Steelers oddball victory: Scoring five first-quarter points vs. the Giants

Given the NFL’s point system, certain scores do not come up very often.  One such score is five points, mainly because  Steelers safeties are infrequent.

In the history of the NFL, a team scoring five points in the first quarter has only happened 24 times. Even then, between 1941-1994 only 13 times, and from 1999-2016 it happened 11 times. However, Pittsburgh did manage such a feat on 12/4/2016 against the New York Giants and are the last team to have scored five points in the first quarter.

In what was shaping up as a lackluster first quarter, with a tie score of 0-0. Then with 3:04 left in the first quarter, and the Giants pinned back at their five-yard line Eli Manning dropped back for a pass and completed it to Odell Beckham for 15 yards. However, in the play, Ereck Flowers got flagged for holding in the endzone, nullifying the catch and giving the Steelers a safety.

Then on the ensuing drive, Pittsburgh got the ball again on the free-kick. Starting on their 20, Ben Roethlisberger hit Ladarius Green for 37 yards taking the ball to the Giant’s 24-yard line. The drive then faltered with eight seconds left in the first quarter.

Then Randy Bullock, in his only game ever as a Pittsburgh Steelers and who also played five games for the Giants in 2016, kicked a field goal netting the Steelers five points.  After that, the Steelers proceeded to score  24 points total, and the Giants only managed two touchdowns in the 4th quarter, and the Steelers won the game 24-14.

Now scoring just the five points might not make this an oddball victory by itself, as the feat has happened several times in the NFL in previous seasons. Given the fact they are the last team to do it in five seasons comes close to making it odd, but no. Even the Randy Bullock connection, though it is a coincidence being he played for the Giants in the same season, does not make this an oddball victory.  So what does?

Even Odder

The even odder stat is that it’s happened to the Steelers twice in team history scoring five points in the first quarter. Not only did it happen in 2016, it also happened to Pittsburgh in 1966 as well when the opposing punter stepped out of the endzone giving the Steelers two points, and Steelers placekicker  Mike Clark kicked a field goal before the first quarter expired. Then the Steelers went on to win 47-28. However, if that is not odd enough, it goes on.

Odder yet

Both times the black and gold have scored five points in the first quarter, their opponent has been the New York Giants. The Giants Punter Spider Lockhart stepped out of the endzone giving the Steelers the two points needed to hit the mark of five points in the first quarter.

Now it’s Eerie

If that were not enough, it gets spine-tingling. First, the Steelers tied with Denver, Minnesota, and Oakland at achieving the feat twice. From there, the Giants have done it three times themselves in 2011, 1998, and 1958. Plus, Pittsburgh has done it to them twice, and Minnesota did it to them once. Additionally, of the teams doing it multiple times, only the Steelers and Giants are undefeated when they have each scored five points in the first quarter.

Statistics can always make for an interesting look at games sometimes, especially when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers.