Super Bowl 43
Feb. 1, 2009
At Tampa, Fla.-70,774
Pittsburgh .3.14..3..7-27
Arizona .0..7..0.16-23
Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers ended a game of incredible swings with a final-minute touchdown for a victory over the Cardinals.
MVP Santonio Holmes made a brilliant 6-yard catch deep in the right corner of the end zone with 35 seconds remaining, lifting the Steelers to a record-setting sixth Super Bowl win.
The late scoring overshadowed Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison's record 100-yard interception return for a touchdown to end the first half.
Pittsburgh's 79-yard, 16-play drive ended with Jeff Reed's 21-yard field goal for a 20-7 lead after three quarters. Kurt Warner and the Cardinals then staged a remarkable rally in the fourth quarter to go in front 23-20 with 2:37 remaining.
Warner hit all eight passes for all the yards of an 87-yard drive capped by a leaping 1-yard TD catch by Larry Fitzgerald over Ike Taylor. After an exchange of possessions, the Cardinals got a safety when Pittsburgh's Justin Hartwig was called for a holding penalty in the end zone.
Two plays later, Warner hit Fitzgerald in stride for a 64-yard touchdown and the lead.
With 2:30 left, Roethlisberger engineered a 78-yard drive. Roethlisberger connected with Holmes on passes of 14, 13 and 40 yards before hitting him in the right corner.
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Online:
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL