Super Bowl XL Rewind

Super Bowl XLSteelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10Ford Field, Detroit, MichiganFebruary 5, 2006; Attendance: 68,206Pittsburgh won its fifth Super Bowl title as it captured a 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at Ford Field. The Steelers’ fifth title matched the most in NFL history (S.F. 49ers and Dallas Cowboys). Backed by a predominantly Pittsburgh crowd, the Steelers were led by Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward, who finished with a game-high 123 receiving yards on five catches (24.6 avg.) with one touchdown.Pittsburgh struggled offensively in the first quarter as it failed to gain a first down, but found itself down only 3-0 after Seattle’s Josh Brown booted a 47-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining in the opening period. The Steelers’ offense came to life briefly on their first drive of the second quarter, but it was stalled as QB Ben Roethlisberger was picked off by the Seahawks’ S Michael Boulware. Pittsburgh’s defense continued to buckle down and halt any Seattle chances of extending its lead throughout the second quarter. The Steelers finally got on the board late in the half as Roethlisberger dove into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown run, giving Pittsburgh a 7-3 halftime lead. It was his second postseason rushing touchdown and the first-ever by a Steelers’ quarterback in a Super Bowl. Pittsburgh stretched its lead to 14-3 on the second play of the second half as RB Willie Parker darted 75 yards for a score. The 75-yard run was the longest in Super Bowl history, surpassing L.A. Raider Marcus Allen’s 74-yard run against Washington in Super Bowl XVIII.After a missed field goal by Brown on Seattle’s first drive of the second half, the Steelers appeared on the verge of breaking the game open by driving to the Seahawks’ seven-yard line on the ensuing drive. However, Roethlisberger threw an interception at the four-yard line to Kelly Herndon, which he returned 76 yards to the Pittsburgh 20. Three plays later Seattle scored on a 16-yard pass from QB Matt Hasselbeck to TE Jerramy Stephens to cut the lead to 14-10. The Seahawks had an opportunity to take the lead early in the fourth quarter before Hasselbeck was picked off by CB Ike Taylor at the Steelers’ five-yard line. Taylor finished with a team-best seven tackles. Pittsburgh all but sealed the game on a gadget play. WR Antwaan Randle El took a reverse handoff and threw a 43-yard strike to Ward, pushing the Pittsburgh lead to 21-10 with 8:56 left in the game. Randle El’s touchdown pass was the first by a wide receiver in Super Bowl history. The Steelers’ defense clamped down on the final two Seattle possessions to post the victory. Roethlisberger became the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl and finished 9-of-21 for 123 yards. Parker finished with a team-high 93 yards on 10 carries, while RB Jerome Bettis added 43 yards on 14 rushes. Pittsburgh’s defense racked up three sacks.