Has there ever been a more exciting Super Bowl game? Well, I've seen a lot of them in my lifetime and I think this definitely was the best one ever, even if the team I was pulling for didn't come out on top.
While the Pittsburgh Steelers were not too surprising a representative for the AFC, most of us were pretty shocked that the Arizona Cardinals made it amongst all of the NFC teams. I for one wasn't all that surprised by the Cards run - they were sleeper team to make the playoffs before the 2007 season started. It only took them an extra year to deliver on my hype.
Super Bowl XLIII had a little bit of everything. Ben Roethlisberger drove the Steelers to a quick 10-0 lead early, but Kurt Warner quickly pulled the Cardinals back to within 10-7. As the first half ended, the Cardinals were poised to take the lead, but James Harrison intercepted a Warner pass intended for Anquan Boldin and returned it a record-breaking 100 yards to give the Steelers a 17-7 lead going into halftime.
The Steelers momentum carried into the third quarter as they took a 20-7 lead on Jeff Reed's second short field goal of the game.
In the final period, Warner and the Cardinals showed why they were in this thing in the first place. Perseverance - the story of Warner's football career and his team's in 2008. A drive culminated with a Larry Fitzgerald touchdown catch from one yard out drew the Cards to within six points at 20-14. The teams exchanged kicks the next two possessions, but the Cards managed to back the Steelers up against their own goal line. On third down, the Steelers were called for holding in the end zone for a safety. Suddenly, we had a 20-16 game with just under three minutes to play. After the ensuing free kick, Warner struck quickly, finding Fitzgerald down the middle for a 64 yard touchdown. The seven point underdog Cardinals were suddenly up 23-20 with 2:37 to play.
The Steelers would take off seconds on the ensuing kickoff return to leave "Big Ben" and his teammates two minutes and thirty seconds to either tie or win the game. play. For most NFL quarterbacks, 2:30 is not a lot of time. Indeed, when it's pressure time very few are able to rise to the challenge and not crumble. I mentioned recently that the two quarterbacks I most fear in the NFL with two minutes to play and the ball are the Colts' Peyton Manning and "#7" on the Steelers. With Roethlisberger at the helm, I almost knew what was going to happen because I've seen him do so many times in his five years as a pro. There's a reason "Big Ben" won a record 51 regular season games in his first five seasons. The guy has a HUGE heart! Sure enough, he did what we all know him to do. "Big Ben" meticulously drove the Steelers 78 yards in nine plays, culminating with six yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes with just 35 seconds to play. Holmes did an absolutely AMAZING job getting his toes down while making the acrobatic catch which would ultimately end the Cardinals Cinderella story and result in he being named the game's MVP.
Warner and his offense had one last gasp, but with five seconds to play he was stripped of the ball as he tried to pull one more miracle play off. It wasn't meant to be. The Steelers got their record sixth Super Bowl ring in an absolutely amazing 27-23 game. The stars truly shined. It's a shame someone had to lose this game as I think it will go down in history as the best game EVER played!
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Showing posts with label Ben Roethlisberger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ben Roethlisberger. Show all posts
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Monday, November 5, 2007
Big Ben Rings Up Ravens
When Ben Roethlisberger and the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers began the 2006 season losing six of their first eight games, many doubted that the Steelers would rise back to prominence. Roethlisberger mirrored his team's bad start last year, tossing 14 interceptions and only seven touchdown passes in the first seven seven games he started. At midseason though, Roethlisberger and his Steeler teammates only had one thing left to play for: pride. The Steelers won six of their final eight games, and Roethlisberger had a huge role in those wins, tossing 10 touchdown passes (and also rushing for two), while only being intercepted five times. Those two losses though were both blowouts to the Baltimore Ravens. In those two games, the Ravens outscored the Steelers 58-7, and Big Ben threw only one touchdown pass to go along with four interceptions. On Monday night, Big Ben and the Steelers would have a chance to exact revenge on the Ravens. And that's exactly what they did!
From the moment the game started, you could sense there was something special in the air. Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Joe Greene and many others from the incredible Steeler teams of the late 1970's were on hand to celebrate the Steelers 75th season... and celebrate they did pretty much ALL NIGHT LONG!
The Steelers punted on their first possession, but quickly found their mojo on defense and special teams, forcing the Ravens to turn the ball over three times in their first four possessions. James Harrison sacked Raven QB Steve McNair on their opening possession, forcing and recovering a fumble for the Steelers at the Baltimore 20 yard line. Three plays later Roethlisberger hit Heath Miller with a 17 yard pass to give the Steelers a 7-0 lead. The Ravens went three-and-out with their next possession as would the Steelers - or so we thought. Harrison would force his second fumble of the game on special teams, using his helmet to knock the ball out of the Ravens' Ed Reed on the ensuing punt return. Lionel Timmons recovered the ball for the Steelers at Baltimore's 33 yard-line. Two Raven penalties gave the Steelers a first down at the 20 yard-line. Two player, Big Ben would strike again, hitting Santonio Holmes in the end zone for a 15 yard score. As the first quarter wound down, the Ravens gave the ball away again. This time it was Willis McGahee getting into the act, fumbling the ball away on a third down play. The Steelers recovered the ball at the Ravens 36-yard line and took their 14-0 lead into the second quarter.
Things would quickly go from bad to worse for the Ravens. On the second play of the second quarter, Big Ben hit Nate Robinson on a 30 yard strike to make it a 21-0 Steelers lead. Later in the quarter, Roethlisberger threw his fourth TD pass of the game - a 35 yarder to Holmes to make it a 28-0 lead with 5:40 to play in the first half. The ubiquitious Harrison would strike again on defense, intercepting McNair on the Ravens ensuing possession. Five plays later, Big Ben tolled again, hitting Robinson with a seven yard pass to give the Steelers a 35-0 lead. Five touchdown passes in the first half. With that, Roethlisberger tied the Steelers record for TD passes in a game in one half!
Needless to say, the game was over at that point. The Steelers went on to win 38-7, to go to a 6-2 record. On the season, Big Ben has tossed 20 touchdown passes against only six interceptions. Those are numbers that fellow AFC quarterbacks named Manning and Brady are pretty familiar with. No, Big Ben's not on their level yet, but he's certainly is playing smart football and making the decisions necessary to make sure the Steelers remain one of the contenders for the AFC Championship this year.
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From the moment the game started, you could sense there was something special in the air. Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Joe Greene and many others from the incredible Steeler teams of the late 1970's were on hand to celebrate the Steelers 75th season... and celebrate they did pretty much ALL NIGHT LONG!
The Steelers punted on their first possession, but quickly found their mojo on defense and special teams, forcing the Ravens to turn the ball over three times in their first four possessions. James Harrison sacked Raven QB Steve McNair on their opening possession, forcing and recovering a fumble for the Steelers at the Baltimore 20 yard line. Three plays later Roethlisberger hit Heath Miller with a 17 yard pass to give the Steelers a 7-0 lead. The Ravens went three-and-out with their next possession as would the Steelers - or so we thought. Harrison would force his second fumble of the game on special teams, using his helmet to knock the ball out of the Ravens' Ed Reed on the ensuing punt return. Lionel Timmons recovered the ball for the Steelers at Baltimore's 33 yard-line. Two Raven penalties gave the Steelers a first down at the 20 yard-line. Two player, Big Ben would strike again, hitting Santonio Holmes in the end zone for a 15 yard score. As the first quarter wound down, the Ravens gave the ball away again. This time it was Willis McGahee getting into the act, fumbling the ball away on a third down play. The Steelers recovered the ball at the Ravens 36-yard line and took their 14-0 lead into the second quarter.
Things would quickly go from bad to worse for the Ravens. On the second play of the second quarter, Big Ben hit Nate Robinson on a 30 yard strike to make it a 21-0 Steelers lead. Later in the quarter, Roethlisberger threw his fourth TD pass of the game - a 35 yarder to Holmes to make it a 28-0 lead with 5:40 to play in the first half. The ubiquitious Harrison would strike again on defense, intercepting McNair on the Ravens ensuing possession. Five plays later, Big Ben tolled again, hitting Robinson with a seven yard pass to give the Steelers a 35-0 lead. Five touchdown passes in the first half. With that, Roethlisberger tied the Steelers record for TD passes in a game in one half!
Needless to say, the game was over at that point. The Steelers went on to win 38-7, to go to a 6-2 record. On the season, Big Ben has tossed 20 touchdown passes against only six interceptions. Those are numbers that fellow AFC quarterbacks named Manning and Brady are pretty familiar with. No, Big Ben's not on their level yet, but he's certainly is playing smart football and making the decisions necessary to make sure the Steelers remain one of the contenders for the AFC Championship this year.
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