Ok, I know, one should not cry over spilled milk. Yet here it is, 14 years after the fact and for whatever reason, I still have issues with the fact the Steelers fell short in Super Bowl XXX against the overrated Dallas Cowboys, who at the time, in my opinion, were a very beatable club.
This past week NFL Network showed Super Bowl XXX once again, and while in some ways it was fun to watch the game in it’s completion from start to finish, it was still hard to see the team lose when they really had a great shot to pull off what would have been considered a big upset, as they were 13-point underdogs.
You remember the game – the game most Steeler fans still recall as the game that QB Neil O’Donnell “lost” for the team. Not so fast. Yes, #14 was at fault, but I will debate any black and gold lover that there was a lot more wrong in this title loss than the play of the QB that got them to the dance.
With that, here are my reasons for the Steelers losing the game, and yes, O’Donnell deserves some of the blame – but not all of it. Here goes.
1. They were awful on defense early – It could have been the jitters of the big game, or maybe the physical nature of the Cowboys O-line early in the game, but for whatever reason, the defense was bad in the first quarter and a half. They simply didn’t stop the Cowboys much at all in their first three drives, including allowing Emmit Smith to have his best runs of the game, and the secondary didn’t play well in pass coverage. Sure, the D played better later on, but allowing 13 points in the first 22 minutes put the team behind the 8-Ball.
2. A legendary mistake by Dermontti – There’s not much bad you can say about the career of Dermontti Dawson, but his bad snap which sailed over the head of O’Donnell after the team had gotten to the Cowboys 36 on their second drive killed a drive that could have quickly gotten the team back in the game. The 13-yard loss could not have come at a worse time with the offense needing a score.
3. O’Donnell’s slip – The first pick could be put on O’Donnell, no doubt about it. The team had gotten back into the game with a late first half score to make it 13-7, but then after an exchange of punts in the second half, the Steelers were at the Cowboys 38 when O’Donnell’s pass simply sailed on him and right into the hands of Larry Brown. It again killed momentum when the Steelers were back into the game.
4. Cowher being Stubborn – At 20-7 the Steelers faced a 2nd-and-2 from their own 47, but instead of either trying one pass in the next two downs, they tried to stuff Bam Morris right into the Cowboys D-line not once, but twice. Then instead of punting and allowing the team to let the D do their job and then get field position, they went for it on 4th-and-1, and guess what the call was – Morris, with no fullback to throw a block, right up the middle into the Cowboys line. A dumb idea, and an even dumber call. Cowher defended the call after they didn’t make it, but they should have punted.
5. The 2nd pick – Ok, go ahead and say that it was O’Donnell’s fault all you want, but the blame of the play should be placed elsewhere – on WR Andre Hastings. The Cowboys were blitzing on the play, which right away turned the WR’s routes into ‘hot routes’ meaning that instead of running the route inside, which is what Hastings did, he should have stayed outside, which is where O’Donnell threw the ball. Sure, Neil could have adjusted when he saw Hastings run the wrong route, but really, the fault should be shared or more so blamed on Hastings.
6. How About a Stop? – After the second pick, the game was still on, as it was just 20-17, and the Cowboys had the ball at the Pittsburgh 6. The defense all second half had been lights out for the most part, and Cowher told them – ‘field goal’ meaning that if the D would have stepped up and held Dallas to a field goal, the Steelers had plenty of time to go for the win with a touchdown. Instead, they were like wilted lettuce, as it took two plays for Smith to go in from four yards out to ice the game. If the D holds, the offense still has a shot.
So there you go, 6 reasons why to this day I still have a ticked off feeling of that. The fans and a whole lot of money ran O’Donnell out of town, and it took them 10 years to get back to the dance, and finally get the job done. But January 28th, 1996 still stings.
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mark
February 6, 2010 at 2:02 pm
That was one of the worse days as a lifelong Steeler fan that I could ever talk about. I always said that if the Steelers had done the right thing the year before and beaten the Chargers, that even if they lost to the 49ers in SB 29, they would have beaten the Cowboys in SB30! Reason being, those jitters might not have existed against the Cowboys and they might not have had to dig out of an early hole. Yes, the O’Donnell picks were killers, but that game was there to win. It always struck me as “the better team won the game” because they made the plays when they needed them, but as I grow older I am starting to see that the better team that day was the Steelers.No disrespect to the Cowboys of the 90’s. They had some great players, and some winners.That 95-96 Cowboy team won a Super Bowl while the players were better coaches than Barry Switzer!
Thomas Crowley
February 6, 2010 at 10:51 pm
Holy shit wow just your still bitter about sb 30 u choked get over it.
mark
February 7, 2010 at 8:02 am
Its not bitterness Bro, Its dissappointment.That was a chance for the Steelers to beat a “dynasty” type team. If I said before the game that Aikman would have barely 200 yards passing and Emmit Smith would have less than 50 yards rushing, who would you have guessed won the game?
Jimmy
February 7, 2010 at 1:48 pm
It amazes me that Steeler faithful still chafe over this game. They were simply, and for once, not the beneficiaries of game winning lucky breaks & fortunate calls by the zebras. From Super 10, 13, 14, 40 & 43 seems the breaks always went the Steeler way. It was nice to see it go the other way for a change. Even in Super 30 they got crazy calls that kept them in it, along with a brain-dead Dallas coach who didn’t change the game plan on either side of the ball to match the zone blitzes or the 4&5 wide sets.
Despite all this, on the field where it counted the Steelers got stomped early on and were lucky to even be in the game at halftime. The “great” Steeler offense only got into the red zone twice during the entire game. Twice the “great” Steeler defense had an opportunity to stop the Cowboys after Brown’s interceptions, whereupon 1) they immediately gave up a 20+ yard pass to Irvin to set up a short Smith TD, and 2) could have stopped the Dallas O at the 6 with a goal line stand but didn’t.
Face it, Terrible Towel Brigades, Dallas made the plays when it counted and won it going away. Your heroes got their butts kicked, and good, in Super Bowl 30.
mark
February 7, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Hey Jimmy, and just who are you a fan of? I can only imagine. Yes, The Cowboys won the game and made the plays that decided it. But, c’mon! Got there butts kicked? Look at the stats of that game. The Steeler defense played very well, other than maybe the first 10-12 minutes. The Cowboys were a great 90’s team and loaded with talent but the Steelers stayed with them and it was the Cowboys who were gasping for air and hoping for the miracle at the end. Yes, they got the miracle.
Thomas Crowley
February 8, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Great teams make play when they have to the steelers didn’t make the plays.
mark
February 8, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Your right Thomas. Like I said, the Cowboys made the 2 or 3 plays necessary to win that game.In the big picture, the 2nd pick with under 5 minutes or so to go, was the killer. But, there were opportunities for the Steelers to make some plays on offense earlier, but the bad snap and 1st pick did them in. Credit goes to the Cowboys. Similar to the Rams-Steeler SB in 1980. Rams played very well and had the Steelers on the ropes. One big play on offense from the Steelers and then the pick on Feragammo led to the clinching score. The Steelers made the big play when they needed it in 1980, just like the Cowboys did in 96.
Thomas Crowley
February 8, 2010 at 4:16 pm
I agree it doesn’t matter if u dominated a team if u don’t make the plays when u need to the most. Last night was a perfect example the colts outgain the saints by more than a 100 yards,but they didn’t make the plays when they needed to thats why they lost.
mark
February 9, 2010 at 10:22 am
Thomas, we agree again! Is something wrong in the world when a Steeler fan and Raven fan agree on things? LOL. Seriously, the Saints made the 1 or 2 plays necessary to win the big game. Thats what we are talking about, right. It probably comes from the old adage that “defense wins Super Bowls” because it seems that it is a defensive play that either sets-up the go ahead score or clinches the game. Rarely do you see a Super Bowl shootout, so somewhere down the line, a defense makes a play to change the game. I took the Saints and the under too!!
Jeff
June 25, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Over-rated my ass!They were just better!Payback for Superbowl XIII which the Cowboys should have won.Go Cowboys!
Rob
November 26, 2010 at 10:50 am
As a steeler fan myself I really wasnt upset at this game. I knew Dallas was that good with the triplets. Once Dallas was up 13-0 it would be hard for the steelers to get back into it until the second half when it was 20-17. I dont believe the steelers would have won if #14 didnt throw those picks. Aikman, Irvin, and Emmitt would have found a way to win it. Dallas’ offensive line outweighed the steeler defensive line by at least 50 lbs or more. I was more upset when the steelers lost to San Diego the year before. That team was better than the 95 team and would have given the 49ers a better challenge in SB 29 but it was nice to see San Diego get humiliated on the big stage. What has Dallas done since then? Not much with only 1 playoff win and a buttload of coaching changes and what have the steelers done? Well 2 more titles for a total of 6. It should be 7 but 6 is still the most. 6 wins in 7 tries is still a good ratio.
df
January 31, 2011 at 5:22 pm
Several things hurt the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. For starters, Greg Lloyd was improperly – yes, poor technique and improperly – taking on the lead blocks in the first quarter. The biggest difference in the first half was Greg Lloyd. He started taking away the gap and started taking on the block low and hard..and you can see the difference between first quarter and second quarter. He is supposed to squeeze the down block and take on the lead. Cowboys passing game was a success because of the defense the steelers were playing with smith’s big runs etc. Big Play not mentioned: Kordell Stewart should have caught a touchdown in the end zone but was interfered, it was in the first half. Blatant missed call, would have put Steelers near goal line early in first half. The Novacek TD reception in the first quarter was a blatant pick/screen/block. watch the replay. Would have resulted in a field goal if not score. These are all momentum changers folks. In the end…O’donnell threw two passes, almost identical to no one – no steeler even there – but the same corner each time. It really hurt. Once the Steeler defense started playing – it was a serious ball game. First half was handed to the Cowboys. Can u imagine the first half if the cowboys kicked 3 field goals and the steelers had a touchdown pass and a field goal? 14-9 steelers at half time. Huge difference. I can’t defend Greg Lloyd or Neil O’Donnell…so one just has to swallow that. The Steelers defense is designed to give up an occasional dump pass etc. – but not the dump pass AND wide open running game holes. AS far as the pass interference on Irving – it was a close call – but Irving probably got away with a lot of push offs earlier and the ref saw it – so Irving didn’t get any benefit of the doubt because he is known to push off…but he did put hands on…but it was close – however the Cowboys weren’t robbed there. Some blatant bad calls resulted in a 13-7 Cowboys halftime score vs. a 14-9 Steelers halftime score. Tough loss against a stacked Dallas team.