The Pittsburgh Steelers have an overall 17-13 record against the Buffalo Bills while in Pittsburgh they are 10-3 ahead. The last time these two teams met was the snow game in the 2023 playoffs which the Steelers lost 31-17.
The 1979 Steelers were coming off their third winning championship season and were making a good run towards winning a fourth. Their momentum took a knock in week 15 when they lost 20-17 to division rivals Houston Oilers. Despite their win, Houston’s coach Bum Phillips noted, “The road to the Super Bowl always seems to go through Pittsburgh.”
That Oilers win saw them join the Steelers on top of the AFC Central division. It also meant the Steelers season finale against Buffalo became a must win game. If Pittsburgh lost and Houston won their game, the Oilers would be division champions. If both teams won, it would be decided by the fifth tie-breaker, the point differential in games within the division. The Steelers were leading plus 43 while the Oilers were plus 10.
The Buffalo Bills were now without O.J Simpson who they had traded two years earlier. Their head coach of two years was Chuck Knox and their quarterback 6-year veteran Joe Ferguson. They also had former Steelers receiver Frank Lewis, who Pittsburgh traded for Paul Seymour. When Seymour failed a physical, he was returned to Buffalo although Lewis remained with the Bills.
For Bills rookie linebacker Jim Haslett, born in Avalon, Pa., it was his homecoming game.
The (11-4) Steelers vs the (7-8) Bills; December 16, 1979
In a defensive start to the game, the first thirteen minutes saw the teams contribute one first down each in seven possessions. Buffalo doing their best to keep it scoreless. Their 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Joe Greene.
At the end of the first quarter with the help from the running game, Terry Bradshaw found Lynn Swann twice with two passes. The second found Swann open on a crossing pattern. He made a leaping catch to haul in Bradshaw’s pass for a 20-yard touchdown to put the Steelers first points on the board. Matt Bahr added the extra point.
In a game littered with mini brawls, the second quarter saw Jim Haslett ejected for kicking Bradshaw in the head. Two plays later, Franco Harris carried the ball over for a 1-yard touchdown to extend the Steelers lead to 14-0.
Two turnovers by the Steelers gave opportunities to the Bills, but Pittsburgh’s defense held them both times. A fumble by Franco Harris was followed by a Bradshaw interception.
The Steelers fielded the second half kickoff. Bradshaw led them on a 9-play drive of 71 yards that finished with Sidney Thornton’s 8-yard touchdown run.
The Steelers defense continued to shut out any momentum by their opponents for the rest of the game. It was the Steelers who put the final points on the board in the fourth quarter. Franco Harris scored an11-yard touchdown, and the Steelers secured their seventh division title after entering the seventies with zero.
The Pittsburgh Steelers 28 vs the Buffalo Bills 0
John Stallworth extended his record of 42 consecutive games with a completion. His season total of 1,183 yards receiving was second to Buddy Dial’s 1,296 set in 1963.
Theo Bell set franchise records with 10 punt returns in the game with a total of 45 on the season. His game record still stands and his season record lasted five years until Louis Lipps returned 53.
Terry Bradshaw set new records for the season with 472 passing attempts, 259 completions for 3,724 yards.
Bradshaw suggested, “Twelve and four is a great record for a team coming off a Super Bowl win, which played one of the toughest schedules we’ve ever had.”
Winning the division meant they wouldn’t have to play a wild card game in the playoffs. “I welcome the week’s rest,” said Chuck Noll. “It will help our football team. Our offensive line is pretty well battered. We’ll be healthy when we have to play.”
Buffalo’s Coach Knox said, “You have to give the Steelers credit. They came out here to play today and they have a lot of people to play with.”
Explaining away the bitterness shown in the contest, Jack lambert suggested, “It was an emotional game. The guys were really fired up. If somebody clips you or holds you, sometimes you retaliate quicker than if you weren’t as fired up.”
Jim Haslett apologized for injuring Bradshaw. “I didn’t want to hurt anybody, especially him,” Haslett said. “I’m still a Steelers fan,” he added. He spent seven years with the Bills. After a year with the Jets, he turned to coaching and spent three years in Pittsburgh as their defensive coordinator, 1997-99..
The Steelers rolled over Miami 34-14 in the divisional game and the Oilers 27-13 in the AFC Championship game.
The tickets sold by the Steelers for Super Bowl XIV were priced at $30 each with a 50-cent mailing charge per order. Any fan that purchased one would have enjoyed their 31-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
