AFC Wild Card at the Astrodome on Sun December 31, 1989. The Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) travel to face the Houston Oilers (9-7) in the AFC Central rematch.
Chuck Noll year 21 as head coach. Bubby Brister at quarterback. Merril Hoge at running back. The Oilers start Warren Moon at quarterback in the run-and-shoot. Drew Hill, Ernest Givins, Haywood Jeffires, Curtis Duncan at the receiving corps. Jack Pardee in year one as head coach.
Jack Pardee's Oilers come into the wild-card weekend off back-to-back wins to close the regular season. Warren Moon, the AFC's leading passer at 3,631 yards with 23 touchdowns, leads the run-and-shoot offense. The Steelers come in off a 13-0 home win over Tampa Bay in the regular-season finale. Bubby Brister has thrown for 2,365 yards and 9 touchdowns.
The Sunday wild-card matchup is the franchise's third meeting of the year and the kind of mid-tier AFC matchup the wild-card weekend produces.
Wild Card weekend opens the 1989 playoffs. The Steelers (AFC #5) visit the Oilers (AFC #4). The Rams (NFC #6) visit the Eagles (NFC #4). The Bills (AFC #2), Broncos (AFC #1), 49ers (NFC #1), and Giants (NFC #2) sit on bye. The Sunday-afternoon wild-card matchups are the league's first playoff weekend.
Through the regular season the Oilers finished 9-7 (AFC #4) and the Steelers finished 9-7 (AFC #5). Warren Moon 3,631 passing yards, 23 TDs, 14 INTs. Ernest Givins 55 catches for 1,008. Drew Hill 66 catches for 938. Bubby Brister 2,365 yards reg season, 9 TDs, 10 INTs. Merril Hoge 244 carries for 621.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 9-6-1 | W2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-7 | W3 |
| Houston Oilers | 9-7 | L2 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 8-8 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 9-7 | W1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 8-8 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 8-8 | L2 |
| New England Patriots | 5-11 | L3 |
| New York Jets | 4-12 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 11-5 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 8-7-1 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 8-8 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 7-9 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 6-10 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 14-2 | W5 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 11-5 | W2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 9-7 | W3 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-13 | L7 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 10-6 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 10-6 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 7-9 | W5 |
| Chicago Bears | 6-10 | L6 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-11 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 12-4 | W3 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 11-5 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 10-6 | W5 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 5-11 | L6 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 1-15 | L7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Tim Worley 9 yard rush (Gary Anderson kick) | 7-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Oilers | Tony Zendejas 26 yard field goal | 7-3 |
| Oilers | Tony Zendejas 35 yard field goal | 7-6 |
| Steelers | Gary Anderson 25 yard field goal | 10-6 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Oilers | Tony Zendejas 26 yard field goal | 10-9 |
| Steelers | Gary Anderson 30 yard field goal | 13-9 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Gary Anderson 48 yard field goal | 16-9 |
| Oilers | Ernest Givins 18 yard pass from Warren Moon (Tony Zendejas kick) | 16-16 |
| Oilers | Ernest Givins 9 yard pass from Warren Moon (Tony Zendejas kick) | 16-23 |
| Steelers | Merril Hoge 2 yard rush (Gary Anderson kick) | 23-23 |
| Steelers | Gary Anderson 50 yard field goal | 26-23 |
Gary Anderson kicked a 50-yard field goal in overtime and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Houston Oilers 26-23 at the Astrodome in the AFC wild-card round. Bubby Brister finished 15 of 33 for 127 yards. Tim Worley ran in a 9-yard touchdown. Merril Hoge ran for 100 yards and a 2-yard touchdown. Warren Moon threw for 315 with two touchdowns to Ernest Givins. The Steelers improved to 10-7 and advanced to the divisional round at Denver.[1][2]
Gary Anderson's 50-yard field goal in overtime was the difference. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Houston Oilers 26-23 at the Astrodome in the AFC wild-card round. The Steelers' five-field-goal afternoon plus two short rushing touchdowns produced the kind of conservative grind-out road win the franchise had been building toward in Chuck Noll's 21st year.
Bubby Brister finished 15 of 33 for 127 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Tim Worley ran in a 9-yard touchdown. Merril Hoge ran 17 for 100 with a 2-yard rushing score. Anderson made field goals of 25, 30, 48, and the overtime 50-yarder. The Steelers' offense produced two touchdown drives across four quarters.
Warren Moon finished 29 of 48 for 315 with two touchdowns (Ernest Givins 18, Ernest Givins 9) and no interceptions. Allen Pinkett ran 8 for 26. The Oilers' offense came back from a 16-9 fourth-quarter deficit to tie it 23-23 on Givins' second touchdown. The Steelers' overtime drive was a Merril Hoge 18-yard run on third-and-three followed by Anderson's 50-yarder.
Steelers 26, Oilers 23 (OT). Margin: plus 3. AFC Wild Card.
A 26-23 overtime AFC wild-card road win for the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Houston Oilers at the Astrodome. The Steelers advance to the divisional round at Denver.
How it unfolded
Tim Worley's 9-yard rushing touchdown opened the scoring. Tony Zendejas kicked field goals of 26 and 35 yards for the Oilers. Anderson's 25-yard field goal made it 10-6. Zendejas added a 26-yarder for 10-9. Anderson's 30-yarder made it 13-9. Anderson's 48-yarder pushed it to 16-9. Ernest Givins caught an 18-yard touchdown from Moon to cut it to 16-16. Givins caught a second 9-yard touchdown to make it 16-23. Hoge ran in a 2-yard touchdown to tie it 23-23. Anderson's 50-yard field goal in overtime was the winner.
The turning point
The Hoge 18-yard run on third-and-three in overtime. After winning the coin toss and stalling at the Pittsburgh 40, Hoge's run on third-and-three set up Anderson's 50-yard field goal range.
By the numbers
Brister 15 of 33 for 127. Hoge 100 on 17 with the touchdown. Worley 54 on 11 with the touchdown. Anderson 4-for-4 on field goals including the 50-yard OT winner. Moon 29 of 48 for 315 with two touchdowns. Givins 11 catches for 136 with the two touchdowns. The Oilers' offense produced 339 total yards but no rushing touchdowns.
What it means
10-7. Divisional round at Denver next Sunday. The Steelers' overtime road upset is the kind of wild-card weekend opener the AFC has produced in three consecutive seasons.
| Steelers | Oilers | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 17 | 22 |
| Total Yards | 289 | 380 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 15/33 | 29/48 |
| Pass yards | 127 | 315 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 0 |
| Sack yards lost | 15 | 0 |
| Net pass yards | 112 | 315 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 30 | 25 |
| Rush yards | 177 | 65 |
| Rush TD | 2 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 3 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 2 |
| Penalties | 5 | 8 |
| Penalty yards | 40 | 45 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIT | |||||
| Bubby Brister | 15/33 | 127 | 0 | 0 | 56 |
| HOU | |||||
| Warren Moon | 29/48 | 315 | 2 | 0 | 93.7 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIT | ||||
| Merril Hoge | 17 | 100 | 1 | 49 |
| Tim Worley | 11 | 54 | 1 | 14 |
| Dwight Stone | 1 | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| Bubby Brister | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| HOU | ||||
| Allen Pinkett | 8 | 26 | 0 | 6 |
| Lorenzo White | 7 | 13 | 0 | 5 |
| Warren Moon | 3 | 12 | 0 | 5 |
| Mike Rozier | 5 | 12 | 0 | 3 |
| Alonzo Highsmith | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIT | ||||
| Mike Mularkey | 3 | 40 | 0 | 20 |
| Merril Hoge | 3 | 26 | 0 | 17 |
| Louis Lipps | 3 | 24 | 0 | 10 |
| Tim Worley | 4 | 23 | 0 | 10 |
| Derek Hill | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Mark Stock | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| HOU | ||||
| Ernest Givins | 11 | 136 | 2 | 30 |
| Drew Hill | 6 | 98 | 0 | 32 |
| Allen Pinkett | 3 | 24 | 0 | 13 |
| Alonzo Highsmith | 3 | 21 | 0 | 11 |
| Haywood Jeffires | 3 | 16 | 0 | 7 |
| Curtis Duncan | 2 | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Mike Rozier | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
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