Super Bowl XIII: Pittsburgh Steelers 35 Dallas Cowboys 31 - MVP Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw
Super Bowl XIII: Steelers 35 Cowboys 31 - MVP Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw

Establishing a career high with 318 passing yards, Terry Bradshaw won the first of his two consecutive Super Bowl MVP awards based on the strength of his four touchdown passes in the Steelers' 35-31 victory over the Cowboys. Wide receiver John Stallworth hauled in scoring catches covering 28 and 75 yards in the first half. Bradshaw, who carved out his place among the NFL's greatest with his sterling Super Bowl performances, got the best of Cowboys QB Roger Staubach, who put forth a tremendous performance in his own right with three passing scores

The Steelers were at their third Super Bowl in five seasons, and Dallas was headed to its fourth trying to defend the championship it won the previous year against Denver. The winner of Super Bowl XIII would make NFL history as the first team to win three Super Bowls, and the game itself was a rematch of Super Bowl X, which at the time was considered one of the more compelling to that point. Each franchise believed it was the best in the NFL, and putting the teams together when both were at a peak allowed it to be settled on the field.

Terry Bradshaw passed for a record four touchdowns to lead the Steelers to victory. The Steelers became the first team to win three Super Bowls, mostly because of Bradshaw's accurate arm.

Bradshaw, voted the game's most valuable player, completed 17 of 30 passes for 318 yards, a personal high. Four of those passes went for touchdowns -- two to John Stallworth and the third, with 26 seconds remaining in the second period, to Rocky Bleier for a 21-14 halftime lead.

The Cowboys scored twice before intermission on Roger Staubach's 39-yard pass to Tony Hill and a 37-yard fumble return by linebacker Mike Hegman, who stole the ball from Bradshaw.

The Steelers broke open the contest with two touchdowns in a span of 19 seconds midway through the final period.

Franco Harris rambled 22 yards up the middle to give the Steelers a 28-17 lead with 7:10 left. Pittsburgh got the ball right back when Randy White fumbled the kickoff and Dennis Winston recovered for the Steelers. On first down, Bradshaw fired his fourth touchdown pass, an 18-yard pass to Lynn Swann to boost the Steelers' lead to 35-17 with 6:51 to play.

The Cowboys refused to let the Steelers run away with the contest. Staubach connected with Billy Joe DuPree on a 7-yard scoring pass with 2:23 left.

Then the Cowboys recovered an onside kick and Staubach took them in for another score, passing four yards to Butch Johnson with 22 seconds remaining.

Bleier recovered another onside kick with 17 seconds left to seal the victory for the Steelers.

Super Bowl XIII: Pittsburgh Steelers 35 Dallas Cowboys 31 - MVP Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw
Super Bowl XIII Logo

Super Bowl XIII MVP: MVP Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw

Super Bowl XIII MVP: MVP Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw
Super Bowl XIII MVP: MVP Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw

Quarterback Terry Bradshaw won the first of his two consecutive Super Bowl MVP awards based on the strength of his Super Bowl record four touchdown passes in the Steelers' 35-31 victory over Dallas. Setting a ersonal best with 318 passing yards, Bradshaw led Pittsburgh to its third Super Bowl championship in five seasons.

His first two scoring passes went to John Stallworth, for 28 and 75 yards. With only 26 seconds left in the first half, he hit Rocky Bleier with a 7-yard pass for a 21-14 Pittsbugh lead. Then, on the first play following a Pittsburgh fumble recovery in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw hit Lynn Swann with an 18-yard touchdown pass to seal the victory. With 17 completions in 30 attempts, nearly 25 percent of Bradshaw's passes went for scores.

Bradshaw, who carved out his place among the NFL's greatest with his sterling Super Bowl performances, got the best of Cowboys QB Roger Staubach, who put forth a tremendous performance in his own right with three passing scores.

Super Bowl XIII Scoring

Teams Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Source: NFL
Pittsburgh Steelers71401435
Dallas Cowboys7731431

 

1st Quarter

Steelers: Stallworth 28-yard TD pass from Bradshaw (Gerela PAT), 5:13

Cowboys: Hill 39-yard TD pass from Staubach (Septien PAT), 15:00

2nd Quarter

Cowboys: Hegman 37-yard TD returned fumble (Septien PAT), 2:52

Steelers: Stallworth 75-yard TD pass from Bradshaw (Gerela PAT), 4:35

Steelers: Bleier 7-yard TD pass from Bradshaw (Gerela PAT), 14:34

3rd Quarter

Cowboys: Septien 27-yard Field Goal, 12:24

4th Quarter

Steelers: Harris 22-yard TD run (Gerela PAT), 7:50

Steelers: Swann 18-yard TD pass from Bradshaw (Gerela PAT), 8:09

Cowboys: DuPree 7-yard TD pass from Staubach (Septien PAT), 12:33

Cowboys: Johnson 4-yard TD pass from Staubach (Septien PAT), 14:38

Super Bowl XIII: Pittsburgh Steelers Team Statistics

Source: NFL
Total First Downs19
Rushing First Downs2
Passing First Downs15
Penalty First Downs2
Total Net Yardage357
Total Offensive Plays58
Avg. Gain per Offensive Play6.2
Rushes24
Yards Gained Rushing (Net)66
Average Yards per Rush2.8
Passes Attempted30
Passes Completed17
Had Intercepted1
Tackled Attempting to Pass4
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass27
Yards Gained Passing (Net)291
Punts3
Average Distance43.0
Punt Returns4
Punt Return Yardage27
Kickoff Returns3
Kickoff Return Yardage45
Interception Return Yardage13
Fumbles2
Own Fumbles Recovered0
Opponent Fumbles Recovered2
Penalties5
Yards Penalized35
Total Points Scored 35
Touchdowns 5
Rushing1
Passing4
Returns0
Extra Points 5
Field Goals0
Fields Goals Attempted1
Safeties0
Third-Down Efficiency9/15
Fourth-Down Efficiency0/0
Time of Possession26:18

Super Bowl XIII: Dallas Cowboys Team Statistics

Source: NFL
Total First Downs20
Rushing First Downs6
Passing First Downs13
Penalty First Downs1
Total Net Yardage330
Total Offensive Plays67
Avg. Gain per Offensive Play4.9
Rushes32
Yards Gained Rushing (Net)154
Average Yards per Rush4.8
Passes Attempted30
Passes Completed17
Had Intercepted1
Tackled Attempting to Pass5
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass52
Yards Gained Passing (Net)176
Punts5
Average Distance39.6
Punt Returns2
Punt Return Yardage33
Kickoff Returns6
Kickoff Return Yardage104
Interception Return Yardage21
Fumbles3
Own Fumbles Recovered1
Opponent Fumbles Recovered2
Penalties9
Yards Penalized89
Total Points Scored 31
Touchdowns 4
Rushing0
Passing3
Returns1
Extra Points 4
Field Goals1
Fields Goals Attempted1
Safeties0
Third-Down Efficiency8/16
Fourth-Down Efficiency1/1
Time of Possession33:42

Super Bowl XIII: Pittsburgh Steelers Player Stats

Source: NFL
PassingComp / AttYardsTDINT
Bradshaw17/3031841
RushingCarriesYardsTDLong
Harris2068122t
Bleier2302
Bradshaw2-502
ReceivingCatchesYardsTDLong
Swann7124129
Stallworth3115275t
Grossman329010
Bell221012
Harris122022
Bleier1717t
InterceptionsINTYardsLongTD
Blount113130
Punting#AVGLongBlocked
C. Colquitt343.0520
Punt Returns#/FCYardsLongTD
Bell4/027120
Kickoff Returns#YardsLongTD
L. Anderson345240

 

Super Bowl XIII: Dallas Cowboys Player Stats

Source: NFL
PassingComp / AttYardsTDINT
Staubach17/3022831
RushingCarriesYardsTDLong
Dorsett1696029
Staubach437018
Laidlaw31207
P. Pearson1606
Newhouse8305
ReceivingCatchesYardsTDLong
Dorsett544013
D. Pearson473025
Hill249139t
Johnson230126
DuPree217110
P. Pearson21508
InterceptionsINTYardsLongTD
Lewis121210
Punting#AVGLongBlocked
D. White539.6500
Punt Returns#/FCYardsLongTD
Johnson2/133210
Kickoff Returns#YardsLongTD
Johnson363230
Brinson241250
R. White1000

January 21, 1979

Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida)

Attendance: 79,484

National Anthem: The Colgate Thirteen

Coin Toss: George Halas

Halftime Show: Bob Jani presents "Carnival: A Salute to the Caribbean"

Network: NBC

Announcers: Curt Gowdy, John Brodie and Merlin Olsen

Nielsen ratings: 47.1 (est. 74.74 million viewers)

Cost of 30-second commercial: $185,000

Super Bowl XIII Steelers & Cowboys Highlights

Super Bowl XIII: Ticket & Championship Ring

Super Bowl XIII Championship Ring and Game Ticket

NFL Football: "Super Bowl XIII: Pittsburgh Steelers 35 Dallas Cowboys 31 - MVP Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw"

 

 

 

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