NFL playoffs, 1979-80

The NFL playoffs following the 1979 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIV.

Note: As per the rules of the NFL playoffs prior to the 1990 season (notwithstanding the strike-shortened 1982 season), the Dallas Cowboys (the NFC 1 seed) did not play the Philadelphia Eagles (the 4 seed) in the Divisional playoff round because both teams were in the same division.

AFC: Houston Oilers 13, Denver Broncos 7
The Oilers managed to shut down the Broncos offense for most of the game en route to a 13-7 win. After Toni Fritsch kicked a 31-yard field goal on Houston's first drive, Denver marched 80 yards in 13 plays to score on quarterback Craig Morton's 7-yard touchdown pass to running back Dave Preston. From that point on, the Oilers controlled the rest of the game. With less than 3 minutes left in the first half, Houston advanced 74 yards to score on running back Earl Campbell's 3-yard touchdown run. Although Campbell and starting quarterback Dan Pastorini were both knocked out the game during the second half with injuries, the Oilers defense continued to dominate. In the fourth quarter, an interception by linebacker Gregg Bingham set up Fritsch's 20-yard field goal to close out the scoring.

NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 27, Chicago Bears 17
Eagles Quarterback Ron Jaworski threw for 204 yards and 3 touchdown passes as Philadelphia overcame a 17-10 Bears halftime lead. The Eagles scored first when Jaworski threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Harold Carmichael. Chicago responded with an 82-yard drive to score on running back Walter Payton's 2-yard rushing touchdown. Then after Philadelphia added a field goal, Payton scored again on a 1-yard touchdown to give the Bears a 17-10 lead. In the third quarter, Carmichael's 29-yard touchdown reception tied the game. Then on their next drive, Chicago advanced deep into Philadelphia territory only to see Bobby Howard intercept a pass in the end zone. A few plays later, Jaworski threw a 63-yard touchdown to running back Billy Campfield to take the lead for good. Carmichael finished the game with 6 receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

AFC: Houston Oilers 17, San Diego Chargers 14
The Oilers offense, playing without starting quarterback Dan Pastorini, receiver Ken Burrough, and running back Earl Campbell, could only generate 259 yard compared to San Diego's 385. But they still won the game, largely due to the effort of rookie safety Vernon Perry, who set a playoff record with 4 interceptions as the Oilers defeated the Chargers, 17-14. In his first career playoff game, Chargers future hall of fame quarterback Dan Fouts threw for 333 yards, but was intercepted 5 times. The Chargers high powered offense scored on their first possession of the game and of the second half but turnovers prevented further scoring.

San Diego scored first on running back Clarence Williams' 1-yard rushing touchdown, but on the Chargers' next drive, Perry intercepted a pass at the Houston 18-yard line. In the second quarter, Perry blocked a field goal attempt and returned the ball 57 yards to the San Diego 28-yard line, setting up Toni Fritsch's 26-yard field goal. Perry recorded another interception on the Chargers 38-yard line on the ensuing possession, and Boobie Clark ran for a 1-yard touchdown to give the Oilers a 10-7 lead. In the third period, San Diego regained the lead with running back Lydell Mitchell's 8-yard touchdown run. However, Houston defensive back J.C. Wilson's interception later set up Mike Renfro's 47-yard touchdown reception to take the lead for good. Perry recorded two more interceptions as the Oilers defense shut down the Chargers offense for the rest of the game.

After the game, it was revealed that the Oilers coaching staff was able to figure out the Chargers' coaches' signs as they signaled the play call from the sideline; this was one reason their defensive backs seemed to always be in the right place at the right time. "We pretty much knew ahead of time when they were going to pass, and where they were going to pass it." said Oilers defensive coordinator Ed Biles. 

NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, Philadelphia Eagles 17
The Buccaneers won their first playoff game in team history by holding the Eagles to 48 rushing yards, while running back Ricky Bell recorded 142 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. Tampa Bay marched on an 18-play, 80-yard opening drive that took 9:34 off the clock to score on Bell's 4-yard touchdown run. Then after the Buccaneers added a field goal, defensive lineman Randy Crowder recovered a fumble which led to Bell's 1-yard touchdown to give Tampa Bay a 17-0 advantage. The Eagles scored just before halftime with quarterback Ron Jaworski's 11-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Smith, then they added a field goal in the third quarter to make the score 17-10. However, quarterback Doug Williams threw a 9-yard touchdown to Jimmie Giles to increase Tampa Bay's lead, 24-10. Although Philadelphia scored a late touchdown, they could not overcome the deficit before time expired.

AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Miami Dolphins 14
The Steelers scored 20 points in the first quarter and held the Dolphins to 25 rushing yards. Miami future hall of fame running back Larry Csonka was held to just 20 rushing yards on 10 carries in the final game of his career, while Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw for 230 yards and 2 touchdowns. On the opening drive of the game, Pittsburgh marched 62 yards to score on running back Sidney Thornton's 1-yard touchdown run. On their second possession, the Steelers advanced 62 yards again to score on wide receiver John Stallworth's 17-yard touchdown reception (although the extra point was blocked). And on their third drive, wide receiver Lynn Swann made a 20-yard touchdown reception. Miami finally scored in the third quarter after a muffed punt led to quarterback Bob Griese's 7-yard touchdown pass to Duriel Harris. However, the Steelers responded by advancing 69 yards to score on running back Rocky Bleier's 1-yard touchdown. Running back Franco Harris' 5-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach.

NFC: Los Angeles Rams 21, Dallas Cowboys 19
Nobody gave the aging Rams much of a chance in this game, especially considering that the Cowboys had soundly defeated a injured L.A.Rams team during the regular season, 30-6, and had shut them out in last season's NFC title game, 28-0.

Quarterback Vince Ferragamo led the Rams to a victory by throwing for 3 touchdown passes, the last one with 2:06 left in the game. The Cowboys scored first when defensive tackle Randy White sacked Ferragamo in the end zone for a safety. However, Ferragamo responded by throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass to running back Wendell Tyler. Dallas kicker Rafael Septien kicked a 33-yard field goal with 52 seconds left in the first half, but Ferragamo completed a 43-yard touchdown pass to Ron Smith before time expired to make it a 14-5 halftime lead. The Cowboys, led by quarterback Roger Staubach in what proved to be his last NFL game of his hall of fame career, then scored 2 unanswered touchdowns in the second half to take the lead, 19-14. With about 2 minutes left in the game and the Rams at midfield, Ferragamo found wide receiver Billy Waddy on a short crossing route and Waddy sprinted the rest of the way for a game winning 50-yard touchdown. Staubach was unable to engineer a late fourth quarter comeback like the ones that made him famous throughout his career. The Rams defense forced a sack, and then pressured the Dallas quarterback to throw a pass illegally to an ineligible receiver, guard Herbert Scott, on fourth down; the last pass of his career.

AFC Championship: Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Houston Oilers 13
The Steelers held the Oilers to only 24 rushing yards, but was also aided by a controversial non-touchdown call to come away with a 27-13 win. Houston jumped to a 7-0 lead with just 2:30 into the game when Vernon Perry returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown. Then after the teams exchanged field goals, Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw completed two touchdown passes, a 16-yarder to tight end Bennie Cunningham and a 20-yard one to wide receiver John Stallworth.

With the Steelers leading 17-10, the controversial play occurred during the last seconds of the third quarter after the Oilers advanced to the Pittsburgh 6-yard line. Quarterback Dan Pastorini threw a pass to Mike Renfro at the back of the end zone, and Renfro appeared to have caught it for a touchdown with both feet in bounds before he fell out of the end zone. TV replays conclusively confirmed a catch for a touchdown; however, the officials ruled the pass incomplete, saying that he did not have complete control of the ball before going out of bounds. The Houston Oilers then had to settle for a 23-yard field goal.

The Steelers would then score 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory. A 78-yard drive ended with a field goal and running back Rocky Bleier scored on a 4-yard rushing touchdown. Steelers running back Franco Harris rushed for 85 yards and caught 6 passes for 50 yards. Houston running back Earl Campbell, the NFL's leading rusher during the season, finished the game with just 15 yards on 17 carries.

NFC Championship: Los Angeles Rams 9, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0
In a defensive battle in which the Rams squandered numerous scoring opportunities, Rams kicker Frank Corral kicked 3 field goals to win the game. Los Angeles was able to record 369 yards of total offense, while running backs Cullen Bryant and Wendell Tyler rushed for 106 and 86 yards, respectively. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers only had 177 total offensive yards, including 92 rushing yards and 85 passing yards. Most of Tampa Bay's passing yards came from a 42-yard halfback option pass from Jerry Eckwood to wide receiver Larry Mucker in the fourth quarter. During the game, two touchdowns were nullified by penalties, one by each team: A four yard run by Bryant and a 27-yard reception by Buccaneers' tight end Jimmie Giles.