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Super Bowl XXX took place on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.
The final result was Dallas Cowboys 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 17.
Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown was named the Super Bowl MVP, catching two interceptions.
The game was televised on NBC, with commentators Dick Enberg, Phil Simms, and Paul Maguire.
The Game
The Cowboys entered the game trying to win their third Super Bowl in the last four years. The Steelers were making their first Super Bowl appearance in 16 years. The winner would tie the San Francisco 49ers with the most Super Bowl wins at 5.
Most of the first half was dominated by the Cowboys, who jumped to a 13-0 lead with two field goals and a 3-yard touchdown pass to Tight End Jay Novacek. But with 13 seconds left in the half, Steelers Quarterback Neil O'Donnell threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Yancey Thigpen that narrowed the score to 13-7.
The 3rd quarter began with each team forcing the other to punt. Afterwards, the Steelers advanced the ball to near midfield. But O'Donnell then threw an interception to Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown, who returned it to the Steelers' 18-yard line. Two plays later, Emmitt Smith ran for a 1-yard touchdown, increasing Dallas' lead 20-7.
The Steelers made a 44-yard field goal with 11:20 left in the game, cutting the score to 20-10. Then on the ensuing kickoff, they surprised the Cowboys by making a successful onside kick that eventually led to Byron (Bam) Morris's 1-yard touchdown run with 6:36 to play in the game.
With the Cowboys still leading 20-17, the Steelers were able to force a punt and take the ball at their own 32-yard line with 4:15 remaining. But O'Donnell's pass on second down was intercepted by Brown again, who returned it 33 yards to the Steelers' 6-yard line.
Two plays later, Smith scored another touchdown with 3:43 left in the game, increasing the Cowboys lead 27-17. The game ended with O'Donnell throwing his third interception.
The irony of the game was that O'Donnell entered the game as the NFL's career leader for fewest interceptions per pass attempt.
Scoring Summary
DAL- FG Boniol 42
DAL- Novacek 3 pass from Aikman (Boniol kick)
DAL- FG Boniol 35
PIT- Thigpen 6 pass from O'Donnell (N. Johnson kick)
DAL- E. Smith 1 run (Boniol kick)
PIT- FG N. Johnson 46
PIT- Morris 1 run (N. Johnson kick)
DAL- E. Smith 4 run (Boniol kick)
Playoffs
Wild-card round
12/30/1995: AFC: Buffalo Bills 37, Miami Dolphins 22
12/30/1995: NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 58, Detroit Lions 37
12/31/1995: AFC: Indianapolis Colts 35, San Diego Chargers 20
12/31/1995: NFC: Green Bay Packers 37, Atlanta Falcons 20
Byes: AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs; NFC: San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys
Divisional round
1/6/1996: AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 40, Buffalo Bills 21
1/6/1996: NFC: Green Bay Packers 27, San Francisco 49ers 17
1/7/1996: AFC: Indianapolis Colts 10, Kansas City Chiefs 7
1/7/1996: NFC: Dallas Cowboys 30, Philadelphia Eagles 11
Conference championships
1/14/1996: AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 20, Indianapolis Colts 16
1/14/1996: NFC: Dallas Cowboys 38, Green Bay Packers 27
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