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Roy Gerela's ribs were hurting, Cliff Harris was mouthing off, and Jack Lambert had seen enough.
The first half of Super Bowl X was not kind to Gerela, the Steelers kicker. After Dallas ran a reverse on the opening kickoff, Gerela found himself as the last Steeler that could stop Thomas Henderson from recording the first kickoff return for a touchdown in Super Bowl history. Gerela made the tackle, but paid for it by suffering badly bruised ribs that would affect his kicking for the remainder of the game.
With the score 10-7 Dallas, Gerela missed his second field goal of the day with 9:29 left in the third quarter. Cowboys defensive back Cliff Harris, who had begun his verbal tirade earlier in the week when he advised a concussed Swann to not play in the game, patted Gerela on the head and continued with his trash talk.
As Gerela tried to free himself from Harris, Jack Lambert came to his kicker's aid. The second year linebacker grabbed Harris and threw him to the ground.
Immediately, Harris began to play the victim, and lobbied for the official to throw Lambert out. After convincing the official to let him remain in the game, Lambert, in NFL Films broadcaster John Facandae's words used the altercation to "psyche himself into an even higher level of rage. With Joe Greene injured, Lambert became the symbol of Steeler muscle, shifting and rooting through blockers until he found the ball-carrier, which Lambert found 14 times in Super Bowl X."
After having success against Pittsburgh's defense earlier in the game, Pittsburgh stonewalled Dallas' offense to the tune of four punts and an interception in its next five possessions. The Steelers scored 14 consecutive points during that span to take a 21-10 lead in their eventual 21-17 win. Along with Lambert's heroics, L.C. Greenwood and Dwight White collaborated for six of the Steelers' then-Super Bowl record seven sacks of Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach, with the former setting a Super Bowl record with four sacks that still stands.
After the game, Lambert was asked about his scuffle with Harris, saying "We're the Pittsburgh Steelers. We're supposed to be the intimidators." While already feared, Lambert's throw down and the Steelers performance following only added to Lambert's and the Steel Curtain's mystique as the greatest unit of all-time.
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