DVD Transfer 121 (Super Bowl XXVIII)

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(c)1994 National Football League; NBC Sports-NBCUniversal/Comcast; WWBT-Gray Television

DVD Transfer 18 that I posted a couple of years back included about 45 minutes of the pregame show for Super Bowl XXVIII taped from Norfolk, VA area NBC affiliate WAVY-TV 10. A couple of weeks ago; I managed to score a VHS recording of the game itself, taped from WWBT-TV 12, the NBC affiliate in Richmond, VA. This game pitted the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys against the Buffalo Bills (having made their fourth consecutive Super Bowl appearance) in the only Super Bowl to date that was a rematch of the previous year's battle at Atlanta's Georgia Dome.

The Cowboys entered the Super Bowl opened the season with an 0-2 start (including a 13-10 Week 2 loss to Buffalo) while Emmitt Smith missed those games due to a contract holdout before he and owner Jerry Jones (who was nearly struck by a helmet thrown by defensive end Charles Haley in frustration over rookie running back Derrick Lassic's struggles starting in Emmitt's absence) reached an agreement, after which Dallas won 7 straight (including a 23-7 win over Philadelphia where Smith ran for a career-high 237 yards) before dropping games to the Falcons (27-14 where Emmitt was knocked out after one carry with an injury and Bernie Kosar {signed after the Cleveland Browns cut him a few weeks earlier} subbing for injured Troy Aikman) and a 16-14 Thanksgiving game heartbreaker to the Miami Dolphins (Emmitt played but was a non-factor on the ice-covered turf; this game being better known for Leon Lett touching the ball after a last-second field-goal attempt by the Dolphins being blocked, resulting in the ball being ruled live, the Dolphins recovering and Miami kicker Pete Stoyanovich making a 19-yard chip shot as time expired). However, Dallas rebounded to win their last 4, capped by a Week 18 meeting with the New York Giants (the winner clinched the NFC East, a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs; the loser had to settle for a wild-card), in which the Cowboys won 16-13 in overtime thanks to Emmitt's 229 yards of total offense despite suffering a separated shoulder late in the 1st half (resulting in a visit from John Madden, who worked the game alongside Pat Summerall for CBS) to finish 12-4; before dispatching the Green Bay Packers (27-17) and San Francisco 49ers (38-21) en route to Atlanta. Troy Aikman, MVP of the previous year's Super Bowl, threw for 3100 yards and 15 touchdowns vs. 6 interceptions - not that he had to do much passing with Emmitt Smith, who despite the 2-game holdout and missing most of the game at Atlanta still picked up his 3rd consecutive rushing title with 1486 yards and 9 touchdowns plus 57 catches for 414 yards and another score (getting him NFL MVP honors as well); while fullback Daryl "Moose" Johnston - mainly a blocker - added 4 touchdowns and catching 50 passes for 371 yards. Michael Irvin lived up to his "Playmaker" nickname with 88 catches for 1330 yards and 7 touchdowns; while Alvin Harper added 36 receptions for 777 yards and 5 more scores and tight end Jay Novacek caught 44 passes for 445 yards and one score. Dallas' offensive line (nicknamed "The Great Wall of Dallas") was anchored by Pro Bowlers Erik Williams, Nate Newton and Mark Stepnoski. Dallas' defense featured defensive linemen including Tony Tolbert (a team-leading 7.5 sacks); Chad Hennings (5.5 sacks) and Charles Haley (4 sacks as Haley was beginning to be slowed by back problems); along with defensive tackle Russell Maryland; middle linebacker Ken Norton Jr., and defensive backs Thomas Everett (97 tackles for Everett, whose move to free safety and the emergence of 2nd year strong safety Darren Woodson left James Washington out of the starting lineup) and Kevin Smith (a career-high 6 interceptions for 56 yards and a score). Finally, rookie receiver Kevin Williams caught 20 passes for 151 yards, picked up 689 yards on kick returns and 381 yards and a touchdown on 36 punt returns.

Meanwhile, Buffalo - hoping to make the Super Bowl for the fourth year in a row and get a championship that eluded them the three previous years - raced to a 7-1 start en route to a 12-4 record and the #1 seed in the AFC. Leading Buffalo's "no huddle" attack was quarterback Jim Kelly (throwing for 3382 yards and 18 touchdowns {but also the same number of interceptions}); with running back Thurman Thomas adding 1315 yards and 6 touchdowns along with 48 catches for 387 yards (backup Kenneth Davis added 391 yards and 6 scores along with 21 catches for 95 yards). Buffalo's main receiving targets were Andre Reed (52 rec., 854 yards, 6 TD); newcomer Bill Brooks (picked up from Indianapolis when veteran James Lofton left; with Lofton splitting his final season with the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles; 60 rec., 714 yards, 5 TD); Don Beebe (31 rec., 504 yards, 3 TD) and tight end Pete Metzelaars (68 rec., 609 yards, 4 TD- the 68 catches were more than he had the previous 4 seasons combined) and a strong offensive line anchored by Howard Ballard. Defensively; Buffalo's defense was led by defensive end Bruce Smith (14 sacks); linebackers Cornelius Bennett (5 sacks, 2 FR), Darryl Talley (101 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 FR's, 3 int.) and Marvcus Patton (3 FR, 2 int., - Patton moved to the starting lineup when Shane Conlan - like James Lofton - left for the Rams) and cornerback Nate Odomes (9 interceptions - tying him with Seattle Seahawks free safety Eugene Robinson for the league lead). Despite the solid defensive performances (and unlike 1991; where Smith and nose tackle Jeff Wright missed much of the season with injuries), the Bills gave up 5554 yards, second-worst in the league. Buffalo then punched their Super Bowl ticket with a 29-23 victory over the Los Angeles Raiders (whose quarterback, Jeff Hostetler, started for the Giants in Super Bowl XXV in place of an injured Phil Simms) and a 30-13 AFC Championship win over the Kansas City Chiefs that had added Raider castoff Marcus Allen at running back and Joe Montana (who had been supplanted in San Francisco by Steve Young while Montana battled injuries) at quarterback.

Things began on an exciting note with Kevin Williams returning the opening kickoff 50 yards to Buffalo's 48-yard line; followed by Troy Aikman (who had been knocked out of the NFC Championship Game the previous week with a concussion following a knee to the head by 49er rookie defensive tackle {and Defensive Rookie of the Year} Dana Stubblefield) finding Michael Irvin for a 20-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage; only for the drive to bog down and the Cowboys to settle for a 41-yard field goal by Eddie Murray (the longtime Detroit Lions kicker had arrived to replace Lin Elliott, cut after Dallas' 0-2 start). Buffalo responded with a drive that was sparked by Jim Kelly finding Thurman Thomas for a 24-yard pass. While the drive stalled inside the Cowboys' 40-yard line, kicker Steve Christie hit a Super Bowl-record 54-yard field goal to tie the game at 3 all. After forcing a Dallas punt; safety James Washington (who ended up starting this game due to Dallas using the nickel {5 defensive backs} as their base defense for this game) stripped Thomas of the ball, which Darren Woodson recovered. Aikman found Alvin Harper for 24 yards after the turnover, but the Bills held and forced another Murray field goal, this time from 24 yards, for a 6-3 Cowboy lead. Dallas then committed a blunder late in the 1st quarter when rookie cornerback Dave Thomas was called for running into Bills punter Chris Mohr, giving the Bills a first down. Buffalo took advantage of the miscue and converted it into a 4-yard touchdown run by Thurman Thomas to give Buffalo a 10-6 lead. Both teams then traded punts (with Cowboys defensive end Matt Vanderbeek downing rookie John Jett's punt at the Buffalo 1; while Bills receiver/special teams ace Steve Tasker matched the feat for Buffalo}). Late in the 2nd quarter; the Cowboys advanced into Buffalo territory only for Aikman to be intercepted by Nate Odomes (the only interception thrown by Aikman in any of the Super Bowls he played in); who returned the theft to Dallas' 47. Kelly found Thomas twice for a combined 34 yards, but Dallas ended up forcing Buffalo to settle for a 28-yard Christie field goal as time expired for a 13-6 halftime lead.

Less than a minute into the 2nd half; disaster struck when Leon Lett (seeking perhaps to atone for his Thanksgiving blunder and his premature celebration that saw the ball knocked out of his hands before crossing the end zone following a fumble recovery in the previous year's Super Bowl) stripped the ball from Thomas, with James Washington scooping the ball up at the Bills' 46 and going the distance for the tying touchdown 13-13. Rookie Buffalo receiver Russell Copeland took the ensuing kickoff 22 yards to Buffalo's 37; only for the Bills to go three-and-out after Charles Haley and one of the oldest Cowboys on the team, Jim Jeffcoat, teaming up with a sack on 3rd down. Dallas then called a drive - all but 1 play on the ground - ending with Emmitt Smith racing for a 15-yard touchdown to give the Cowboys a 20-13 lead. The 4th quarter began with Washington intercepting a pass by Kelly intended for Don Beebe, returning the ball to Buffalo's 34. Dallas overcame a false start early and - aided by Aikman finding Harper for 16 yards to the Bills' 6-yard line - eventually cashed in with a 1-yard Smith touchdown run on 4th and goal to increase Dallas' lead to 27-13. Buffalo's next drive was foiled when defensive tackle Jimmie Jones stopped Thomas for a 1-yard loss and then followed it with forcing Kelly to retreat 13 yards before getting the sack; setting Dallas up for the knockout punch on a 9-play, 49-yard drive (including a pass to Harper that landed at the 1) that consumed 4:10 before Murray closed out the scoring with a 20-yard field goal with 2:50 left to make the eventual final score 30-13 (matching the score of the AFC Championship Game).

Calling the game are NBC's Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy (the last Super Bowl he covered, as he had done the previous year's Super Bowl plus games XX and XXI on NBC Radio alongside longtime broadcast partner Don Criqui); with reports from the sidelines by Will McDonough (News and Notes/Cowboys sideline) and O.J. Simpson (Bills sideline; more on him below). SuperBowl Live was hosted by Jim Lampley (the only year he would host NFL Live!; Lampley had been promoted to the role to replace Bob Costas after Costas - set to become the lead play-by-play broadcaster for NBC's portion of the short-lived "The Baseball Network" and also hosting NBC's NBA coverage - reduced his role on NFL coverage primarily to feature interviews. Lampley would revert to his mid-level play-by-play assignment when Greg Gumbel {whose brother Bryant was the host of the Today show and had hosted NBC's pregame coverage from 1975-81 either with Jack Buck, Lee Leonard or by himself} became available when CBS lost NFC coverage rights starting in 1994 to upstart FOX) alongside former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka and former Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs (who had defeated the Bills in game XXVI two years earlier); with other contributors including Costas (in addition to doing an interview with Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson and owner Jerry Jones {more on that below}; Costas hosted NBC's postgame coverage while Lampley was covering the Lombardi Trophy presentation); Todd Christensen; Paul Maguire and Cris Collinsworth {the last of whom were at the Super Bowl Experience}).

Missing intro and recording stops during the Lombardi Trophy presentation.

NOTES

1. I'll start with the obvious elephant in the room. This was the last game O.J. Simpson would work for NBC...or anywhere else, as by the next time his name was mentioned in public, it was as a murder suspect riding in his white Ford Bronco being chased by police on June 17, 1994 (interrupting Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals). In a trial that dominated the headlines for the better part of two years; Simpson would be controversially acquitted of the murders of estranged wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman; though a subsequent civil trial would lead to Simpson being found criminally liable (Simpson had previously pleaded no contest to a 1989 spousal abuse charge; but apparently this got little notice in the media)

2. Emmitt Smith - still suffering from the shoulder injury 4 weeks earlier - finished the topsy-turvy season with Super Bowl MVP honors with 132 yards on 30 carries and 2 touchdowns along with 4 catches for 26 yards (becoming just the 2nd running back behind Larry Csonka 20 years earlier to rush for 100+ yards in consecutive Super Bowls). Troy Aikman - who later admitted that, due to the effects of the previous week's concussion, he had no memory of the game (needless to say, no way Aikman would be allowed to play in today's NFL with the increased knowledge of the effects of concussions) - finished with 207 yards and an interception. Michael Irvin and Jay Novacek tied for the team lead in catches with 5 (Irvin for 66 yards; Novacek for 26) while Alvin Harper caught 3 passes for a team-high 75 yards. Charles Haley and Jim Jeffcoat (who would finish his career with the Bills, incidentally) got a 1/2 sack and Jimmie Jones added a sack. However, James Washington made a strong case for shared MVP honors (narrowly being edged out by Smith for the honor) with 11 tackles, 1 forced fumble (recovered by Darren Woodson), recovering a fumble for a 46-yard touchdown early in the 3rd quarter and an interception for 12 yards. For the Bills, Jim Kelly threw 50 times (the 2nd time he threw that many attempts, throwing 58 times against Washington 2 years earlier); completing a Super Bowl-record 31 for 260 yards and an interception. Thurman Thomas - who once again struggled to hang onto the ball - scored a touchdown on 16 carries for just 37 yards (both Thomas and Smith would join the record books for scoring touchdowns in at least 2 consecutive Super Bowls; Thurman having crossed the end zone in all 4 Super Bowl appearances), 1 yard fewer than backup Kenneth Davis. Thomas and Bill Brooks caught a game-high 7 passes (Thomas for 52 yards; Bill Brooks for 63). Andre Reed caught 6 passes for 75 yards, while Don Beebe gained 60 yards on the same number of catches. Nate Odomes' interception was the only major defensive contribution by the Bills

3. When the network rotation was originally announced; this game was kept separate from the usual rotation, instead going to the highest bidder. NBC was the highest...and only bidder.

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National Football League; NBC Sports-NBCUniversal/Comcast; WWBT-Gray Television

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