Finally the Super Bowl, the championship round of the playoffs, was played at a neutral site, with the designated home team based on an annual rotation by conference.

In the third quarter, Payton ripped off an 84-yard run on his first carry, but it was called back by a phantom illegal motion penalty against receiver Brian Baschnagel.

With 7:31 left, Philly linebacker Jerry Robinson recovered a fumble from Bears receiver Dave Williams that set up Franklin's 34-yard field goal.

Chicago got one last change to score when linebacker Gary Campbell recovered a fumble from Eagles running back Wilbert Montgomery on the Philadelphia 28.

Oilers quarterback Dan Pastorini's 41-yard completion to running back Ron Coleman set up the game's first score on Toni Fritsch 31-yard field goal.

Denver then marched 80 yards in 13 plays to score on quarterback Craig Morton's 7-yard touchdown pass to running back Dave Preston.

Although Campbell, Pastorini, and receiver Ken Burrough all missed the second half with injuries, the Oilers defense continued to dominate.

In the fourth quarter, a 15-yard interception return to the Broncos 20-yard line by linebacker Gregg Bingham set up Fritsch's 20-yard field goal with 4:18 left in regulation.

Then on the Eagles next drive, running back Wilbert Montgomery lost a fumble that nose tackle Randy Crowder recovered on the Philadelphia 5-yard line.

But they still won the game, largely due to the effort of rookie safety Vernon Perry, who set a playoff record with 4 interceptions as the Oilers defeated the Chargers 17–14.

In his first career playoff game, Chargers future hall of fame quarterback Dan Fouts threw for 333 yards, but was intercepted 5 times.

Fouts completed a 34-yard pass to tight end Greg McCrary and a 17-yarder to John Jefferson before Clarence Williams' 1-yard rushing touchdown finished the drive.

On San Diego's next drive, Perry recorded another interception and lateralled the ball to safety Mike Reinfeldt, who gained 7 yards to the Chargers 38.

In the third period, Fouts connected with Charlie Joiner for 20 yards and hit tight end Bob Klein for 16, with a roughing the passer penalty turning it into a 31-yard gain.

On their second possession, the Steelers advanced another 62 yards in 9 plays, 36 of them on carries by Thornton, to score on wide receiver John Stallworth's 17-yard touchdown reception (although the extra point was blocked).

In the second quarter, the Dolphins moved the ball 63 yards to the Pittsburgh 6-yard line, but then lost it when a safety blitz by J. T. Thomas forced quarterback Bob Griese to throw a rushed pass that was intercepted by linebacker Dennis Winston.

Miami finally scored in the third quarter after defensive back Don Bessillieu recovered a punt that bounced into the leg of Pittsburgh blocker Dwayne Woodruff on the Steelers 11-yard line, leading to Griese's 7-yard touchdown pass to Duriel Harris.

The Cowboys started their next drive with great field position on their own 46-yard line after the free kick, but two plays later, quarterback Staubach's pass was intercepted by defensive back Eddie Brown and returned 21 yards to the Dallas 32.

Dallas struck back with Staubach completing a 17-yard pass to Drew Pearson and a 16-yarder to tight end Billy Joe Dupree, moving the ball close enough for Rafael Septién to kick a 33-yard field goal and cut the score to 7–5.

Cowboys DB Dennis Thurman gave his team an early second half scoring opportunity, intercepting Ferragamo on the Rams opening drive and returning the ball 18 yards to the Los Angeles 32-yard line.

After the turnover, Dallas scored on Staubach's 2-yard touchdown toss to tight end Jay Saldi, giving the team a 19–14 lead with 12:46 left in regulation.

Then Ferragamo connected with Billy Waddy for a 36-yard completion on the Cowboys 44, only to have a holding penalty two plays later push them back into their own territory and end punting again.

Although Dorsett rushed for 12 yards on the first play of the Cowboys' ensuing possession, Staubach was unable to engineer a late fourth-quarter comeback like the ones that made him famous throughout his career.

However, Rams defensive back Nolan Cromwell, who was the holder on special teams, ran 7 yards for a first down on a fake field goal play as time expired in the game.

This was the fifth postseason meeting between the Cowboys and Rams [not counting the final NFL Playoff Bowl in Miami in January 1970, at the end of the 1969 season], and second consecutive.

Then after the teams exchanged field goals, Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw completed two touchdown passes, a 16-yarder to tight end Bennie Cunningham and a 20-yard one to wide receiver John Stallworth.

During the game, two touchdowns were nullified by penalties, one by each team: a four-yard run by Bryant and a 27-yard reception by Buccaneers' tight end Jimmie Giles.

On their second drive of the game, LA drove to the Bucs 18-yard line, but Tyler lost a fumble due to a hit by Wally Chambers and linebacker Richard Wood recovered it.

On their next drive, they drove 68 yards, including a 35-yard completion from Vince Ferragamo to Preston Dennard, to the Buccaneers 1-yard line where Corral made a 19-yard field goal.

In the fourth quarter, Rams safety Eddie Brown's 16-yard punt return to midfield set up a 23-yard field goal from Corral for the final score of the game.