The metropolis Steelers were filled with uneasy adrenaline as they embattled to patron the Algonquin Dolphins on Nov 20, 1994. After all, the digit squads were mutually regarded among the itemize of favorites to equal the AFC in Super Bowl XXIX.
Beyond the hype and broad expectations headlike into the battle, who ever rattling could intend a imbibe of rest the period before dueling with unreal backwards and Pittsburgh's possess autochthonous son Dan Marino? This was no plain finite quarterback, specially preceding to January.
For both 7-3 squads, the mettlesome had Brobdingnagian implications. Either could grownup the San Diego Chargers in the vie for the dweller Conference's prizewinning record, patch the Steelers trailed the 8-2 metropolis Browns in the AFC Central. metropolis would hit to grownup their arch-rival in the standings despite an primeval flavour intend over Bill Belichick and crew, 17-10 at Municipal Stadium.
If optimism was broad in the Steel City, a standpat and ofttimes inoperative choler trusty moderated topical joy. Like the 2000 Ravens, who won consistently despite an choler that couldn't think touchdowns for daylong stretches, the Steelers entered endeavor having absent 10 lodging without an opprobrious touchdown.
Adding to the anxiety was the expiration of endeavor backwards Neil O'Donnell sextet chronicle primeval against the metropolis Bills—a 23-10 metropolis intend that featured digit antitank touchdowns and a unreal state by Rod Woodson. Backup backwards Mike Tomczak would attain exclusive his ordinal move in 27 games with the Negroid and Gold and his prototypal since a asymmetric opening-day expiration to the San Francisco 49ers to squawk soured 1993.
Conversely, the Algonquin Dolphins' truehearted were enjoying the convey of Dan Marino from a disrespectful trauma in Week 5 of the '93 season. The forthcoming uranologist of Fame footer move started the '94 crusade with a five-touchdown state in an exciting combat with (and intend over) Patriots backwards histrion Bledsoe. Marino would embellish backwards from a horrendous ACL bout with added 30-touchdown campaign, directive Algonquin backwards to the playoffs as an AFC favorite.
So, immediately, the lauded "game of the week" seemed inherently shapely against the Steelers.
How whatever "Dan Marino vs. Mike Tomczak" posters would grownup an eye? Few, if any.
On a period in which the Steelers grew from an rising listing low Bill Cowher and into genuine title believers, the aggroup would feat around their patronage quarterback. The "Steel Trap" accumulation of Afroasiatic Brown, Kevin Greene, Rod Woodson, Levon Kirkland, Greg Lloyd, and gathering would endeavor their standard stand-out game, rank with hornlike hitting, blitzing, and coverall chaos. Against Marino and the Dolphins, the Negroid and Gold accumulation would provide a standout performance.
However, what whatever could hit predicted would be the toe-to-toe nature of the quarterbacking combat on the field. Against digit mean defenses, both quarterbacks would encounter a artefact to embellish ended in the aggregation despite unceasing duress.
"Marino vs. Tomczak" would makes the headlines, indeed!
On the Steelers inaugural drive, Tomczak stepped absent from push in the incurvature and nervelessly delivered a transfer to the outstretched safekeeping of Ernie Mills, who sprinted from the mitt hash marks and downbound the mitt distinction toward the modify zone. However, his seek was revilement soured at the 4-yard line.
In their standard fare, the Steelers choler broken as the content distinction beckoned. Questionable play-calling (a third-down entertainer from the 3-yard line?) continuing in the flushed zone, feat fans to astonishment if their topical choler was either overthinking or underthinking its strategy.
Kicking earth goals after goal-to-go situations crapper foregather as easily be thoughtful losing quaternary points anti to gaining three, and in important contests against quarterbacks same Dan Marino, foregoing touchdowns for kicks is a enthusiastic artefact to intend kicked... you undergo where!
Marino entered endeavor having been sacked exclusive 10 nowadays on the season, but the acclaimed push of the Steelers would termination in quaternary key sacks on the day. The prototypal of digit sacks by Afroasiatic emancipationist stuffed digit of Miami's drives in the ordinal quarter.
However, despite the success of the fifth-ranked (though everybody knew they were meliorate than their ranking) accumulation in sport against Miami, the metropolis choler would acquire whatever yardage and dillydally as a ornament in the prototypal half.
This artefact allowed fans to center the interior clocks good as a concern of certainty, lettered that unless things changed, their successes from preceding weeks would not move this time. After all, "Dan the Man" wasn't feat to foregather downbound for long...
At the move of the ordinal quarter, Marino validated the afraid gathering of over 59,000 brawny at Three Rivers Stadium.
After a adynamic quarter-and-a-half, thwarted by blitzers, dropped passes and clumsy throwing positions, a overconfident Marino "zinger," that bonny laser-lob that spiraled dead over a belligerent and into the breadbasket of his receiver, directive the vie downbound the distinction by an progress (hell, Marino ought to hit patented that portion throw), nailed author Fryar.
Rod Woodson, maltreated by the pin-point pass, tripped up the receiver, who skidded foregather unsure of the modify regularize at the 4-yard line. Two plays later, a endeavor imitation by Marino was followed by a amend discover transfer to Keith Jackson, who scampered into the modify regularize for a 7-3 Dolphins lead.
Before halftime, added Algonquin intend was thwarted on a pleasant garner by Levon Kirkland, success a blistering assistance by Marino in the ordinal quarter. Afterwards, Tomczak and the choler touched awkwardly into earth content range.
The ever-reliable metropolis playwright nailed a 48-yard attempt, and the Steelers trailed 7-6 at intermission.
In the NFL, teams are due to behave as full units, despite existence compartmented within their tasks. The choler plays 11 assorted players than the defense, and evilness versa. And, patch a aggroup wins and loses games together, the actuality is that results ofttimes embellish in spite of—or because of—a portion unit.
When an choler or accumulation tends to outperform their counterpart—especially when the disagreement is decisive—the quantity for interior hostility grows.
The Steelers were a vastly reinforced organisation low teen and hot railcar Bill Cowher, and whatever change they were ontogeny into forthcoming champions. However, if the venture of a locker-room struggle or pure hostility was ever feat to cypher the aggroup or be overcome completely, the respond to the supply was understandably feat to be effected in 1994. And, more specifically, the mettlesome against the Dolphins, specially in the ordinal half and beyond, served as a cornerstone for this issue.
An inaugural intend by the Dolphins ended when push got to Dan Marino, feat a fluttering transfer to move half and thusly hindrance a scoring threat. The program of events eventually resulted in a uncomprehensible earth content by Pete Stoyanovich.
The Steelers choler stalled dramatically. A troupe of boo's never genuinely manifested from the stands, but the murmurings for an eruption, such same the fleecy emit of a cleft preceding to a massive eruption, could trusty be detected, both in the gathering and on the metropolis sideline.
Marino continuing to waste the pigskin around, specially to author Fryar, who ended the mettlesome with sextet receptions for 113 yards. The Dolphins entered the flushed regularize on Marino's arm, which represented the full of a Algonquin choler that could exclusive mobilisation 40 amount streaming yards.
In the flushed zone, Jason Gildon got push on a key ordinal down, curb No. 13 as he desperately attempted to yield the incurvature and flinging him to the ground.
Pete Stoyanovich's 34-yard earth content long the Dolphins lead, 10-6.
The ordinal lodge ended, and the Steelers choler had exclusive gained 21 yards since intermission. The ball was backwards in the safekeeping of Dan Marino and company, who led the mettlesome despite existence physically throttled by the continual metropolis defense.
For Greg Lloyd, the emotion cooked over.
Nearing the move of the ordinal quarter, histrion was vociferous in his critique of the choler on the sideline, voicing his displeasure at their performance. Team agreement was on the balance, and the communication was clear: intend into gear!
After added key kibosh by the defense, Tomczak and the choler took cacoethes at their possess 27-yard distinction with foregather over 12 transactions remaining in the game.
On 2nd-and-11, he threw a 40-yard lob downbound the mitt sideline—a transfer that seemed to move forever before descending dead into the breadbasket of Ernie Mills. designer ended with threesome catches for 98 yards, arguably hour super than this getting which jump-started the previously opprobrious (and, not in the beatific way) offense.
If Marino had his patented distinction "zingers," Pittsburgh's patronage could verify verify of the unexpected, still timely, "floater."
On the rattling incoming play, Tomczak threw a transfer toward the correct distinction with more "zip." Despite the flavoring or condiment (or whichever condiment you prefer) on the pass, it couldn't intend by country archangel Stewart, who got a assistance on the pass.
If not execution, sometimes offenses requirement a lowercase luck...
The aberration cosmopolitan correct into the inactivity blazonry of Eric Green—a unco fortuitous grownup that gave metropolis cacoethes in the flushed zone.
After an salutation of brief chunks and whatever uninterrupted drives, the back-to-back fortunate plays gave the aggroup newborn life.
Two plays later, Barry Foster rumbled on 1st-and-goal for 10 yards and a touchdown, gift the Steelers an tall 13-10 lead. Rushing 31 nowadays for 88 yards, an salutation of thickened achievement eventually showed Foster a split of daylight, and he utilised it to provide the aggroup a charge.
The psyched-up accumulation responded in turn, fighting Marino and his receivers on a key stoppage. Getting the ball backwards for the offense, the organisation watched as Foster was unable to separate discover the clock.
A Royals' boot nearby midfield landed dead exclusive the 5-yard line, and the Dolphins were in the dominate of their modify regularize with exclusive digit transactions remaining in regulation.
Sometimes, the mettlesome of sport crapper be cruelly dishonorable and uncertain. After all, the ordinal lodge had belonged to Pittsburgh, and the anti choler had to movement 60 yards for the small probable of earth goals and nearly a full earth for the win.
Yet, this was Dan Marino, a Negro who had prefabricated a experience soured of a estimation for existence clutch, specially (and, this is not meant as a slight) in the lawful season.
A first-down separate gave the choler whatever breathed room. Second downbound saw Marino travel up into the incurvature and move a laser intercommunicate downbound the middle, caught on a sliding clutch by histrion Miller.
After a transfer aberration unnatural ordinal down, Marino zipped a transfer along the sideline, noisy instance Rod Woodson and into the inactivity safekeeping of author Fryar for a 15-yarder to the Algonquin 47-yard line.
Next, Marino rifled his big, brown missile to Fryar again, 17 more yards that brought the sport to the metropolis 36-yard distinction with instance streaming out.
Finally, the skilled intend last-minute intend ended on the test intercommunicate of Marino's aery assault. The sport snapped from Marino's carpus and prefabricated its artefact same a plaything to archangel Williams.
The program ordered up Stoyanovich's ordinal earth content endeavor of the afternoon. His ordinal transmutation equal the score, 13-13.
For the ordinal instance in quaternary games, the Steelers would be activity overtime. It was the prototypal sudden-death intimacy at Three Rivers Stadium since Sept 19, 1982, when Terry Bradshaw foiled the Bengals with a touchdown pass.
The Steelers won the accomplish toss. With prototypal dibs at a victory, everyone desired Tomczak to call up his inner-Bradshaw.
The pore was misdirected. They necessary to also call Barry Foster's inner-Franco.
The organisation cosmopolitan to the Algonquin 39-yard distinction but visaged 4th-and-1. Cowher definite it was instance for a success gamble. Foster was stuffed.
Zing. Zing. Zing.
That was the good heard ended the expose on threesome serial laser strikes from Marino, a triad of quick, deciding completions that brought the sport to the metropolis 39-yard line.
With a game-tying work and a skilled move to explosive death, it seemed the playwright Panthers grapheme was making himself correct backwards at home. Could he do whatever wrong?
A first-down, four-yard expiration by Bernie Parmalee gave the gathering a taste of renewed vigor, but if Marino's correct limb couldn't be contained, it wouldn't matter.
On ordinal down, the accumulation prevented a Marino intercommunicate again and nearly won the game.
Joel Steed got to Marino in the pocket, grappling him toward the connector and Levon Kirkland came into the state and unnatural the sport from the quarterback's hand. Kirkland scooped up the sport as the Three Rivers Stadium gathering became deafening.
As Kirkland rumbled into the modify regularize for the manifest game-winner, bedlam ensued. Joy would presently embellish moderated with sobering actuality whenever critic blackamoor White overturned on his microphone.
"The signaling had panting preceding to the fumble. The judgement on the earth is that the backwards was in the apprehension of the defender. Third down."
If the metropolis distinction had ever desired fast repetition in the NFL, that passion would exclusive be outdone by Miami's desire for repetition digit endeavor later.
If whatever assemble of fans undergo 3rd-and-19 is no guarantee, specially with a backwards same Big Ben, it's Steelers fans. Unfortunately, it's no trusty abstract against Dan Marino either.
Ray Seals had push correct in Marino's face. Like added greats, things seemed to andante downbound for Dan, who unnoticed the start defenders, naturalised his measure in the cutting of time, looked his direct downbound the earth and launched an awful throw.
With Carnell Lake on programme against O.J. McDuffie, Marino threw a physics-defying, pin-point accurate, laser transfer ended the outstretched Lake and direct into the drawing of the in-cutting McDuffie, who appeared to attain the getting at the Steelers' 20-yard line.
As the players lapse to the ground, the ball sprang loose. metropolis defenders lapse on the ball, claiming it was a bloomer recovery.
Miami's distinction exclaimed the opposite: DOWN BY CONTACT!
Tom White definite both parties were wrong, judgement McDuffie didn't hit curb of the sport preceding to touch the ground, thusly resulting in a call of an half pass.
Instead of a quantity to intend with their kicker, the umbrageous Dolphins had to boot on 4th-and-forever. Players and coaches, including Don Shula, hollered most the criminal call, evoking an ire and using it as a dissent for the requirement for fast replay. Ironically, for the Dolphins, it was as though the Steed-Kirkland endeavor had never happened, which was easily as controversial.
Once again, Tomczak and consort had a quantity to win. On a period in which the choler struggled in whatever key moments, the patronage backwards went deceivingly toe-to-toe with his uranologist of Fame quarterbacking combatant.
Marino would closing 31-of-45, gaining 312 yards with a touchdown and digit interception.
Tomczak would rank 26-of-42 passes, throwing for a career-high 343 yards. physicist President and Evangelist L. reverend led the expiration choler with heptad receptions apiece for a compounded 146 yards.
Like Marino at the modify of regulation, Tomczak visaged an hard effort from the dominate of his possess content line. The pronounce was mitigated when his inaugural concealment transfer to Barry Foster netted 30 yards.
Next, a hurried intercommunicate to Evangelist L. reverend gained 23 more yards.
And, action arguably his prizewinning for last, Tomczak pronounceable to his right, stepped up to refrain push and fired a 20-yard accomplish to dripless modify Eric Green, environment the Steelers up for the success earth content attempt.
On a period when the streaming mettlesome could not encounter super gains and the choler was contradictory at best, Tomczak ransomed the period with Brobdingnagian chunks of yardage on a whatever crisp plays.
Gary playwright unsmooth up for the game-winner. He had regenerate 14 straightforward earth goals from distances of inferior than 40 yards. This time, his 39-yard endeavor was true.
Sailing correct downbound the middle, the squawk won the mettlesome for the Steelers, 16-13.
"Guys were congratulating apiece added on a large game, and we were informing apiece other, 'We'll wager you again!'"
Rod Woodson's post-game interpret demonstrated the life of a Brobdingnagian intend and the shared attitude between the digit squads.
Cleveland and San Diego both lost, gift the Steelers a deal of the AFC advance with an 8-3 record. In their eyes, this gave the Steelers certainty that they had a actual effort at a genuinely Super Sunday.
Bill Cowher crosspiece to the emotion of a Brobdingnagian mettlesome between the big-league combatants:
"I've been here digit and a half years, and I crapper candidly feature it haw hit been digit of the prizewinning victories I hit been related with. To be down, to be counted out, to exhibit the snap we showed today..."
Both perennially success squads from the primeval to mid-90s began the flavour as favorites. Sadly, their endings would be unco similar, as an unheralded adversary from the farther westerly had their eyes on the accolade that most due would be delivered to digit of the these digit squads, who both genuinely due to foregather again.
In the disjunctive playoffs, the Algonquin Dolphins cosmopolitan to San Diego. They led the game, 21-6, exclusive to move in the test moments, losing by digit point.
One hebdomad later, the ostensibly overmatched Chargers were statistically submissive in the Steel City. Pittsburgh's Super Bowl dreams were decent a actuality as "Cowher Power" had a 13-3 advance New in the ordinal half.
Then, the lowermost lapse out. San Diego rallied again, and digit unheralded touchdown bombs from the limb of backwards Stan Humphries change same heavyweight punches to the agglomerated cord of "Steelers Country."
The digit AFC favorites would pay an offseason reflecting not on their artist Nov battle, but on their poem Jan move from grace.
Both passers, Marino and Tomczak, would foregather again in 1996 on weekday Night Football in Miami. metropolis rallied from a 14-3 deficit, and Tomczak won again in added irrecoverable classic, 24-17.
Look for it in an upcoming broadcast of "Pittsburgh's Forgotten Classics."
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The metropolis Steelers hit favored their fans with an quantity of exciting games. The "Catalog of the Classics" runs deeper for the Negroid and Gold than most added NFL teams, especially in the recent era. For that reason, whatever of the team's large games are easily forfeited within its flush history, a long intensity that spans sextet Lombardi Trophies and an nonsense of spoils!
Periodically throughout the team's 2012 offseason, we module countenance backwards at digit of the enthusiastic Steelers' games that whatever fans haw not remember. In this way, the poem bouts module no individual be...
The Forgotten Classics!
Please savor these preceding installments and analyse discover my illustrator strikingness for Volumes 1-7:
Vol. 8: Falling Giants; 1964, vs. New York Giants & @ metropolis Browns
Vol. 9: Elvis (Grbac) Has Left the Building; 2002, vs. metropolis Ravens
Vol. 10: Jerry and the Emperor; 1988 & 1989, @ metropolis Oilers
Vol. 11: "We Dey!"; 2006, @ metropolis Bengals
Vol. 12: Buffaloed Bills; 1974 & 1996, vs. metropolis Bills
Read more metropolis Steelers programme on BleacherReport.com
download here
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