Steelers: Super Bowl X NFL’s Best Ever
By Jim Conroy
Super Bowl X Post-game
Tom Landry tells CBS’s Gary Bender in post game interview that Dallas couldn’t run the ball on the Steelers but no one could. Courtesy bing images and CBS Sports.
Dallas Head Coach Tom Landry said this about the Dallas offensive performance to CBS reporter Gary Bender:
"“We couldn’t run the ball to well against their defense. But nobody could.”"
CBS announcer Tom Brookshier said to Lynn Swann in the post game interview:
"“I have never seen a receiver have a better day in a Super Bowl or anytime else.” Swann’s brilliant 2nd quarter 53 yard acrobatic catch helped him win MVP of Super Bowl X. Courtesy bing images."
It is only because of the ESPN era of “What happened last is the best or the worst” is this game forgotten and not included in the conversation as the best Super Bowl ever. But no Super Bowl before or since had all that Super Bowl X offered and the greatness of the game was not lost on anyone who witnessed it.
From the opening reverse on the kickoff to the final 2 Hail Mary passes, the game had everything: A legendary announcing team, Two of the NFL’s most prestigious teams, 14 NFL Hall of Fame players, 2 Hall of Fame Coaches, big play after big play on the offense and defensive sides of the ball, soul crushing hits, the typical Dallas comeback, 4 incredible catches by Lynn Swann for a then Super Bowl record 161 yards, Bradshaw’s 65 yards through the air game
Super Bowl X Steelers Offense Huddles while Dallas defense waits. Courtesy bing images.
winning bomb, Bradshaw knocked out of the game with a concussion, 7 sacks of Staubach (including Super Bowl record 4 by L.C. Greenwood), 3 interceptions of Staubach, Staubach under constant duress in the pocket eluding Steelers defenders on almost every pass, no turnovers or penalties for Pittsburgh, only 2 penalties against Dallas, 8 total fumbles with each team fumbling 4 times and each time
recovering their own 4 fumbles, Pittsburgh missing 2 field goals and an extra point, 2 blocked punts, a safety, an onside kick, a goal line stand, no less than 5 skirmishes between the players including Jack Lambert’s throwing Cliff Harris to the ground, Lambert’s 14 tackles in a heightened rage, Chuck Noll’s controversial decision to give Dallas the ball at the 39 instead of punting with 1:22 left, Fans swarming the field, Franco Harris punching a fan trying to get off of the field. All of this done in the second to last Super Bowl game played entirely in the daylight. What Super Bowl could match all of this? CBS sideline reporter Jack Whitaker said it best:
"“That is the best Super Bowl there has ever been. 10 or 20 years from now everyone will say this is when the game came of age.” Jack Whitaker CBS sideline reporter for Super Bowl X was right when he said it was a game for the ages. Courtesy bing images."