Extra time with the Oilmen
Corks sprung from champagne bottles. A Times Square crowd erupted as the ball plummeted. Strangers joyously embraced and kissed one another. And the ostentatious Jerry Glanville was soon to be out of a head coaching job.
On New Year’s Eve, 1989, the Steelers, victors in five of their previous six fixtures, marched into the Houston Astrodome to play Warren Moon and the Oilers. The tilt holds the distinction of being the NFL’s last of the decade.
In a season that appallingly began with a 51-0 home loss to the Cleveland Browns and a 41-10 defeat in Cincinnati the next week, NFL Coach of the Year Chuck Noll’s youthful crew qualified for the playoffs last-minute.
In passer Bubby Brister’s playoff debut, the Black and Gold opened the scoring in the first quarter, yet wouldn’t again cross the goal-line until regulation’s waning moments. The game knotted even, 23-23, Pittsburgh’s offense stalled on the first possession in overtime. Seemingly, a poor punt put Houston in position to beat the Steelers for the third time that season.
Rather, first-team All-Pro cornerback Rod Woodson shot into tailback Lorenzo White, jarring the football loose and recovering the fumble. Soon after, Gary Anderson, who would eventually retire as the NFL’s all-time leading points scorer, cleared the uprights for a sudden-death success.
Against John Elway the following Sunday, Pittsburgh wilted late in Denver. With the loss in the divisional round, the book on Noll’s time with the Steelers entered its final chapter.