The Divisional Round matchup pairs the Oakland Raiders against the Pittsburgh Steelers on 1972-12-23 at Three Rivers Stadium. The conference bracket's postseason slate includes this matchup as one of the calendar's most-anticipated games.
The starting quarterbacks, the lead-back rotations, and the receiver rooms project the kind of game-script the wire copy has been writing into.[1][2]
The Divisional Round game between the Oakland Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers is the kind of postseason matchup where the conference's projected leaders carry their regular-season pacing into the bracket. The week of preparation produced the kind of game-plan continuity both staffs have been pointing toward.
The Sunday's biggest unknown is the front rotation against the home team's offensive line. The bracket continues for the winner.
Around the conference the Divisional Round bracket produces the kind of matchups the wire copy has been writing into across the postseason slate. The Oakland Raiders versus Pittsburgh Steelers game is one of the calendar's most-anticipated postseason windows.
The opposite-conference bracket carries through to its own conference matchup. The Sunday-night game is the most-anticipated matchup of the slate's closing window.
Across the regular season both the Oakland Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers tracked the kind of pace that anchored their conference seeding into the Divisional Round. The starting quarterbacks' passing lines came through. The lead backs' rushing workloads were the staffs' projected calls. Vegas opens the lines accordingly. A figure to follow: the front rotations' pass-rush production.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 11-3 | W4 |
| Cleveland Browns | 10-4 | W2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 8-6 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 1-13 | L11 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 14-0 | W14 |
| New York Jets | 7-7 | L2 |
| Baltimore Colts | 5-9 | L2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 4-9-1 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 3-11 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland Raiders | 10-3-1 | W6 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 8-6 | W3 |
| Denver Broncos | 5-9 | W2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4-9-1 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 8-5-1 | W2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 7-7 | L2 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 6-7-1 | L2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2-11-1 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 10-4 | W3 |
| Detroit Lions | 8-5-1 | W1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 7-7 | L2 |
| Chicago Bears | 4-9-1 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Redskins | 11-3 | L2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 10-4 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 8-6 | W1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 4-9-1 | W2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2-11-1 | L5 |
1972 RAIDERS @STEELERS (12-23-72) PLAYOFF (AUDIO-VIDEO SYNC) "THE IMMACULATE RECEPTION"
1973 Steelers at Raiders Divisional Playoff
1972-12-23 AFC Divisional Playoff Oakland Raiders @ Pittsburgh Steelers (Mutual)
PSF 2026 - 1972 Replay, AFC Divisional Playoff - Raiders at Steelers
Immaculate Reception - Super Slo-Mo - 1972 AFC Playoff - Raiders at SteelersOakland Raiders None, Pittsburgh Steelers None
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 00077 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0031313 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Roy Gerela 18 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Roy Gerela 29 yard field goal | 0-6 |
| Raiders | Ken Stabler 30 yard rush ( George Blanda kick) | 7-6 |
| Steelers | Franco Harris 60 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw ( Roy Gerela kick) | 7-13 |
The Pittsburgh Steelers won the Divisional Round game on 1972-12-23 against the Oakland Raiders 0-0. . . . For the other side Daryle Lamonica went 6 of 18 for 45 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Franco Harris ran for 64 on 18 carries. The 49ers stay on track for the divisional standings expected coming into the calendar's back half.[1][2]
The Pittsburgh Steelers took the Divisional Round game over the Oakland Raiders on 1972-12-23. . . .
The afternoon's outcome maps to the kind of postseason game-script both staffs have been projecting since the regular season closed. The offensive line's pocket time on the dropbacks produced the kind of pass-protection the winning playbook called. The defensive unit's pressure produced the kind of takeaway that defined the closing two quarters. The Divisional Round's afternoon ends with the projected outcome.
The week of preparation produced the kind of game-plan continuity the wire copy has been writing into. The closing-drive coverage was the kind of stop the winning unit has been generating.
Pittsburgh Steelers 0, Oakland Raiders 0. The Divisional Round's box score reads: . . . On the other side: Daryle Lamonica went 6 of 18 for 45 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Franco Harris ran for 64 on 18 carries.
The Pittsburgh Steelers's Divisional Round game against the Oakland Raiders on 1972-12-23 ended with the kind of game-script the wire copy has been writing into. The conference bracket continues to shape across the calendar's projected postseason pacing.
How it unfolded
. . . The Sunday's offensive output produced the kind of full-sixty pace both playbooks have been working through across the bye-week preparation. On the defensive side Daryle Lamonica went 6 of 18 for 45 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, and Franco Harris ran for 64 on 18 carries.
The turning point
The in-game adjustment that, in postseason play, decided the closing two quarters. The winning front's pressure on the third-down dropbacks produced the kind of pass-rush volume the unit has been generating across the calendar's back half.
By the numbers
. The lead-back rotation: . Receiver room: .
Personnel watch
The rotation produced the kind of full-sixty effort both staffs have been projecting. The offensive line's pocket time was the kind that, in postseason play, anchors the bye-week preparation. The receiver room's distribution carried the offensive production.
What it means
The Divisional Round's outcome maps to the projected postseason pacing. The next-round bracket continues. The film room note is the in-game adjustment that decided the closing two quarters.
| Raiders | Steelers | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 13 | 13 |
| Total Yards | 216 | 252 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 1 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 12/30 | 11/25 |
| Pass yards | 102 | 175 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 4 | 3 |
| Sack yards lost | 24 | 31 |
| Net pass yards | 78 | 144 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 31 | 36 |
| Rush yards | 138 | 108 |
| Rush TD | 1 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 3 | 0 |
| Fumbles lost | 2 | 0 |
| Penalties | 2 | 1 |
| Penalty yards | 15 | 5 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OAK | |||||
| Ken Stabler | 6/12 | 57 | 0 | 0 | |
| Daryle Lamonica | 6/18 | 45 | 0 | 2 | |
| PIT | |||||
| Terry Bradshaw | 11/25 | 175 | 1 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OAK | ||||
| Charlie Smith | 14 | 57 | 0 | 9 |
| Marv Hubbard | 14 | 44 | 0 | 10 |
| Ken Stabler | 1 | 30 | 1 | 30 |
| Clarence Davis | 2 | 7 | 0 | 5 |
| PIT | ||||
| Franco Harris | 18 | 64 | 0 | 14 |
| John Fuqua | 16 | 25 | 0 | 5 |
| Terry Bradshaw | 2 | 19 | 0 | 12 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OAK | ||||
| Raymond Chester | 3 | 40 | 0 | 19 |
| Fred Biletnikoff | 3 | 28 | 0 | 12 |
| Pete Banaszak | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Charlie Smith | 2 | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| Mike Siani | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Jim Otto | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Marv Hubbard | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| PIT | ||||
| Franco Harris | 5 | 96 | 1 | 60 |
| Ron Shanklin | 3 | 55 | 0 | 23 |
| John Fuqua | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| John McMakin | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Al Young | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1972 Divisional Round - Oakland Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers - Game Thread