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1990 Steelers 3 at Browns 13
The overly-complicated Joe Walton era at offensive coordinator begins with a whimper. Pittsburgh's offense is confused and ineffectual from the outset, as their only scoring drive of the game -- set up when Hardy Nickerson forces a Kosar fumble, recovered at the Cleveland 1-yd line by Aaron Jones -- covers just 1 yard (backwards) in 4 tries, resulting in a chip-shot FG. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's offense proves to be a bigger scoring threat for Cleveland, giving the Browns their only TD of the game on 30-yd TD return of a Hoge fumble and setting up a short Cleveland FG after a Brister INT is returned to the Steeler 9. Pittsburgh's defense, on the other hand, plays an outstanding game, allowing just 3 offensive points (forcing a FG at the end of a remarkable 19-play drive), allowing just 158 total yds (80 rushing, 78 passing) and sacking Kosar 7 times. In the end, it's not enough to overcome an offense that allows Michael Dean Perry to spend more time in the Pittsburgh backfield than Merril Hoge. Thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!
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1990 Steelers 20 vs Oilers 9
In spite of an anemic offense who is outgained 309-123, Pittsburgh's defense and special teams step up to give the Steelers their first home win vs. an AFC Central foe in nearly 3 years. David Johnson opens the scoring with a 1st quarter INT (1 of 4 Moon INTs on the day) of a pass that glances off the arm of Ernest Givins and returns it 26 yards for an easy TD. Rod Woodson seals the deal in the 4th quarter with a bobbing, weaving 52-yard punt return that leaves five would-be tacklers in his wake on his way to the end zone. A special thanks to Matthew Simon for generously providing us with this game!
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1990 Steelers 3 at Raiders 20
The defense plays fairly well and keeps the Steelers in the game for 3 quarters, but Pittsburgh's putrid Joe Walton-led offense lives up to their league-worst ranking, again failing to score a TD and fumbling 5 times (losing 2) as Bubby Brister is sacked 6 times and throws a bad pick (nearly as bad as the one Marcus Allen throws to Rod Woodson). Despite keeping it close, the 4th quarter belongs to the Raiders, who score early on a 1-yd Allen run and then put it away with a 66-yd TD bomb. Thanks to Jay Korber for providing us with this game!
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1990 Steelers 6 vs Dolphins 28
The Dolphins win easily as the Steelers finish the month of September with ZERO offensive TDs in 4 games under Joe Walton's horrific new offense. Miami jumps out to a 21-0 lead and piles up a better than 2-1 edge in both yards and time of possession. Boos rain down on Bubby Brister, who suffers through a nightmarish performance (7 of 18, 76 yds, 0 TD, 3 INT, 3 sacks) before being benched in favor of Rick Strom, who receives cheers from the crowd until he promptly fumbles his first snap under center. Miami rushes the ball 42 times for 3 TDs, while the Steelers eek out a paltry 41 yds rushing on 14 carries. Thanks to Adam Caldwell for generously providing us with this ugly, ugly game.
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1990 Steelers 36 vs Chargers 14
Pittsburgh finally scores their first TD of the year on the first play of the 2nd quarter when Brister hits rookie TE Eric Green for an 8-yd score. The Steelers keep scoring from there, racking up more points vs. San Diego (36) than they had scored in their previous 4 games combined (32) while opening up a 2:1 advantage in time of possession. Brister, playing with a rib injury that ultimately sidelines him in the 2nd half, has a fantastic game, completing 11 of 14 for 132 yds, 2 TDs (both to Green) and 0 sacks. Meanwhile, the Steelers pick off Chargers QB Billy Joe Tolliver 3 times (2 by veteran Dwayne Woodruff) and limit San Diego to 188 total yds. A special thanks to Jay Korber for generously providing us with this game!
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1990 Steelers 34 at Broncos 17
Bubby Brister has a monster game against the injury-depleted Broncos secondary, completing 21 of 28 passes for 353 yds and 4 TDs, 3 of them to rookie TE Eric Green. Louis Lipps also exploits Denver's inexperienced secondary, hauling in 9 catches for 141 yards and Bubby's other TD. The Broncos actually jump out to a 17-7 lead early in the 2nd quarter before Pittsburgh goes on a tear, scoring 27 unanswered points. Things could've been even worse for Denver, because the Steelers leave points of the field after a 90-yd pass reception by Dwight Stone (Warren Williams fumbles into the end zone) and again after Donald Evans returns an Elway fumble 59 yds to the Denver 11 in the closing seconds (the Steelers allow time to expire). A special thanks to Jay Korber for generously providing us with this game!
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1990 Steelers 7 at 49ers 27
An aggressive Pittsburgh secondary holds Montana to just 157 yds passing and intercepts the Hall of Famer twice in the 49ers' first 3 possessions (Woodson and Everett). Unfortunately, Pittsburgh makes a pair of crucial mistakes late in the 3rd quarter, gifting the Niners with 17 points in a 6-minute span. San Francisco leads 10-7 at halftime and makes it 13-7 on a FG with 3:53 left in the 3rd quarter, and that's when disaster strikes. On the ensuing kickoff, rookie Barry Foster walks away from the ball like a punt returner who has decided to let a kick roll dead. Unfortunately, a kickoff is a free ball (unlike a punt) and the 49ers pounce on the live ball inside the Steeler 5. Three plays later, Rathman plows in from the one and the 49ers lead 20-7. One the first play of the 4th quarter, Haley nails Brister on a sack/fumble, the Niners recover at the 17 and score 5 plays later on another short Rathman run. Game over.
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1990 Steelers 41 vs Rams 10
The Steelers are victimized for a TD on the opening kickoff, but bounce right back on the strength of 4 Brister TD passes, 3 TDs by Merrill Hoge and overwhelming defense that forces LA into 3 turnovers. Pittsburgh's special teams also amend for their early gaffe with Rod Woodson kickoff returns of 44 and 49 yards (setting up 2 Anderson FGs) and blow the game open in the 3rd quarter when Larry Griffin and Dwight Stone pour in nearly untouched to nail Rams punter Keith English in the backfield at the Rams 6 before he can get the punt away, setting up a 1-yd TD by Hoge.
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1990 Steelers 21 vs Falcons 9
The Steelers fumble the opening kickoff and are shut out in the first half, trailing 9-0 at the break. But Bubby Brister (11 of 17, 216 yds, 2 TD, 0 Int) throws a pair of second-half TD passes (Louis Lipps and Mike Mularkey) and Pittsburgh's #2-ranked defense picks off 3 Chris Miller passes to win for the 4th time in 5 games. The Falcons threaten late, driving to the Steeler 22 before Mike Rozier fumbles it away on a direct snap (punched out by Bryan Hinkle, who also ends up with the recovery), and even though the whistle appears to prematurely blow before the Steelers gain possession, the officials award the ball to Pittsburgh. Three plays later, as the clock winds toward the 2-minute warning, Warren Williams puts an exclamation point on the win, bursting untouched through the line on 3rd down and racing 70 yds all alone for a TD. Thanks to Jay Korber for providing this game!
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1990 Steelers 3 at Bengals 27
An ugly, ugly game. Cinci escapes the first half with a 10-0 lead after the Steelers nearly get on the board just 29 seconds before halfime on a fake field goal attempt by holder Jim Stryzinski, but officials rule he is stopped inches short of a TD and Pittsburgh comes away empty. The Bengals extend their lead to 17-0 on their first series in the third quarter, and Barney Bussey puts the nail in Pittsburgh's coffin shortly thereafter when he returns a Louis Lipps fumble 70 yds for a TD and a 24-0 lead. A special thanks to Matthew Simon for generously providing us with this game.
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1990 Steelers 24 at Jets 7
In Joe Walton's return to New York, Brister hits 18 of 24 and throws 2 TDs and O'Brien throws 2 critical INTs as all the bounces go Pittsburgh's way en route to a convincing victory that keeps the 6-5 Steelers tied with Cinci atop the AFC Central. A botched snap on a punt turns into Steelers first down, a flea-flicker with a bounce-pass from Hoge back to Brister turns into a 28-yd pass to Mularkey and a Woodson bobble of a punt return ends up going to the Jets' 27 to set up a TD.
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1990 Steelers 12 vs Bengals 16
A win would've given Pittsburgh sole possession of first place in the AFC Central. Instead, the Bengals grind out a victory, overcoming 3 turnovers and surviving a late Steelers rally to defeat Pittsburgh for the 2nd time in 3 weeks. The Steelers fall behind 16-6, but have multiple chances to win late. Trailing 16-12, Brister hits several clutch throws and drives the Steelers to the Bengals' 7 in the final 3 minutes, only to throw 4 straight remarkably off-target incompletions. Pittsburgh quickly gets the ball back near midfield after a punt with 1:45 remaining, but Brister is again wildly off target, throwing two terrible passes, the second a desperation throw into double coverage which is intercepted inside the Cinci 10. Thanks to Jay Korber for providing this game!
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1990 Steelers 24 vs Patriots 3
Chuck Noll earns his 200th victory as the Steelers move into a 3-way tie for the AFC Central at 7-6. The Steelers grind the hapless Patriots into a fine powder with their running game, piling up 251 yds on 45 carries and outgaining New England by a margin of 417-182 in total yards. Merrill Hoge leads the way, rushing 19 times for 117 yds and 2 TDs. The defense plays well all day, with Greg Lloyd coming up with a great 4th-and-inches stop early in the game, bursting into the backfield and crushing the RB for a 3-yd loss. Rod Woodson and Jerrol Williams add INTs of rookie QB Tom Hodson and, despite Tim Worley's ongoing fumble issues, the rout is on. Thanks to Jay Korber for providing this game!
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1990 Steelers 9 at Saints 6
In the "Anderson vs Anderson" battle between the NFL's two best kickers, Gary beats Morten -- 3 FGs to 2 -- tying the game with a 42-yd FG in the 4th quarter, then winning it on on 43-yd kick with 1:44 left. Offense is scarce in this game (232 total yds for the Steelers, 195 for the Saints) and both defenses play well. Pittsburgh comes up with a HUGE stop at the 1-yd line when David Little forces a fumble on 2nd and goal, recovered by DJ Johnson. Steve Walsh has a miserable day, completing only 8 of 26 passes for 95 yds. Bubby Brister fares a little better, hitting 15 of 25 for 154 yds. But Bubby also throws and INT, and -- just 1 play prior to Gary Anderson's game-winning kick -- Brister dodges a bullet when a sure INT bounces off the chest of a Saints DB. The ugly win keeps Pittsburgh tied with Houston for first place and alive for a playoff spot. Thanks to Jay Korber for providing this game!
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1990 Steelers 35 vs Browns 0
I absolutely LOVE this game! The Browns suffer through a comedy of errors, fumbling the ball on the first snap of 3 consecutive drives and ultimately committing an additional half dozen turnovers (9 total, including a franchise record 8 lost fumbles) before the afternoon is over. The Steelers lead 21-0 midway through the first quarter and and 35-0 by the half, and the shell-shocked Brownies never recover against the AFC's top-rated defense. The blank look of utter futility on head coach Jim Shofner's hound dog face throughout the game is PRICELESS. Meanwhile, Bubby Brister throws 4 TDs and rookie Barry Foster has his very first 100 yard game.
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1990 Steelers 14 at Oilers 34 SNF
This game truly sucks. It SUCKS. It's been 30 years, and I'm still pissed at how poorly the Steelers play in this one. LAME. The ball is all tee'd up for them. A victory would win the division for Pittsburgh and send them to the playoffs. Pro Bowler Warren Moon is out, so in comes backup Commander Cody Carlson -- a QB who hasn't started a game in 2 years -- to SHRED what is supposedly the #1 defense in the NFL. Commander Cody looks more like Dan Marino, hitting 22 of 29 for 247 yds and 3 TDs as the Oilers amass 427 yds of offense. The game is over by halftime, with the Steelers trailing 24-0 after the Oilers score TDs on 3 of their first 4 possessions. Even Hall of Famer Rod Woodson has an awful day, giving up a 53-yd bomb in the 3rd quarter to truly end it at 31-7. Thanks (sort of) to Jay Korber for providing us with this debacle.
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