With their Steel Curtain in shreds, the Pittsburgh offense and Ben Roethlisberger finished the up and down Super Bowl with a last minute touchdown which scored the team a historic victory. The incredible 6 yard catch by Santonio Holmes on the far right hand side of the end zone came with just 35 seconds left in the game. It raised the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl wins to a record -breaking six in their victory over the Arizona Cardinals 27-23.

It was most definitely one of the most exciting Super Bowl finishes in history, definitely equaling what happened last year when the New York Giants pulled an upset with Plaxico Burress’ touchdown catch with the same amount of time left on the clock- 35 seconds.

However, this game was even crazier.

The Steelers, with a record of 15-4 and winning their second Super Bowl in the last four years, lead the game 20-7 as late as the fourth quarter. However, the Cardinals and Kurt Warner staged a remarkable comeback to take the lead at 23-20 with only 2:37 minutes remaining in the game.

Warner threw a 64 yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald, All-Pro wide receiver, with just 2:37 minutes left in the game. Fitzgerald, who already owned a string of this year’s post season receiving records, raced down the center of the field while watching himself on the gigantic video screen outrunning the Steeler defense. However, Fitzgerald could only watch helplessly from the sidelines when Roethlisberger led the Steelers down the field in a 78-yard drive to win the game in what looked like South Heinz Field. With Terrible Towels whirling, Raymond James Stadium turned into a tableau of black and gold, with die hard fans supporting their beloved Steelers as the Pittsburgh offense took the title. The game’s MVP went to Holmes.

After the game Holmes remarked that in big time games great players step it up to make the plays. He admitted that he lost a little composure, but knew that the Steeler defense would give them a chance to come back.

The amazing up and down swings overshadowed the record breaking 100 yard touchdown return interception of James Harrison that ended the first half of the game. It looked like that would be the game’s signature play until the game reached the final quarter, as both teams bounced back from the other team’s knockout punches to land ones of their own.

Holmes along with Big Ben struck their final blow. The Cardinals’ big dream of winning the team’s first NFL championship since 1947 was dashed for good in the final seconds of the game when Warner fumbled. Roethlisberger said he had told the guys that it’s now or never. All the film study in the world doesn’t mean a thing unless you are able to do it now. The quarterback said he was really proud of how the team responded.

The Cardinals, with a record of 12-8-1 and playing in the team’s first Super Bowl or any type of championship game since 1948, became unraveled after the heroics of Harrison. The team incurred three penalties which kept the Steelers 79 yard drive alive. It was a 16 play march down the field that was finalized by a 21 yard field goal by Jeff Reed which gave Pittsburgh a 20-7 lead.

The Cardinals couldn’t get Fitzgerald free until late in the game. But when he got free, boy did he ever get free. The All-Pro receiver, who had already scored five touchdowns and broke the post season record for yards receiving, was a non factor until the fourth quarter 87-yard drive which he capped of with a 1 yard leaping catch over Steeler Ike Taylor. On that series he caught four receptions, in which Warner went 8 for 8 for all the yardage.

Then Warner struck with his 64 yard touchdown pass, putting the Cardinals within just minutes of an incredible victory.

The victory never came as the resilient Steelers struck back. The opening drive of the game saw Pittsburgh looking like an offensive juggernaut. They drove 71 yards down the field in eight plays. However, that 72nd yard, which would have scored the touchdown for the Steelers, never came.

At first it seemed they had scored the touchdown with Roethlisberger’s short run. However Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona’s coach, challenged the play. The touchdown was overturned and it left Tomlin with his first tough decision.

He decided to take the points. The 18 yard field goal by Reed was the shortest field goal recorded in a Super Bowl since 1976. The Steelers then forced a punt and held onto the ball for the remaining minutes, 11:28 in total, of the first quarter. They out gained Arizona 140-13, with seven first downs to only one for the Cardinals. As the normally potent Cardinal offense and Kurt Warner looked on from the sidelines, the Steelers piled it on, making the score 10-0 on a 1 yard run by Gary Russell. When the Cardinals finally received the ball, they put the Steelers immediately off-balance with a series of short passes along with one big play.

Warner, who while on the sidelines had plenty of time to shine his trophy for NFL Man of the Year that he was awarded with just before the game’s kickoff, hit streaking Anquan Boldin with a pass. Boldin was upended on the Pittsburgh 1 yard line. Warner’s lob pass to Ben Patrick put Arizona on the board. The touchdown was the tight end’s first of the season.

The Arizona defense then pulled a Steel Curtain with its’ own big play. Roethlisberger’s pass was tipped by Bryan Robinson high into the air and was corralled by Karlos Dansby at the Pittsburgh 34 yard line. The Cardinals drove to the 1 yard line, but were then stopped by the Steeler defense.

Defensive player of the year Harrison picked off Warner’s pass by jumping in front of Boldin just in front of the goal line and ran all the way down the right sideline to record the longest play in the history of the Super Bowl.

Harrison out ran or through most of the Cardinal defense, and at one point almost steeped out of bounds. He was finally dragged down by Fitzgerald and fell into the goal line. Several of the Cardinal players knelt on one knee as the play was reviewed, disheartened and exhausted from their chase.

The 99 yard kickoff return of Green Bay’s Desmond Howard in 1997 was the previous longest play in Super Bowl history.