Editing Super Bowl IX (section)

===First quarter===
The first quarter of the game was completely dominated by both teams' defenses. After both teams punted on their opening possessions, the Steelers started their second possession on their own 42-yard line. After a false start penalty on Pittsburgh offensive tackle [[Gordon Gravelle]] pushed the team back to their own 37, they advanced into Minnesota territory on an 18-yard run by running back [[Rocky Bleier]]. Two plays later, however, a 10-yard clipping penalty on Pittsburgh pushed the team back to their own 44-yard line, but they got those yards back with a 12-yard pass by quarterback [[Terry Bradshaw]] to wide receiver [[Frank Lewis (American football)|Frank Lewis]] to bring up 3rd-and-9. On the next play, however, defensive tackle [[Alan Page]] sacked Bradshaw for a 7-yard loss, forcing Pittsburgh to punt the ball back to Minnesota. After forcing the Vikings to punt again, this time from their own end zone, the Steelers started their next possession at the Minnesota 44. On 3rd-and-7, Bradshaw completed a 15-yard pass to tight end [[Larry Brown (tight end, born 1949)|Larry Brown]] to put Pittsburgh in scoring position. The drive stalled at the Vikings' 21-yard line, so kicker [[Roy Gerela]] attempted to kick a 37-yard field goal, but he missed it wide left. After another Minnesota punt, which put Pittsburgh on their own 47, the Steelers drove to the Vikings' 16-yard line, aided by a 14-yard run by running back [[Franco Harris]] and an 11-yard run by Bradshaw, but during Gerela's second field goal attempt, a 33-yarder, holder/punter [[Bobby Walden]] fumbled the snap and attempted to run the ball himself before getting tackled by linebacker [[Jeff Siemon]], turning the ball back over to the Vikings and keeping the game scoreless.

In the first quarter, the Vikings were limited to 20 passing yards, no rushing yards, and one first down which occurred on their opening play with a [[Fran Tarkenton]] 16-yard completion to [[John Gilliam]]. The Steelers did slightly better with 18 passing yards, 61 rushing yards, and four first downs.