1961 Pittsburgh Steelers season

1961 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Owner	Art Rooney
Head coach	Buddy Parker
Home field	Forbes Field
Results
Record	6–8
Division place	5th NFL Eastern
Playoff finish	Did not qualify

The 1961 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 29th in the National Football League.

Roster

1961 Pittsburgh Steelers roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 22 Bobby Layne 18 Terry Nofsinger Running backs (RB) 35 John Henry Johnson FB Wide receivers (WR) 23 Red Mack 84 Buddy Dial FL 87 Harlon Hill Tight ends (TE) 40 Preston Carpenter

Offensive linemen (OL) 71 Charlie Bradshaw RT 64 John Kapele 51 Buzz Nutter C Defensive linemen (DL) 74 George Demko 75 Joe Krupa DT 76 Big Daddy Lipscomb DE 70 Ernie Stautner DT

Linebackers (LB) 67 Bob Schmitz OLB 82 George Tarasovic Defensive backs (DB) 27 Dick Haley S 47 Jackie Simpson DB Special teams 79 Lou Michaels K

Rookies in italics 0 active, 0 reserve, 0 practice squad

Regular season

Schedule

Game	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap	Sources
1	September 17	at Dallas Cowboys	L 24–27	0–1
2	September 24	New York Giants	L 14–17	0–2
3	October 1	at Los Angeles Rams	L 14–24	0–3
4	October 8	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 16–21	0–4
5	October 15	Washington Redskins	W 20–0	1–4
6	October 22	Cleveland Browns	L 28–30	1–5
7	October 29	San Francisco 49ers	W 20–10	2–5
8	November 5	at Cleveland Browns	W 17–13	3–5
9	November 12	Dallas Cowboys	W 37–7	4–5
10	November 19	at New York Giants	L 21–42	4–6
11	November 26	St. Louis Cardinals	W 30–27	5–6
12	December 3	Philadelphia Eagles	L 24–35	5–7
13	December 10	at Washington Redskins	W 30–14	6–7
14	December 17	at St. Louis Cardinals	L 0–20	6–8
Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday September 17, 1961): Dallas Cowboys

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	14	0	10	24
Cowboys	7	3	7	10	27

at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 23,500
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Dallas – Clarke 44 pass from LeBaron (Green kick)
• Pittsburgh – Johnson 1 run (Layne kick)
• Pittsburgh – Dial 44 pass from Layne (Layne kick)
• Dallas – FG Green 15
• Dallas – Howton 45 pass from LeBaron (Green kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 12
• Pittsburgh – Sample 39 interception return (Layne kick)
• Dallas – Bieski 17 pass from Meredith (Green kick)
• Dallas – FG Green 27

Week 2 (Sunday September 24, 1961): New York Giants

	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	0	7	10	0	17
Steelers	7	0	7	0	14

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 35,587
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Johnson 1 run (Tracy kick)
• New York Giants – Shofner 16 pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)
• New York Giants – FG Summerall 19
• New York Giants – Morrison 5 pass from Tittle (Summerall kick)
• Pittsburgh – Dial 4 pass from Layne (Tracy kick)

Week 3 (Sunday October 1, 1961): Los Angeles Rams

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	14	0	0	14
Rams	7	7	0	10	24

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 40,070
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Los Angeles – Bratkowski 2 run (Villanueva kick)
• Pittsburgh – Dial 20 pass from Bukich (Layne kick)
• Pittsburgh – Johnson 5 run (Layne kick)
• Los Angeles – Phillips 15 pass from Ryan (Villanueva kick)
• Los Angeles – Matson 96 pass from Ryan (Villanueva kick)
• Los Angeles – FG Villanueva 15

Week 4 (Sunday October 8, 1961): Philadelphia Eagles

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	3	7	0	6	16
Eagles	0	7	7	7	21

at Franklin Field, Philadelphia

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 60,671
• Referee: George Rennix
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 23
• PIttsburgh – Bukich 1 run (Michaels kick)
• Philadelphia – Retzlaff 17 pass from Jurgensen (Walston kick)
• Philadelphia – Peaks 1 run (Walston kick)
• Pittsburgh – Dial 13 pass from Bukich (kick failed)
• Philadelphia – Retzlaff 2 pass from Jurgensen (Walston kick)

Week 5 (Sunday October 15, 1961): Washington Redskins

	1	2	3	4	Total
Redskins	0	0	0	0	0
Steelers	17	0	0	3	20

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 15,072
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Carpenter 8 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – Dial 23 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 13
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 36

Week 6 (Sunday October 22, 1961): Cleveland Browns

	1	2	3	4	Total
Browns	3	7	3	17	30
Steelers	0	0	14	14	28

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 29,266
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Cleveland – FG Groza 24
• Cleveland – Mitchell 6 run (Groza kick)
• Pittsburgh – Dial 12 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – Tracy 1 run (Michaels kick)
• Cleveland – FG Groza 36
• Cleveland – Mitchell 9 run (Groza kick)
• Pittsburgh – Tracy 1 run (Michaels kick)
• Cleveland – Mitchell 18 run (Groza kick)
• Cleveland – FG Groza 12
• Pittsburgh – Dial 88 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)

Week 7 (Sunday October 29, 1961): San Francisco 49ers

	1	2	3	4	Total
49ers	0	7	3	0	10
Steelers	17	0	3	0	20

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 21,686
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Johnson 30 run (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – Tracy 11 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 16
• San Francisco – Stickles 50 pass from Brodie (Davis kick)
• San Francisco – FG Davis 20
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 24

Week 8 (Sunday November 5, 1961): Cleveland Browns

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	0	10	7	17
Browns	7	0	3	3	13

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 62,723
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Cleveland – J. Brown 3 run
• Cleveland – FG Groza 27
• Pittsburgh – Bukich 1 run (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 10
• Cleveland – FG Groza 37
• Pittsburgh – Schnelker 26 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)

Week 9 (Sunday November 12, 1961): Dallas Cowboys

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	13	7	10	37
Cowboys	0	7	0	0	7

at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 17,519
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Johnson 1 run (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 28
• Dallas – Perkins 11 run (Green kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 19
• Pittsburgh – Dial 73 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – Butler 71 interception (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – Dial 15 pass from Bikich (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 47

Week 10 (Sunday November 19, 1961): New York Giants

	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	7	7	14	14	42
Steelers	7	0	0	14	21

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 62,592
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Dial 15 pass from Bukich (Michaels kick)
• New York Giants – Walton 9 pass from Tittle (Summerall kick)
• New York Giants – Gaiters 3 run (Summerall kick)
• New York Giants – Webster 23 pass from Tittle (Summerall kick)
• New York Giants – Rote 20 pass from Tittle (Summerall kick)
• New York Giants – Rote 9 pass from Gaiters (Summerall kick)
• Pittsburgh – Carpenter 13 pass from Hoak (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – Dial 3 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
• New York Giants – Webster 32 run (Summerall kick)

Week 11 (Sunday November 26, 1961): St. Louis Cardinals

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	13	0	0	14	27
Steelers	0	13	14	0	27

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 17,090
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• St. Louis – Norton 47 interception return (kick failed)
• St. Louis – Randle 3 pass from Etcheverry (Perry kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 18
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 36
• Pittsburgh – Schnelker 11 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – Sample 55 punt return (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – Johnson 2 run (Michaels kick)
• St. Louis – Crow 61 pass from Guglielmi (Conrad kick)
• St. Louis – Norton 37 interception return (Conrad kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 18

Week 12 (Sunday December 3, 1961): Philadelphia Eagles

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	14	7	7	7	35
Steelers	7	3	7	7	24

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 21,653
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Philadelphia – Walston 17 pass from Jurgensen (Walston kick)
• Philadelphia – Peaks 1 run (Walston kick)
• Pittsburgh – Carpenter 7 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 37
• Philadelphia – Lucas 7 pass from Jurgensen (Walston kick)
• Philadelphia – Brown 66 punt return (Walston kick)
• Pittsburgh – Johnson 7 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – Schnelker 8 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
• Philadelphia – Brown 42 run (Walston kick)

Week 13 (Sunday December 10, 1961): Washington Redskins

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	3	14	6	30
Redskins	0	7	0	7	14

at D.C. Stadium, Washington, D.C.

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 21,134
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Mack 10 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
• Washington – Dugan 9 pass from Snead (Aveni kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Michaels 42
• Pittsburgh – Carpenter 40 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
• Pittsburgh – Mack 6 pass from Layne (Michaels kick)
• Washington – Dugan 11 pass from Izo (Aveni kick)
• Pittsburgh – Dial 5 pass from Layne (kick failed)

Week 14 (Sunday December 17, 1961): St. Louis Cardinals

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	0	0	0	0
Cardinals	7	0	6	7	20

at Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 16,298
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• St. Louis – Randle 3 pass from Etcheverry (Perry kick)
• St. Louis – Stacy 25 fumble run (kick failed)
• St. Louis – Crow 15 pass from Etcheverry (Perry kick)

Standings

NFL Eastern Conference
	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
New York Giants	10	3	1	.769	9–2–1	368	220	T1
Philadelphia Eagles	10	4	0	.714	8–4	361	297	W1
Cleveland Browns	8	5	1	.615	8–3–1	319	270	T1
St. Louis Cardinals	7	7	0	.500	7–5	279	267	W3
Pittsburgh Steelers	6	8	0	.429	5–7	295	287	L1
Dallas Cowboys	4	9	1	.308	2–9–1	236	380	L4
Washington Redskins	1	12	1	.077	1–10–1	174	392	W1

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

NFL Western Conference
	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Green Bay Packers	11	3	0	.786	9–3	391	223	W1
Detroit Lions	8	5	1	.615	7–4–1	270	258	L1
Chicago Bears	8	6	0	.571	7–5	326	302	W2
Baltimore Colts	8	6	0	.571	6–6	302	307	W1
San Francisco 49ers	7	6	1	.538	6–5–1	346	272	L1
Los Angeles Rams	4	10	0	.286	3–9	263	333	L1
Minnesota Vikings	3	11	0	.214	3–9	285	407	L2

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.