STEELERS/EAGLES History

[74_75_78_79_]

The first NFL game I attended was Steelers at the Vet in '91, Noll's final year.

And 31 seasons later, I'll be at the Linc THIS SUNDAY! Nosebleeds in both cases!

My first 'Steelers/Eagles' memory was in 1980, my first year following, walking to school and classmates telling me how the Eagles beat the Steelers last year. Late-summer, '82, I had a pocket NFL schedule that my Dad gave me from the beer distributor. I was stoked at seeing Vermiel's troops visiting Three Rivers in an early MNF affair! But, of course, it was never to be...

No '85 meeting thanks to Eagles finishing 5th the previous year. They wouldn't play again until '88. It was the (other than his first season) nadir of the Noll Era, the surge of 'Buddy Ball', yet it was a very close game. Gary Anderson misses an otherwise-make-able-for-him FG on last play of the game.

So whether its those '43 Steagles, the playoff game four years later, those three occasions when both made the 'final four' ('01, '04 & '08), significant players who played for both in their careers, etc, etc, etc...

Thoughts on this very history between two NFL franchises who each debuted in 1932?


PS - were both playing against each other on TV in a scene from the 'Deer Hunter'!

PPS - Steelers haven't beaten Eagles at Philly since 1965 (yes, never beat them at all at the Vet)!!

[ChrisBabcock]

This whole turn of events in the early 1940s always confused me. It still does even after reading this article!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Polka

[Terry Baldshaw]

In one of the greatest games in regular season history, the 0-6 Steelers defeated the 0-6 Eagles 6-3 on October 27 1968 in the legendary OJ Bowl. At the time it appeared the losing team would have the best chance to finish with the number one pick in the draft, expected to be USC running back O.J. Simpson. With a second quarter field goal the Eagles clung to a 3-0 deficit until the Steelers erupted for two fourth quarter field goals by legendary kicker Booth Lusteg. The losing score was aided by the Eagles' curious decision to go for it on fourth down from their ten yard line. The 1-6 record eliminated the Steelers from drafting Simpson while the victorious Eagles would lose two of their final three games to finish 2-12 guaranteeing the Buffalo Bills the first round pick. Drafting fourth, the Steelers would select defensive tackle Joe Greene. The Steelers won, after all.

[Jay Z]

In one of the greatest games in regular season history, the 0-6 Steelers defeated the 0-6 Eagles 6-3 on October 27 1968 in the legendary OJ Bowl. At the time it appeared the losing team would have the best chance to finish with the number one pick in the draft, expected to be USC running back O.J. Simpson. With a second quarter field goal the Eagles clung to a 3-0 deficit until the Steelers erupted for two fourth quarter field goals by legendary kicker Booth Lusteg. The losing score was aided by the Eagles' curious decision to go for it on fourth down from their ten yard line. The 1-6 record eliminated the Steelers from drafting Simpson while the victorious Eagles would lose two of their final three games to finish 2-12 guaranteeing the Buffalo Bills the first round pick. Drafting fourth, the Steelers would select defensive tackle Joe Greene. The Steelers won, after all.

Yeah, that game is likely the worst NFL game of all time IMO.

Just as bad was another Eagles/Steelers, I mean Pirates, game in 1939. Both teams winless again, Eagles 0-7-1, Steelers 0-8-1. They played on Thanksgiving, Nov. 23rd. Eagles won 17-14 in Philly. At least they got a decent crown, 20,000. There was a rematch, 3 days later! Pittsburgh won that one, 24-12. Both teams played the 19th as well, 3 game in 8 days. The split cost both teams the #1 draft choice which went to the 1-10 Cardinals. Eagles still drafted HOFer George McAfee, though he never played for them.

[74_75_78_79_]

In one of the greatest games in regular season history, the 0-6 Steelers defeated the 0-6 Eagles 6-3 on October 27 1968 in the legendary OJ Bowl. At the time it appeared the losing team would have the best chance to finish with the number one pick in the draft, expected to be USC running back O.J. Simpson. With a second quarter field goal the Eagles clung to a 3-0 deficit until the Steelers erupted for two fourth quarter field goals by legendary kicker Booth Lusteg. The losing score was aided by the Eagles' curious decision to go for it on fourth down from their ten yard line. The 1-6 record eliminated the Steelers from drafting Simpson while the victorious Eagles would lose two of their final three games to finish 2-12 guaranteeing the Buffalo Bills the first round pick. Drafting fourth, the Steelers would select defensive tackle Joe Greene. The Steelers won, after all.

Yeah, that game is likely the worst NFL game of all time IMO.

Just as bad was another Eagles/Steelers, I mean Pirates, game in 1939. Both teams winless again, Eagles 0-7-1, Steelers 0-8-1. They played on Thanksgiving, Nov. 23rd. Eagles won 17-14 in Philly. At least they got a decent crown, 20,000. There was a rematch, 3 days later! Pittsburgh won that one, 24-12. Both teams played the 19th as well, 3 game in 8 days. The split cost both teams the #1 draft choice which went to the 1-10 Cardinals. Eagles still drafted HOFer George McAfee, though he never played for them.

Outstanding knowledge-drops, guys!!

Never really knew of those two examples! That '39 one, I guess, might be the longest into the season that two teams with win-less records met. But I have a feeling there's an even better example(s) right under my nose.

Had Steelers lost that '68 affair, and all still plays out the same, they get OJ! But however much winning they do - and even if they muster a Lombardi or multiple ones - sure enough the '70s for the 'Burgh would have had quite a different identity! And not a better one either (even with success).

Yes, Steelers did 'win' that game! In every sense of the word!


How about 1974? Eagles start off 4-1 as Cowboys actually begin at 1-4! Highlight of this fact, of course, Eagles beating them at home on MNF in Week #2. Birds lost two in a row after that 4-1 start but were still above-500 when they went to Three Rivers to take on the 5-1-1 Champs-to-be Steelers in Week #8. I believe it was the game when Bradshaw left the pocket, ran like a galloping deer as he always would in that situation (SO hard to tackle), then finally being taken down by numerous Eagles - Bill Bergey, mind you, being among them!

And in 2000 the Steelers, at Three Rivers, have Eagles in palm of hands but actually blow it at the end! Had that not happened - and (again) all plays out as it actually did - then Steelers do make playoffs thus Cowher only ever having missed the playoffs two years in a row instead of three.


Bubby Brister and Duce Staley...two Steeler/Eagle players for starters!

[racepug]

I believe it was the game when Bradshaw left the pocket, ran like a galloping deer as he always would in that situation (SO hard to tackle), then finally being taken down by numerous Eagles - Bill Bergey, mind you, being among them!

I had no idea about Terry Bradshaw's running ability until reading about it back in the '80s in one of the books by John Madden. In it Coach Madden mentioned that the Raiders were ALWAYS more concerned with Terry Bradshaw's running than they were with his passing ("most quarterbacks would go down easily with an arm or a hand. Not Terry Bradshaw. He'd run right through an arm or a hand"). I believe he wrote that it got to the point with the Raiders that they would do everything they could to keep Terry Bradshaw in the pocket and take their chances with him throwing the ball, figuring that he'd screw up passing the ball at some point or another, rather than have to endure a punishing run by him. (which is pretty much how I view defending against Kyler Murray and Lamar Jackson these days - except that I view both of those guys more as "elusive" runners than as "punishing" ones)

[7DnBrnc53]

Had Steelers lost that '68 affair, and all still plays out the same, they get OJ! But however much winning they do - and even if they muster a Lombardi or multiple ones - sure enough the '70s for the 'Burgh would have had quite a different identity! And not a better one either (even with success).

Would they still take OJ, though? I thought that Noll wanted Mean Joe no matter what.

[Terry Baldshaw]

Had Steelers lost that '68 affair, and all still plays out the same, they get OJ! But however much winning they do - and even if they muster a Lombardi or multiple ones - sure enough the '70s for the 'Burgh would have had quite a different identity! And not a better one either (even with success).

Would they still take OJ, though? I thought that Noll wanted Mean Joe no matter what.

Noll is on record as insisting he would have drafted Greene no matter what draft number.

[74_75_78_79_]

Had Steelers lost that '68 affair, and all still plays out the same, they get OJ! But however much winning they do - and even if they muster a Lombardi or multiple ones - sure enough the '70s for the 'Burgh would have had quite a different identity! And not a better one either (even with success).

Would they still take OJ, though? I thought that Noll wanted Mean Joe no matter what.

Noll is on record as insisting he would have drafted Greene no matter what draft number.

That's correct. Did know of it previously but forgot. Still, '70s Steelers quite a different story (as already said) had they actually picked the "better" #32!

PPS - Steelers haven't beaten Eagles at Philly since 1965 (yes, never beat them at all at the Vet)!!

Numerous times during this streak, the Steelers ended up finishing better than Philly yet couldn't get it done in each "Battle of Pennsylvania" road affair. Despite the 'Burgh winning the Super Bowl in 2008 and being in the AFCCG in '16, Eagles beat Steelers in those last two home games against them by a combined 49-9 (no TDs allowed)!

In 1997, unlike the last two years in which they made the playoffs, Ray Rhodes' Eagles finished below-500 yet, going in at 4-6-1, still beat a Steelers team that was 8-3 and on their way to hosting their third AFFCG in four years. Five turnovers for the 'Burgh with three of them being Kordell INTs. Bobby Hoying passed for two TDs and no INTs along with the rest of his team also not committing a single turnover. The 23-20 final score was simply a product of a very-late garbage Steeler-TD.

As for that very last time the Steelers beat the Eagles at Philly, Nixon's bunch was 0-5 going in as the Eagles were 2-3. Turnovers did the Birds in at Franklin. Two plays in-particular...a fumble-return for a TD and a Bradshaw (no, not Terry) 82-yard-INT-return for a TD. Steelers would also win the following week vs 2-4 Dallas (on the 'eve' of Landry & Co finally becoming competitive), but would lose-out the rest of the way; enter Bill Austin.

As for Kuharich's Birds? They did have moments of "not-bad"-ness throughout in '65 despite finishing 5-9. Destroying the Steelers in a late-season rematch at Pitt Stadium, 47-13, the Eagles did end up with the #2 offense in the league thus hinting their "island" 9-5 Playoff Bowl-campaign for the following year, '66, in which they would split with both Dallas and Cleveland! This even though they'd actually finish at 11th in both offense and defense (and giving up more yards than they gained to boot)!

[LeonardRachiele]

There were notable games in Steeler vs Eagle history such as

1959 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Bobby Layne threw four touchdown passes with the Steelers winning 31 to 0. Layne still had some zip in his arm.
1960 same place. John Henry Johnson set a Steeler record gaining 182 yards, 88 of those yards came on a single carry in the first quarter. The Steelers snapped a nine game Eagle winning streak.
1970 final game of the season and the last game at Franklin Field. For Pittsburgh, running back John "Frenchy" Fuqua scored on touchdowns runs of 72 and 85 yards in the first quarter. Fuqua set a Steeler record of 215 yards in one game. Nevertheless, the Eagles
did not mind since they came from behind winning 30 to 20. Final record for the Eagles 3-10-1 and for Pittsburgh 5-9.
1974 at Three Rivers Stadium the Steelers proved how good their defense was. The Eagles crossed midfield only three times and lost 27 t0 0.
1979 at Veterans Stadium Dick Vermeil got his first big win as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Steelers won the Super Bowl the year before and were in route to their fourth Super Bowl victory in six years; but today the Eagles stopped them with three big turnovers 17 to 14.