Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Diego Chargers, 1968

Pittsburgh Steelers

Vs.

San Diego Chargers

August 17, 1968

Steelers Top Diego, 36-33

SAN DIEGO- In a game in which defense was almost utterly lacking, it was oddly enough, a big defensive play that made the difference Saturday night at San Diego Stadium.

With 1:03 to play and the score tied, 33-33, Pittsburgh linebacker Ray Hay intercepted a pass by John Hadl and returned the ball 33 yards to the San Diego 12. On fourth and eight with 21 seconds left. Bill Shockley kicked a 17-yard field goal and the Steelers won it, 36-33.

Only a minute or so earlier, San Diego linebacker Chuck Allen had picked off a pass in his end zone and ran it out to the 17, apparently clinching at least a tie for the Chargers. Hadl passed to his 38 for first down but, on the next play, Hay made his big interception-the first by the Steelers all night

The Chargers made 450 yards and the Steelers 431. Neither team had to punt in the first half.

The Chargers, beaten last year by three NFL clubs (including Pittsburgh), are 1-1 against NFL opposition this summer. They defeated San Francisco, 30-28, two weeks ago. Next Saturday they play Los Angeles. Unless their defense is a lot better than it was Saturday night, they could give up 50 points again.

The Chargers, down 10-0 in the first quarter and 23-13 at the half, scored twice in the first 5 1/2 minutes of the third period and went ahead, 26-23.

But quarterback Kent Xix brought the Steelers right back, moving than 65 yards in a half dozen plays, one of them a 38-yard pass to flanker Roy Jefferson. Nix finally scored on a one-yard keeper, passed to Bill Asbury for the extra point and it was 30-28, Pittsburgh.

But three Hadl passes- a 25-yarder to Lance Alworth, a 24-yarder to Jacque MacKinnon and finally a 14-yarder to Gary Garrison- put the Chargers back in front, 32-30. Hadl then passed to MacKinnon for the conversion.

But Charger return man Leslie Duncan fumbled Pittsburgh's second punt a little later, setting up a tying field goal by Shockley.

In this game, as in all interleague matches this summer, extra points had to be made by running or passing from the 2. The Chargers made three of five conversion attempts and the Steelers three of four.

There were some impressive individual statistics. Jefferson of the Steelers caught six pisses for 134 yards. On the other side, Garrison caught eight for 164 yards and Alworth seven for 135.

Between them, Nix and Hadl passed 70 times. Nix completed 20 of 38 for 289 yards and three touchdowns. Hadl 22 of 32 for 388 yards and two touchdowns. It was, all in all, a great defenseless battle.