II Steelers @Cardinals Game That Still Haunts Me

[LeonardRachiele]

So I felt very good with a 20 to 3 halftime lead but things would change for the worse. With about five mintues left in the third quarter, the Cardinals were on a drive. It was fourth and goal at the Steelers nine and I hoped the defense would hold again.

Then came the the key play of the game and the entire season. Charley Johnson dropped back and fired a pass to the great Sonny Randall. Glenn Glass made a fine play deflecting the pass. Unfortunately, Glass’ deflection was horizontal and across not vertical and down. Jackie Smith caught the deflection, the score was 20 to 10, and the stage was set for a big loss. After the Steelers kicked a field goal, Charley Johnson threw two touchdown passes. The first was a 55 yard effort to Jackie Smith. The Steelers could not get one first down which would have won the game. No John Henry Johnson and Clendon Thomas really hurt the Steelers. The second touchdown pass was for 28 yards to Bobby Joe Conrad with just six seconds left.

Nobody gave Pittsburgh a chance to win this game. I just wonder what hurt their confidence to let this one get away.

Here we the Cardinals passing offense.
QB Charley Johnson passed for 428 yards and three touchdown passes.
Jackie Smith caught nine passes for 212 yards and two touchdown passes. Bobby Joe Conrad caught six passes for 93 yards and one touchdown. Sonny Randle caught three passes for 84 yards.

[JohnH19]

So what you’re saying, in a roundabout way, is that this 1963 Week 5 game cost your Steelers the Eastern Division championship. That’s true if everything else would have played out the same for the rest of the season, which is highly unlikely.

One correction; John David Crow actually threw the TD pass that Jackie caught to make it 20-10.

[Brian wolf]

It was definitely a game the Steelers should have had. Especially giving up a nearly 30 yrd TD pass with only six seconds left. Reminds me of the Chiefs "13 second" drive against the Bills last year in the playoffs ... the defense was beyond spent ...

[Terry Baldshaw]

While I was just a kid, I recall that game and the season quite well. Two tie games against the Eagles. The first tie was a result of a mixed extra point that hit an upright later proven to be a bit crooked. There was that terrible Sunday of November 24, hours after Lee Oswald was assassinated, when Mike Ditka's magnificent ramble led to a 17-17 tie. The penultimate game at Dallas was won after a 4th down completion off a fake punt led to the winning touchdown. I experienced the blistering cold days and the anticipation of the Eastern Conference showdown at New York. That same week quarterback Ed Brown went "on the wagon" and couldn't hit the ground with his passes in 33-17 loss to the Giants. Mostly, I recall the hurt my father, who was old enough to recall the Steelers' very first game, held after that loss. Thankfully, the healing salve was delivered nine years later with an eight year recovery period.