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 1988 Preseason 


1988 Steelers 44 at Redskins 31 Preseason
Jack Ham and Stan Savran on the call as the Steelers put the game away early with a 31-point 2nd quarter. Includes a halftime tribute to Ham, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame the previous weekend. A special thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 21 vs Eagles 16 Preseason
Game summary coming soon. A special thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 17 at Giants 28 Preseason
Game summary coming soon. A special thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 31 at Saints 28 Preseason
Game summary coming soon. Features Lynn Swann interviews with Art Modell, Al Davis regarding Art Rooney's passing earlier that week. A special thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!



 1988 Regular Season 


1988 Steelers 24 vs Cowboys 21
With Mark Malone traded to the Chargers, Bubby Brister (who beat out Todd Blackledge in camp) makes his first start since 1986, hitting 13 of 27 for 214 yds and scoring on a 1-yd run. Dallas scores on their opening drive, but the Steelers fight back to take a 10-7 lead. Poised at the Dallas 2 with just over a minute to play in the first half, Noll shockingly decides to go for it on 4th and goal, but rookie Warren Williams is stuffed after only a 1-yd gain. Undaunted, Brister leads the Steelers on a 79-yd scoring drive to open the 2nd half, keyed by a 3rd-and-17 out-n-up bomb to Charles Lockett for 44 yds, and capped by Bristers 1-yd leapfrog sneak. But Dallas fights back and with just over 3 minutes left, Steve Pelluer drives the Cowboys to a 3rd and 2 at the Steelers' 4 yard line, in position for at least a game-tying FG. But instead of throwing the ball away as Steeler defenders converge, Pelluer rolls right and throws the ball into a swarm of Steelers in the end zone, where LB David Little comes down with the easiest INT of his life to seal the game.




1988 Steelers 29 at Redskins 30
The Steelers play the defending world champs down to the last second, but little mistakes (including a bad snap on an extra point) are their undoing. The Steelers outplay Washington for much of the game and open up a 9-point lead, courtesy of a beautiful Brister 80-yd TD bomb to a wiiiide open Louis Lipps, a head-over-heels Brister scramble for another TD, and a 72-yd catch-and-run to speedster Dwight Stone. Leading 19-10 and apparently heading for another score midway through the 3rd quarter, an Earnest Jackson fumble at the Redskin 20 turns the game. The Redskins recover and and Pittburgh ultimately blows their 9-point lead, allowing the Washington to win it on a chip-shot Lohmiller FG with 12 seconds left. A special thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 12 vs Bengals 17
Despite 4 lost fumbles, 2 INTs, 5 sacks and a missed FG, the Steelers are in the game until the final minute when Bubby Brister throws an INT at the Bengal 8-yd line, preserving a slim Bengals victory. Pittsburgh's defense performs reasonably well, recording a safety on a holding penalty while sacking Boomer Esiason 3 times and intercepting him once (Rod Woodson). But it's not enough to overcome the avalanche of turnovers by the offense. A special thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 28 at Bills 36
Scott Norwood kicks 5 FGs and the Bills score a pair of 3rd-quarter TDs in a span of 2 minutes to turn a competitive game into a laugher. The Steelers trail only 16-14 at halftime, but Robb Riddick extends Buffalo's lead to 23-14 midway through the 3rd quarter on a 4th and goal 1-yd run. Steve Tasker blocks a Pittsburgh punt 2 minutes later later and Riddick scoops up the ball and scrambles 5 yds for a TD to make it 30-14. Norwood adds 2 more FGs in the 4th quarter after a Darryl Talley fumble recovery and a Brister INT by Kelso. Trailing 36-14, Pittsburgh rallies with 2 TDs in the final 2 minutes following a Brister 1-yd plunge, a recovered onside kick and a 42-yd TD pass to Weegie Thompson. But a sloppy performance which includes 2 INTs, 3 lost fumbles and 2 blocked punts is ultimately too much for the Steelers to overcome.




1988 Steelers 9 vs Browns 23
Despite truly dismal performances by Bubby Brister and Steve Bono (whose combined effort is an embarrassing 11 of 38 for 111 yds and 4 INTs), and despite suffering 3 turnovers in a 4-play span during the 3rd quarter, the Steelers somehow find themselves trailing only 13-9 midway through the 4th quarter. But with the ball at the Cleveland 35 and a chance to take the lead, Bono throws a terrible pass right to rookie DB Brian Washington, who races 75 yds for a score (running right past Steve Bono, whose tackle angle is every bit as bad as his throw) to break the game open.




1988 Steelers 14 at Cardinals 31
Field temperatures well over 120 degrees were made even more hellish for the Steelers by a slew of injuries, two costly lost fumbles, a blocked Gary Anderson FG, a paltry 203 yds of offense and a secondary that was repeatedly burned by Neil Lomax. The lone bright spot for Pittsburgh is a 92-yd kick return for a TD by Rod Woodson in the first quarter, but it's all downhill from there as the Steelers lose their 5th straight. Includes all commercials, complete halftime show and 5th Quarter postgame highlights and interviews. A special thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 14 vs Oilers 34
Sorry, this game is currently not available. If you have access to it, please let us know!




1988 Steelers 39 vs Broncos 21
The 1-6 Steelers shock the Elway-less Broncos with ball-hawking defense (3 INTs) and uncharacteristic offensive trickery, including running a no-huddle offense, multiple reverses, screen passes and a halfback option pass. Pittsburgh scores on just the 3rd play of the game when seldom-used RB Rodney Carter turns a 3rd-and-1 into a 64-yd TD run. After a Brian Hinkle INT, Carter strikes again, this time with a 16-yd HB option pass to Merrill Hoge at the Bronco 1. Todd Blackledge takes it in a play later on a QB sneak for a 14-0 lead and the Steelers never look back. A special thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 20 at Jets 24
Former Steeler Robin Cole shines with 2 sacks, 8 tackles and a fumble recovery. while rookie DB John Booty blocks a punt and recovers a fumbled punt as the Jets get their first-ever win over Pittsburgh. Despite outgaining the Jets, 4 turnovers (2 INT, 2 fmb), 6 sacks and multiple costly penalties doom the Steelers. Thanks to Dani Marsh for generously providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 7 at Bengals 42
Boomer Esiason torches the Steelers for 318 yds and 3 TDs and Ickey Woods rushes for 110 on just 10 carries as the Bengals rack up 559 yds of offense, the most ever given up by the Steelers. The Bengals score on an 86-yd TD pass on just their second play of the game, then continue to shred the Steelers with long scoring plays all afternoon (a 41-yd TD pass, a 56-yd run and a 36-yd TD pass). Meanwhile, the Steelers can do nothing offensively, gaining a paltry 198 total yds while losing 50 yds on 4 sacks. A truly dismal effort. Thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this butt-ugly game.




1988 Steelers 26 vs Eagles 27
The Eagles score the go-ahead TD with 1:15 to play and then block Gary Anderson's 57-yd FG attempt as time expires to hand Pittsburgh a last-second "come from ahead" loss. Despite a razzle dazzle Lipps-to-Hoge TD pass and outgaining Philadelphia behind the hard running of Merrill Hoge (21 carries, 102 yds, 1 TD) and receiving of Louis Lipps (6 catches, 171 yds, 1 TD), Pittsburgh once again undoes themselves with mistakes, including a costly personal foul penalty on Greg Lloyd that overturns a Rod Woodson INT. A special thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 7 at Browns 27
A debacle, start to finish. Bubby Brister is picked off on the 2nd play of the game, setting up a Cleveland FG. Poised to punt at midfield in the second quarter, Mike Webster snaps the ball over Harry Newsome's head, resulting in a 47-yd loss to the Cleveland 2, setting up a short Kosar TD pass. Just over a minute later, Newsome has a punt blocked when Stephen Braggs breaks through the line virtually untouched and Minnefield scoops the ball up and runs it in for a Cleveland score. A fumbled snap by the Browns' punter at the Cleveland 5 sets up Pittsburgh's only TD of the day. The Browns put the game away on the 2nd play of the 3rd quarter when Kosar sidearms a short pass to Reggie Langhorne, who breaks a tackle, carroms off two of Steelers and races 77 yds for a TD.

As a Steelers fan, there's really only one reason to watch this game: For the amazing guest appearance of Joe Greene and Rocky Bleier on "Second City TV" starting at the 3:03:43 mark. Make sure you check it out!




1988 Steelers 16 vs Chiefs 10
Sorry, this game is currently not available. If you have access to it, please let us know!




1988 Steelers 37 at Oilers 34 SNF
In a Sunday Night game filled with big plays and a lot of disdain between the two teams, Bubby Brister completes 3 TD passes, including picture perfect long bombs of 80 and 65 yds to Louis Lipps and a 16-yd game-winner to Merril Hoge with 20 seconds left to give the Steelers a thrilling 37-34 victory. Dwight Stone gets the big plays started for Pittsburgh with an electric 92-yd kickoff return for a TD in the 2nd quarter, followed shortly thereafter by Brister's first TD bomb to Lipps for a 17-13 halftime lead. Brister connects deep with Lipps again midway through the 3rd for a 24-13 Pittsburgh lead. Despite 3 Warren Moon INTs in the 4th quarter, the Oilers get back in the game on a 90-yd kickoff return for a TD and actually take a 31-34 lead with 1:30 left in the game on a 3-yd Moon TD run. But thanks to some terrible tackling by Houston, Brister drives the Steelers 80 yds in just 6 plays capped by the winning score to Hoge. A special thanks goes out to Paul Wood for generously providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 14 at Chargers 20
Mark Malone gets the win! Unfortunately, he does so while wearing a Chargers uniform. Gary Anderson also has a huge game! Unfortunately, it's Chargers RB Gary Anderson (rather than the Steelers kicker), who abuses Pittsburgh for 170 yds rushing. After falling behind 17-0, the Steelers fight back with a pair of 4th quarter TDs and seem poised for a fantastic comeback finish. But a questionable intentional grounding call against Brister, followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct call based on his reaction (Brister rips off his helmet and gets in the face of the official) seals Pittsburgh's fate. A special thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!




1988 Steelers 40 vs Dolphins 24
A bright finish to an otherwise disappointing season for the Steelers. Dwayne Woodruff and Darin Jordan each return interceptions for TDs, Louis Lipps scores on a 39-yd reverse and Gary Anderson kicks 4 FGs. The Steelers rush for whopping 304 yds on 47 carries, the most ever allowed by a Dolphins' defense. A special thanks goes out to Adam Caldwell for generously providing us with this game!



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