NFL playoffs , 1978 - 79 The NFL playoffs following the 1978 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIII . This was the first year that the playoffs expanded to a ten - team format , adding a second wild card team ( a fifth seed ) from each conference . The two wild card teams from each conference ( the 4 and 5 seeds ) would play each other in the first round , called the " Wild Card Playoffs . " The division winners ( seeds 1 , 2 , and 3 ) automatically advanced to the Divisional Playoffs , which became the second round of the playoffs . However , the league continued to prohibit meetings between two teams from the same division in the Divisional Playoffs . Thus , there would be times when the pairing in that round would be the 1 seed vs . the 3 seed and 2 vs . 4 . " Note : As per the rules of the NFL playoffs prior to the 1990 season ( notwithstanding the strike - shortened 1982 season ) , the Pittsburgh Steelers ( the AFC 1 seed ) did not play the Houston Oilers ( the 5 seed ) , nor did the Los Angeles Rams ( the NFC 1 seed ) play the Atlanta Falcons ( the 4 seed ) , in the Divisional playoff round because those teams were in the same division . " Wild Card playoffs . December 24 , 1978 . AFC : Houston Oilers 17 , Miami Dolphins 9 . Quarterback Dan Pastorini led the Oilers to an upset victory by passing for 306 yards . The Dolphins scored first after Earnie Rhone recovered a fumbled punt at the Houston 21 - yard line , setting up quarterback Bob Griese ' s 13 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Andre Tillman . However , the Oilers responded with a 71 - yard drive that was capped with Pastorini ' s 13 - yard touchdown pass to running back Tim Wilson . Neither team scored again until the fourth quarter when Toni Fritsch made a 35 - yard field goal . Then , linebacker Gregg Bingham intercepted Griese on Miami ' s next drive to set up running back Earl Campbell ' s 1 - yard rushing touchdown . The Dolphins closed out the scoring , but only when Pastorini ran out of the end zone for an intentional safety to run out the clock . NFC : Atlanta Falcons 14 , Philadelphia Eagles 13 . The Falcons won their first playoff game in team history after they overcame a 13 - 0 deficit by scoring 2 touchdowns in the final 5 minutes of the game . In the first quarter , Philadelphia ' s Cleveland Franklin recovered a fumble on a punt return , setting up wide receiver Harold Carmichael ' s 13 - yard touchdown reception . However , kicker Mike Michel missed the ensuing extra point , which would later prove to be costly . Neither team would score again until the third quarter when the Eagles would drive 60 yards to running back Wilbert Montgomery ' s 1 - yard rushing touchdown . But late in the fourth period , Falcons quarterback Steve Bartkowski completed 4 of 6 passes for 88 yards , as Atlanta came back to score on tight end Jim Mitchell ' s 20 - yard touchdown reception . Then on the Falcons next drive , Bartkowski threw a 37 - yard touchdown pass to Wallace Francis with 1 : 39 left in the game . The Eagles had one last shot to win the game as they reached the Atlanta 16 - yard line with 13 seconds remaining , but Michel missed a 34 - yard field goal attempt . Divisional playoffs . December 30 , 1978 . AFC : Pittsburgh Steelers 33 , Denver Broncos 10 . The Steelers dominated the Broncos by gaining 425 yards of total offense . After Denver scored first on a field goal , Pittsburgh responded by driving 66 yards in 8 plays to score on running back Franco Harris ' 1 - yard touchdown run . Then on the Steelers ' next drive , Harris ran 18 yards to the end zone for his second touchdown . Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter , a 45 - yarder to wide receiver John Stallworth and a 38 - yard one to wide receiver Lynn Swann . Bradshaw completed 16 of 29 passes for 272 yards and 2 touchdowns , Stallworth had 10 receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown , and Harris rushed for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns . NFC : Dallas Cowboys 27 , Atlanta Falcons 20 . Dallas ' " Doomsday Defense " limited Atlanta quarterback Steve Bartkowski to only 8 completions in 23 attempts and intercepted him 3 times en route to victory . After the Falcons led 20 - 13 at halftime , the Cowboys scored 14 unanswered points in the second half . Atlanta scored on their first four possessions with a 14 - yard rushing touchdown by running back Bubba Bean , a 17 - yard touchdown pass from Bartkowski to Wallace Francis , and two field goals . Dallas countered with a 13 - yard touchdown run by Scott Laidlaw and two field goals of their own . In the second half , Cowboys starting quarterback Roger Staubach was knocked out of the game with a concussion after being hit on a blitz by Falcons linebacker Robert Pennywell . Backup Danny White then led Dallas on a 54 - yard drive that ended with tight end Jackie Smith ' s 2 - yard touchdown reception to tie the game 20 - 20 . In the fourth quarter , Laidlaw scored on a 1 - yard touchdown run that was set up after a bad Falcons punt enabled Dallas to take over the ball at the Atlanta 30 - yard line . December 31 , 1978 . AFC : Houston Oilers 31 , New England Patriots 14 . Quarterback Dan Pastorini led the Oilers to a victory by throwing for 200 yards and three touchdowns , while running back Earl Campbell rushed for 118 yards and a score . Houston jumped to a 21 - 0 halftime advantage as Pastorini threw a 71 - yard touchdown to wide receiver Ken Burrough , a 19 - yarder to tight end Mike Barber , and a 13 - yarder to Barber . After Burrough ' s score gave the Oilers a 7 - 0 lead , the Patriots marched deep into Houston territory , but safety Mike Reinfeldt intercepted a pass at the 1 - yard line , and then the Oilers marched 99 yards to score on Barber ' s first touchdown . Another Reinfeldt interception set up Barber ' s second score . New England scored two touchdowns in the second half to cut the lead 24 - 14 , but an interception by linebacker Gregg Bingham set up Campbell ' s 2 - yard rushing touchdown to close out the scoring . Patriots tight end Russ Francis caught 8 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown . NFC : Los Angeles Rams 34 , Minnesota Vikings 10 . After the game was tied 10 - 10 at halftime , the Rams dominated the second half by scoring 24 unanswered points . After the Vikings opened up the scoring with a field goal , Los Angeles marched 59 yards to score on quarterback Pat Haden ' s 9 - yard touchdown pass to Willie Miller . However , Minnesota tied the game 6 seconds before halftime when quarterback Fran Tarkenton threw a 1 - yard touchdown to Ahmad Rashad . From that point on , the Rams controlled the rest of the game . After Cullen Bryant gave Los Angeles the lead midway through the third period with a 3 - yard touchdown , Haden threw a 27 - yard touchdown to Ron Jessie . Meanwhile , the Vikings offense could only manage 58 yards of offense during the second half in what turned out to be Tarkenton ' s last game of a Hall of Fame career . Conference championships . January 7 , 1979 . AFC Championship : Pittsburgh Steelers 34 , Houston Oilers 5 . On a wet , slick , and slippery field , the Steelers dominated the Oilers by forcing 9 turnovers and only allowing 5 points . Pittsburgh took the early lead by driving 57 yards to score on running back Franco Harris ' 7 - yard touchdown run . Then , linebacker Jack Ham recovered a fumble at the Houston 17 - yard line , which led to running back Rocky Bleier ' s 15 - yard rushing touchdown . In the second quarter , a 19 - yard field goal by Oilers kicker Toni Fritsch cut the score 14 - 3 , but then the Steelers scored 17 points during the last 48 seconds of the second quarter . First , Houston running back Ronnie Coleman lost a fumble , and moments later Pittsburgh wide receiver Lynn Swann caught a 29 - yard touchdown reception . Then Johnnie Dirden fumbled the ensuing kickoff , which led to Steelers wide receiver John Stallworth ' s 17 - yard reception . After the Oilers got the ball back , Coleman fumbled again , and Roy Gerela kicked a field goal to increase Pittsburgh ' s lead , 31 - 3 . Houston would never pose a threat for the remainder of the game as they turned over the ball 4 times in their 6 second - half possessions . NFC Championship : Dallas Cowboys 28 , Los Angeles Rams 0 . After a scoreless defensive struggle in the first half ( Ram kicker Frank Corral missed two field goals ) , the Cowboys forced 5 second half turnovers that led to 28 points . With 1 : 52 left in the third quarter , Dallas safety Charlie Waters intercepted a pass and returned it to the Los Angeles 10 - yard line . Five plays later , running back Tony Dorsett , who finished the game with 101 rushing yards , scored on a 5 - yard touchdown run to give the Cowboys a 7 - 0 lead . Waters then recorded another interception on the Rams next drive , setting up quarterback Roger Staubach ' s 4 - yard touchdown pass to Scott Laidlaw with 58 seconds into the final period . On Waters ' second interception , Pat Haden ' s throwing hand hit Randy White ' s helmet , breaking his thumb and knocking him out of the game . On the Rams ' next drive , Vince Ferragamo , Haden ' s replacement , hit Willie Miller on a 65 - yard pass to the 10 - yard line , but on first and goal Cullen Bryant fumbled , and Cowboys defensive end Harvey Martin recovered at the 11 - yard line . Dallas then marched 89 yards , featuring a 53 yard run on first down by Tony Dorsett to score on Billy Joe Dupree ' s 11 - yard touchdown catch . The Cowboys closed out the scoring with 1 : 19 left in the game when linebacker Thomas Henderson intercepted a Ferragamo pass and returned it 68 - yards for the final touchdown .