The road slate continues against the Pittsburgh Steelers on 1973-12-15 at Candlestick Park. The 49ers' offensive line continues to anchor the calendar's identity heading into Week 14.
The roster's lead back rotation and receiver room project the kind of game-script the staff has been working through. The Pittsburgh Steelers arrive tracking their own divisional standing.[1]
The week of preparation has built toward the matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers is the kind of home game where the offensive line has the matchup the coaching staff has been pointing toward all week. The Sunday's biggest unknown is the front rotation against the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line. The week of preparation produced the kind of game-plan continuity the staff has been building toward.
The slate's Week 14 games continues to shape the playoff race. The conference's projected leaders carry through the calendar with the kind of pace the wire copy has been writing into. The home matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers is the calendar's sense-check on the 49ers' divisional posture. The Sunday-night and Monday-night games close the week with their own playoff implications.
The first 13 games have shown the 49ers are tracking the kind of pace that, in calendar 1973, defines the divisional posture. The lead back's rushing workload is the staff's projected call. The receiver room's distribution is the offense's signature. The Pittsburgh Steelers are tracking their own standing. Vegas opens the lines accordingly. A figure to follow: the offensive line's pass-protection rate.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 9-4 | W5 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-4 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 7-4-2 | L1 |
| Houston Oilers | 1-12 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 11-2 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 8-5 | W3 |
| New England Patriots | 5-8 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 4-9 | L1 |
| Baltimore Colts | 3-10 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland Raiders | 8-4-1 | W3 |
| Denver Broncos | 7-4-2 | W1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 6-5-2 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2-10-1 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 11-2 | W5 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 8-5 | L2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5-8 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5-8 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 11-2 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 6-6-1 | W2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4-7-2 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 3-10 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 9-4 | W2 |
| Washington Redskins | 9-4 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 5-7-1 | W1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 4-8-1 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 2-10-1 | L3 |
49ers 0, Pittsburgh Steelers 749ers 7, Pittsburgh Steelers 1449ers 7, Pittsburgh Steelers 2749ers 14, Pittsburgh Steelers 3749ers 14, Pittsburgh Steelers 37[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 7 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 714273737 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0771414 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | John Rowser 71 yard interception return ( Roy Gerela kick) | 7-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Windlan Hall special teams fumble recovery in end zone ( Bruce Gossett kick) | 7-7 |
| Steelers | Preston Pearson 1 yard rush ( Roy Gerela kick) | 14-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Roy Gerela 27 yard field goal | 17-7 |
| Steelers | Roy Gerela 27 yard field goal | 20-7 |
| Steelers | Frank Lewis 50 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw ( Roy Gerela kick) | 27-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers | Roy Gerela 35 yard field goal | 30-7 |
| Steelers | Steve Davis 1 yard rush ( Roy Gerela kick) | 37-7 |
| 49ers | Dave Atkins 3 yard rush ( Bruce Gossett kick) | 37-14 |
San Francisco's offense came up short 14-37 at home the Pittsburgh Steelers on 1973-12-15. Joe Reed went 6 of 12 for 49 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Vic Washington ran for 65 on 15 carries. Ted Kwalick caught 4 for 43. On the other side Terry Bradshaw went 8 of 16 for 135 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Preston Pearson ran for 64 on 15 carries with 1 touchdown.[1]
San Francisco lost 14-37 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on 1973-12-15. Joe Reed went 6 of 12 for 49 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Vic Washington ran for 65 on 15 carries. Ted Kwalick caught 4 for 43.
The Sunday's outcome maps to the kind of game-script the staff has been working through across the calendar's closing weeks. The offensive line's pocket time produced the dropbacks the playbook calls. The defensive unit's pressure produced the kind of takeaway the unit has been generating. The Sunday's outcome sets the next week's posture across the divisional standings.
The Pittsburgh Steelers produced the kind of game-script the wire copy projected. The next-week matchup is the calendar's next sense-check on the 49ers' divisional pacing.
49ers 14, Pittsburgh Steelers 37. Margin: minus 23. Box score reads: Joe Reed went 6 of 12 for 49 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Vic Washington ran for 65 on 15 carries. Ted Kwalick caught 4 for 43. Ken Willard caught 3 for 42. On the Pittsburgh Steelers' side: Terry Bradshaw went 8 of 16 for 135 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Preston Pearson ran for 64 on 15 carries with 1 touchdown.
A 14-37 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 49ers' calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
Joe Reed went 6 of 12 for 49 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Vic Washington ran for 65 on 15 carries. Ted Kwalick caught 4 for 43. The Sunday's offensive output produced the kind of full-sixty pace the playbook has been working through. On the defensive side Terry Bradshaw went 8 of 16 for 135 yards with 1 touchdowns and 0 interceptions for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Preston Pearson ran for 64 on 15 carries with 1 touchdown.
The turning point
The in-game adjustment that, in calendar 1973, decided the closing two quarters. The defensive front's pressure on the third-down dropbacks produced the kind of pass-rush volume the unit has been generating across the year. The receiver room's route distribution produced the kind of timing-route conversions the playbook calls.
By the numbers
Joe Reed went 6 of 12 for 49 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The lead-back rotation: Vic Washington ran for 65 on 15 carries, plus Ken Willard ran for 26 on 4 carries. Receiver room: Ted Kwalick caught 4 for 43, and Ken Willard caught 3 for 42.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| John Brodie | 6/12 | 79 | 0 | 2 | |
| Joe Reed | 6/12 | 49 | 0 | 2 | |
| Steve Spurrier | 1/9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| PIT | |||||
| Terry Bradshaw | 8/16 | 135 | 1 | 0 | |
| Joe Gilliam | 3/8 | 33 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Vic Washington | 15 | 65 | 0 | 12 |
| Ted Kwalick | 2 | 28 | 0 | 20 |
| Ken Willard | 4 | 26 | 0 | 16 |
| Dave Atkins | 4 | 19 | 1 | 8 |
| Joe Reed | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jimmy Thomas | 1 | -3 | 0 | -3 |
| Doug Cunningham | 1 | -9 | 0 | -9 |
| PIT | ||||
| Preston Pearson | 15 | 64 | 1 | 17 |
| Franco Harris | 10 | 54 | 0 | 18 |
| John Fuqua | 4 | 34 | 0 | 19 |
| Terry Bradshaw | 3 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
| Steve Davis | 8 | 10 | 1 | 4 |
| Joe Gilliam | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Ted Kwalick | 4 | 43 | 0 | 14 |
| Ken Willard | 3 | 42 | 0 | 26 |
| Danny Abramowicz | 3 | 28 | 0 | 16 |
| Vic Washington | 2 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Gene Washington | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| PIT | ||||
| Frank Lewis | 5 | 84 | 1 | 50 |
| Preston Pearson | 1 | 36 | 0 | 36 |
| John Fuqua | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Dave Davis | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Barry Pearson | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Franco Harris | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Steve Davis | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
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