Some internet polls suggested that Barack Obama’s inauguration would be far more interesting than Super Bowl XLIII. Though Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.’s little slip up with the inaugural oath was quite amusing (at least Barack thought so), nothing can compare to the history-making game. Indeed, no one could’ve predicted the intensity and suspense of this all-out battle between the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers.
The action began with a ceremony that included Faith Hill singing “America The Beautiful,” Jennifer Hudson performing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and a recognition to the crew of US Airways Flight 1549 (the plane that landed in the Hudson River). Even the coin toss became a ceremony with appearances by Roger Craig, John Elway, Lynn Swann, and General David Petraeus, who actually flipped the coin. The halftime show was equally commendable with a performance by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
After all the pre-game antics, the Steelers received the opening kickoff, and the game was underway. Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisburger lead his team 71 yards down the field with the help of receiver Hines Ward and tight end Heath Miller. This ultimately led to the Steelers taking a 3-point lead on a kicker Jeff Reed’s field goal. After Pittsburgh’s kickoff, they quickly shut down Arizona’s offense and forced the Cardinals to punt. The Steelers took the opportunity to put more points on the board when running back Gary Russell ran for a 1-yard touchdown. Midway through the second quarter, Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner found a rhythm and put the Cardinals on the board with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ben Patrick . With Pittsburgh ahead, 10-7, Warner tried to re-enact his first touchdown pass; instead, the pass was picked off by Steelers’ linebacker James Harrison, who returned the interception 100 years for a touchdown. Harrison’s run would be noted as the longest play in Super Bowl history. And with that, the first half came to a close with Pittsburgh firmly ahead, 17-7.
Though the locker room pep talk was probably intense, the Cardinals came out in the second half as discouraged as they had left the first. After a Pittsburgh field goal and some scoreless drives, Warner began to utilize the “no huddle” offense to confuse the Steelers’ defense. Just as all hope seemed lost for the Cardinals, Warner connected with receiver Larry Fitzgerald who caught the ball in the end zone for a touchdown, making the score 20-14, Pittsburgh. Soon after, the Cardinal’s capitalized on a holding penalty against Pittsburgh, which gave the Cardinal’s a safety and pulled the Cardinals within 4 points. When the Cardinals received the free kick, they took advantage. Warner threw a quick pass to Fitzgerald who took off for a 64-yard touchdown, and with only 2 minutes and 37 seconds left in the game, Fitzgerald’s touchdown gave Arizona the lead.
Roethlisburger, with the help of receivers Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington, lead his team 78 yards down field. On the Cardinal’s six yard line and with seconds left on the clock, Roethlisburger floated a pass into the corner of the end zone; Santonio Holmes gracefully caught the ball in the air and reached for the ground with his toes. As his toes grazed the inbound soil,I imagined Steelers fans across America leaping out of their seats in triumph.
The touchdown brought the score to 27-23, and an impenetrable Steelers defense stood firmly in the way of the Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers denied any advancement as the last 35 seconds of the game evaporated. They were now officially Super Bowl XLIII champions.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have now become the first franchise in NFL history to ever win six Super Bowls. This coupled with James Harrison’s record-breaking touchdown and the buzzer-beating victory made Super Bowl XLIII one of the most exciting matches of all time. And to think, I was just watching for the commercials.