Here is a run down. Dale
TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 1) -- Their Steel Curtain shredded, Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh offense ended a Super Bowl of incredible swings with a final-minute touchdown for a historic victory.
Super Bowl XLIII StorylinesMark J. Terrill, AP12 photos Ben Gets Stopped Short: Pittsburgh takes the opening kickoff and drives deep into Arizona territory. On a third-and-goal, Ben Roethlisberger appears to score a touchdown but, after a Cardinals challenge, the play is overturned. The Steelers wind up with a field goal and a 3-0 lead.(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)
Super Bowl XLIII
Ben Gets Stopped Short: Pittsburgh takes the opening kickoff and drives deep into Arizona territory. On a third-and-goal, Ben Roethlisberger appears to score a touchdown but, after a Cardinals challenge, the play is overturned. The Steelers wind up with a field goal and a 3-0 lead.
Gary Russell Finds the End Zone: Russell bumps the Pittsburgh lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter, plunging in from one yard out.
Cards Strike Back: Arizona quickly answers Russell's TD run, driving 83 yards in nine plays and capping that drive off with a Kurt Warner-to-Ben Patrick one-yard touchdown pass.
Harrison's Record-Breaking Interception: With Arizona setting up to take the lead before halftime. James Harrison swings the momentum back in Pittsburgh's favor. He intercepts a Kurt Warner pass and rumbles 100 yards for a touchdown on the longest play in Super Bowl history.
A Well-Deserved Rest: After outrunning the entire Arizona team, James Harrison sprawls out exhausted in the end zone, where he requires treatment from Pittsburgh's trainers before heading into the locker room with a 17-7 lead.
Padding the Lead: Steelers kicker Jeff Reed accounts for the only points of the third quarter with a short field goal that gave Pittsburgh a 20-7 lead.
Fitz's First Score Larry Fitzgerald finds no room to maneuver for three quarters, but Arizona's superstar gets on track early in the third. His leaping touchdown grab pulls Arizona within six with less than eight minutes left.
Arizona's Defense Makes a Play: The collective collar of Steeler Nation tightens even further with 2:58 to play, as a holding call on Pittsburgh results in a safety, making the score 20-16 and giving the Cards the ball back.
Larry Gets Loose Again: Arizona storms into a stunning lead late in the fourth quarter, with Larry Fitzgerald catching a pass over the middle and going 64 yards to pay dirt.
Santonio Saves the Day: Trailing for the first time all game, Pittsburgh drives the length of the field in the final moments. Ben Roethlisberger caps the heroic march with an incredible TD pass to Santonio Holmes, who keeps his feet inbounds, and locks up the MVP.
Santonio Holmes made a brilliant 6-yard catch deep in the right corner of the end zone with 35 seconds remaining Sunday night, lifting the Steelers to a record-setting sixth Super Bowl win, 27-23 over the Arizona Cardinals.
It was one of the most thrilling finishes to the NFL title game, certainly equaling last year's upset by the New York Giants that ended with Plaxico Burress' TD catch — with 35 seconds left, too.
But this one was even wilder.
The Steelers (15-4), winning their second Super Bowl in four seasons, led 20-7 in the fourth quarter, only to see Kurt Warner and the Cardinals stage a remarkable rally to go in front 23-20 with 2:37 remaining.
Warner hit All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald in stride for a 64-yard touchdown with 2:37 left. Already owning a slew of postseason receiving marks this year, Fitzgerald sped down the middle of the field, watching himself outrun the Steelers on the huge video screen.
Fitzgerald could only watch from the sideline as Roethlisberger engineered a 78-yard drive to win it in what resembled Heinz Field South. With waves of twirling Terrible Towels turning Raymond James Stadium into a black-and-gold tableau — Steelers fans supporting their beloved team, the economy be damned — Pittsburgh's offense rescued the title.
Holmes was selected the game's MVP.
"Great players step up in big-time games to make plays," Holmes said. "I kind of lost a little composure, you know, but I knew our defense would give us a chance to make it back."
Super Bowl Halftime Show PhotosReuters123 photos Bruce Springsteen performs during the halftime show of the NFL's Super Bowl XLIII football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Florida, February 1, 2009. REUTERS/Pierre Ducharme (UNITED STATES)(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)
Super Bowl Halftime Show
Bruce Springsteen performs during the halftime show of the NFL's Super Bowl XLIII football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Florida, February 1, 2009. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn (UNITED STATES)
The E Street Band performs during the halftime show of the NFL's Super Bowl XLIII football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Florida, February 1, 2009. REUTERS/Steve Nesius (UNITED STATES)
Fireworks explode as the E Street Band performs during the halftime show of the NFL's Super Bowl XLIII football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Florida, February 1, 2009. REUTERS/Scott Audette (UNITED STATES)
Bruce Springsteen (L) acknowledges E Street Band members, including Steven Van Zant (2nd L), Max Weinberg (2nd R) and Patti Scialfa during their halftime show performance at the NFL's Super Bowl XLIII football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Florida, February 1, 2009. REUTERS/Hans Deryk (UNITED STATES)
Fireworks explode as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform during the halftime show of the NFL's Super Bowl XLIII football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Florida, February 1, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Carlson (UNITED STATES)
Bruce Springsteen is surrounded by fans as he performs during the halftime show of the NFL's Super Bowl XLIII football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Florida, February 1, 2009. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES)
The stunning swings overshadowed James Harrison's record 100-yard interception return for a touchdown to end the first half. That looked like the signature play until the final quarter, when both teams shook off apparent knockout punches to throw haymakers of their own.
Big Ben and Holmes struck the last blow, and when Warner fumbled in the final seconds, the Cardinals' dream of winning their first NFL crown since 1947 were gone.
"I said it's now or never, I told the guys all the film study you put in doesn't matter unless you do it now," Roethlisberger said. "I'm really proud of the way they responded."
The Cardinals (12-8-1), playing in their first Super Bowl and first championship game of any kind since 1948, lost their composure after Harrison's heroics. They had three penalties to keep Pittsburgh's 79-yard drive going, a 16-play march that ended with Jeff Reed's 21-yard field goal for a 20-7 lead.
And they couldn't get Fitzgerald free until very late. But boy did he get free.
The All-Pro who already had set a postseason record for yards receiving and had five touchdowns in the playoffs was a nonentity until an 87-yard fourth-quarter drive he capped with a leaping 1-yard catch over Ike Taylor. He made four receptions on that series on which Warner hit all eight passes for all the yards.
And then he struck swiftly for the 64-yarder that put Arizona within minutes of a remarkable victory.
A victory that didn't happen because the Steelers are as resilient as they come.
Pittsburgh looked like the offensive juggernaut to open the game, smoothly driving 71 yards in eight plays. But the 72nd yard that would have given the Steelers a touchdown never came.
Super Bowl RingsNFL / WireImage.com42 photos The NFL pays for up to 150 Super Bowl rings at $5,000 per ring. Above is the Super Bowl XLII version presented to the N.Y. Giants after a 17-14 win over New England at University of Phoenix Stadium. Eli Manning was MVP. Click through to see all 42 rings.(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)
Super Bowl Rings
The NFL pays for up to 150 Super Bowl rings at $5,000 per ring. Above is the Super Bowl XLII version presented to the N.Y. Giants after a 17-14 win over New England at University of Phoenix Stadium. Eli Manning was MVP. Click through to see all 42 rings.
Super Bowl XLI: Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17 at Dolphins Stadium in Miami. Peyton Manning was MVP.
Super Bowl XL: Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10 at Ford Field in Detroit. Hines Ward was MVP.
Super Bowl XXXIX: New England 24, Philadelphia 21 at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville. Deion Branch was MVP.
Super Bowl XXXVIII: New England 32, Carolina 29 at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Tom Brady was MVP.
Super Bowl XXXVII: Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Dexter Jackson was MVP.
Super Bowl XXXVI: New England 20, St. Louis 17 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Tom Brady was MVP.
Super Bowl XXXV: Baltimore 34, N.Y. Giants 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Ray Lewis was MVP.
Super Bowl XXXIV: St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Kurt Warner was MVP.
Super Bowl XXXIII: Denver 34, Atlanta 19 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami. John Elway was MVP. It seemingly had when Roethlisberger's short run was ruled a TD. Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt challenged, and the score was overturned, leaving Tomlin his first difficult decision.
He took the points, Reed's 18-yard field goal, the shortest in a Super Bowl since 1976.
After forcing a punt, the Steelers kept the ball the remainder of the first quarter — 11:28 in all, outgaining Arizona 140-13, getting seven first downs to one for the Cardinals. As Warner and the usually potent Cardinals' offense watched, frustrated, from the sideline, Pittsburgh plowed it in on Gary Russell's 1-yard run to make it 10-0.
When Arizona finally got the ball back, it suddenly put the Steelers off-balance with short passes — and one huge play.
Warner had enough time to shine the NFL Man of the Year trophy he received just before kickoff, then hit Anquan Boldin streaking from left to right. He was upended at the Pittsburgh 1, and Warner's lob to Ben Patrick got Arizona on the board. It was the tight end's first touchdown this season.
Arizona's defense then emulated the Steel Curtain with a big play. Bryan Robinson tipped Roethlisberger's pass high into the air and Karlos Dansby corralled it at the Pittsburgh 34. The Cardinals got to the 1, then, perhaps jealous, the Steelers' D asserted itself — magnificently.
Harrison, the defensive player of the year, stepped in front of Boldin at the goal line, picked off Warner's throw and began a journey down the right sideline to the longest play in Super Bowl history.
Harrison ran past or through most of the Cardinals, nearly stepped out of bounds at one point, and was dragged down by Fitzgerald as he fell to the goal line. The play was reviewed as several Cardinals knelt on one knee, exhausted from the chase and disheartened by the result.
The previous longest play was Desmond Howard's 99-yard kickoff return for Green Bay in 1997.