1976 AFC Playoffs, Steelers at Colts, 12/19/76

This long-missing classic was made possible by tm101956, who unfortunately had his KZbin page deleted recently. This game is a truly amazing look at the most talent-laden team in NFL history at the absolute peak of their game. There has never been a better defense; don't even bother debating it. And in my opinion, this '76 team, when healthy, was the greatest football team ever assembled in terms of talent -- offense, defense, special teams -- and this game shows them at their pinnacle.
Visit our website at www.mcmillenand... for more classic games, and be sure to check out our dub of the TV broadcast synced with the entertaining WCBM radio broadcast of Chuck Thompson, Vince Bagli and the one-of-a-kind Art Donovan, including the plane crash in the stadium after the game: • 1976 Playoffs Steelers...

[@starshiptrooper7670]

My Beloved Baltimore Colts. Mike 'Mad Dog' Curtis, Bubba Smith, Johnny U and others are gone but never forgotten...

[@jon8062]

Dec 19 and already in the playoffs. The way it should be. Not playing until mid February 😁

[@jon8062]

That's exactly what I was thinking. Super Bowl will be in March in 5 years.

[@Biggdoom344]

SB was in Mid January and started early enough it was over by dinner time. The first late SB was #12.

[@andrewpadaetz5549]

@@jon8062no, February is a network sweeps month that helps set ad charges for the coming months so I don’t think the NFL will want to go any further back.

[@alfjgist]

Growing up, I always remembered the opening credits to games and pregame shows. The best were NBC, The NFL Today, and Monday Night Football. That’s what made me a football fan when I was little. The game has changed so much in those years.

[@kentkearney6623]

Snoopy Dolly Madison, the spinning SpEcIAL. WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS. The agony of defeat.

[@david320]

My father took us on a bus trip from Trenton, NJ to this game when I was 12 and my brother was 10. After the game we went a local restaurant buffet and we saw the plane crash into the upper deck. I can’t believe I found this game on KZbin !

[@DGamer76]

Now this is football. None of that dancing goofy stuff. Nothing but hard hitting football.

[@will.a.benjamin]

Exactly, I stopped watching football years ago because of all the stupid showboating.

[@dawoool]

@@will.a.benjamin I stopped for that and other reasons.

[@JohnQuincyPublicShow]

Unless you count the ref

[@MikeAndersonvinyloldies]

@@will.a.benjamini guarantee you havent stopped watching football. If you did, you’re a moron.

[@will.a.benjamin]

@@MikeAndersonvinyloldies I honestly haven't watched a live NFL game in about 3 years...is that clear enough for you? Douchebag.

[@CaptainOracle786]

i always loved the nbc opening back then the music and images; so perfect for football ...and so classic now; and i was such a steelers fan as a kid and was so proud of this team after starting 1-4 and losing bradshaw to injury winning 9 straight with the greatest defense of all time i was crushed when franco and rocky were injured and could not play vs the raiders for the afc championship...i KNEW they stood no chance without them; but i will always remember how great this team was without winning the superbowl

[@kbrewski1]

I always was amused by Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. I don't ever remember a football game there where the grass was green and lush. It was always brown, worn and often dusty even much earlier in the year. But, there was always something special about the Colts in Baltimore that the Colts in Indy will never have. I guess as a kid growing up watching Unitas marching down that worn yellow brown field is what did it (and I'm not a Colts fan).

[@MaximusWolfe]

Correct. The Indy Colts never had the kind of close relationship with the city that Baltimore players had. That was a love affair that deeply wounded Marylanders when it ended so surreptitiously.

[@jackprecip5389]

Heck, watch some game tape of the 1979 World Series played in Memorial, and even then there were large patches of dead grass. The field must of been grown on top of a toxic waste dump or something.

[@OaksArmorial]

The toxic waste dump is called Baltimore.

[@russs7574]

Yeah, but did Baltimore ever have a "mud bowl" game where a punt actually stuck in the turf where it landed? In it's own way the field at the "Stadium Formerly Known as Heinz Field" sucks just as badly.

[@danconroy8293]

All Baltimore had to do is give Irsay a new stadium and Colts would still be there.

[@MichaelSIngle-gn9qz]

I like how the players make a tackle and then jsut go back to the huddle. No flexing, no dancing, no celebrating. I wish the league would get back to this.

[@simonheadington5895]

I know, now every play is celebrated like winning the Super Bowl.

[@Maal7432]

Sounds boring as hell.

[@therose8521]

Thanks so much for your comment, I too wish they would go back to the old days. I'm so glad baseball players still have style. Show me your class not your a_ _.

[@devares2006]

In short, act like you been here before.

[@edscottable]

Damn Mark Gastineau

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

As a lifer Cowboys fan this is omg REAL FOOTBALL. Bert Jones was sooo great, very underrated.

[@shrapnel77]

Hurt all the time. This was his best season.

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

@@shrapnel77 Wrong, not hurt all the time...Dak has missed more time.

[@shrapnel77]

@@ms.felonystrutter2472 Missed the entire 1978 season, played 4 out of 16 in 79', had two decent seasons, then his last season, played 4 out of 16 games. Out of the league at 31 years old. Great QB, but just oo injury riddled. I am not even sure why you are bringing up Dak Prescott, but he has missed way less time in his career than Jones. Out of a possible 114 games, Dak has played in 97. Not great, but FAR lass than Jones.

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

@@shrapnel77 I didn't bring Dak up at all. Also playing with that Colts offensive and are relying on those wide receivers to get open would get most QB's killed.

[@Condorman12]

@@ms.felonystrutter2472 read your own message. You DID mention Dak.

[@scottgood7888]

What great memories! I can't help but notice how much players got away with back then, from yelling in ref's faces to late hits out of bounds to piling on the QBs. I love it! The way football used to be and should be!

[@mcmillenandwife]

Yeah, they certainly called it differently in those days. Not quite like hockey where they let them duke it out, but there was a lot of piling on and "rough stuff" that would never fly today.

[@patrickallan481]

"Late hits out of bounds." Sigh. Sincerely, The Cincinnati Bengals, 2022-3.

[@mcmillenandwife]

@@patrickallan481 😂

[@MichaelMurphy-kj3xf]

And the game wasn't delayed by 10 minute challenges and reviews

[@Arturo-sm1tb]

@@MichaelMurphy-kj3xf Replays have helped the NFL though, more fair outcomes today. There was some bad ref calls that screwed over teams in the old days

[@Lewis9700]

As a young Colts fan, this was one of the saddest days of my youth

[@mcmillenandwife]

Understandable. That was an excellent Colts team. Seriously great offense, best year of Bert Jones' career.

[@Lewis9700]

@@mcmillenandwife And then 2 years later Bert Jones was injured by a Bubba Baker cheap shot, the team turned to crap, and Bert was never the same.

[@johnraven7445]

Yes, just an unlucky draw to have to see Steelers in the Divisional Round. As I recall, the Raiders got to face Steelers in the AFC Championship Game without Franco nor Rocky B at RB. Game over, ‘76 Raiders will win that game 11 times out of 10. Colts likely could have at least gotten to face Oakland and possibly further that year. Jones was a gamer - tough guy as was Lydell Mitchell, Bruce Laird and of course Stan White. Too bad the Colts moved out of Baltimore - I’m still sad about that.

[@Lewis9700]

The Colts really f**ked up by not drafting Walter Payton in '75. I was never impressed w/Mitchell. Not a very good RB, IMHO. The Steelers still probably would've won, but if the Colts had sweetness, the game might've been more competitive.

[@OaksArmorial]

@@johnraven7445 I saw Stan White at Pastore’s while I was passing through not too long ago. It was a nice little Baltimore occurrence.

[@ralphgreenjr.2466]

Compare the level of violence at this time and today. Today's players would have a hard time in this time. What hits on every play! Franco gets hit, goes off the field, gets smelling salts, and is back in the game.

[@kentkearney6623]

Just a concussion. Get in there Franco......

[@brianbarefoot6574]

Jack Lambert said about quarterbacks: "Put skirts on them".........and they did.

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

And backtrack 25 years from this era and you can say that too

[@michmcginnity9452]

The Colts had a great regular season team in 1976, but were clearly out coached by the Pittsburgh staff. They weren't ready for the Steeler offense.

[@funtyes1970]

yeah to bad steelers got there ass kick next game by raiders

[@debrachampagne7715]

COLTS > steelers

[@mikeplummer5681]

Every time you watch a Steelers game from the ‘70’s, you can count on Gerela shanking an extra point or hooking a chip shot field goal. He wouldn’t make it as a Div I kicker nowadays 😂

[@michael.prescott4016]

the cowboys kicker, Herrea was awful in 77.

[@tomodonovan5931]

He was damn lucky the Steelers could put the ball into the end zone! Any other team, he would have been in the soup line for sure! You and I could have kicked for the Steelers back then, and got away with missing field goals, and PATS'

[@d0nKsTaH]

The ONLY good they got out of ole Roy... was his nasty kickoffs. Teams hated fielding them. They often fumbled them (like the first kickoff in this video)... But yeah his FG and XP tries were horrid

[@tomodonovan5931]

@@d0nKsTaH Didn't Randy White fumble that one shanked kickoff in the Super Bowl? Pittsburgh scored 2 TDs' in less then 20 seconds. Cowboy fans were peeved about that flag when Swann was tripped by I think Barnes, and the Steelers got the ball deep in Dallas territory. Those two plays were probably the biggest reason the Steelers won that game. The dropped pass in the end zone did not help the Cowboys one bit, so there is always good plays, and bad plays that can decide a football game.

[@haroldmccoy6748]

@@tomodonovan5931 The Swann Barnes incident didn't provide Pittsburgh with a first and goal and the Smith TD drop if caught only ties the game .Neither moment determined the games eventual outcome ,teams have recovered from having opposing teams offenses having superb field position via reason of turnover ,1976 raiders forcing turnover at their one TD line after Vikings blocked a Ray Guy punt ,or questionable call against them , 1974 Steelers forcing a fumble on 1 yd line after Vikings got pass interference call on Mike Wagner . A unfortunate incident dosent mandate the defense surrenders a TD . Steelers were simply the superior team . Plus Pittsburgh had a little SB history flavor in their favor for SB 13 cowboys rematch .Every team who had defeated that same opponent in a previous SB matchup ,always won the rematch if the second contest was within a 8 year time frame , examples cowboys Steelers 75,78, Bengals 49ers 81,88, Bills ,Cowboys 92,93, Patriots ,Giants 2007,2011 , and typically both contest were in the same fashion as the original . Too many times for ut to be merely coincidentally .

[@SuperRowdyone]

This was the game where the dude lost control of his Cessna and crashed into the upper deck... luckily the game had ended...Colts got smoked..luckily no casualties!!

[@earlrudis2034]

I was there! Lucky it was a blow-out, most folks in the upper deck had left early in the 4th

[@jetjack74]

Which is why there became more enforced temporary flight restrictions over games becuase of this.

[@jaygreider4753]

@@jetjack74 I was a Steeler fan to watch the destruction of the Colts during that game. Fortunately, most Colts fans had left by the time the Cessna crashed. I was sitting in the end zone.

[@MrLeroythecat]

Like the theme song, brings me back to being a kid. This guys (players) were the top back in the day! Half the games were played on green cement.

[@BudIce05]

Colts got their asses handed to them by the Steelers this game. As a Colts Fan it was a devastating end to a great season

[@Biggdoom344]

As a Steelers fan I was surprised at how badly the colts got beat that game. They had a good team.

[@JDrumUK]

Thanks for sharing. Tremendous quality for something from 1976!

[@jaycompany4886]

I remember when it snowed, we'd go outside and play some tackle football...man those yrs were great....right after watching the Steelers, raiders or the vikings....cowboys too play.

[@keithwolfe1204]

I was at this game. Woo Hoo go Steelers!!! As we were leaving, a single engine plane, crashed in the upper stands

[@jaygreider4753]

At the game too!!!!!!!! GO STEELERS!!! Cut me - I bleed Black and gold - since the 60's

[@wglide444]

Just saw this - commented on it beforehand - thanks

[@troybarnette8002]

Can't ever imagine Tom Brady and company ever playing drop-back passing in the dust-field, especially in a playoff game. They probably wouldn't even allow it today. The NFL today is pathetically SOFT!!

[@Maal7432]

TROY BARNETTE If Brady and company had to, I’m sure they would!

[@wbmstr24]

@@KS-xo3oh yeah, three time loser, spygate Tommy? Choked against eli twice? Choked against a backup qb against Philly ? Yeah, no, give me a real qb undefeated in sb, called his own plays, and didn't have speshul referee treatment

[@Clarence-l3d]

Miss my beloved Baltimore Colts I was at the 1977 Christmas eve playoff game at Memorial Stadium against the Oakland Raiders and the snake, Roger Carr was injured and out of the game, double OT loss, I remember leaving the stadium and thinking Ersay was going to move the team, I'll never forget Bert Jones and Lydell Mitchell. I was 15 yrs old ! Go Ravens 2024

[@wglide444]

Great game! I'm a Steeler fan 100%, but I admired Bert Jones and the Colts. We lost to a great Raider team the next week - no excuses - they were better that day. Also, if memory serves me, didn't a small plane crash into the upper deck seats after the game was over? Anybody remember?

[@mcmillenandwife]

Yeah, a plane crashed into the upper deck. If you go to our version of this game with the radio version dubbed in, they talk about the plane crash at the end: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWXMYYl7aZuAeMU

[@wglide444]

@@mcmillenandwife thanks

[@russs7574]

I wouldn't go that far, wglide. The Steelers would have been more competitive that day (the game wasn't even as close as the 24-7 score looked) had they been able to use their whole offense. Chuck Noll was so damn stubborn about getting both Franco and Rocky out of the game in the 2nd half of the Colts game, and got both of them injured to the extent that they couldn't play vs. Oakland. Plus, the Steelers had no kicker...Roy Gerela had gotten hurt as well, and center Ray Mansfield (who had done some kicking years earlier when he was a member of the Eagles) "handled" the kicking duties. Noll is especially guilty with Bleier. With the Steelers well in control of the Colts game, the moment that Franco got hurt, he should have had Bleier out of the game as well. But we all know how stubborn Noll was. All they had to hand the ball to that day was Reggie Harrison, not exactly a starting-caliber running back.

[@mcmillenandwife]

@@russs7574, Rocky got hurt immediately and never returned after Pittsburgh's opening drive. He was in the game for exactly 3 plays.

[@michaelconnor5378]

@@wglide444as a Raider fan, I have four things to say. A clip on Villapiono; Fuqua touched the ball; Harris caught the ball off the ground; and Swann jumped offsides

[@erichammer2751]

It's kind of interesting that Terry requested that the WRs send in the plays as they had been doing for Krukzak, and had one of the most dominant games of his career. He must have felt rusty, because he could kill you calling his own plays also.

[@PaulMcCartGuitarTracks]

Man that first TD drive by the Colts was a thing of beauty. Lydell Mitchell was so tough.

[@kaminator515]

The picture for this video. Jack Lambert would probably get jailed for this tackle in todays NFL.

[@radar0412]

I really bought into Jim Simpson's "The irresistible force vs the immovable object" buildup for Steelers vs Colts playoff game 1976. Physics were on the Steelers side that game. My team was Bert Jones and the Colts. I don't need to watch this whole game again Thank you very much! 😅

[@mcmillenandwife]

You might enjoy the version of this we dubbed with the Baltimore radio crew of Chuck Thompson, Vince Bagli and Art Donovan. I realize the game might be painful to watch, but listening to Art Donovan alone is worth the price of admission. Funny stuff! LOL kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWXMYYl7aZuAeMU

[@davee164]

This is football. The Jogger Football League IS NOT.

[@muffs55mercury61]

Yes, good old smashmouth.

[@MaximusWolfe]

Correct. Fuck the imposter NFL of 2023.

[@KevinBarry-j8w]

The right defensive end here for the Colts was traded to The Dallas Cowboys in 1979, and became their left defensive tackle next to Randy White (John Dutton).

[@bayknight20]

I'll take watching a game at a grass/dirt field like this instead of some luxury megadome that is paid for by taxpayers any day of the week.

[@rpm324]

People forget how great the Steeler defense was and how good Jones was. Injuries killed his career.

[@Maal7432]

Ron Miles What? Who forgets how good their defense was? People talk about it all the time.

[@MaximusWolfe]

@@Maal7432 Yup. The steel curtain is synonymous with dominating defensive football yet somehow forgotten? Strange comment. He’s right about Bert Jones though.

[@ozzieray]

Bert Jones would not take care of himself,he would take on the defense by himself

[@Fernando-R]

If I could compare Bert Jones to a more recent qb, it would be John Elway. He was tough, gritty, and had an accurate cannon of an arm. The 75, 76, and 77 colts were very, very good teams. They ran into some legendary teams during that era which kept them out of the Super Bowl.

[@kennyhuskisson2684]

@@Fernando-R Agreed, Jones & Bradshaw both had cannons, both could throw the ball 100 yards👍✌️

[@stanleygoss5922]

C-O-L-T-S! I absolutely love the Colts!

[@kevinflynn7652]

I was at this game. The famous plane crash game.

[@kesleycottrell1416]

That team was just amazing. That defense was ruthless. It was like the apposing offense didn't even want to step on the field. Really they probably got a nervous twitch when they got to Three Rivers Stadium.

[@clifftanton8385]

Hel the only team that matched them in my opinion as far as sheer terror was my Cowboys and a few time the Raiders

[@realMartinHamilton]

Niicccee. Great quality too! Thanks so much.

[@therose8521]

My love for the Pittsburgh Steelers almost cost me my salvation. This team was a spiritual idol of mines for 37 years.

[@SillyGoose2024]

Wut

[@SGtem]

@@SillyGoose2024 they are confessing that their love for the Steelers was greater then their love for God which may have put their salvation in spiritual jeopardy

[@kentkearney6623]

Welcome back home.

[@JBM425]

I remember this game for Chuck Noll putting in Ray Mansfield to kick that final extra point. Noll broke character and was all smiles after the kick.

[@nyterpfan]

When Bradshaw connected with Frank Lewis on that opening drive TD I knew in my gut it was going to be a rough day for Baltimore.

[@vancedurbin1132]

He wasn't Lynn Swann or John Stallworth!

[@NEPatriot]

Recorded off of Channel 11, WIIC-TV (now WPXI) Pittsburgh. How this was not for the AFC championship given all those stats, I'll never know. Then again, no flashy graphics, competent announcers and smash mouth balling...THAT'S OLD SCHOOL!

[@thefrase7884]

Without a doubt the best D ever. And I’m a Raven fan. Totally dominant. It’s too bad the injury bug hit this Steeler team.

[@russs7574]

As a Steelers fan, I say you can make the argument that the Steelers and Ravens defenses of the early 2000's...the ones featuring Troy Pulamalu, James Harrison, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed were every bit as good....the reason being that they were as great as the were while playing under a whole lot of limitations that the '76 Steelers did not have to deal with. Today, quarterbacks might as well be playing in tutus. DB's cannot so much as breathe on a WR without getting flagged. OL are permitted to clutch and grab DL, almost at will. OT's are allowed to get "head starts" on their pass blocks without being flagged for a false start. And on and on and on. It is terrifying to think what both of those defenses would have been like had they been free to play under the rules of the 1970's.

[@evinhindes9776]

Actually free agency messed it up. Back then, the team that drafted you maintained your rights throughout your career unless they traded you. The draft had 17 rounds back then and it wasn’t the fan fair crap it is now

[@CaptainOracle786]

@@russs7574 no argument this steelers defense permitted 27 pts over the last 9 games of the season including 4-5 shutouts ... greatest defense anyones ever seen; basically every yr from like 72 -79 they were absolutely dominant ... no defense has ever been that good for that long

[@KevinBarry-j8w]

​@@CaptainOracle786Though the 1977 Atlanta Falcons allowed fewer points than these 1976 Steelers 129-138 for a season.

[@stephencabrera9476]

Without injury,they beat Oakland and do something only the packers did (three in a row). To me the greatest dynasty of all time

[@joemajewski7710]

I like old football cuz plays were sent in by players not today with helmet head set . 70's ,80's and 90's football I love watching .

[@indy_go_blue6048]

'60s football was good too. Packers were terrific, and those AFL games were a blast to watch.

[@haroldmccoy6748]

During the 1950's ,Cleveland Browns Goat Paul Brown authored in the radio head set communication system , crafting extensive communication between QB and offensive personel .

[@garybolton1810]

So sorry to hear that tm101956 has his page deleted. In addition to this game he had the Steelers at Bengals "snow game", also from 1976. I haven't seen it in about a year so I suppose it was from his page.

[@mcmillenandwife]

Gary, that '76 Steelers at Bengals game from tm101956 is available to watch on our site: www.mcmillenandwife.com/steelers_pre_1977.html

[@garybolton1810]

@@mcmillenandwife Thanks .. I know you've referenced your site in the past but this is the first time I've visited it..as advertised. Thanks again Mac.. give my best to Sally.

[@garybolton1810]

@Joe Mackojc You may be too young to remember. There was an old TV series called McMillan and Wife... Tim probably knows about it...Google it.

[@seand67]

I love these vintage broadcasts

[@keithclark7266]

This was the 2nd of 5 playoff victories against the Colts without a loss

[@FlipTrojan]

Jim Simpson and John Brodie commenting Roy Gerela pulled his calf, which is why he hadn't been kicking well as of late. It seemed like Gerela was in an eternal slump from the Steelers games I watched.

[@giseleigoa4941]

That would explain the Ray Mansfield kickoffs in this game.

[@lemontadams3029]

Roy was awful

[@razzledazzle8631]

Playing QB in the 1950s, 60s and 70s was much harder than today. Plus less games. When they count the best passing QBs of all time they really need to distinguish that .

[@mcmillenandwife]

No question. The rules surrounding the QB were so different then. It was open season on QBs. Only in the late 70s did they start to protect them a little, and by the mid-80s, the pendulum had swung wildly the other way. It’s ridiculous today. You can barely breathe on them. QBs still take hard shots, it’s still rough out there. But nothing like it was pre-80’s.

[@montanaelkwhisperer1744]

I just watched the Steelers/Cowboys '78 game, and wasn't going to watch any more football today....but then i saw the thumbnail of Jack "hayseed" Lambert trying to rip an opponent's head off, and had to watch it.

[@rolandbush8463]

BALTIMORE WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM When football was football

[@kbrewski1]

It was just called Memorial Stadium. You might be confusing it with Buffalo's old War Memorial Stadium.

[@rolandbush8463]

@@kbrewski1 Ok thanks that's nice to know I thought all memorial stadiums had war in them. Now I gotta look up how many memorial stadiums were made.

[@kbrewski1]

@@rolandbush8463 The previous Busch Stadium in St Louis' full name was Busch Memorial Stadium, but most just called it Busch Stadium. The Buffalo one is the only pro stadium I can think of that had the word "war" in it.

[@gregsells8549]

Another War Memorial Stadium is in Little Rock, second home of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

[@kbrewski1]

@@gregsells8549 I was talking about pro stadiums, see above.

[@housinauthority5258]

This is fantastic quality, many thanks!

[@mcmillenandwife]

Glad to share it! If you haven’t seen our site, check it out. Many classic games available to watch that strangely get blocked on KZbin: www.mcmillenandwife.com

[@billhillard]

Thank you so very much!!! YOU RULE!!!

[@mcmillenandwife]

Haha. You’re welcome! Be sure to check out our website. Hundreds of games there that aren’t on KZbin. www.mcmillenandwife.com

[@billhillard]

@@mcmillenandwife I will, dude! I was a toddler when this game was played. I do not remember it, of course. And at that age I would rather go outside and actually PLAY football than watch the game which was boring for a hyperactive child! (not that I was particularly hyperactive any more than any other child) So, THANK YOU! Have a great day...no, LIFE. See some people say have a great day...they are cheap! Life! Thanks. 😁

[@harrishoward5924]

Bradshaw in the post season was the best long ball passer in history!

[@mcmillenandwife]

Harris Howard... TRUTH.

[@brianstupar7433]

What strikes me watching Bradshaw during this era was how compact his throwing motion was. Nobody threw the ball like that before or after. He brought the ball from his hip right behind his ear and the ball was out of his hand fast! You'd think he wouldn't be able to generate that much power with that motion, but he sure did. That pass to Lewis in the first quarter is a great example. 65 yards in the air and it looked like he just flicked it with his wrist.

[@tacey01]

@@brianstupar7433 his passes really zing. Not much arc at all. Amazing strength and talent.

[@murphyotoole9014]

Man . . .these two guys from Louisiana playing QB can sure toss that bean . . ..

[@mcmillenandwife]

Two of the strongest arms in NFL history. It’s a shame we didn’t get to see this matchup more often.

[@robbie192]

@Tim McMillen - mcmillenandwife oh ya...Bradshaw flicked 50 yard darts

[@marcamerine7941]

I’m a Raiders fan but this is the greatest defense ever no rushing touchdowns in 9 gameS & 3 Quarters LOL.!! that’s defense .. I forget some of the other records this defense Set But They were incredible

[@Faltor895]

Well, defenses back then had a lot of rule advantages, everyone forgets this.

[@gabrieltoldme5308]

@@Faltor895 everyone played by the same rules moron! Did you forget that?

[@chicken_953]

Yea, but they got the wood put to them the next week by your Raiders

[@TDL-xg5nn]

They had 5 shutouts and gave up only 3 points in two other games. That is a total of 6 points allowed over 7 games which was half a season. Unreal.

[@TDL-xg5nn]

@@Faltor895 What advantage did the Steelers have that other teams did not have?

[@zoffwolfgung2933]

Nice interception and he's holding the football out like a loaf of bread lol...Great commentary

[@rileyjackfansmithandjones8238]

Not gonna lie, growing up in Pittsburgh.....i feared 2 Qbs that never got their Due, because they were creative, and Deceptive....Bert Jones, and Brian Sipe. You could sort of expect what Kenny Anderson, Griese, Stabler,Joe Ferguson, could do.....but Sipe and Jones had Guts, Toughness, and always an extra Wrinkle, that could beat you.

[@brucep9729]

Good to hear Jim Simpson again

[@mullen25]

agree Bert Jones underrated. what a great quarterback. and Terry Bradshaw always threw a beautiful deep ball. i loved these 70's playoff games.

[@CaptainOracle786]

bert jones was NOT under rated... just people don't know nfl history that's all; he was widely regarded as maybe the most gifted qb out there at the time with stabler and roger staubach maybe being favored a bit at times... bert jones to roger carr was the best combo pretty much from 75 to 77

[@mullen25]

@@CaptainOracle786 im talking underrated today dude. Not the 70's.

[@CaptainOracle786]

@@mullen25 not amongst true fans who were around then; of course he and many others are underrated to those who never saw them play...dan fouts for example i even hear clowns saying the "namath wasn't really that good" after checking his stats...people are just clueless

[@lee-pc5jq]

The Rush that intro gave a ten year old me.

[@RHV617]

BRADSHAW STARTING TO FORGE HIS IDENTITY! BETWEEN 76, 77, 78, BRADSHAW really started to flourish in 77, and 78 he went over the top.

[@erickthefantabulous1]

I miss this game I think I had to go bowlin if this was like Saturday afternoon But I'm gonna watch it in 20/20 when I get a chance The Baltimore Colts team was like a comet it Flashed for a couple years then it was done In the seventies I was all AFC they had so many great playoff games

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Always remember that 5 of the 10 SB 1971-1980 were won by former NFL teams. NFL dominated the game for most of 30 years.

[@superbowltournament1692]

I remember watching this game as a kid. The TV was left on in our home, and after the game, the breaking news report of the small plane that crashed into the stadium. There is radio audio on youtube of the news coverage, but I've never found the breaking news video of the coverage of the plane crash.

[@tedkiser6860]

Reggie Harrison running in the touchdown where he stumbled through the endzone reminded me of Bettis.

[@michaeldetroit.8125]

The announcer (Jim Simpson, who was superb) said the Steelers gave up 138 points in the season. That would be over 14 games. Average points allowed per game: 9.8. The Colts were a powerful team, just unfortunate they played one of the greatest teams of all time

[@sidDkid87]

43:21 *_”Hey! HEY!! You hold that stick and don’t officiate!!”_* … *PRICELESS!*

[@filippoilpoeta6437]

Super Bowl 9, mighty fine! Super Bowl 10, did it again! Super Bowl 11, should have been Steeler Heaven!!!

[@erichammer2751]

Thing about the 1976 season: was there any game in which the Steelers were all healthy at the same time? IIRC, even in the opener they had injuries on the OLine. They accomplished some pretty remarkable things with makeshift teams, then just as they were starting to get healthy, Franco and Rocky both go down and that's all she wrote. Wasn't meant to be.

[@BrianVanBuren-tu2ef]

brodie and simpson great call- classic nbc production

[@johnanthony8546]

Your right its kinda like seeing your first love your over it but when you see her it still hits you in the gut for just a split second

[@indy_go_blue6048]

'80s Falcon loss to the Cowboys. I'll never get over that game. Ever.

[@brucep9729]

This was definitely the best Steelers team that didnt win the Superbowl. 5 shutouts and 3 pts given up in 2 other games! 6pts from shutting out half their games, can you imagine? Great team!

[@ChrisDutch]

The Steelers didn’t allow a single rushing touchdown the last nine games of the season.

[@jeffersonianideal]

I am very sorry to hear about tm101956. His KZbin channel was a testament to Steelers fans and football enthusiasts world-wide. Thank you for uploading this. I hope tm101956 will be back, either on YT or on an alternative video site such as Vimeo.

[@dootuss83]

His channel being removed is further proof that KZbin and these companies who hold copyrights suck. They spoil the fun for everyone. They should let the viewers enjoy these blasts from the past.

[@jeffersonianideal]

@@dootuss83 The best thing that could happen to KZbin is some formidable competition.

[@jerseyfla]

@@jeffersonianideal The problem is that there is competition with sites like Vimeo and Dailymotion but those sites only extend the time before the NFL nails the uploader. Word of mouth get the NFL's attention. This is what happened with Tim McMillen's site videos as they were all on Vimeo.

[@jeffersonianideal]

@@jerseyfla Perhaps a better solution is to author an independent website.

[@mcmillenandwife]

@@jeffersonianideal , hosting videos in a way that will allow them to be stream-able to viewers has special requirements. It's expensive outside of KZbin, Vimeo, etc. (easily hundreds of dollars a month). Even then, unless the host is in a country that will ignore copyright claims from the NFL, all it takes is a copyright claim from the NFL and BOOM... videos gone.

[@jon8062]

Lived in Baltimore short time as a kid, remember going to a game early season and there was actual gravel in back of the endzone. Doesn't get any better than that 😂 I guess the Orioles were still in season. Good Old Memorial Stadium

[@KevinBarry-j8w]

Fun fact, John Cole, Pittsburgh offensive lineman in this game, appeared in the Worlds strongest man contest in 1977 (The first season).

[@p.j.4738]

You mean Jon Kolb, Steelers tackle 1969-1981? He was a MONSTER!

[@KevinBarry-j8w]

@@p.j.4738 Yes, I had my names mixed up

[@whataboutrob442]

Bradshaw had a ROCKET for an arm!

[@rivstg13]

Thx for posting this. Really enjoyed watching so many of my childhood athletic heroes. If not for the injuries….Steelers might have beaten the Raiders and gone to three straight super bowls

[@comfortat]

Man, I love those old school openings!

[@johnhofstetter5515]

Jones and Mitchell would fit perfectly in todays up tempo offensive schemes.

[@CapeFear1]

Didn't a small single engine plane crash into the upper deck of the stadium during or right after the game? As soon as I saw this pop up on KZbin that was the initial memory that popped into my head about this game.

[@mcmillenandwife]

You're exactly right. The idiot buzzed the stadium and didn't pull up in time. There's coverage of the plane crash at the end of the video on our TV/radio sync of this game: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWXMYYl7aZuAeMU

[@oknor57]

The last 9 games of this’76 season, the steeler D gave up a total of 28 points! Unheard of..

[@mcmillenandwife]

Greatest defense of all time: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rX6XZaB6qcx6Y8k

[@eyeofthescar6890]

Presenting the best of the national Football League. The American Football conference

[@thescatman5029]

I saw the still clip of this, and it was Jack Lambert crushing the head of Lydell Mitchell!

[@troybarnette8002]

Wow! #33 Frenchie Fauqua--what a name, a fancy dresser, and a great game!

[@edlawn5481]

70s NBC Theme was the best of the network NFL theme music.

[@CaptLawrenceD]

its a classic perfect like the nba theme from nbc during the 90s

[@user619tlsdca5]

During that era of mid late 70s , the one player that attracted the most attention was the one guy the Steelers Defense earned their famed title of stopping him from being the show at each playoff game back to back years in Earl Campbell. The Steelers was the ONE TEAM Campbell couldn't pass those playoff games to be in Super Bowl. Steelers Defense was highly praised from fans of always stopping Campbell of making a show for himself and The Steel Curtain was born from stopping the greatest show of running in Campbell and the Steelers was Campbell greatest nemesis of not able to beat them back to back years in playoffs..

[@Boomhower89]

Man I miss the game from the 70s and 80s. Such a better game

[@mcmillenandwife]

For sure. They played the game the way it should be played.

[@kevinevans5921]

Someone may have already posted it but this was the game a guy crashed his small plane into the upper deck just after the game ended. I was just 7 but remember the picture of the plane on WJZ Baltimore.

[@mcmillenandwife]

Yes, this was the plane crash game. If you watch our version of this game dubbed with Chuck Thompson, Vince Bagli and Art Donovan, they cover the crash just after it happened. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWXMYYl7aZuAeMU

[@kevinevans5921]

@@mcmillenandwife thank you will check out

[@johnanthony8546]

It's sad a horrible the NFL has become. And even sadder that the colts are in Indianapolis. What a joke

[@mauricescribner7025]

Sad? it's about a $ 14 bil business maybe more... don't get your point of your comment

[@blackspider9561]

@@mauricescribner7025 I grew up with the St. louis Cardinals, not the Arizona Cardinals. Just don't sound right. Now we have the Las Vegas Raiders etc. the 70's were more funner. That's my opinion. I get john Anthony' point

[@americangiant1003]

John Anthony Agreed. The colts should have never left Baltimore. The NFL should have just gave expansion teams by say between 1985-2000 to places such as Indianapolis, Charlotte, Phoenix and Nashville. And ideally kept the 1970s era teams in Baltimore and St Louis. What insulting is how now in 2020 Major American cities such as St Louis and San Diego don’t have NFL teams.

[@mauricescribner7025]

Black Spider you need to check your history you grew up with a team (St Louis Cardinals) that we’re from Chicago who had no identity because their nickname was exactly the same as the baseball team😕. Again I don’t get your point the league grows to gain revenue teams move to grow revenue. Oakland loss the Raiders in the 80s they moved back in the 90s Oakland never built a new facility the current stadium has waters floods and rats. Things change teams need new stadiums every 30 years or they will move to a bigger city or a city that will give them more revenue.

[@mauricescribner7025]

AmericanGiant100 the NFL does not control movement of teams. If an owner has a financial advantage to move his team his business no league or owner will object... because it’s more money team league etc. And they did expansion in the 90s (Carolina and Jacksonville). Also St Louis was never an original NFL city the Cardinals were moved from Chicago. Mediocre at best with a marginal fan base they moved to Arizona. Baltimore had a great tradition great fans but poor performing team low attendance and drunk for an owner who wanted a new stadium. Indy gave him what he wanted. The Oakland Raiders left and came back to the same old dual purpose stadium with dated amenities same with San Diego. In case you have not guessed the NFL cares more about money than tradition.

[@DR-kz3jr]

This is just pure grit football.

[@snakeoiler1292]

Much like Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Dan Fouts and Fran Tarkenton, Hurt Jones could be very entertaining during a season. A big flop in the playoffs. The year the Patriots were robbed by the Raiders in the playoffs.

[@anthonybryant3038]

"Hurt Jones." haha

[@manuginobilisbaldspot424]

Robbed. STFU. Sugar Bear Hamilton hit Stabler in the head. It's a personal foul, no matter the down and distance.

[@markperry2827]

Guess the Pats were robbed in 86 also......

[@Yeomannn]

Typical patriots fanboy logic. Every QB who hasn't won 6 super bowls is a regular season QB.

[@robertgates3019]

I was lucky to be in the stands for this game. However when Franco and rocky went down with injuries, I knew we were not going back to the super bowl. Sure enough we lost next week to Oakland and lost the chance to three peat.

[@thomasgoshaw6406]

24:20 - Gerela is attempting a 45 yard field goal and they show his stats from 30-39 yards.

[@raider7782]

I was 5 years old living in Baltimore. My dad and grandfather was hot after this game!

[@Biggdoom344]

Poor colts were game that day but ran into an absolute buzzsaw. I’ve been watching the Steelers since 1973. This is still the best game the franchise has ever played. The colts were favored but got absolutely annihilated that day in a 40-14 game not as close as the score.

[@mcmillenandwife]

I agree. This was the pinnacle of the most talented football team to ever exist. Kinda funny that the Colts were favored after the reign of terror the Steelers defense had unleashed over the last 9 games of the season.

[@tomodonovan5931]

@@mcmillenandwife Those Vegas oddsmakers must have been born in Baltimore. Today they would be Raven fans! lol!

[@jamesbarrett5129]

@@tomodonovan5931 Im pretty sure the Steelers were 3 point favorites in this game? Pro Football Reference confirms that.

[@tomodonovan5931]

@@jamesbarrett5129 Yeah, I fact checked, and they were 3 and a half favorites. They were also favored when they played the Raiders. Oakland had zero problems containing them. One dimensional offense of the Steelers were no match for the Oakland defense.

[@jamesbarrett5129]

@@tomodonovan5931 It's a shame; I have little doubt the Vikings would have posed little threat to that Steeler team, IF they could had made it past Oakland. A Viking team that got pounded by Oakland in the Super Bowl and pounded by Pitt in the SB just 2 years prior.

[@markwalsh2340]

You hear so many young football fans who weren't watching football from "back in the day" talk about those players being slow and not as athletic as compared to players now. It's nice to be able to refer them to videos of old games on You Tube that show they don't know what they're talking about.

[@michaelbarnhart2593]

Literally "3 yards and a cloud of dust." ;-)

[@Lawomenshoops]

If I'm not mistaken, a small plane crashed into the top deck of Memorial Stadium, after this game. Or maybe it was in 75.

[@mcmillenandwife]

Lawomenshoops, yep, the plane crash was after this game.

[@acharleyhorse1]

Yes , it was. Donald Kroner. I was at the game with my older brother. Kroner was buzzing the stadium the whole game. Like most other fans, we left in the fourth quarter, because it was a blowout. I remember looking back, and seeing the plane in the upper deck. It was an eerie sight.

[@rockyracoon3233]

@@acharleyhorse1 . Wow.:(

[@MarloSoBalJr]

@@rockyracoon3233 You can actually the plane buzzing several times during this broadcast

[@dalejohnson4871]

I was 12 yr.s old. Wowww! Time has passed! And what a game this was!

[@proman1926]

What’s really wild is the Chick Knoll is only one coach away from Pitts current coach. Bill, Coward and Thomson. All Super Bowl winning coaches.

[@cadillac4100]

Colts were smacked around so bad by the Steelers that day that the fans leaving proved to be fortunate. Much later after the game ended , a small plane crashed in the Memorial Stadium upper deck

[@gregsells8549]

Start of the Pittsburgh-Baltimore rivalry, only Baltimore's mascot has changed.

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

Btw, I have in my Cowboys library transferred to CD....76 Colts @ my Cowboys Texas Stadium game recorded off Mutual Radio. Very few highlights exist from NFL FILMS but Colts tied the game 27-27. Under 35 seconds to play, Roger led a CRAZY 3 play drive, huge play to Drew to kick a GWFG to end the game. However NFL FILMS criminally did not make this the Game if The week....(usually saved for a Cowboys los....). It is crazy listening to that game