NFL game summary for 12/24/1977:

After ties at 7, 14 and 21, veteran Jim Turner kicked a 44-yard field goal to put Denver ahead to stay as the Broncos -- in their first playoff game ever -- beat the perennial AFC Central champion Steelers. Leading 24-21, the Broncos capped their victory with two fourth-quarter interceptions by linebacker Tom Jackson, the last of which set up Craig Morton's 34-yard game-clinching touchdown pass to Jack Dolbin. Denver capitalized on a blocked punt and a fumble recovery for two scores in the first half, which ended 14-14. Morton and Steeler quarterback Terry Bradshaw traded touchdown passes in the second half before Turner's kick, Jackson's interceptions and Morton's arm kept Pittsburgh from the AFC title game for the first time in four years. The Denver victory set up a third game between the AFC Western champion Broncos and the AFC wild card Raiders, who split two regular season games.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

	Rush Yds/Gm	Pass Yds/Gm	Tot Yds/Gm	Turnovers
OFFENSE	161.3 (7)	170.5 (5)	331.8 (4)	49
DEFENSE	123.1 (5)	140.6 (12)	263.7 (7)	44
OFFENSE	145.9 (11)	133.1 (18)	279.0 (17)	27
DEFENSE	109.4 (1)	160.3 (25)	269.6 (9)	39

Line: Broncos by 2

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6-0)	0	14	0	7	21
Denver Broncos (13-2-0)	7	7	7	13	34

( 0- 7) DEN Rob Lytle 7 yard rush (Jim Turner kick) ( 7- 7) PIT Terry Bradshaw 1 yard rush (Roy Gerela kick) ( 7-14) DEN Otis Armstrong 10 yard rush (Jim Turner kick) (14-14) PIT Franco Harris 1 yard rush (Roy Gerela kick) (14-21) DEN Riley Odoms 30 yard pass from Craig Morton (Jim Turner kick) (21-21) PIT Larry Brown 1 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) (21-24) DEN Jim Turner 44 yard field goal (21-27) DEN Jim Turner 25 yard field goal (21-34) DEN Jack Dolbin 34 yard pass from Craig Morton (Jim Turner kick)

                     PIT             DEN
First Downs:         18              15
Rushes-yards:        39-127          37-103
Yards/rush:          3.3             2.8
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     19-37-177-3     11-23-164-0
Sacked-yards:        0-0             1-9
Net pass yards:      177             155
Net yards/pass:      4.8             6.5
Total net yards:     304             258
Total plays:         76 (51% run)    61 (60% run)  
Yards/play:          4.0             4.2
Fumbles-lost:        2-1             3-1
Turnovers:           4               1
Penalties-yards:     10-67           3-20

Attendance: 75,011

Passing:
PIT: Terry Bradshaw, 19 of 37 for 177 yards and 1 TD (3 int) DEN: Craig Morton, 11 of 23 for 164 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing:
PIT: Franco Harris, 28 for 92 yards and 1 TD; Rocky Bleier, 7 for 14 yards; Terry Bradshaw, 4 for 21 yards and 1 TD DEN: Rob Lytle, 12 for 26 yards and 1 TD; Otis Armstrong, 11 for 44 yards and 1 TD; Jon Keyworth, 5 for 20 yards; Craig Morton, 5 for 0 yards; Jim Jensen, 4 for 13 yards
Receiving:
PIT: John Stallworth, 4 for 80 yards; Franco Harris, 4 for 20 yards; Bennie Cunningham, 3 for 42 yards; Alvin Maxson, 3 for 11 yards; Rocky Bleier, 2 for 10 yards; Randy Grossman, 1 for 7 yards; Lynn Swann, 1 for 6 yards; Larry Brown, 1 for 1 yard and 1 TD DEN: Riley Odoms, 5 for 43 yards and 1 TD; Haven Moses, 2 for 45 yards; Jim Jensen, 2 for 33 yards; Jack Dolbin, 1 for 34 yards and 1 TD; Otis Armstrong, 1 for 9 yards
Kick returns:
PIT: Jim Smith, 4 for 80 yards; Alvin Maxson, 1 for 24 yards DEN: Rick Upchurch, 3 for 58 yards; John Schultz, 1 for 27 yards
Punt returns:
PIT: Jim Smith, 4 for 31 yards DEN: Bill Thompson, 2 for 5 yards; John Schultz, 1 for 4 yards; Rick Upchurch, 1 for 3 yards
Interceptions:
DEN: Tom Jackson, 2 for 49 yards; Bernard Jackson, 1 for 15 yards
Punting:
PIT: Rick Engles, 5 for 204 yards DEN: Bucky Dilts, 5 for 188 yards
Field Goals:
DEN: Jim Turner, 2/2