The game against the Kansas City Chiefs will be the third time the Pittsburgh Steelers have played on Christmas Day. The two previous occasions saw them enjoy two victories. In 2016, they beat the Ravens 31-27 with a last minute touchdown from Antonio Brown. The following year they enjoyed a trip to Houston. Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes as they savored a 34-6 romp.
The Steelers opponents this Christmas are the Chiefs who began life in pro football as the Dallas Texans. As a founder member of the AFL in 1960, the Texans were owned by oil baron Lamar Hunt. At the same time as the new league was formed, the NFL granted a Dallas franchise to the Cowboys.
Hunt soon learnt that Dallas could not support two pro football teams so began to look for a new home for his Texans. The Mayor of Kansas, H. Roe Bartle, known as “the Chief,” made an offer that Hunt could not refuse so he moved his team there. In gratitude for the support he received from the Mayor, Hunt gave his team the nickname of “Chiefs.”
The Steelers began playing the Chiefs in 1970 and have an overall winning record of 23-14 with an 11-5 advantage in Pittsburgh. Although the Steelers have lost the last three contests, all played in Kansas, they have won the last six played in Pittsburgh.
As we have learnt from previous articles, 1974 was a significant season in the Steelers history. It started with a players’ strike and then a quarterback controversy as the regular season continued. Joe Gilliam’s preseason exploits saw him elevated to the starting quarterback role while Terry Bradshaw became the backup.
After beginning the season with a win and a gruelling tie, the Steelers suffered a 17-0 humiliating loss to the Raiders in Pittsburgh. It was the first home shutout for the Steelers in thirteen years and was their first scoreless game in 123 games.
Steeler Nation was aghast as Gilliam had his worst day as a pro, although Coach Noll felt the defeat was a team effort. Noll was realistic in his reaction. “They beat us physically and, ultimately that’s all that counts,” the coach admitted. “They beat us in every department.”
The following week against division rivals Houston, Gilliam rallied the Steelers from a 7-3 halftime deficit to a 13-7 victory. Gilliam led the Steelers on a 10-play touchdown drive of 80 yards. Although Gilliam steered the team to the win, the team’s overall lacklustre performance didn’t seal his status for the Chiefs game.
Coach Noll was coy about who would start the following Sunday. “We will not make a decision on our quarterbacks until late in the week,” Noll stated. “We have to utilize all our personnel more than we have been doing.”
In the absence of an injured Franco Harris for the Oilers game, Preston Pearson led the ground attack with 117 yards while Rocky Bleier added 37 on 8 carries. Until that game, Bleier’s five year rushing total was 18 carries for 70 yards.
“Rocky ran exceptionally well,” acknowledged Noll. “I don’t know what we’ll do, but Rocky will play more. The blocking of the backs in the second half was the big thing.”
Gilliam and Bradshaw split practice during the week before the game, but it would be Gilliam who would start. “There’s no pressure on me,” suggested Gilliam. “There would be pressure if I put on a hockey suit and tried to play hockey. But not this.”
The (2-1-1) Steelers at the (2-2) Chiefs; October 13, 1974
Joe Gilliam gave his critics plenty of ammunition when his fumble led to the Chiefs taking an early lead. The Steelers defense, who would play a pivotal role in the contest, held their opponents to a 31-yard field goal.
Andy Russell then recovered a fumble by the Chiefs quarterback Mike Livingston at the Chiefs’ 32. From a short field, Rocky Bleier finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. Roy Gerela kicked the conversion to give the Steelers a 7-3 lead.
Kansas hit back in the second quarter with a touchdown pass from Livingston of 13 yards to Barry Pearson.
Pittsburgh’s offense replied after being gifted a Jack Lambert interception. Preston Pearson made short work of the drive following his 18-yard completion with a touchdown run of 3 yards.
Steelers Glen Edwards would then add to the impact the defense was making with the first of his two interceptions. As the Steelers defensive line rushed Livingston, Edwards predicted the quarterback’s play as he tried to get rid of the ball. Edwards returned his interception 49 yards for a score to increase the Steelers lead to eleven points.
Jack Ham would reinforce the defense’s superiority with an interception that resulted in a Gerela 32-yard field goal. The Steelers would go into the locker room at the half holding a 24-10 lead.
Early in the second half, the Chiefs went 83 yards in 10 plays capped by Livingston’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Otis Taylor.
Any thoughts the 65,000 fans held of a fightback began to fizzle out after the Steelers kicked a 45-yard field goal on their next drive.
Those thoughts were further dispersed by the Steelers defense. With a minute left in the third quarter, Loren Toews recovered a fumble at the Kansas 33. When Gilliam read the Chiefs’ defense was going to blitz, he stood his ground. He called an audible before lofting a beautiful touchdown pass of 31 yards to Frank Lewis.
The Steelers took a 34-17 lead into the final period. Kansas put together a scoring drive that brought them within ten points when Livingston found Elmo Wright with a 13-yard pass for the score.
With the Chiefs appearing to be gaining in confidence, the Steelers defense once again stamped their authority on the game. The Chiefs were moving the chains when Edwards anticipated where Livingston’s pass was going. Edwards’ timely interception brought the Chiefs drive to a halt to seal the Steelers victory.
The Pittsburgh Steelers 34 at the Kansas City Chiefs 24
The Steelers tied a franchise record with seven interceptions, had another nullified by a penalty and recovered two of the Chiefs’ fumbles. The interception record still stands, tied with seven against the Giants (1952) and Washington (1941).
After the Chiefs coach Hank Stram had seen Joe Gilliam face to face for the first time, he acknowledged he was, “A remarkable quarterback. He’s got tremendous poise; he’s got terrific daring.”
Writing in the Post-Gazette after the game, Vito Stellino suggested the ’74 Steelers still remained a puzzle. Is this a team on the threshold of greatness or is it one that has the muscle to overpower the weaker teams, but lacks the class and finesse to be a real Super Bowl contender?
Joe Gilliam would start one more game in 1974. Having led the team to just that one loss in Oakland, he would be replaced by Terry Bradshaw.
A game behind Cincinnati in the AFC Central, the Steelers would move into top spot the following week when the Bengals lost to the Raiders. Pittsburgh would remain top before finishing 10-3-1 and going to their first Super Bowl.
Vito Stellino’s puzzle was finally answered when the team registered greatness. Winning Super Bowl IX would make it a memorable and historic season for the Steelers.
