2nd-half interceptions doomed Dallas in Super Bowl X

As kickoff of Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers nears, we continue our look back at the Dallas Cowboys’ eight Super Bowl appearances.

Today, we look at Super Bowl X, played on Jan. 18, 1976, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida.

The Cowboys (12-4) were looking for their second Super Bowl wins in three tries. The Pittsburgh Steelers (14-2) were the defending champions.

Pittsburgh had defeated the Minnesota Vikings on Super Bowl IX, 16-6, the year before in their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.

Cowboys Strike First

The Cowboys took the opening kickoff and ended up losing three yards before punting on a disappointing three-and-out. The Steelers fared little better on their opening drive.

On a fourth and three from their own 40, the Steelers also tried to punt. But punter Bobby Walden fumbled the snap and fell on the ball at the Steelers’ 29.

On the very next play, Roger Staubach found Drew Pearson for touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Pittsburgh answered right back with an eight-play, 67-yard drive. Terry Bradshaw hit Randy Grossman on a seven-yard pass to tie the game at 7-7 with 6:29 left in the first quarter.

Dallas responded with an 11-play, 46-yard drive that ended with a 36-yard field goal by Toni Fritsch with 14:50 left in the half.

Each team would get three more possessions before halftime. But Dallas would walk into the locker room with a 10-7 halftime lead.

The Steelers’ three possessions ended with an incomplete pass on fourth and two from the Dallas 36, a punt, and a missed 36-yard field goal try by Roy Gerela with 26 seconds left.

Dallas’ three possessions ended with a Mitch Hoopes punt on the first drive. Hoopes punted on the second drive as well, but this time from the Steelers 45.

Staubach had driven the Cowboys to the Steelers’ 20 with five minutes remaining in the half.

But a three-yard loss by Robert Newhouse and back-to-back sacks of Staubach pushed them out of field goal range.

The final drive was a one-play affair to run out the final few seconds of the half.

Defensive Struggle Continues

The third quarter saw no scoring at all. The closest either team came was after the first of three interceptions thrown by Staubach.

After getting the ball at the 25 on the turnover, the Steelers could only move the ball nine yards.

Gerela set up for a 33-yard field goal and missed it.

The defensive struggle continued into the first drive of the fourth quarter as Pittsburgh punted to the Dallas 19 with 13:30 remaining.

Special Teams Turns The Tide

After a three-and-out that went for minus-three yards, Hoopes looked to punt from the 16. But Pittsburgh’s Reggie Harrison – a backup running back – blocked the attempt.

The ball went through the endzone for a safety.

Hoopes then had a poor kickoff and the Steelers set up shop at the Dallas’ 45. Seven plays later, Gerela finally hit a field goal – this one from 36 yards out and a 12-10 Pittsburgh lead.

On the next play after the ensuing kickoff, Staubach’s pass to Drew Pearson was intercepted by Mike Wagner and returned to the Cowboys’ seven.

Three plays later, Gerela hit an 18 yard field goal for a 15-10 lead with seven minutes to play. Dallas would go three-and-out once again and punted the ball with just under five minutes left.

A Swann Song

On third and four from Pittsburgh’s 36, Bradshaw connected with Lynn Swan on a 64-yard scoring pass and a 21-10 lead with 3:31 to play.

Staubach shook off the earlier struggles and summoned his Captain Comeback magic.

Taking just five plays, and 66 seconds off the clock, Staubach hit Percy Howard for a 34-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 21-17.

For Howard – who was mostly used in the 1975 as a kick returner – it would be the only NFL reception of his career.

Dallas would get the ball back one last time with 1:22 remaining in the game. Staubach drove the Cowboys to the Steelers’ 38 with 18 seconds left.

But his final pass attempt – intended for Drew Pearson – was picked off by Glen Edwards to end the game with a 21-17 Pittsburgh victory.

The Final Numbers

Staubach would finish 15-of-24 for 204 yards and two touchdowns. He would add 22 yards on five rushes.

But the Steelers’ Steel Curtain defense hounded him throughout the game.

Staubach was sacked seven times. He fumbled three times but the Cowboys managed to recover all three.

His three interceptions though led to just three points for the Steelers.

But those three points may have altered Dallas’ last drive as they would have only needed a field goal to win, instead of a touchdown.

Newhouse was the leading rusher for Dallas with 56 yards on 16 attempts. Drew Pearson had 53 receiving yards on two catches while Preston Pearson added 53 yards on five catches.

Bradshaw was 9-of-19 for 209 and hew was sacked just twice. He had one fumble that was recovered by Pittsburgh and did not throw an interception.

Franco Harris had 27 carries for 82 yards and one reception for 26 yards.

Swann had four catches for 161 yards as the Cowboys seemingly had no answer for the second-year player.

Cowboys Starters

Player Pos

Offense

Roger Staubach QB

Preston Pearson RB

Robert Newhouse FB

Golden Richards WR

Drew Pearson WR

Jean Fugett TE

Ralph Neely LT

Burton Lawless LG

John Fitzgerald C

Blaine Nye RG

Rayfield Wright RT

Defense

Too Tall Jones LDE

Jethro Pugh LDT

Larry Cole RDT

Harvey Martin RDE

Dave Edwards LLB

Lee Roy Jordan MLB

D.D. Lewis RLB

Mark Washington LCB

Mel Renfro RCB

Charlie Waters SS

Cliff Harris FS

Special Teams

Toni Fritsch PK

Mitch Hoopes P