Seattle Defense Brings Curtain Down on Steelers, 30-0

The Pittsburgh Steelers spent almost the entire game in their own territory as they were shut out by the Seattle Seahawks, 30-0, Sunday.

The Steelers advanced to the Seattle 37-yard-line on their first possession, but failed to cross midfield again until about seven minutes were left in the game and the Seahawks led, 23-0.

Steeler quarterback Mark Malone completed only 9 of 27 passes for 79 yards and was intercepted 3 times. The Steelers were limited to 146 yards in total offense and converted just 2 of 14 third-down opportunities. They also lost two fumbles.

Meanwhile, Seahawk quarterback Dave Krieg completed 21 of 33 passes for 195 yards, with touchdown passes of 4 yards to Darryl Turner and 10 yards to Steve Largent, and running back Curt Warner picked up 114 yards in 21 carries.

Largent caught seven passes for 65 yards and a touchdown and extended his pass-catching streak to 124 straight games. It is the second longest streak in NFL history, three short of the record of 127 set by Harold Carmichael.

The Seahawks missed several scoring opportunities in the first half and had to settle for a 6-0 lead at intermission, the lone score coming on Krieg’s four-yard pass to Turner with 3:25 left in the half.

Norm Johnson’s extra-point attempt failed when holder Ken Easley mishandled the snap and put the ball on its side. Johnson also missed his first three field-goal attempts, from 46 and 40 yards in the first half with Easley holding and from 36 yards in the third quarter with Gale Gilbert holding.

Johnson finally connected from 24 yards with 40 seconds left in the third quarter to give Seattle a 16-0 lead. Earlier in the period, Dave Brown intercepted a Malone pass intended for John Stallworth and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown to make it 13-0.

In the fourth quarter, Largent scored his touchdown with 10:46 left, and reserve running back Randall Morris closed out the scoring with a 49-yard touchdown run with 2:35 left. Morris’ score came the first time he touched the ball. The touchdown was the first in his three-year career.

Largent’s touchdown came three plays after Seattle cornerback Terry Taylor blocked a Harry Newsome punt and recovered the ball at the Pittsburgh 18.

The Steelers suffered their first shutout since Nov. 28, 1982, when the Seahawks beat them, 16-0. It was the first shutout for the Seahawks since they beat Kansas City, 45-0, on Nov. 4, 1984, the last of three shutouts that season.

Seahawk rookie Bobby Joe Edmonds set a club record by returning four punts for 101 yards. He had a 44-yard return in the third quarter to set up Johnson’s field goal.