1990 Pittsburgh Steelers season

The 1990 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 58th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.

The Steelers did not score an offensive touchdown until the 5th game of the season, but did rebound to a 9–7 record (the same they posted the previous season).

Unlike the previous season, 9–7 was not enough to gain a playoff berth. The Steelers continued to show improvement overcoming a 1–3 start to find themselves in a showdown with the Oilers in Houston for the AFC's final playoff spot in the final game of the season. However, the Steelers were never in the game as the Oilers beat the Steelers 34–14 ending their season without the playoffs.

Schedule
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 1 (Sunday September 9, 1990): at Cleveland Browns
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio


 * Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 78,298
 * Referee: Dick Hantak
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 19
 * Cleveland – Blaylock 30 fumble return (Kauric kick)
 * Cleveland – FG Kauric 28
 * Cleveland – FG Kauric 47

Week 2 (Sunday September 16, 1990): vs. Houston Oilers
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
 * Game weather: 56 F (Cloudy)
 * Game attendance: 54,814
 * Referee: Gene Barth
 * TV announcers: (TNT) Skip Caray (play by play), Pat Haden (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – D. Johnson 26 interception return (Anderson kick)
 * Houston – White 1 run (Zendejas kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 31
 * Houston – Safety, Childress tackled Brister in end zone
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 27
 * Pittsburgh – Woodson 52 punt return (Anderson kick)

Week 3 (Sunday September 23, 1990): at Los Angeles Raiders
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California


 * Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 50,657
 * Referee: Howard Roe
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Marv Albert (play by play), Paul Maguire (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 31
 * Los Angeles Raiders – FG Jaeger 40
 * Los Angeles Raiders – FG Jaeger 45
 * Los Angeles Raiders – Allen 1 run (Jaeger kick)
 * Los Angeles Raiders – Fernandez 66 pass from Schroeder (Jaeger kick)

Week 4 (Sunday September 30, 1990): vs. Miami Dolphins
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
 * Game weather: 57 F (Cloudy)
 * Game attendance: 54,691
 * Referee: Gerald Austin
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Marv Albert (play by play), Paul Maguire (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Miami – S. Smith 1 run (Stoyanovich kick)
 * Miami – S. Smith 7 run (Stoyanovich kick)
 * Clayton 35 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 46
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 35
 * Miami – Paige 1 run (Stoyanovich kick)

Week 5 (Sunday October 7, 1990): vs. San Diego Chargers
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
 * Game weather: 75 F (Mostly Cloudy)
 * Game attendance: 53,486
 * Referee: Tom White
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Joel Meyers (play by play), Ahmad Rashad (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 45
 * San Diego – Plummer 2 pass from Tolliver (Reveiz kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Green 8 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Green 1 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – W. Williams 2 run (Anderson kick)
 * San Diego – L. Miller fumble recovery in end zone (Reveiz kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Safety, Stone blocked punt out of end zone
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 45
 * Pittsburgh – Foster 2 run (Anderson kick)

Week 6 (Sunday October 14, 1990): at Denver Broncos
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado


 * Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 74,285
 * Referee: Jerry Markbreit
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Joel Meyers (play by play), Ahmad Rashad (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Denver – Winder 1 run (Treadwell kick)
 * Denver – FG Treadwell 24
 * Pittsburgh – Lipps 6 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Denver – Sewell 2 run (Treadwell kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Green 3 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Hoge 6 run (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Green 10 pass from Brister (kick failed)
 * Pittsburgh – Green 3 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)

Week 7 (Sunday October 21, 1990): at San Francisco 49ers
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California


 * Game time: 4:00 pm EDT
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 64,301
 * Referee: Jim Tunney
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Dick Enberg (play by play), Bill Walsh (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – Bell 2 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * San Francisco – FG Cofer 39
 * San Francisco – Sherrard 5 pass from Montana (Cofer kick)
 * San Francisco – FG Cofer 20
 * San Francisco – Rathman 1 run (Cofer kick)
 * San Francisco – Rathman 1 run (Cofer kick)

Week 8 (Monday October 29, 1990): vs. Los Angeles Rams
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time: 9:00 pm EST
 * Game weather: 39 F (Clear)
 * Game attendance: 56,466
 * Referee: Dick Hantak
 * TV announcers: (ABC) Al Michaels (play by play), Frank Gifford & Dan Dierdorf (color commentators)

Scoring drives:


 * Los Angeles Rams – Greens 100 kickoff return (Lansford kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Hoge 6 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Green 17 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Los Angeles Rams – FG Lansford 32
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 42
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 30
 * Pittsburgh – Hoge 1 run (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Stone 8 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Hoge 2 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)

Week 9 (Sunday November 4, 1990): vs. Atlanta Falcons
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time: 1:00 pm EST
 * Game weather: 67 F (Mostly Cloudy)
 * Game attendance: 57,093
 * Referee: Johnny Grier
 * TV announcers: (CBS) Brad Nessler (play by play), Dan Jiggetts (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Atlanta – FG Davis 41
 * Atlanta – FG Davis 43
 * Atlanta – FG Davis 38
 * Pittsburgh – Lipps 11 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Mularkey 19 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Williams 70 run (Anderson kick)

Week 11 (Sunday November 18, 1990): at Cincinnati Bengals
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio


 * Game time: 8:00 pm EST
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 60,064
 * Referee: Tom Dooley
 * TV announcers: (ESPN) Mike Patrick (play by play), Joe Theismann (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Cincinnati – Woods 5 run (Breech kick)
 * Cincinnati – FG Breech 21
 * Cincinnati – Taylor 1 run (Breech kick)
 * CIncinnati – Bussey 70 fumble return (Breech kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 31
 * Cincinnati – FG Breech 33

Week 12 (Sunday November 25, 1990): at New York Jets
at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey


 * Game time: 4:00 pm EST
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 57,806
 * Referee: Bob McElwee
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Marv Albert (play by play), Paul Maguire (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * New York Jets – Moore 53 pass from O'Brien (Leahy kick)
 * Pittsburgh – W. Williams 5 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 33
 * Pittsburgh – Hoge 1 run (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Lipps 3 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)

Week 13 (Sunday December 2, 1990): vs. Cincinnati Bengals
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time: 1:00 pm EST
 * Game weather: 45 F (Mostly Cloudy)
 * Game attendance: 58,200
 * Referee: Jerry Markbreit
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Don Criqui (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 32
 * Cincinnati – Brown 50 pass from Esiason (Breech kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 36
 * Cincinnati – Safety, Francis tackled Brister in end zone
 * Cincinnati – Brooks 7 run (Breech kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 29
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 48

Week 14 (Sunday December 9, 1990): vs. New England Patriots
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time: 1:00 pm EST
 * Game weather: 43 F (Partly Cloudy)
 * Game attendance: 48,354
 * Referee: Dale Hamer
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Tom Hammond (play by play), Joe Namath (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 42
 * Pittsburgh – Hoge 8 run (Anderson kick)
 * New England – FG Staurovsky 49
 * Pittsburgh – Green 14 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Hoge 41 run (Anderson kick)

Week 15 (Sunday December 16, 1990): at New Orleans Saints
at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana


 * Game time: 1:00 pm EST
 * Game weather: Dome
 * Game attendance: 68,582
 * Referee: Howard Roe
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Marv Albert (play by play), Paul Maguire (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 29
 * New Orleans – FG Andersen 50
 * New Orleans – FG Andersen 43
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 42
 * Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 43

Week 16 (Sunday December 23, 1990): vs. Cleveland Browns
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time: 1:00 pm EST
 * Game weather: 36 F (Fog)
 * Game attendance: 51,665
 * Referee: Johnny Grier
 * TV announcers: (NBC) Joel Meyers (play by play), Ahmad Rashad (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – Mularkey 20 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Calloway 20 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Mularkey 2 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Hoge 20 pass from Brister (Anderson kick)
 * Pittsburgh – W. Williams 1 run (Anderson kick)

Week 17 (Sunday December 30, 1990): at Houston Oilers
at Astrodome, Houston, Texas


 * Game time: 8:00 pm EST
 * Game weather: Dome
 * Game attendance: 56,906
 * Referee: Gerald Austin
 * TV announcers: (ESPN) Mike Patrick (play by play), Joe Theismann (color commentator)

Scoring drives:


 * Houston – White 1 run (Garcia kick)
 * Houston – Givins 14 pass from Carlson (Garcia kick)
 * Houston – Hill 3 pass from Carlson (Garcia kick)
 * Houston – FG Garcia 47
 * Pittsburgh – Hoge 4 run (Anderson kick)
 * Houston – Jeffires 53 pass from Carlson (Garcia kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Hoge 3 run (Anderson kick)
 * Houston – FG Garcia 45