February 02, 2009

A LAST-minute rally gave Pittsburgh Steelers an unprecedented sixth Super Bowl crown, but not before they squandered a 13-point lead over Arizona and nearly suffered a shocking upset.

Santonio Holmes caught a seven-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds remaining to give the Steelers a 27-23 victory and extend the Cardinals' 61-season title drought, the second-longest active futility streak in American sport.

Holmes's dramatic catch, tapping down his toes in the back right corner of the end zone as he hauled in a Ben Roethlisberger pass, set Pittsburgh above all others in Super Bowl history and brought him Most Valuable Player honours.

"I stepped in the huddle and told them this is where we stand on the podium and become world champions," Holmes said. "I dared the team. I told Ben I want to be the guy to win the game, just give me the ball and I will do it for you."

Pittsburgh won previous Super Bowl titles in 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980 and 2006 and moved the Steelers past five-time champions San Francisco and Dallas.

Holmes made nine catches for 131 yards and hauled in four on the eight-play, 75-yard drive for the game-winning touchdown, which withstood a video review to see if Aaron Francisco might have knocked him out of bounds before the catch.

"I knew it was a touchdown 100 per cent. My feet never left the ground," said Holmes. "I stood up on my toes and extended my hands. Everything just flowed right together."

The Cardinals, who won their only National Football League crown in 1947, came up short despite Larry Fitzgerald catching two touchdown passes from Kurt Warner in the fourth quarter to put Arizona ahead 23-20 with 2:37 remaining.

"Being so close after that touchdown and having it snatched away, it hurts," Fitzgerald said. "It was like getting a chair pulled out from under you. I just feel empty right now."

Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the second quarter to give the Steelers a 17-7 half-time lead on what was the longest play in Super Bowl history.

"I was tired as a dog," Harrison said. "It was a quarter-tank, but I ended up making it. It was about will and determination."

Momentum turned on the play, which came with Arizona on the Steelers' 2-yard line with 18 seconds to go in the first half. Harrison, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, evaded three tackle attempts to reach the end zone.

"I couldn't see him," Warner said of the pivotal pick-off. "He jumped out there and made a great play."

After Jeff Reed's 21-yard field goal boosted Pittsburgh's lead, Arizona attempted the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history by scoring the next 16 points, with Fitzgerald baffling the NFL's top-ranked defence.

Fitzgerald leaped over defender Ike Taylor for a one-yard touchdown grab with 7:33 remaining to pull the Cardinals within 20-14.

"We've shown some character over the last month to stay in there and fight," Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "I was very proud of our team for that."

Arizona trimmed the deficit on a two-point safety when Pittsburgh centre Justin Hartwig was whistled for a holding penalty in the end zone.

Moments later, Fitzgerald cut to his left, pulled in a pass from Warner at midfield and outraced the Steeler defence to the end zone for a 64-yard touchdown pass that gave Arizona a 23-20 edge with 2:37 remaining.

"It was a shot to the heart," Steeler defender Troy Polamalu said.

But that only set the stage for Holmes's game-deciding heroics.

"I was thinking they were going to score. I just wanted them to score quickly," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "Steeler football is 60 minutes."

Tomlin, the youngest coach in Super Bowl history at age 36, became only the second black coach to win the title game, following Tony Dungy of Indianapolis in 2007.

"I'm not concerned about personal milestones," Tomlin said. "I'm concerned about adding to the Steelers legacy."

Warner, honoured for humanitarian work as NFL Man of the Year before the game, was not done trying to rescue the Cardinals, driving them to the Steelers' 44-yard line with 15 seconds remaining.

But LaMarr Woodley knocked the ball from Warner's grasp and Pittsburgh's Brett Keisel fell on the fumble to give the Steelers the victory.

It was the first Super Bowl title for Steelers punter Mitch Berger of Canada and Tongan offensive left guard Chris Kemoeatu.

"It's always great to come in and represent, not only for Steeler nation but for our families," Kemoeatu said. "Some of us come from a long ways away."