Cornerback Larry Brown's two interceptions led to 14 second-half points and helped lift the Cowboys to their third Super Bowl victory in the last four seasons and their record-tying fifth title overall. Brown's interceptions foiled the comeback efforts of the Steelers, and earned him the Pete Rozelle Trophy as the game's most valuable player.
Dallas scored on each of its first three possessions, taking a 13-0 lead on Troy Aikman's 3-yard touchdown pass to Jay Novacek and a pair of field goals by Chris Boniol. Neil O'Donnell's 6-yard touchdown pass to Yancey Thigpen 13 seconds before halftime pulled Pittsburgh within 6 points, and the Steelers had the ball near midfield midway through the third quarter. But O'Donnell's third-down pass was intercepted by Brown at the Cowboys' 38-yard line, and his 44-yard return carried to Pittsburgh's 18.
After Aikman's 17-yard completion to Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith ran one yard for the touchdown that put Dallas ahead again by 13 points. The Steelers rallied, though, behind Norm Johnson's 46-yard field goal, a successful surprise onside kick, and Byron (Bam) Morris's 1-yard touchdown run with 6:36 to play in the game.
And when they forced a punt and took possession at their own 32-yard line trailing only 20-17 with 4:15 remaining, it appeared they might have a chance to break the NFC's recent domination in the Super Bowl. But on second down, Brown struck again, intercepting O'Donnell's pass at the 39 and returning it 33 yards to the six.
Two plays later, Smith barreled over from four yards out for the clinching touchdown with 3:43 to go. Pittsburgh limited the Cowboys' powerful running game to only 56 yards and enjoyed a whopping 201-61 advantage in total yards in the second half, but could not overcome the three interceptions (another came on the game's final play) thrown by O'Donnell, the NFL's career leader for fewest interceptions per pass attempt.
In all, O'Donnell completed 28 of 49 passes for 239 yards. Morris rushed for a game-high 73 yards on 19 carries. For Dallas, Aikman completed 15 of 23 pass attempts for 209 yards.
The Cowboys' victory was the twelfth in a row for NFC teams over AFC teams in the Super Bowl.
SCORING
Dallas
10 3 7 7 -- 27
Pittsburgh 0
7 0 10 -- 17
DAL- FG Boniol 42, 2:55 1st
DAL- Novacek 3 pass from Aikman (Boniol kick),
9:37 1st
DAL- FG Boniol 35, 8:57 2nd
PIT- Thigpen 6 pass from O'Donnell
(N. Johnson kick), 14:47 2nd
DAL- E. Smith 1 run (Boniol kick), 8:18 3rd
PIT- FG N. Johnson 46, 3:40 4th
PIT- Morris 1 run (N. Johnson kick), 8:24 4th
DAL- E. Smith 4 run (Boniol kick), 11:17 4th
TEAM STATISTICS
Dal. Pitt.
Total First Downs
15 25
Rushing
5
9
Passing
10 15
Penalty
0
1
Total Net Yardage
254 310
Total Offensive Plays
50 84
Avg. Gain per Offensive Play 5.1
3.7
Rushes
25 31
Yards Gained Rushing (Net) 56
103
Average Yards per Rush 2.2
3.3
Passes Attempted
23 49
Passes Completed
15 28
Had Intercepted
0
3
Tackled Attempting to Pass 2
4
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass 11
32
Yards Gained Passing (Net) 198
207
Punts
5
4
Average Distance
38.2 44.8
Punt Returns
1
2
Punt Return Yardage
11 18
Kickoff Returns
3
5
Kickoff Return Yardage 37
96
Interception Return Yardage 77
0
Fumbles
0
2
Own Fumbles Recovered
0
2
Opponent Fumbles Recovered 0
0
Penalties
4
2
Yards Penalized
25 15
Total Points Scored
27 17
Touchdowns
3
2
Rushing
2
1
Passing
1
1
Returns
0
0
Extra Points
3
2
Field Goals
2
1
Field Goals Attempted
2
1
Safeties
0
0
Third-Down Efficiency
2/10 9/19
Fourth-Down Efficiency
1/1 2/4
Time of Possession
26:11 33:49
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Dallas
No. Yds. LG
TD
E. Smith
18 49
23 2
Johnston
2 8
4 0
K. Williams
1 2
2 0
Aikman
4 -3
0 0
Pittsburgh
No. Yds. LG
TD
Morris
19 73
15 1
Pegram
6 15
4 0
Stewart
4 15
7 0
O'Donnell
1 0
0 0
J. Williams
1 0
0 0
Passing
Dallas
Att. Comp. Yds. TD Int.
Aikman
23 15 209
1 0
Pittsburgh Att.
Comp. Yds. TD Int.
O'Donnell 49
28 239 1
3
Receiving
Dallas
No. Yds. LG
TD
Irvin
5 76 20
0
Novacek
5 50 19
1
K. Williams
2 29 22
0
Sanders
1 47 47
0
Johnston
1 4
4 0
E. Smith
1 3
3 0
Pittsburgh
No. Yds. LG
TD
Hastings
10 98
19 0
Mills
8 78 17
0
Thigpen
3 19
7 1
Morris
3 18 10
0
Holliday
2 19 10
0
J. Williams
2 7
5 0
Interceptions
Dallas
No. Yds. LG
TD
Brown
2 77 44
0
Marion
1 0
0 0
Pittsburgh
No. Yds. LG
TD
None
-- --
-- --
Punting
Dallas
No. Avg. LG
Blk.
Jett
5 38.2 51
0
Pittsburgh
No. Avg. LG
Blk.
Stark
4 44.8 55
0
Punt Returns
Dallas
No. FC Yds. LG TD
Sanders
1 0 11
11 0
Pittsburgh
No. FC Yds. LG TD
Hastings
2 0 18
11 0
Kickoff Returns
Dallas
No. Yds. LG
TD
K. Williams
2 24 18
0
Marion
1 13 13
0
Pittsburgh
No. Yds. LG
TD
Mills
4 79 22
0
McAfee
1 17 17
0
Dallas Cowboys Pittsburgh
Steelers
== Offense ==
Kennard, Derek C Dawson, Dermontti
C
Allen, Larry G Newberry,
Tom G
Newton, Nate G Stai,
Brenden G
Tuinei, Mark T Jackson,
John T
Williams, Erik T Searcy, Leon
T
Novacek, Jay TE Bruener, Mark
TE
Irvin, Michael WR Mills, Ernie
WR
Williams, Kevin WR Thigpen, Yancey
WR
Smith, Emmitt RB Pegram, Erric
RB
Johnston, Daryl FB Williams, John L.
RB
Aikman, Troy QB O'Donnell, Neil
QB
== Defense ==
Lett, Leon DT
Steed, Joel
NT
Maryland, Russell DT Buckner, Brentson
DE
Haley, Charles DE Seals, Ray
DE
Tolbert, Tony DE Greene, Kevin
OLB
Edwards, Dixon OLB Lloyd, Greg
OLB
Smith, Darrin OLB Brown, Chad
ILB
Jones, Robert MLB Kirkland, Levon
ILB
Brown, Larry CB Lake, Carnell
CB
Sanders, Deion CB Williams, Willie
CB
Marion, Brock FS Perry, Darren
FS
Woodson, Darren SS Bell, Myron
SS
== Substitute ==
Bailey, Robert
Figures, Deon
Bates, Bill
Flowers, Lethon
Bjornson, Eric
Fuller, Randy
Boniol, Chris
Gammon, Kendall
Brice, Alundis
Gildon, Jason
Briggs, Greg
Hastings, Andre
Carver, Shante
Hayes, Jonathan
Case, Scott
Henry, Kevin
Davis, Billy
Holliday, Corey
Fleming, Cory
Johnson, Norm
Hellestrae, Dale
Johnson, Bill
Hennings, Chad
Jones, Donta
Jett, John
Lester, Tim
Lang, David
McAfee, Fred
McCormack, Hurvin
Morris, Bam
Myles, Godfrey
Oldham, Chris
Schwantz, Jim
Olsavsky, Jerry
Stone, Ron
Parrish, James
Watkins, Kendell
Stark, Rohn
Williams, Charlie
Stewart, Kordell
Strzelczyk, Justin
Woodson, Rod
== Did Not Play ==
Hegamin, George
Tomczak, Mike
Williams, Sherman
Wilson, Wade