Editing Immaculate Reception (section)

== Events of the play ==
[[File:Immaculate Reception diagram.png|thumb|300px|Diagram of the Immaculate Reception]]
Trailing Oakland 7–6, the Steelers faced fourth-and-10 on their own 40-yard line with 22 seconds remaining in the game and no [[Time-out (sport)|timeout]]s. Head coach [[Chuck Noll]] called a pass play, 66 Circle Option, intended for receiver [[Barry Pearson]],<ref name="sportingnews">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/threerivers/reception.html|title=The house that the 'Immaculate Reception' built|year=2000| work= [[Sporting News]]| url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060217135452/http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/threerivers/reception.html|archive-date=2006-02-17}}</ref> a rookie who was playing in his first NFL game.

Bradshaw (1 in diagram) dropped back and, under great pressure from Raiders linemen [[Tony Cline]] and [[Horace Jones (American football)|Horace Jones]], scrambled to his right and threw the ball from his 29-yard line to the Raiders' 34-yard line, toward Fuqua. Raiders safety Tatum collided with Fuqua just as the ball arrived (2). Tatum's hit knocked Fuqua to the ground and sent the ball sailing backward several yards, end over end.

Steelers [[fullback (gridiron football)|fullback]] [[Franco Harris]], after initially blocking on the play, had run downfield in case Bradshaw needed another eligible receiver. After Bradshaw threw the pass towards Fuqua, Harris recounted the advice of his college football coach [[Joe Paterno]], who always told his players, "Go to the ball."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://triblive.com/sports/steelers-greats-recall-the-immaculate-reception-as-it-turns-50/|title=Steelers greats recall The Immaculate Reception as it turns 50|work=[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]]|date=18 December 2022 }}</ref> Harris, in the vicinity of the deflected pass, scooped up the sailing ball at the Oakland 44-yard line, just before it hit the ground (3). Harris ran past Raiders linebacker [[Gerald Irons]], while linebacker [[Phil Villapiano]], who had been covering Harris, was blocked by Steelers [[tight end]] [[John McMakin]] (4). Harris used a [[Stiff-arm fend|stiff arm]] to ward off Raiders [[defensive back]] [[Jimmy Warren]] (5) and went in for a [[touchdown]]. The touchdown gave the Steelers a 13–7 lead when Gerela added the ensuing extra point.

{{Americanfootballbox
| titlestyle = {{Gridiron primary style|Pittsburgh Steelers|border=2|year=1972}};text-align:center;
| state = autocollapse
| title = 1972 AFC Divisional Round: Oakland Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers&mdash;Game Summary
| date = December 23
| time = 1:00 p.m. EST
| road = Raiders
| R1 = 0 | R2 = 0 | R3 = 0 | R4 = 7
| home = '''Steelers'''
| H1 = 0 | H2 = 0 | H3 = 3 | H4 = 10
| stadium = [[Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]
| attendance = 50,327
| weather = {{convert|42|F}}, Clear
| referee = [[Fred Swearingen]]
| TV = [[NFL on NBC|NBC]]
| TVAnnouncers = [[Curt Gowdy]] and [[Al DeRogatis]]
| reference = [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197212230pit.htm Boxscore] at pro-football-reference.com
| scoring =
;Third quarter
*PIT [[Roy Gerela]] 18 yard FG
;Fourth quarter
*PIT Gerela 29 yard FG
*OAK Stabler 30 yard run ([[George Blanda]] kick)
*PIT Harris 60 yard pass from Bradshaw (Gerela kick)
| stats = 
;Top passers
* OAK – [[Ken Stabler]] – 6/12, 57 YDS
* PIT – [[Terry Bradshaw]] – 11/25, 175 YDS, TD, INT
;Top rushers
* OAK – [[Charlie Smith (running back)|Charlie Smith]] – 14 CAR, 57 YDS
* PIT – [[Franco Harris]] – 18 CAR, 64 YDS
;Top receivers
* OAK – [[Raymond Chester]] – 3 REC, 40 YDS
* PIT – Franco Harris – 5 REC, 96 YDS, TD
}}