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Six-Pack for the Steelers

Posted by pblackwell | 02/01/09

Remember those days when everyone complained about boring, lopsided Super Bowls, about how the commercials, halftime show, parties, anything BUT the game proved more interesting?
Well, stop thinking that way. Of the last X Roman numeral games, V of them have gone to the wire, and edition no. XLIII between Pittsburgh and Arizona was as good as any of them - and you even had Bruuuuuce at halftime!
For a long time, it looked like that 10 or 14-point swing at the end of the first half, from the Cardinal goal line to Steeler James Harrison returning an INT 100 yards for at touchdown, would be the difference. It was 20-7, but hardly inspiring stuff since (1) the Cardinals were giving it away with penalties and (2) the Steelers gave it back by not capitalizing on those flags.
Then the fourth quarter, where substandard turned to sublime.
Kurt Warner got hot, Larry Fitzgerald showed up and it all turned around, fast. A short TD pass, a safety for holding in the end zone, then that 64-yard catch-and-run to Fitzgerald with 2:37 left. Admit it, when Arizona went up 23-20, most folks, even some Steeler partisans, had to think that destinty was smiling on the denizens of the desert (how's that for corny?)
But Ben Roethlisberger, so bad three years ago in Detroit, saved his best for the very end. He found Santonio Holmes four times amid a 78-yard march, the big one a 40-yarder with less than a minute left. Just like that, Pittsburgh went from thinking "field goal and tie" to "win it".
Big Ben, doing his best Montana-Elway-Brady-Eli impersonation, made a perfect throw that only Holmes could catch - by dragging those two toes just inside the white paint with 35 seconds left.
Of course Arizona had time, and they got inside Steeler territory before Lamar Woodley jarred it loose from Warner with five ticks left. Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23, all right, America, time to exhale.
Only they're not going to sleep anytime soon in Pittsburgh. With six Super Bowl titles, they stand alone in the modern era, and Mike Tomlin put it well - the Steelers had to play 60 minutes a lot this season to pull out wins. Only fitting that Pittsburgh had to do it again.
Arizona has absolutely nothing to be sad about. They proved they belonged on the biggest stage and for much of the fourth quarter lay waste to the NFL's best defense. Such an effort would win most Super Bowls.
Yet the Steelers reign again, and you get the sense that they are REALLY looking forward to that trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Before the game, Mr. President said the Steelers would win a close one. Further proof that we actually have a smart guy in the White House...

CATEGORY: Football (American)

TAGS: Super Bowl, Steelers, Cardinals

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