3. Browns 27, Steelers 26, Oct. 26, 1980 at Cleveland
Brian Sipe capped a 60-yard drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Ozzie Newsome with 5:38 left and Don Cockroft followed with the tie-breaking extra point. Pittsburgh then threatened to move into field goal territory but Browns cornerback Ron Bolton intercepted a Cliff Stoudt pass at the Cleveland 41 with about two minutes left, virtually clinching the win.
The Steelers played the game without five future Hall of Famers. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw, running back Franco Harris, wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth and middle linebacker Jack Lambert were all sidelined with injuries.
Pittsburgh led 13-7 at halftime as the Browns got their lone score on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Sipe to Calvin Hill. Sipe hit Greg Pruitt with touchdown passes of six yards in the third quarter — pulling the Browns to within 20-14 — and seven yards in the fourth quarter — trimming a Pittsburgh lead to 26-20.
Sipe completed 28 of 46 passes for 349 yards. Dave Logan and Greg Pruitt each had eight receptions: Logan’s for 131 yards and Pruitt’s for 71. Mike Pruitt gained 82 yards on 17 carries.
The win made the Browns 5-3. They finished first in the Central Division with an 11-5 record, then lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders 14-12 in a playoff game at frigid Cleveland Stadium. The Browns had a chance to take the lead in the final minute before Raiders safety Mike Davis intercepted a Sipe pass in the end zone.
Pittsburgh dropped to 4-4. The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Steelers, riddled by injuries, finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs for the first time since 1971.
High School
OHSAA Releases Football Regional Final Pairings
Recent Comments