Steelers Win A Super Show
For the second year in a row, the Super Bowl came down to a game-winning touchdown in the final minute, as Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver Santonio Holmes caught a miraculous 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with 35 seconds left on the clock to defeat the upstart Arizona Cardinals.
If 35 seconds sounds familiar, that’s exactly how much time was left in Super Bowl XLII when New York Giants QB Eli Manning found Plaxico Burress for the game-winning score over New England, ruining the Patriots’ dream of a perfect season.
The Steelers 27-23 victory is the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl win – an NFL record. Previously, the Steelers won Super Bowls in 1975 (IX), 1976 (X), 1979 (XIII), 1980 (XIV) and 2005 (XL).
They also lost Super Bowl XXX to the Dallas Cowboys in 1996.
Prior to Holmes’ game-winning heroics, Arizona seemed poised to pull off the biggest comeback in the history of the game.
Trailing 20-7 in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals scored 16 unanswered points to storm ahead 23-20 with just over two minutes to go in the game.
But Roethlisberger, who struggled for much of the game, led the Steelers on a dramatic 78-yard drive to claim the title.
The highlight of the game – and what ultimately may have saved Pittsburgh’s bacon – occurred on the final play of the first half, when Steeler defensive lineman James Harrison stepped in front of a Kurt Warner pass and returned it 100 yards right when it appeared Arizona was in position to tie the game or take the lead.
Instead, Pittsburgh went into the lockerroom up 17-7 with a surge of momentum.
Harrison’s interception return was the longest play in Super Bowl history.
For his clutch performance on the final drive (he also caught a 40-yard pass to set up his winning touchdown), Santonio Holmes was named the game’s MVP, following Hines Ward and Lynn Swann as the third Pittsburgh wide receiver to capture the honor.
He’s also the first player not named Manning to win the MVP trophy since Ward won it three years ago.
Peyton Manning won the award for Indianapolis two years ago, followed last year by his younger brother Eli.
