January 18, 1976Pittsburgh Steelers(AFC) vs. Dallas Cowboys(NFC) 21-17

January 18, 1976Pittsburgh Steelers(AFC) vs. Dallas Cowboys(NFC) 21-17 DAL 7 3 0 7 17 PIT 7 0 0 14 21 Stadium Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida MVP Lynn Swann, Wide Receiver Favorite Steelers by 7 National anthem Tom Sullivan Halftime show Up with People presents "200 Years and Just a Baby: Tribute to America's Bicentennial" Future Hall of Famers Cowboys: Tom Landry (coach), Mel Renfro, Roger Staubach, Randy White, Rayfield Wright. Steelers: Chuck Noll (coach), Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Lynn Swann, Mike Webster. Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1975 regular season.The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers (12–2) defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys (10–4), 21–17. This game featured a contrast of styles between the Steelers and the Cowboys, which were, at the time, the two most popular teams in the league.Pittsburgh safety Glen Edwards halted a late Dallas rally with an end zone interception as time expired. Steelers receiver Lynn Swann, who caught four passes for a Super Bowl record 161 yards and one touchdown including a diving catch after tripping over Cowboys' cornerback Mark Washington in the second quarter, was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player. Swann was the first wide receiver to win the Super Bowl MVP award. Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh advanced to their first Super Bowl and were playing for a league championship for the first time in team history. Their 73-year old owner Art Rooney founded the Steelers as a 1933 NFL expansion team, but suffered through losing seasons for most of its 42-year history and had never made it to an NFL championship game or a Super Bowl. But in 1969, Rooney hired Chuck Noll to be the team's head coach and its fortunes started to turn following a disastrous 1-13 first year under the future Hall of Fame coach. Noll rebuilt the Steelers through the NFL draft, selecting defensive tackle Joe Greene in his first season as head coach. In 1970, Noll drafted quarterback Terry Bradshaw and cornerback Mel Blount. In 1971, linebacker Jack Ham, defensive tackle Ernie Holmes, defensive tackle Dwight White, and defensive back Mike Wagner were selected by the team. Fullback Franco Harris was drafted in 1972. And in 1974, the Steelers picked linebacker Jack Lambert, center Mike Webster and wide receivers Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and defensive back Donnie Shell as a free agent. Bradshaw, Webster, Swann, Stallworth and Harris ended up being hall of fame players on offense, while the others formed the core nucleus of their "Steel Curtain" defense, including future Hall of Famers Greene, Ham, Blount and Lambert. But en route to Super Bowl IX, the Steelers had started the regular season slowly, as Bradshaw and Joe Gilliam fought to be the team's starting quarterback. Gilliam had started for the first four games of the season, but Noll eventually made Bradshaw the starter. Although Bradshaw ended up completing only 67 out of 148 passes for 785 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, he helped lead the team to a 10-3-1 regular season record. The Steelers main offensive weapon however was running the ball. Harris rushed for 1,006 yards and five touchdowns, while also catching 23 passes for 200 yards and another touchdown. Running backs Rocky Bleier, Preston Pearson, and Steve Davis also made important contributions, gaining a combined total of 936 yards and eight touchdowns. But the Steelers' main strength during the season was their staunch "Steel Curtain" defense, which led the league with the fewest total yards allowed (3,074) and the fewest passing yards allowed (1,466). Greene won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award for the second time in the previous three seasons, and he and Greenwood were named to the Pro Bowl. Both of the team's outside linebackers, Ham and Andy Russell, had been also selected to play in the Pro Bowl, while Lambert already had two interceptions for 19 yards in his rookie year. In the defensive backfield, Blount, Wagner, and Glen Edwards made a strong impact against opposing passing plays. Minnesota Vikings The Vikings came into the season trying to redeem themselves after a one sided Super Bowl VIII loss after which they became the first team ever to lose two Super Bowls (the other loss was in Super Bowl IV) as well as losing back to back Super Bowls. Minnesota's powerful offense was still led by veteran quarterback Fran Tarkenton, who passed for 2,598 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Vikings' primary offensive weapon was running back Chuck Foreman, who led the team in receptions with 53 for 586 yards and six touchdowns. He was also their leading rusher with 777 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Wide receiver Jim Lash was a major deep threat, with 32 receptions for 631 yards (a 19.7 yards per catch average). Fullback Dave Osborn contributed with 514 rushing yards, and 29 receptions for 196 yards. And the Vikings offensive line, led by future Hall of Fame left tackle Ron Yary, allowed only 17 sacks. Aided by the "Purple People Eaters" defense, led by future hall of fame defensive linemen Carl Eller and Alan Page, and future hall of fame safety Paul Krause, the Vikings won the NFC Central for the sixth time in the previous seven seasons. Playoffs For the first time in four years, the Miami Dolphins were not able to advance to the Super Bowl. The Dolphins lost three of their most productive players Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick and Paul Warfield to the startup World Football League. This transition effectively ended any opportunity of a long term Dolphin dynasty. While the Steelers defeated the Buffalo Bills, 32-14, in the first round, the favored Dolphins lost to the Oakland Raiders, 28-26, giving up Raiders running back Clarence Davis' 8-yard touchdown reception with 26 seconds remaining in the game with a play now known as the Sea of Hands. The key play in the game occurred when the Dolphins were in control and were leading the Raiders 19-14 midway through the fourth quarter. Cliff Branch hauled in a 72 yard touchdown pass from Raider QB Kenny Stabler when third year Dolphin defensive back Henry Stuckey, the man assigned to cover Branch on the play, fell down and the resultant wide open Branch caught the bomb and sprinted to the endzone. After George Blanda kicked the PAT, the Raiders led 21 to 19. Dolphin fans were furious because fan favorite Lloyd Mumphord was replaced with Stuckey. Mumphord and Coach Don Shula were involved in a feud at the time and it is thought that Stuckey was given the starting job for this game because of Shula's and Mumphord's differences of opinion. Afterwards, Stuckey was released in the offseason. Many believed that had Mumphord had been in the game, there would have been no sea of hands play. The Steelers defeated the Buffalo Bills 32-14 at home in the divisional round, then won the AFC Championship Game over the host Raiders, 24-13. Meanwhile, Minnesota allowed only a combined 24 points in their playoff wins against the St. Louis Cardinals, 30-14, and their narrow defeat of the Los Angeles Rams, 14-10, after their defense stopped an attempted comeback touchdown drive from the Rams on the Vikings' own 2-yard line. This game was also noted for a controversial procedure penalty during one Rams' drive when Los Angeles guard Tom Mack was called for a false start near the Viking goal line following Alan Page crossing the line of scrimmage unabated. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Sports writers and fans predicted that Super Bowl IX would be a low scoring game because of each team's defenses. The Steelers' "Steel Curtain" had led the AFC in fewest points allowed (189) and the Vikings' "Purple People Eaters" had only given up 195. As the NFC was the designated "home team" for the game, by NFL rules at the time the Vikings were required to wear their purple jerseys. Although the league later relaxed the rule from Super Bowl XIII onwards, the Vikings would've likely worn their purple jerseys anyways, given that they've worn their purple jerseys at home for much of their history aside from a few games in the 1960s, when the NFL was encouraging (but not requiring) teams to wear white at home. This was the only one of the four Super Bowls the Steelers of the 1970s played in that the team wore their white jerseys, and the only Super Bowl the team would wear white at all until Super Bowl XL 31 years later. Game Conditions The game was originally scheduled for the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Because construction on the dome was not yet finished, the game had to be moved to Tulane Stadium, home field for Tulane University. This proved to be quite pivotal, because of the inclement conditions (low temperature and the field was slick from overnight rain). This would be the last Super Bowl to be played in inclement weather until Super Bowl XLI. The last minute change of venue meant this was not only the last of three Super Bowls played at Tulane Stadium, but the last professional game ever played in the stadium, which was demolished five years later and replaced for the 1975 NFL season by the Louisiana Superdome, which has hosted every Super Bowl held in New Orleans since. Television and entertainment The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC with play-by-play announcer Curt Gowdy and color commentators Al DeRogatis and Don Meredith. Charlie Jones served as the event's host, field reporter and would cover the trophy presentation (prior to the 1975 NFL season, NBC did not have a pregame show). The Grambling State University Band performed during both the pregame festivities and the national anthem. During the national anthem, they were backed by a Mardi Gras choir. The halftime show was a tribute to American jazz composer, pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington, also featuring the Grambling State University Band along with Ellington's son Mercer. Ellington had died the previous May. The Mary Tyler Moore Show on CBS used this game as a plotline on the episode aired the night before the game. Lou Grant was teaching Ted Baxter how to bet on football games, and used Ted's money, as well as some of his own to bet on the Vikings winning the Super Bowl. The Vikings won the Super Bowl in this episode but Ted's hopes were dashed when it was revealed that Lou actually bet all the money on the Steelers. At the end of the show, Mary Tyler Moore announced the following over the credits: "If the Pittsburgh Steelers win the actual Super Bowl tomorrow, we want to apologize to the Pittsburgh team and their fans for this purely fictional story. If on the other hand, they lose, remember, you heard it here first." And, as it turned out, her apology did go into effect. Game summary As many predicted, the game was low scoring; both teams failed to score a touchdown or a field goal until the third quarter and ended up with the second lowest total of combined points in Super Bowl history. The first quarter of the game was completely dominated by both teams' defenses. The Vikings were limited to 20 passing yards, zero rushing yards, and one first down. The Steelers did slightly better with 18 passing yards, 61 rushing yards, and four first downs. Pittsburgh even managed to get close enough for their kicker Roy Gerela to attempt two field goals. But Gerela missed his first attempt, and a bad snap prevented the second one from getting off the ground. In the second quarter, the Vikings got an opportunity to score when they recovered a fumble from fullback Rocky Bleier at the Steelers 24-yard line. But they could only move the ball two yards in their next three plays, and then Vikings kicker Fred Cox missed a 39-yard field goal attempt. The first score of the game occurred later in the period, when fullback Dave Osborn fumbled a pitch from Tarkenton in Minnesota's own end zone. Tarkenton quickly dove on the ball to prevent a Steeler touchdown, but he was downed by Dwight White for a safety, giving Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead. It was the first safety ever scored in a Super Bowl. The Vikings later threatened to score when Tarkenton led them on a 55-yard drive to the Steelers 20-yard line. With 1:17 left in the half, Tarkenton threw a pass to receiver John Gilliam at the 5-yard line, but Steelers safety Glen Edwards hit him just as he caught the ball. The ball popped out of his hands and right into the arms of Mel Blount for an interception. The half ended with the Steelers leading 2-0, the lowest halftime score in Super Bowl history and lowest possible, barring a scoreless tie. On the opening kickoff of the second half, Minnesota's Bill Brown lost a fumble, and the Steelers recovered the ball at the Vikings' 30-yard line. Then, Franco Harris moved the ball to the 6-yard line with a 24-yard run. Harris was then tackled for a 3-yard loss on the next play, but then made up for it with a 9-yard touchdown run after that, giving the Steelers a 9-0 lead. After an exchange of punts, Minnesota got the ball back on their own 20-yard line. On the second play of drive, Tarkenton's pass was deflected behind the line of scrimmage by Pittsburgh defensive lineman L. C. Greenwood, and bounced back right into the arms of Tarkenton, who then threw 41-yard completion to Gilliam. However, officials ruled Tarkenton's first pass attempt was a completion to himself, and thus his second attempt was an illegal forward pass. The penalty brought up third down and 11 yards to go, but Minnesota got the first down with running back Chuck Foreman's 12-yard run. Three plays later, Tarkenton completed a 28-yard pass to tight end Stu Voigt at the Steelers 45-yard line. However, White deflected Tarkenton's next pass attempt and Greene intercepted the ball, ending the Vikings' best offensive scoring opportunity. Early in the fourth quarter, the Vikings got another scoring opportunity when Minnesota safety Paul Krause recovered a fumble from Harris on the Steelers 47-yard line. On the next play, a 42-yard pass interference penalty on Pittsburgh defensive back Mike Wagner moved the ball up to the 5-yard line. But once again, the Steelers stopped them from scoring when Greene forced and recovered a fumble from Foreman. However, Pittsburgh failed to get a first down on their next possession and was forced to punt from deep in their own territory. Minnesota defender Matt Blair burst through the line to block the punt, and Terry Brown recovered the ball in the end zone for touchdown. Cox missed the extra point, but the Vikings had cut their deficit to 9-6 and were just a field goal away from a tie. But on the ensuing drive, the Steelers put the game out of reach with a 66 yard, 11 play scoring drive that took 6:47 off the clock and featured three successful third down conversions. The first was a key 30-yard pass completion from Terry Bradshaw to tight end Larry Brown. Brown fumbled the ball as he was being tackled, and two officials initially ruled the ball recovered for the Vikings, but head linesman Ed Marion overruled their call, stating (correctly as noted in television replays) that Brown was downed at the contact before the ball came out of his hands. Another third down pass to Bleier advanced the ball to the Vikings 5-yard line. The Steelers gained just one yard with their next two plays, but on third down Bradshaw's 4-yard touchdown pass to Brown gave the Steelers a 16-6 lead with only 3:31 remaining. Vikings running back Brent McClanahan returned the ensuing kickoff 22 yards to the 39-yard line, but on the first play of the drive, Tarkenton's pass was intercepted by Wagner. The Steelers then executed 7 consecutive running plays, taking the game clock all the way down to 38 seconds remaining before turning the ball over on downs. Harris finished the game with 34 carries for a Super Bowl record 158 yards and a touchdown. Bleier had 65 rushing yards, and two receptions for 11 yards. Bradshaw completed nine out of 14 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Foreman was the Viking's top offensive contributor, finishing the game as the team's leading rusher and receiver with 18 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards.

January 9, 1977 Oakland Raiders(AFC) vs. Minnesota Vikings(NFC) 32-14 OAK 0 16 3 13 32 MIN 0 0 7 7 14 Stadium Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California MVP Fred Biletnikoff, Wide Receiver Favorite Raiders by 4 National anthem Vikki Carr ("America the Beautiful") Halftime show Disney presents "It's A Small World" with the Los Angeles Unified All-City Band Future Hall of Famers Raiders: John Madden (coach), Fred Biletnikoff, Willie Brown, Dave Casper, Ted Hendricks, Art Shell, Gene Upshaw. Vikings: Bud Grant (coach), Carl Eller, Paul Krause, Alan Page, Fran Tarkenton, Ron Yary. Super Bowl XI was an American football game played on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1976 regular season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Oakland Raiders (16–1) won their first Super Bowl by defeating the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings (13–3–1), 32–14. Oakland gained a Super Bowl record 429 yards, including a Super Bowl record 288 yards in the first half, en route to winning their first Vince Lombardi Trophy.Raiders wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff had 4 catches for 79 yards that set up three Raider touchdowns and was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player. There have been six wide receivers named MVP in the Super Bowl and Biletnikoff is the only one to not have gained 100 yards in his MVP performance. Pittsburgh Steelers The Steelers became the first official #1 seed to reach the Super Bowl. Playoff seeds were instituted in 1975. The Steelers finished the regular season with a league best 12–2 record, dominating opponents with their "Steel Curtain" defense and powerful running game. Fullback Franco Harris ranked second in the league with 1,246 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while also catching 28 passes for 214 yards and another touchdown. Halfback Rocky Bleier had 528 rushing yards, and fullback John "Frenchy" Fuqua added 285 yards and 18 receptions. Still, the Steelers had a fine passing attack led by quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Bradshaw threw for 2,055 yards, 18 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, while rushing for 210 yards and three touchdowns. One reason why Bradshaw's numbers were much improved from the previous season was the emergence of wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. Both saw limited playing time in the previous season, but became significant contributors. Swann caught a team leading 49 passes for 781 yards and 11 touchdowns. Stallworth only had 20 receptions, but he had an average of 21.2 yards per catch, recording a total of 423 reception yards. The Steelers' "Steel Curtain" defense dominated the league, ranking third in fewest yards allowed (4,019) and sending 8 of their 11 starters to the Pro Bowl: defensive linemen Joe Greene and L. C. Greenwood; future Hall of Fame linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert; Andy Russell, the team's third starting linebacker; future Hall of Fame defensive back Mel Blount; and safeties Glen Edwards and Mike Wagner. Greene made the Pro Bowl despite missing six games with injuries. Ham and Lambert had the best seasons of their careers, while Blount led the league with 11 interceptions. Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys advanced to their third super bowl in team history with their rather high-tech offense and "flex" defense. Quarterback Roger Staubach had a solid season, passing for 2,666 yards and 17 touchdowns, while also rushing for 310 yards. Wide receiver Drew Pearson led the team with 46 receptions for 822 yards and 8 touchdowns. Wide receiver Golden Richards and tight end Jean Fugett were also reliable targets in the Cowboys' passing game, combining for 59 receptions and 939 receiving yards. Like the Steelers, Dallas was a run based team. Fullback Robert Newhouse was their leading rusher with 930 yards, and also caught 34 passes for 274 yards. Halfback Doug Dennison contributed 388 yards. Perhaps the most talented player in the backfield was Halfback Preston Pearson (no relation to receiver Drew Pearson), who signed on the team as a free agent after being cut by the Steelers in the pre-season. Preston rushed for 509 yards, caught 27 passes for 351 yards, and added another 391 yards returning kickoffs. Preston had been especially effective in the playoffs, where he caught 12 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns, and was extremely eager to increase his numbers in the Super Bowl against the team that let him go. Up front, the offensive line was led by All-pro tackle Rayfield Wright. The Cowboys' "Flex" defense was anchored by linemen Harvey Martin and Ed "Too Tall" Jones. Linebacker Lee Roy Jordan led the team with six interceptions, while linebacker D.D. Lewis was an effective weapon pass rushing. The starting players in Dallas' defensive secondary, future Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Renfro, cornerback Mark Washington, and safeties Charlie Waters and Pro Bowler Cliff Harris, combined for 12 interceptions. Even though the Cowboys finished in second place in the NFC East with a 10-4 record, they qualified for the playoffs as the NFC's wild-card team (during that time, only one wild card team from each conference entered the playoffs). The Dallas Cowboys are the first NFC wild card team to reach the Super Bowl. Playoffs Dallas went on to defeat the Minnesota Vikings, 17–14, with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Staubach to Drew Pearson with less than a minute to play in what was called the "Hail Mary pass". They went on to crush the Los Angeles Rams, 37-7, in the NFC Championship Game. As a result, the Cowboys became the first ever wild card team to advance to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Steelers only gave up a combined total of 20 points in their playoff victories over the Baltimore Colts, 28–10, and the Oakland Raiders, 16–10. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Coming into Super Bowl X, most sports writers and fans expected that Swann would not play. He had suffered a severe concussion in the AFC Championship Game against the Raiders that forced him to spend two days in a hospital. If he did play, many assumed he would just be used as a decoy to draw coverage away from the other receivers. Throughout the week leading up to the Super Bowl, Swann was unable to participate in several team practices or was limited to only a minor workout in them. However, a few days before the game, he received a verbal challenge from Dallas safety Cliff Harris, who stated "I'm not going to hurt anyone intentionally. But getting hit again while he's running a pass route must be in the back of Swann's mind. I know it would be in the back of my mind." Swann responded "I'm still not 100 percent. I value my health, but I've had no dizzy spells. I read what Harris said. He was trying to intimidate me. He said I'd be afraid out there. He needn't worry. He doesn't know Lynn Swann. He can't scare me or the team. I said to myself, 'The hell with it, I'm gonna play.' Sure, I thought about the possibility of being reinjured. But it's like being thrown by a horse. You have to get up and ride again immediately or you may be scared the rest of your life." CBS televised the game in the United States with play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall (calling his first Super Bowl in that role) and color commentator Tom Brookshier. Towards the end of the game, Hank Stram took over for Brookshier, who had left the booth to head down to the locker room area to conduct the postgame interviews with the winning team. On radio, Verne Lundquist and Al Wisk announced the game for the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network, and Jack Fleming and Myron Cope called the game for the Steelers Radio Network. Ed Ingles and Jim Kelly called the game nationally for CBS Radio. The overall theme of the Super Bowl entertainment was to celebrate the United States Bicentennial. Each Dallas and Pittsburgh player wore a special patch with the Bicentennial Logo on their jerseys. The performance event group Up with People performed during both the pregame festivities and the halftime show titled "200 Years and Just a Baby: A Tribute to America's Bicentennial". Up with People dancers portrayed various American historical figures along with a rendition of Steve Goodman's City of New Orleans. Singer Tom Sullivan sang the national anthem. Scenes for the 1977 suspense film Black Sunday, about a fictional terrorist attack on the Super Bowl via the Goodyear Blimp, were filmed during the game. Game summary The Steelers won their second straight Super Bowl, largely through the plays by Swann and by stopping a rally by the Cowboys late in the fourth quarter. Officials did not call a single penalty on the Steelers during the game, while the Cowboys were called for only 2 penalties for 20 yards. On the opening kickoff, the Cowboys ran a reverse where rookie linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson took a handoff from Preston Pearson and returned the ball a Super Bowl record 48 yards before kicker Roy Gerela forced him out of bounds at the Steelers 44-yard line. But on the first play of the game, Steelers defensive lineman L. C. Greenwood sacked Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, forcing him to fumble. Although Dallas recovered the fumble, they eventually were forced to punt. Pittsburgh managed to get one first down and advanced to Dallas 40-yard line, but then they too were forced to punt. Steelers punter Bobby Walden fumbled the snap. Walden managed to recover his own fumble, but Dallas took over on Steelers 29-yard line. On the very next play, Staubach threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Drew Pearson, taking a 7–0 lead.

January 15, 1978 Dallas Cowboys(NFC) vs. Denver Broncos(AFC) 27-10 DAL 10 3 7 7 27 DEN 0 0 10 0 10 Stadium Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Randy White, Defensive tackle; and Harvey Martin, Defensive end Favorite Cowboys by 6 National anthem Phyllis Kelly of Northeast Louisiana State University Halftime show "From Paris to the Paris of America" with the Tyler Junior College Apache Belles, Pete Fountain, and Al Hirt Future Hall of Famers Broncos: none. Cowboys: Tom Landry (coach), Tony Dorsett, Mel Renfro, Roger Staubach, Randy White, Rayfield Wright. Super Bowl XII was an American football game played on January 15, 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion following the 1977 regular season. It was the first Super Bowl played inside a domed stadium.The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys (15-2) defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos (14-3), 27–10. The Cowboys defensive team dominated most of the game, forcing 8 turnovers and allowing only 8 pass completions by the Broncos for just 61 yards.For the first and only time, two players won Super Bowl MVP honors: defensive tackle Randy White and defensive end Harvey Martin. For White, the honor was won on his 25th birthday. This was also the first time that a defensive lineman was named as the Super Bowl MVP. Staubach v. Morton The main storyline surrounding Super Bowl XII was Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach versus Broncos quarterback Craig Morton. Morton began his career playing for Dallas in 1965. After Staubach joined the Cowboys in 1969 after spending 4 years of service in the United States Navy, however, both quarterbacks competed for the starting job. During the 1970 season, both Morton and Staubach started for about half of the regular season games. Morton was ultimately selected to lead the team through the playoffs and eventually to their Super Bowl V loss to the Baltimore Colts, 16-13. He is the first quarterback to start a Super Bowl game for two different franchises (Kurt Warner being the second with St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals). The next year, Staubach won the starting job and eventually led Dallas to defeat the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI, 24-3. Staubach was also named Super Bowl MVP during that game, essentially assuring him the starting spot in the future. Morton was relegated to backup status until he left the team in 1974 to join the New York Giants. Morton and the Broncos Orange Crush Defense After spending three years with the Giants, Morton became the starting quarterback for the Broncos and helped Denver to a 12-2 regular season record. He did not tally a large amount of passing yards (1,929) during the regular season, but he threw 14 touchdown passes and only 8 interceptions, while also rushing for 125 yards and 4 touchdowns, earning him the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. Denver tight end Riley Odoms was his main target, with 37 receptions for 429 yards. Wide receiver Haven Moses was also a major deep threat, catching 27 passes for 539 yards, an average of 20 yards per catch. However, the Broncos main offensive strength was their rushing game. Denver had 3 running backs, Otis Armstrong, Lonnie Perrin, and Rob Lytle, who carried the ball equally, combining for 1,353 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. On special teams, multi-talented wide receiver Rick Upchurch led the NFL with 653 punt return yards, while also catching 12 passes for 245 yards and recording 456 yards returning kickoffs. The backbone of the Broncos was their defense, a unit known as the "Orange Crush," which used a 3-4 formation anchored by four superb linebackers, including Randy Gradishar (3 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries) and Tom Jackson (4 interceptions, 93 return yards, 1 touchdown). Defensive End Lyle Alzado anchored the line, while their secondary was led by defensive backs Billy Thompson (who recorded 5 interceptions) and Louis Wright (who had 3 interceptions). Staubach and the Cowboys' "Doomsday Defense" With Staubach and his team's "Doomsday Defense", the Cowboys won the NFC East with a 12-2 regular season record. Staubach threw for 2,620 yards and 18 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions, while also gaining 171 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground. Wide receiver Drew Pearson was the leading receiver on the team with 48 receptions for 870 yards, while Pro Bowl tight end Billy Joe Dupree recorded 28 receptions for 347 yards and provided blocking support on running plays. The Cowboys also had a new weapon on offense: rookie running back Tony Dorsett. Despite not becoming a full-time starter until the tenth game of the regular season, Dorsett led the team in rushing with 1,007 yards, scored 13 total touchdowns, and was the team's third leading receiver with 29 receptions for another 273 yards. Veteran fullback Robert Newhouse provided Dorsett with blocking, and was the team's second leading rusher with 721 yards, while also catching 16 passes for another 106 yards. Running back Preston Pearson contributed 341 yards rushing, caught 46 passes for 535 yards, and scored 5 touchdowns. The Cowboys' offensive line was led by All-Pro tackle Rayfield Wright. Meanwhile, the Cowboys' "Doomsday Defense" remained in the superb form that helped lead the Cowboys' Super Bowl X appearance. Their defensive line consisted of Harvey Martin (who recorded 20 sacks), Jethro Pugh, Ed "Too Tall" Jones and Randy White. Behind them, the Cowboys had a trio of linebackers, Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson (3 interceptions), D.D. Lewis, and Bob Breunig, who provided pass coverage and run stoppage. Dallas also had a secondary led by future hall of famer Mel Renfro and safeties Cliff Harris and Charlie Waters. Playoffs The Cowboys earned their second trip to the Super Bowl in three years by defeating the Chicago Bears, 37-7, and the Minnesota Vikings, 23-6, in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Broncos earned their first ever trip to the Super Bowl in team history by defeating the two previous league champions: the Pittsburgh Steelers, 34-21, and the Oakland Raiders, 20-17, in the playoffs. This was the final Super Bowl in the 14-game schedule era. The following season, the NFL went to a 16-game schedule, where it has remained since. Super Bowl pregame news and notes Super Bowl XII provided an opportunity for Morton to not only beat his former team, but also to redeem himself for his Super Bowl V loss and the loss of his starting job to Staubach. For Staubach, he had a chance to win his second Super Bowl and defeat his old rival, showing that he truly was the better quarterback of the two. Tony Dorsett became the first football player in history to win an NCAA National Championship one year (with the University of Pittsburgh Panthers) and a Super Bowl the next. Dorsett won both championships in the same building; Pitt clinched the 1976 national championship by defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on January 1, 1977. Dallas was the only NFC team to win the Super Bowl in the 1970s (although both Baltimore and Pittsburgh were pre-merger NFL teams). Both Cowboy victories in the decade came in New Orleans against teams making their first Super Bowl appearance. This was the first Super Bowl between two teams who had met in regular season play. The Cowboys defeated the Broncos 14-6 on the final Sunday of the regular season at Texas Stadium. Both teams did not play most of their starters in that contest, since both squads had already clinched their respective division championships and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Denver was 12-1 and Dallas 11-2 prior to the Dec. 18 matchup. It was the first of only two times that two teams have played each other in the Super Bowl after playing on the final weekend of the regular season (the New York Giants and New England Patriots played in the final week of the 2007 regular season and met again in Super Bowl XLII).Under NFL scheduling rules put in place by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell prior to the 2010 season, the Super Bowl participants will not be able to play each other on the final weekend of the regular season, since all games on the final weekend now match division opponents. Television and entertainment The game, the first Super Bowl to be played in prime time, was broadcast in the United States by CBS with play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator Tom Brookshier. The game kicked off just after 5 p.m. Central Standard Time, the latest kickoff in Super Bowl history up to that point. The standard starting time for Super Bowls since Super Bowl XXV has been just after 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (5 p.m. CST, 4 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, 3 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.) The pregame festivities featured the Southern University Band along with the cheerleaders of both teams. Later, Phyllis Kelly of Northeast Louisiana State University sang the national anthem. For the first time in a Super Bowl, someone other than the game's referee tossed the coin. Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Red Grange participated in the coin toss ceremony. This was the first Super Bowl to display arrows every 10 yards on the field of play to indicate the direction of the nearest goal line. The halftime show was "From Paris to Paris of America" featuring performances by the Apache Belles Drill team from Tyler Junior College, clarinetist Pete Fountain, and trumpeter Al Hirt. Game summary Super Bowl XII did not start out well for the Cowboys, as they nearly turned over the ball three times on their first two possessions. On Dallas' first play from scrimmage, receiver Butch Johnson fumbled the handoff on a double reverse, but recovered the ball. Dallas was then forced to punt, and the Broncos advanced to the Cowboys' 33-yard line before quarterback Craig Morton was sacked for an 11-yard loss on third down. On the ensuing punt, Cowboys punt returner Tony Hill fumbled the ball at the 1-yard line, but managed to fall on the ball before any Denver players recovered it. A few plays later, Dallas running back Tony Dorsett fumbled on his own 19-yard line, but center John Fitzgerald quickly recovered the ball. On the Broncos' second drive of the game, Cowboys linemen Randy White and Harvey Martin forced Morton to hurry his throw, and defensive back Randy Hughes intercepted the rushed pass at the Broncos 25-yard line. 5 plays after the turnover, Dorsett scored on a 3-yard touchdown run. On the Broncos' next possession, Morton was intercepted again when his pass was tipped by linebacker Bob Breunig into the arms of defesive back Aaron Kyle, who then returned the ball 19 yards to Denver's 35-yard line. Dallas then drove to the 8-yard line, but Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach was sacked by Lyle Alzado for a 10-yard loss on third down, forcing them to settle for a 35-yard Efren Herrera field goal to increase their lead to 10-0. In the second quarter, Dallas advanced to Denver's 19-yard line, and once again barely avoided a turnover. On third down, Staubach's pass was intercepted in the end zone, but officials ruled that he had stepped out of bounds before he threw the ball. On the next play, Herrera added a 43-yard field goal to increase the Dallas lead to 13-0. The rest of the quarter was filled with sloppy play and turnovers by both teams. On the second play after receiving the ensuing kickoff, Morton was intercepted again, this time by Dallas defensive back Benny Barnes at his own 40-yard line. The Cowboys then drove to the Denver 26-yard line, but Herrera missed wide left from 43 yards out. The Broncos then committed another turnover when wide receiver Jack Dolbin fumbled, and Hughes picked it up and returned it 19 yards to the Denver 27-yard line. However, the Cowboys once again failed to score as Herrera missed a 32-yard field goal attempt. On the first play after the missed field goal, Hughes recovered Denver tight end Riley Odoms's fumble at the Broncos 28-yard line. But on the next play, Dallas gave the ball right back to Denver after Broncos linebacker Tom Jackson recovered tight end Billy Joe Dupree's fumble. 5 plays later, defensive back Mark Washington intercepted another errant Morton pass and returned it 27 yards to Denver's 35-yard line with just 6 seconds left in the period, but Herrera missed yet another field goal attempt, this time from 44 yards out as time expired in the first half. By halftime, the Broncos had committed 7 turnovers. Morton, who had thrown a total of only 8 interceptions throughout the entire 1977 season, had been picked off 4 times, in addition to 3 fumbles lost. Yet Denver trailed by only 13 points as the second half began,and on the opening drive of the second half, the Broncos moved the ball to the ball deep into Dallas territory. First, John Schultz returned the second half kickoff 25 yards to the 35-yard line, and then Otis Armstrong ripped off an 18-yard gain. Seven plays later, Jim Turner finished the drive with a 47-yard field goal, cutting the score to 13-3. But later in the period, the Cowboys scored another touchdown on a 45-yard pass from Staubach to receiver Butch Johnson, who made a fingertip catch as he fell into the end zone. The receiver dropped the ball when he hit the ground, but the officials ruled he had caught the ball for a touchdown before it came out of his hands, and the Cowboys increased their lead to 20-3. Denver kick returner Rick Upchurch returned the ensuing kickoff a super bowl record 67 yards to the Cowboys 26-yard line. On the next play, Morton nearly threw his fifth interception, and was then immediately replaced by quarterback Norris Weese. Two plays later on fourth down, Jim Jenson's 16-yard run moved the ball to the 1-yard line, and then Rob Lytle scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 20-10. Midway through the fourth quarter, Weese fumbled the ball while being sacked by Martin, and Kyle recovered it on the Denver 29 yard line. On the next play, the Cowboys scored on a 29-yard halfback option play: Staubach pitched the ball to fullback Robert Newhouse, who ran left as if it were a normal run play, but then Newhouse passed the ball to Cowboys receiver Golden Richards for a touchdown. The score gave the Cowboys a 27-10 lead and put the game out of reach. Newhouse became the first running back in Super Bowl history to complete a touchdown pass. Staubach finished the game with 17 out of 25 pass completions for 183 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. Dorsett was the leading rusher of the game, with 66 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also caught 2 passes for 11 receiving yards. In addition to his 29 yard touchdown pass, Newhouse also contributed with 55 rushing yards. Dallas tight end Billy Joe Dupree was the leading receiver of the game with 4 receptions for 66 yards. Hughes had an interception and a Super Bowl record 2 fumble recoveries. Before being taken out of the game, Denver's starting quarterback Craig Morton completed just 4 out of 15 passes for 39 yards and was intercepted 4 times. Upchurch recorded 125 total offensive yards (94 on kickoff returns, 22 on punt returns, and 9 receiving yards). The Cowboy's superb defense played a critical role in the game. White and Martin were named co-Most Valuable Players; this award is usually bestowed on an offensive player. The voters actually wanted to name the entire 11-man starting defensive lineup as co-MVPs, and asked the NFL if this was acceptable. The league said no, and so two players were picked for the award. The unheralded Hughes and Kyle of the Cowboy secondary each had superb games to play an important role in the victory. The two men came up with five turnovers between them, leading directly to 17 of Dallas' points.