The Steelers' record hat trick
I don’t think anybody realizes – at least no one has reported it – that the Pittsburgh Steelers have made absolute NFL history three times since Jan. 11.
On Jan. 11, the Steelers beat the Chargers, 35-24, at Pittsburgh, in the second round of the AFC playoffs. In the third quarter of that game, the Chargers only ran one offensive play. I thought at the time that something like that had never happened before, at least in the NFL. After some research, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported a couple of days later that that one-play quarter was in fact the first of its kind.
In yesterday’s Super Bowl, Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison turned in the longest play in Super Bowl history with his 100-yard interception return on the last play before the half. Given the yardage, it was a perfectly classic, and symmetric, 14-point turnaround. (Of course San Diego’s Antonio Cromartie holds the ultimate NFL yardage record for a play, 109 yards, on a return of a missed field goal at Minnesota, Nov. 4, 2007. Since the end zone is only 10 yards deep, Cromartie’s record can never be beaten.)
Also yesterday, the Steelers became the first team in NFL history to win six Super Bowls.
So in 21 days, the Steelers set three records, which no doubt is a record of its own. So in fact, they set four. Just for the record.
On Jan. 11, the Steelers beat the Chargers, 35-24, at Pittsburgh, in the second round of the AFC playoffs. In the third quarter of that game, the Chargers only ran one offensive play. I thought at the time that something like that had never happened before, at least in the NFL. After some research, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported a couple of days later that that one-play quarter was in fact the first of its kind.
In yesterday’s Super Bowl, Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison turned in the longest play in Super Bowl history with his 100-yard interception return on the last play before the half. Given the yardage, it was a perfectly classic, and symmetric, 14-point turnaround. (Of course San Diego’s Antonio Cromartie holds the ultimate NFL yardage record for a play, 109 yards, on a return of a missed field goal at Minnesota, Nov. 4, 2007. Since the end zone is only 10 yards deep, Cromartie’s record can never be beaten.)
Also yesterday, the Steelers became the first team in NFL history to win six Super Bowls.
So in 21 days, the Steelers set three records, which no doubt is a record of its own. So in fact, they set four. Just for the record.
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