1984 Pittsburgh Steelers season

1984 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head Coach	Chuck Noll
Home Field	Three Rivers Stadium
Results
Record	9–7
Place	1st AFC Central
Playoff Finish	Lost to Miami Dolphins in AFC Championship Game
Pro Bowlers	LB Robin Cole WR Louis Lipps LB Mike Merriweather WR John Stallworth C Mike Webster
Team MVP	John Stallworth
Team ROY	Louis Lipps
Timeline
Previous season	Next season
1983	1985

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Location	Time (ET)	TV	Result	Record
1	Sunday September 2	Kansas City Chiefs	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 pm	NBC	L 37–27	0–1
2	Thursday September 6	at New York Jets	Giants Stadium	9:00 pm	ABC	W 23–17	1–1
3	Sunday September 16	Los Angeles Rams	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 pm	CBS	W 24–14	2–1
4	Sunday September 23	at Cleveland Browns	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	1:00 pm	NBC	L 20–10	2–2
5	Monday October 1	Cincinnati Bengals	Three Rivers Stadium	9:00 pm	ABC	W 38–17	3–2
6	Sunday October 7	Miami Dolphins	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 pm	NBC	L 31–7	3–3
7	Sunday October 14	at San Francisco 49ers	Candlestick Park	4:00 pm	NBC	W 20–17	4–3
8	Sunday October 21	at Indianapolis Colts	Hoosier Dome	1:00 pm	NBC	L 17–16	4–4
9	Sunday October 28	Atlanta Falcons	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 pm	CBS	W 35–10	5–4
10	Sunday November 4	Houston Oilers	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 pm	NBC	W 35–7	6–4
11	Sunday November 11	at Cincinnati Bengals	Riverfront Stadium	1:00 pm	NBC	L 22–20	6–5
12	Monday November 19	at New Orleans Saints	Louisiana Superdome	9:00 pm	ABC	L 27–24	6–6
13	Sunday November 25	San Diego Chargers	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 pm	NBC	W 52–24	7–6
14	Sunday December 2	at Houston Oilers	Astrodome	1:00 pm	NBC	L 23–20 (OT)	7–7
15	Sunday December 9	Cleveland Browns	Three Rivers Stadium	1:00 pm	NBC	W 23–20	8–7
16	Sunday December 16	at Los Angeles Raiders	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	4:00 pm	NBC	W 13–7	9–7

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday September 2, 1984): vs. Kansas City Chiefs

	1	2	3	4	OT
Chiefs	7	17	13	0	37
Steelers	3	14	3	7	27

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 56,709
• Referee: Jerry Seeman
• TV announcers: (NBC) Bill Wilkerson (play by play), Dave Rowe (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Kansas City – Blackledge 1 run (Lowery kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 30
• Kansas City – FG Lowery 37
• Kansas CIty – Brown 3 run (Lowery kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lipps 80 pass from Woodley (Anderson kick)
• Kansas City – Brown 6 run (Lowery kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 29 pass from Woodley (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 47
• Kansas City – Paige 22 pass from Blackledge (Lowery kick)
• Kansas City – FG Lowery 47
• Kansas City – FG Lowery 37
• PIttsburgh – Lipps 21 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)

Week 2 (Thursday September 6, 1984): at New York Jets

	1	2	3	4	OT
Steelers	7	6	7	3	23
Jets	0	7	10	0	17

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Game time: 9:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 70,564
• Referee: Bob McElwee
• TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Don Meredith (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Lipps 6 pass form Woodley (Anderson kick)
• New York Jets – Walker 14 pass from Ryan (Leahy kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 32
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 43
• New York Jets – Humphrey 97 kickoff return (Leahy kick)
• Pittsburgh – Thompson 3 pass from Woodley (Anderson kick)
• New York Jets – FG Leahy 52
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 27

Week 3 (Sunday September 16, 1984): vs. Los Angeles Rams

	1	2	3	4	OT
Rams	7	0	7	0	14
Steelers	0	14	3	7	24

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 58,104
• Referee: Ben Dreith
• TV announcers: (CBS) Jim Hill (play by play), John Dockery (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Los Angeles Rams – Crutchfield 4 pass from Ferragamo (Lansford kick)
• Pittsburgh – Cunningham 1 pass from Woodley (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Washington 12 interception return (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 41
• Los Angeles Rams – Drew Hill 57 pass from Kemp (Lansford kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lipps 11 pass from Woodley (Anderson kick)

Week 4 (Sunday September 23, 1984): at Cleveland Browns

	1	2	3	4	OT
Steelers	0	7	3	0	10
Browns	0	0	10	10	20

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 77,312
• Referee: Dick Jorgensen
• TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Washington 69 interception return (Anderson kick)
• Cleveland – FG Bahr 18
• Cleveland – Green 44 pass from McDonald (Bahr kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 46
• Cleveland – Harris 3 pass from McDonald (Bahr kick)
• Cleveland – FG Bahr 48

Week 5 (Monday October 1, 1984): vs. Cincinnati Bengals

	1	2	3	4	OT
Bengals	0	10	0	7	17
Steelers	0	14	10	14	38

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 9:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 57,098
• Referee: Tom Dooley
• TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Don Meredith & O.J. Simpson (color commentators)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Erenberg 31 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Woodruff 42 interception return (Anderson kick)
• Cincinnati – Jennings 38 pass from Schonert (Breech kick)
• Cincinnati – FG Breech 32
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 31
• Pittsburgh – Thompson 23 pass from Woodley (Anderson kick)
• Cincinnati – Schonert 1 run (Breech kick)
• Pittsburgh – Abercrombie 5 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Shell 52 interception return (Anderson kick)

Week 6 (Sunday October 7, 1984): vs. Miami Dolphins

	1	2	3	4	OT
Dolphins	0	21	3	7	31
Steelers	0	0	7	0	7

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 59,103
• Referee: Jerry Markbreit
• TV announcers: (NBC) Charlie Jones (play by play), Bob Griese (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Miami – Hardy 3 pass from Marino (von Schamann kick)
• Miami – Rose 34 pass from Marino (von Schamann kick)
• Miami – Baumhower 21 fumble return (von Schamann kick)
• Miami – FG von Schamann 37
• Pittsburgh – Pollard 1 run (Anderson kick)
• Miami – Bennett 1 run (von Schamann kick)

Week 7 (Sunday October 14, 1984): at San Francisco 49ers

	1	2	3	4	OT
Steelers	7	3	0	10	20
49ers	0	7	0	10	17

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

• Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 59,110
• Referee: Pat Haggerty
• TV announcers: (NBC) Jay Randolph (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

This was the one game the eventual Super Bowl champion 49ers lost during the 1984 season.

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Erenberg 2 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 48
• San Francisco – Montana 7 run (Wersching kick)
• San Francisco – FG Wersching 30
• San Francisco – Tyler 7 run (Wersching kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 6 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 21

Week 8 (Sunday October 21, 1984): at Indianapolis Colts

	1	2	3	4	OT
Steelers	3	10	0	3	16
Colts	0	0	0	17	17

at Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana

• Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
• Game weather: Dome
• Game attendance: 60,026
• Referee: Bob McElwee
• TV announcers: (NBC) Gary Gerould (play by play), Dave Rowe (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 53
• Pittsburgh – Lipps 62 pass from Woodley (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 25
• Indianapolis – FG Allegre 41
• Indianapolis – Moore 8 run (Allegre kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 43
• Indianapolis – Butler 54 pass from Pagel (Allegre kick)

Week 9 (Sunday October 28, 1984): vs. Atlanta Falcons

	1	2	3	4	OT
Falcons	0	3	0	7	10
Steelers	7	7	14	7	35

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 55,971
• Referee: Gordon McCarter
• TV announcers: (CBS) Jim Hill (play by play), John Dockery (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Woodruff 65 fumble return (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 20 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Atlanta – FG Luckhurst 40
• Pittsburgh – Pollard 5 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 31 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Erenberg 7 pass form Malone (Anderson kick)
• Atlanta – Bailey 9 pass form Moroski (Luckhurst kick)

Week 10 (Sunday November 4, 1984): vs. Houston Oilers

	1	2	3	4	OT
Oilers	0	0	7	0	7
Steelers	7	14	14	0	35

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 48,892
• Referee: Jerry Seeman
• TV announcers: (NBC) Gary Gerould (play by play), Harvey Martin (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 43 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Malone 13 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 17 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 39 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Hinkle 21 fumble return (Anderson kick)
• Houston – J. WIlliams 5 pass from Luck (Cooper kick)

Week 11 (Sunday November 11, 1984): at Cincinnati Bengals

	1	2	3	4	OT
Steelers	0	13	0	7	20
Bengals	3	0	12	7	22

at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 52,497
• Referee: Ben Dreith
• TV announcers: (NBC) Charlie Jones (play by play), Bob Griese (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Cincinnati – FG Breech 21
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 47
• Pittsburgh – Malone 1 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 21
• Cincinnati – Brooks 24 run (run failed)
• Cincinnati – FG Breech 42
• Cincinnati – FG Breech 28
• Pittsburgh – Lipps 36 run (Anderson kick)
• Cincinnati – Kinnebrew 3 run (Breech kick)

Week 12 (Monday November 19, 1984): at New Orleans Saints

	1	2	3	4	OT
Steelers	0	14	0	10	24
Saints	3	10	0	14	27

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

• Game time: 9:00 pm EST
• Game weather: Dome
• Game attendance: 66,005
• Referee: Fred Silva
• TV announcers: (ABC) Frank Gifford (play by play), Don Meredith & O.J. Simpson (color commentators)

Scoring Drives:

• New Orleans – FG Andersen 27
• Pittsburgh – Lipps 76 punt return (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 14 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• New Orleans – FG Andersen 32
• New Orleans – Hardy 28 pass from Todd (Andersen kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 21
• New Orleans – Miller 21 pass from Todd (Andersen kick)
• New Orleans – Winston 47 interception return (Andersen kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lipps 25 pass from Campbell (Anderson kick)

Week 13 (Sunday November 25, 1984): vs. San Diego Chargers

	1	2	3	4	OT
Chargers	0	10	7	7	24
Steelers	3	21	21	7	52

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 55,586
• Referee: Jim Tunney
• TV announcers: (NBC) Len Berman (play by play), Gene Washington (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 55
• Pittsburgh – Lipps 15 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Pollard 2 run (Anderson kick)
• San Diego – FG Benirschke 29
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 30 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• San Diego – James 59 punt return (Benirschke kick)
• San Diego – Chandler 63 pass from Luther (Benirschke kick)
• Pittsburgh – Pollard 2 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 5 pass from Malone (Anderon kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 45 pass from Malone (Anderon kick)
• Pittsburgh – Malone 1 run (Anderson kick)
• San Diego – Joiner 25 pass from Luther (Benirschke kick)

Week 14 (Sunday December 2, 1984): at Houston Oilers

	1	2	3	4	OT
Steelers	3	0	10	7	20
Oilers	3	10	0	7	23

at Astrodome, Houston, Texas

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather: Dome
• Game attendance: 39,786
• Referee: Gene Barth
• TV announcers: (NBC) Phil Stone (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 32
• Houston – FG Cooper 19
• Houston – FG Cooper 38
• Houston – Dressel 5 pass from Moon (Cooper kick)
• Pittsburgh – Thompson 5 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 24
• Houston – Edwards 5 run (Cooper kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lipps 7 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Houston – FG Cooper 30

Week 15 (Sunday December 9, 1984): vs. Cleveland Browns

	1	2	3	4	OT
Browns	3	10	0	7	20
Steelers	7	10	3	3	23

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 1:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 55,825
• Referee: Fred Wyant
• TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Cleveland – FG Bahr 29
• PIttsburgh – Lipps 61 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 40
• Cleveland – FG Bahr 49
• Pittsburgh – Pollard 1 run (Anderson kick)
• Cleveland – Feacher 16 pass from McDonald (Bahr kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 22
• Cleveland – McDonald 3 run (Bahr kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 34

Week 16 (Sunday December 16, 1984): at Los Angeles Raiders

	1	2	3	4	OT
Steelers	3	0	0	10	13
Raiders	0	0	0	7	7

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

• Game time: 4:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 83,056
• Referee: Red Cashion
• TV announcers: (NBC) Marv Albert (play by play), John Brodie (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 26
• Pittsburgh – Pollard 1 run (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 37
• Los Angeles Raiders – Williams 2 pass from Plunkett (Bahr kick)

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
Pittsburgh Steelers	9	7	0	.563	387	310	W-2
Cincinnati Bengals	8	8	0	.500	339	339	W-4
Cleveland Browns	5	11	0	.313	250	297	W-1
Houston Oilers	3	13	0	.188	240	437	L-2

Playoffs

Game summaries

AFC Divisional Playoff (Sunday December 30, 1984): at Denver Broncos

	1	2	3	4	OT
Steelers	0	10	7	7	24
Broncos	7	0	10	0	17

at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

• Game time: 4:00 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 74,981
• Referee: Fred Wyant
• TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Denver – Wright 9 pass from Elway (Karlis kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 28
• Pittsburgh – Pollard 1 run (Anderson kick)
• Denver – FG Karlis 21
• Denver – Watson 20 pass from Elway (Karlis kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lipps 10 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Pittsburgh – Pollard 2 run (Anderson kick)

AFC Championship Game (Sunday January 6, 1985): at Miami Dolphins

	1	2	3	4	OT
Steelers	7	7	7	7	28
Dolphins	7	17	14	7	45

at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

• Game time: 12:30 pm EST
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 76,029
• Referee: Jerry Markbreit
• TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Merlin Olsen (color commentator)

Scoring Drives:

• Miami – Clayton 40 pass from Marino (von Schamann kick)
• Pittsburgh – Erenberg 7 run (Anderson kick)
• Miami – FG von Schamann 26
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 65 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Miami – Duper 41 pass from Marino (von Schamann kick)
• Miami – Nathan 2 run (von Schamann kick)
• Miami – Duper 36 pass from Marino (von Schamann kick)
• Pittsburgh – Stallworth 19 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)
• Miami – Bennett 1 run (von Schamann kick)
• Miami – Moore 6 pass from Marino (von Schamann kick)
• Pittsburgh – Capers 29 pass from Malone (Anderson kick)

Honors and awards

• UPI AFC Rookie of the Year – Louis Lipps wide receiver
• AP Offensive Rookie of the Year – Louis Lipps
• NFL Comeback Player of the Year – John Stallworth