
John Masek, the center, was holding.
I think, you know, it was first and five and they got cute with the pass by Mike Thomas. There was no need for that.
No, exactly right. And the last time we saw them play they ran an option play. Remember? And that was intercepted.
11-06 remaining in the game. Second down and 15 now at the 48 of Pittsburgh.
I don't know why you let anybody else throw the ball when you have the best passer, one of the best passers in the league in fouls.
Second down. Motion by Jefferson. Fouls back to throw. Now he delays it to Thomas. Thomas is hit and dropped at the 46.
It'll be third down along. Third and 13. Joe Green made the tackle.
Tackle by number 75, Joe Green.
Third down and 13 for San Diego.
And that's the only one thing, Schell is going to be a very tired player after this contest.
He's never run so much in his life and never really accomplished very much because he's going sideways all the time.
Balls at the Pittsburgh 46.
And I mean that as a compliment to him because they're doing that to keep him out of the play because he is such an outstanding defensive player.
Joiner, Jefferson Smith. All wide receivers for San Diego. Third and 13. Fouts puts it up to the sideline into heavy coverage.
Incomplete and a great defensive play was made against Jefferson by Mike Wagner. And now Pittsburgh will get the ball.
And I'll bet when Pittsburgh gets the ball now, Hank, with 10.25 left in the game, I'll bet they wished they'd have kicked that field goal moments ago.
Yeah, I agree with you 100%. It's always a disaster when you're down there and have an opportunity to get points, whether it's three or seven.
You've got to come away with points and they came away with nothing. Fourth and four and they didn't succeed in making the first down.
Rick Partridge is kicking and Theo Bell stands at his 10 waiting for it. This is Partridge's first punt of the night.
He'll get it away from his 45. He's not molested and he kicks the ball terribly. High short bounces inside the 25 and it's down inside the 25.
By San Diego, Partridge had a 39.2 average. Fans let him have the business as he kicked the ball very, very short with 10.16 remaining in the game.
A 24 yard punt. There's a timeout on the field with a score. San Diego 19, the Steelers 10.
Each team has punted one time. San Diego has 23 first downs. Pittsburgh 12. Pittsburgh's at their 25 trailing by nine points. 10.16 left in the game and out they come.
Swan to the right, Theo Bell to the left, tight end Cunningham on the right side. On first down, here's a fumble and Pittsburgh got it back but they lost three yards.
Franco Harris was right on top of Bradshaw when he attempted to hand it off. And they got it back at the 22 and lost three.
And they can mark it down on the 23 yard line. Second down and 12. Steelers a long way to go trailing by nine. Swan right, Bell left, Cunningham on the right side.
Here's the center over the ball. Cunningham the grip to guards. Brown and Peterson the tackles. Here's Bradshaw's pass to Harris. He's hit for a loss on the play and dropped by the middle linebacker Bob Horn at the 18 yard line.
What a difference that when you have linebackers who can stay with those running backs.
Yes and he read it perfectly perfectly that time. And here again Franco Harris has not run that kind of a play that well. You have to have somebody with great quickness and speed who can operate efficiently on a one on one situation.
Franco Harris runs so well straight ahead he does not do that kind of thing well and was nailed to the cross by Bob Horn.
And here's the second 16 with Bell, Swan and Sweeney the wide receivers. Scott Perry is the extra back for San Diego. Bradshaw's going to throw a little pressure. He steps up and throws long and they failed and incomplete.
Incomplete at the 45 yard line intended for Bell. Well covered by Willie Buchanan on the corner. And Pittsburgh will have to punt the 846 left.
And he's going to get a gallon effort to try to come back and make that catch. He just didn't do it. Buchanan was right on top of him that time and did a good job defensively.
Mike Fuller goes back to get Craig Cole quick second punt of the night.
First bump was 48 yards.
Edwards goes back as a blocking back for Fuller.
There a man short here he comes. And here is the kick and it's out near midfield it bounces and goes past Fuller inside the 40 down to the 36 down near the 35 of San Diego.
Fuller was afraid to take a chance and he did the smart thing. It cost him yards but he backed away. I don't know why he didn't catch it.
He did a poor job Jack really of what he did and he didn't get a jump on the ball and you're right with a situation like it was he was smart to get away from it. He didn't get a jump on the ball and had no chance whatsoever to make the catch. He got away from it and went a bounce and he lost about 15 yards on the play.
Balls marked down on the San Diego 35, 836 left with a score. San Diego 19 and Pittsburgh 10. Let's take time out.
San Diego wins here tonight. They win the division. They make a wild card team out of Oakland. They eliminate New England and San Diego will also get a home game. Here is the toss to the tailback Muncie.
Muncie is out to the 40 yard line and one down and about the 43. Big yard for the running back. The clock continues to run. Mike Wagner with a strong tackle. We're down to 820 left in the game.
The San Diego Chargers really made a very wise decision early in the season by being able to get Chuck Muncie. Chuck Muncie has really added a great running dimension to this football team and has given them the balance they've been seeking and he's really made a tremendous difference.
He just picked up seven yards out to the 43 yard line of the Chargers. Jefferson goes in motion and Muncie carries again this time to the right side and he is hit for a loss on the play. Johnson came up very strong and made the tackle.
Muncie lost a yard. And the way they're chasing on that formation the quarterback could really keep it himself Jack and scamper around the left side even if he didn't make a lot of yards he at least keep that defense honest and keep him from chasing as fast as they are right now at this stage of the game.
Bounces rushed only 23 times this year and has two touchdowns and he has zero rushing average. That's a good reason why he's not going to run that play. The ball's back at the 41 and it's third down and four. Look at that middle.
Somewhere along the line they had to run something in that middle area because he dumps it off short and it is caught by Muncie to the 45. He is out of bounds near the 48 and appears to have a first down. He does.
Muncie knew that he had to go out to the 48 for the first down before Widener pumped him out. He got a first down for San Diego.
You know he's got great speed good size and he's one of the strongest runners I've ever seen going down the sideline. He's very very difficult to knock out of bounds and he doesn't run out of bounds he makes you knock him out of bounds.
Now we have seven oh nine remaining in the game the clock is stopped.
Perhaps the Steelers are to Mike Thomas is in Muncie is out seven oh nine left San Diego leading by nine 19 to 10 on first down John Jefferson in motion and here's bounce with a first down pass swings it off to Mike Thomas to the 45 is the midfield.
He's down to the 45 of Pittsburgh out of the 44 and he got about eight yards on the play before Lambert tackled it.
A lot of missed tackles by Pittsburgh. Well he said he's got such great great fitness and happy feet and good speed that it's hard to tackle him on the open field.
He's very busy runner. Now we're down to six forty five left in the game.
They're sweating it out in Oakland they're sweating it out in New England.
Pittsburgh already out of the playoffs second down and two for San Diego six and a half minutes left. They have the ball at the 44 of Pittsburgh's and here is Thomas.
He gets a first down to the 40 yard line by Thomas tackle by Gary Dunn and Jack Lambert but another San Diego first down.
Twenty fifth first down of the night. That little rascal did a good job that time he started the outside and there is a great illustration of his quickness. He reminds me a little bit of Mike Garrett. Mike was a great runner from our days in Kansas City.
A tremendous fitness great eyes good vision and was able to make those kind of adjustments and stretch the one two yard game to the six or seven yard game which is very important.
Five fifty left in the game the ball at the 40 of Pittsburgh a first down San Diego taking a lot of time on the 30 second clock before the snap.
Here comes the joiner in motion and Pouts delays the ball to Thomas Lambert nailed him no game.
Jack Lambert got him right at the 40 but the clock is killing the Steelers right now and killing the New England Patriots in the process.
Talking about quick feet. Remember Abner Haynes a great runner he was. We put in the I formation for him in 1962 when everybody thought we were crazy because at that time nobody was using the I formation except the Dallas Cowboys on occasion.
But he did a super job running from the I formation because he could change direction so well and had such quick feet.
And it is Thomas and Muncie and the tight end is out second and then Pouts going to put it up there not bashful long over the middle.
The 16 yard line.
And Andrew made the tackle along with Wagner on wind. Well who is something to be all there tonight. He's a piece of work. He's a he's a dynamite receiver and of course he's a loose tackle because he's so large and six six to 45 and runs patterns like an outside receiver.
hands terrific touch very
intelligent receiver.
In the day moving around so
much and it's hard to locate
where he is.
You get a variety of guys try
to cover him as a mismatch and
there was a great great
illustration how open he was in
the middle area at the 16 of
Pittsburgh only 4 20 left in the
game.
First down San Diego.
They don't sit on the football
I'll tell you that they're in
the eye and the gives it to the
tailback Muncie following
Thomas he blasts down to the 14
and got only two yards.
Go Green Mettam head on with a
two yard.
This would be a great time to
get to running backs in the game
this would be a good time to
really take a tough hard nose
approach and make this San Diego
charger team.
Sticking into the end zone with
a running game they've got that
they've got a big strong
offensive line they don't do
that very often but somewhere
along the line they have to do
it and this would be a good time
to get into practice and get
some hard work.
They're killing a lot of people
now.
San Diego leads by nine 19 to 10
with three 40 left in the game.
Second and eight from the
Yankees to the stealer 14 to
Ryan back Thomas and Muncie and
on second down to give to Muncie
running right Joe Green flows
them down he breaks the tackle
gets to the 15 out of bounds at
the 10 and it's going to be
third down and four bumped out
by Jack.
Yeah.
It stops the clock with three
twenty eight remaining in the
game.
They had the angle on them that
looked like they were going to
nail him on the sideline.
He ran right around everybody
out and down the field and now
they're down to four and here
again they've got two downs to
get four yards and I would make
this team get tough to stick it
in there and make that first
down by running on the clock to
stop with three twenty eight
remaining in the game leading by
nine a field goal with fourth
Pittsburgh to get two touchdowns
to win it and they've been able
to get only one touchdown on
third down and four.
They'll throw it.
They usually do Jefferson in
motion bounce.
Now they're going to run it.
They're going to be running.
That was a great drive and it's
given a little more character
than we've seen them have in a
long long time.
I'm going to tell you something
Jack I'm much more impressed
with it now that I've seen the
way they've run the football.
They haven't been able to do
that in the past.
We were once the only able to do
it.
They're going to be a heck of a
threat in the playoff.
They're going to be a hell of a
threat in the playoff.
They're going to be a hell of a
threat in the playoff.
Three twenty three.
The.
Diego has increased their lead to
fifteen points twenty five to
ten.
Only three passes in that drive
seven runs.
That's what I've been talking
about.
They've changed the character of
the San Diego team.
Fuller holding for Nershka
kicking.
It is good.
Twenty six to ten.
Now.
Pittsburgh.
Two touchdowns and a field goal
to win it.
The Yankees are watching the
score.
San Diego twenty six and
Pittsburgh.
Ten.
This place has been rocking the
Chargers getting all the fans
support they need.
They lead twenty six to ten.
Ernest will kick the ball.
Anderson deep.
Paul Thorne followed alongside.
Good thing they don't have a
dome stadium here because they
blow the top of the right off
that dome.
The record and the response to
we're getting here for the San
Diego Chargers.
I'll say it looks like they won
the division.
It looks like Oakland is a
wild card game.
Oakland's out.
Looks like it will be Houston
and Oakland.
Next Sunday.
Here's the kick.
It's a short taken by one of
the Uphamans to the twenty five
to the thirty.
All Thorne.
Out to the thirty five yard
line and tackle that is on thirty
five.
We're a lose.
I'm glad.
Glad for Ron Earhart.
I mentioned this earlier but I
understand he got a new three
year contract today and it's a
great compliment I think to
Billy Sullivan and their people
that they're super super people
with great organization and
they're doing the right thing by
giving him more time because
they've got an excellent team.
They believe in a strongly and
I'm sure they're going to do a
super job in the future just
like they have in the past.
It's unfortunate.
Really that they're not in the
playoffs.
All that the thirty six of the
steers three wide receivers
including Sweeney.
Right.
I was going to put it up he
throws to the tight end off the
end depending on again it was
wide open and he dropped it at
the San Diego forty five.
We got a look at Mike Fuller
who is coming in on him I think
took his eye off the ball just
long enough for the ball to be
in complete three all nine left
Bradshaw twelve out of twenty
one hundred and eighty six
yards San Diego wins here
tonight.
Houston will play at Oakland
Sunday.
The two wild card team back to
throw again.
No pressure steps up.
Now there's pressure on the
move to the 30 throws on the
run.
It's caught in midfield for a
first down for Pittsburgh going
up high together with Theo Bell
blasted immediately held the
ball.
I don't think this first deal
is a stealer team is going to
continue to try right to the
very end.
That's the kind of people they
are.
They haven't won champions just
like they won without great
character and they're expressing
it here with the waiting minutes
of this football game.
Now there's only two thirty
seven remaining in the game.
The ball at midfield and
Bradshaw's first down fast he
looks left throws left and diving
intercepted the ball and it is
incomplete.
Incomplete inside the forty five
of San Diego.
Woody Lowe ran one back for a
touchdown this year.
Made a diving try is coming.
You have an easy battle for the
ball incomplete.
Yeah I thought he had it from
here but Evan Elliott and that
stops the clock with two twenty
eight remaining in the game and
the San Diego on top by 16 twenty
six to 10.
We can tell you a little more
about the playoffs.
We will wait until victory is
assured on the part of one team
or another.
A lot can still happen although
the Steelers trail by 16.
Here is Bradshaw back to throw
swings it off incomplete way off
the mark.
Franco Harris stopped on the
pattern he anticipated being the
ball being thrown to him at the
dead spot.
And of course Bradshaw thought
he was going to continue to run
through it out in front and of
course there was no way he could
make the play.
I don't want to belabor the
point but I guess I'm doing it
fourth down and four at the San
Diego twenty four Pittsburgh
trailing by nine at the time and
they passed up the field goal
and that changed everything
around because San Diego came
right back and got the touchdown.
Yeah very surprised at that call.
I had to understand why they
didn't go for the three point
point.
John third down back to throw
his right hand away from the
right throws on the run.
Incomplete.
We try to get it out to his
receiver.
He was nowhere near the fans
are going because they thought
it was intentional grounding to
try to get it out to Rocky
Flyers fourth down.
Pittsburgh is going to have to
go from scrimmage on fourth down.
Now we have to 17.
A lot of pressure that time by
San Diego Jim Tooney that time
was right on the play watching
for a possible way to get a
something of some kind on a
quarterback.
But nothing like that occurred.
Pittsburgh shows the first
this will be the third one for
Cole quit if he does kick the
ball I don't know why in the
world are kicking it.
Thank you.
No I don't either.
I really don't either.
I'm going to do something from
the kick formation.
He kicks it away.
San Diego will get it.
It's kicked high and it bounces
inside the 10 and it is downed
by the Steelers inside the five.
San Diego is way back at the
two or six left in the game.
On the five yard line a 47 yard
point a timeout on the field
with a score.
And you go 26 Pittsburgh 10.
Two oh six left bounces 21 out
of 37 three hundred and eight
yards at the eighth time this
year.
He's gone over 300 yards passing
in a single game and that is an
NFL record.
Hank I know with two or six left
and a half you like the offensive
approach on the part of the
Chargers tonight.
Well no question about that.
Of course I like their approach
anyhow.
It's a very contemporary
approach one where you move move
people around make people read
respond and react on the run.
I like to see that kind of
football and I think it's very
progressive and I think Don
Corey Allen is better than a
super job like Thomas from the
five takes it up the middle and
goes to the seven or eight yard
line.
And that takes us to the two
minute mark two minutes remaining
in this final game of the
regular season.
And it is 26 to 10 in favor of
San Diego applause in the action
that let's take time out.
Pittsburgh is rushed for only
twenty nine yards tonight.
San Diego's Chuck Muncie is
rushed for one hundred and twelve
yards.
Mike Thomas just picked up three
and a second down and seven for
the Chargers at their own eight
with two minutes remaining this
will put San Diego in as the
champion of their division make
a wild card team out of Oakland
eliminate New England Houston
will play at Oakland Sunday if
Oakland wins Oakland will play
at Cleveland on either the third
or the fourth and Buffalo will
play at San Diego on either the
third or the fourth.
And they stand on the ground the
Chargers do and only about a
yard over the left side to
Thomas and he was tackled by
Gary Dunn.
I'm called by the Steelers
talking about Buffalo what a
great job Chuck Knox and his
fine staff Tom Catlin all those
fine people have done with the
Buffalo Bills.
Lehman Bennett the same kind of
a situation with the Atlanta
Falcons.
OK.
On the last play third and seven
San Diego coming up timeout
Pittsburgh one fifty six left
sixteen point lead for San
Diego.
Let's listen to this.
Let me repeat what I said a
moment ago.
San Diego wins here tonight.
Houston will play at Oakland
next Sunday.
If Oakland wins Oakland will
play at Cleveland on either the
third or the fourth of January
and Buffalo will play here in
San Diego on either the third or
the fourth.
Meanwhile in the NFC Los Angeles
will play at Dallas on Sunday.
If Los Angeles wins Los Angeles
will play at Philadelphia on the
third or the fourth and
Minnesota will play at San Diego
on either the third or the
fourth.
Minnesota will play at Atlanta
on the third or the fourth.
And if Dallas wins Dallas plays
at Atlanta or Minnesota plays
at Philadelphia.
So things are much more clearly
defined.
What with the Steelers already
out of it and the New England
Patriots fading out of it.
One fifty six left.
And what a great job.
Sam Rizzi Gwiyano and his
Cleveland staff Jim Garrett
Ritchie Cotai that fight bunch
of done with their football
team and heard but the grant
also with the Minnesota Vikings
is third and seven and Thomas
Williams across the 10 out to
the 12.
San Diego will have to punt but
they're not concerned they lead
by 16 three yard pickup by
Thomas.
One forty eight left.
And now the Steelers are down to
one time out as they call the
time out here.
Punting time for the Chargers
and Rick Partridge.
The 24 yarder a while ago that
was a great job.
He's got the attention of the
fans.
What would you do here if you
were the mentor.
Jack would you go after the
kicker would you try to block
it or would you just let him
kick it.
Well I guess close as it is.
I think you might get a
touchdown out of it if you could
block it.
I'd chase in after the ball.
You know you're out of it
anyhow.
And even if you're running the
kicker throw what.
Yeah I think it makes a lot of
sense to go after this.
You've got to score quickly
somehow some way and that would
be one way you could do it if
you could block the kick fall on
the end zone and get a quick
run with one forty eight left to
the ballgame.
The old bell is out in midfield
there is the kick by part
rigid the good one.
The way they say the fans and
they'll take it on the 38 to the
40 running on forty five and
goes out of bounds at the
Pittsburgh forty eight yard
line.
Fine punch by Rick Partridge on
a Utah.
Now we have one thirty eight
left.
There was no rush on the fun at
all.
He had plenty of time to kick it.
They had a return on 49 yards
one thirty eight left in the
game Rick Partridge under the
ball.
I hope that's the last I hear
the partridge between now and
Christmas.
That song drives me not one
thirty eight remaining in the
football game.
Partridge in a fair three twenty
six to ten.
The Chargers on top and Bradshaw
goes to work once more.
Very few rushing yards for
Pittsburgh Bradshaw going to
throw it.
Stand that is 40 a lot of time
and he threw behind the
intended receiver.
He looks like he's coming
across the middle that time is
putting got away from him and
he slipped and fell in the ball
was thrown behind and falls
incomplete.
What kind of a night is Bradshaw
at.
Well Terrence has had 13 and
24 for two hundred one yards
score at halftime was nine to
three in favor of San Diego.
They've scored in every quarter
tonight three in the first six
in the second then ten and
seven.
Steeler has got three and then a
touchdown three in the second
quarter then a touchdown there
only TD of the night in the
third quarter.
My old dear friend and one of
the great coaches in college
football Andy Gustafson told me
when I became the head coach of
the Dallas Texans and Kansas City
Tays he said listen if you're
in it long enough it'll all come
back it'll all happen to you.
Bradshaw throwing the ball to
Lynn Swan who caught it at the
30 yard line of San Diego for a
first down and he's wrestled
out and drilled all the way back
to the 35.
And I think of that situation at
this particular time watching
Terry Bradshaw because we were
playing in Kansas City was
playing in Pittsburgh years ago
and we were in our prime and
kind of slipping a little bit he
came into the locker room before
the game and said coach on the
field as the coach you had a
long enough he said we're a
young team we're going to take
it away from you.
We're going to win today.
They did.
Bradshaw throwing into the end
zone and swan incomplete he ran
into the defensive back.
Mike Fuller had good position on
him and there was a mild
collision in the end zone
incomplete.
I thought that would motivate
our team and I told our team
about it and they felt strongly
about it and played a great
football game.
But in spite of that we still
lost.
Now I look at Terry Bradshaw
years later and the same thing
has happened to their team and
they're out of the playoffs and
they have to look to the future
to get back in.
You know Mr.
Rooney the owner of the Steelers
told me the very outset of the
season Hank he said we're
getting a little old.
I think that's the answer with
regard to the Steelers.
Yeah they they have gotten a
little old but I think the big
thing really is it made a big
difference in their football
team this year.
They just lost too many
outstanding people during the
course of the season and you
with the competition as keen as
it is you just can't survive it
by losing that many people.
Second and then at the San
Diego 30 Bradshaw's next pass he
looked he looks he looks he
throws long inside the five and
it falls in complete.
They try to get it to coming
here in the tight end and it was
Scott Perry covering on the play
in complete with 55 seconds left
in the game and it'll be third
down and then the score is San
Diego on top 26 to 10 San Diego
wins the division.
Oakland becomes a wild card
game.
New England is out of the
playoffs and Mark Malone number
16 is in the game now he's a
quarterback and a big one a good
one from the University of
Arizona Arizona State I should
say but he's outside going to
play a flanker position to give
the idea of the outside
receivers a little relief.
Number 16 Mark Malone on the
outside Pittsburgh only 49
rushing yards tonight San Diego
172 Mark Malone on third and 10
is back to throw he sets up and
throws and it is caught inside
the 15 yard line down to the
ten for a first down for the
Steelers.
Number 83 the fast was caught by
Theo Bell and Michael on six
four two twenty three twenty
year old rookie from Arizona
State and he's going to be a
super quarterback in years to
come.
Thirty seconds left as Malone's
back to throw again he throws it
out short to Franco Harris he's
down to five he's down there the
three yard line it was Franco
Harris catching the ball from
Bradshaw was back in there on
that trip Malone is playing a
receiver on the outside as you
know Jack and he's kind of
interesting to watch him to me
and he's trying to help the
receivers give them a little
blow but he's big and he's
strong and he's a good athlete
six four two twenty three rookie
from Arizona State.
Pittsburgh goes their last time
out a fast play from Bradshaw to
Franco Harris took the ball down
to the San Diego three with a
score twenty six to ten and
twenty five seconds remaining in
the football game.
So fast the bell the fast Harris
and the Steelers are knocking on
the door but it won't make much
difference.
capacity crowd here in San
Diego they've been roaring all
night in support of their team.
Chargers came into the game with
a 10 and 5 looks like 11 was the
magic number this year to win
the division in the National
Football League.
A lot of people thought Hank
because of the balance prevailing
and nine wins would get a lot of
teams in the playoffs that
turned out not to be true.
Well you know some of the
surprising things the Oakland
Raiders for example what a
fantastic year they had down for
his he's done a super job for
that football team and of course
Al Davis and Cleveland came out
of the wilderness so to speak
and won their division.
So it's a lot of unusual things
happen.
There is and everybody thought
they'd be last first and go from
the three years Bradshaw rolling
left looking to throw his chase
he throws into the end zone and
it is conference is out of
bounds incomplete caught by
Glyer out of bound.
Yeah.
The record said he caught it but
he was out of bounds covered by
Glenn Edwards.
Liar caught it but he was out
of bounds.
That would have been a nice way
for him to end his pro career
with an egg.
Yeah I really would have 17
seconds remaining.
Now they're all in a sack.
Dean Tony or Jim Tony the
referee had ruled it a sack back
at the 16.
Now they're running the clock
with 10 seconds left nine and
it's called a goal.
Here Bradshaw throwing in
complete stopping the clock with
five seconds left.
He was back all that action in
the end zone was the purple
fourth down.
Goal to go back at the 16 for
Pittsburgh.
On the way the rushing title to
Earl Campbell with nineteen
and thirty four yards and the
great Walter Payton won it again
in the end of the game.
John Smith of New England had
the most points in the league
amongst the kickers.
Fourth down Pittsburgh.
The king is dead long left the
king the pass into the end zone
is caught for a touchdown.
Caught for a touchdown and time
has expired.
They will kick the extra point
coming and caught it 16 yard
pass the cutting edge.
Bradshaw to cutting edge.
He later right in that inning.
No more time.
They will have an opportunity
to kick the extra point that
makes it 26 to 16.
The game is over unless we have
a penalty on the extra point
here.
Paul Quint will hold and Matt
Barr will kick trying to bring
about the final score.
Twenty seven seven day and the
kick is up and good final score
twenty seven seventeen.
San Diego wins the.
West.
But you believe that here in the
California city.
The end of the game between the
speeders and the judges.
The final score.
San Diego twenty six.
Pittsburgh.
Seventeen.
The fans here give a royal
salute to the San Diego
Chargers.
They won their 11th game of the
year tonight.
They won the Western Division of
the AFC.
They are in the playoffs.
They've got next week off and
be in action.
Either on the third or the
fourth.
We saw it yesterday with a game
that Cincinnati played against
Cleveland.
We saw it here tonight.
Pittsburgh gave it everything
they had against San Diego.
No England's out of it but they
couldn't have asked for more.
From the Steelers.
No they really couldn't have.
And the only questionable thing
is we talk about it and Chuck
Noll is such a quality guy and
a great coach that he had his
reason to do what he did.
Surprising that he didn't go for
the three points when he had a
chance on fourth and four when
they were down by nine points.
But he didn't.
He had a good reason I'm sure
that could have made a difference
in the game.
You sort of jumped on the San
Diego Pan Wagon tonight based on
what you saw.
Yes I was all year long was
concerned about the fact they
never run the ball very well.
They run from passing formations
but I think they're kind of
coming on strong with the fact
that you're doing a super job.
So as Thomas the other running
back to the corner ball with
great skill and ability and I
think they've got a great great
chance to go all the way.
Now that they have better
balance if they continue to
express that kind of balance for
the future.
Well nurse kicked four field
goals here tonight to tie a San
Diego record and wasn't that
Kellen Winslow something.
He's always something he he has
a special dimension.
If you're going to win big in
the national football league in
today's style of play you must
you must.
I underlined that by saying you
must have a great tight end.
They have him in Winslow and
they're using the greatest end
of the crowd is booing here.
A spectator ran out in the field
and the police are really giving
him the business and they take
him off the field.
San Diego 1 is 26 to 17 over the
Steelers and will return in just
a moment to either team along to
either team at halftime with
San Diego precariously ahead 9
to 3.
But then they came out at the
start of the second half and on
the very first play from
scrimmage for a long pass play
to Kellen Winslow to the
Pittsburgh twenty three yard
line again 54 yards pass to
Jefferson made it first and
goal from the five.
San Diego overcame a holding
penalty and then on fourth and
one they passed up the field
goal.
The Chargers did about stick it
over to make the score 16 to 3
and from that point on the
Chargers were rather
comfortable.
It turned out that Thornton of
the Pittsburgh was to get the
next touchdown making it 16 to
10 with a 14 remaining in the
game.
Then Bernerska kicked his fourth
field goal of the night time the
San Diego record that made a 19
to 10.
And that's when the play came
about.
There was most puzzling fourth
and poor Pittsburgh at the San
Diego 20 trailing by nine.
They passed up the field goal
try and the pass was incomplete
and the ball was passed to Thornton
as it was broken up and the
score ended 19 10 at the end of
the third quarter and San Diego
took over.
They went down to make a 26 to
10 a pass to Winslow.
Well as they had to punt to
Pittsburgh and got the ball back
at their own 35 a pass to Muncie
to the 48 a pass to Winslow to
the 16.
They moved on in and once he
took over for the score 26 to 10
with time he left a 10 yard
touchdown pass from Bradshaw to
Cunningham.
Thought about the final score of
26 17 San Diego.
We'll talk about the playoff
picture when we come back.
Let's pause for this word the
playoff picture is not very
complicated.
Now we'll talk about it.
Let's pause five seconds for
stations to identify themselves
on the CBS radio network.
This is W.N.A.X.
Yankton South Dakota your big
friend for sports in the Midwest
21 degrees in our studios at 11
o'clock.
San Diego won here tonight 26 to
17 over the Steelers Steelers
were already out of the playoff
San Diego wins the AFC West
Oakland becomes a wild card
team and New England is
eliminated from postseason play
Houston will play at Oakland
next Sunday the 28th.
Now if Oakland wins Oakland will
play at Cleveland on either the
third or fourth of January and
Buffalo will play at San Diego
on the third or the fourth.
If Houston wins next Sunday in
their game at Oakland Houston
will play at San Diego on either
the third or the fourth and
Buffalo will play at Cleveland
and in the NFC Los Angeles will
play at Dallas this Sunday.
Both of these games Houston at
Oakland and Los Angeles at
Dallas will be covered here on
CBS radio next Sunday the 28th.
If Los Angeles wins at Dallas
Los Angeles then will play at
Philadelphia on the third or the
fourth and Minnesota will play
at Atlanta on the third or the
fourth.
If Dallas wins Dallas will play
at Atlanta on the third or the
fourth and Minnesota will play
at Philadelphia then we'll go on
from there and cover the
championship games on the 11th
Super Bowl game on the 25th the
Pro Bowl on February 1st and
numerous Pro Bowl players were
present here tonight.
So there you have it.
Tonight's game between Pittsburgh
and San Diego is then with a
final score.
The Chargers 26 and the Steelers
17.
Our spotter was Dan Sexton our
statistician Bob Sexton and our
engineer Mike Smith our producer
Patrick McGurk.
Tonight's game was sponsored by
Levi's for men by True Value
Hardware stores by General Motors
Acceptance Corporation the car
financing people by Racquet Club
Cologne and aftershave by
Whirlpool Heating and Cooling
Products by RISE Babyface Shaped
Cream by Avis Render Car and by
Stewart Warner.
Frank Miller is the executive
producer for CBS Radio Sports.
Happy Holidays everyone.
This is Jack Bach for Dick
Stockton Brent Musburger and
Hengstrad.
The final score from San Diego
was the Chargers 26 the
Pittsburgh Steelers 17.
This is the CBS Radio Network.