KIISQueen
02-05-2006, 07:42 PM
DETROIT - The Pittsburgh Steelers finally gave coach Bill Cowher some Super Bowl satisfaction. Moments after the Rolling Stones rocked a Ford Field filled with Terrible Towels, Willie Parker broke a record 75-yard touchdown run, sparking Pittsburgh's 21-10 victory Sunday over the Seattle Seahawks.
Not only did the Steelers earn that elusive fifth championship ring and their first since 1980, but they completed a magic Bus ride that made Jerome Bettis' homecoming — and likely farewell — a success.
"I'm a champion. I think the Bus' last stop is here in Detroit," Bettis said.
On this night, satisfaction was more than Mick Jagger's signature song that closed the halftime show.
It was sweet validation for Cowher with a title in his 14th season as their coach, the longest tenure in the NFL. The tough guy teared up as he walked to midfield to embrace Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.
"It's surreal," Cowher said. "I'm going to tell you, this is a special group of coaches, a special group of players. I was one small part of this."
Pittsburgh tied San Francisco and Dallas with its five Super Bowl titles.
And the Steelers certainly got plenty of help from the Seahawks, too. Seattle was plagued by penalties, drops, poor clock management and a critical fourth-quarter interception of Matt Hasselbeck just when the NFC champions seemed ready to take the lead.
Instead, Pittsburgh (15-5) got the clinching score with the kind of trickery that has carried it through an eight-game winning streak.
Versatile wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, a quarterback in college, took a handoff from Parker, sprinted right and threw perfectly to Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward for a 43-yard TD with 9:04 remaining.
Bettis' role was minimal in what might be the final game for the NFL's No. 5 career rusher.
So was quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's impact — the most noteworthy play for the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl was a horrid pass that Kelly Herndon of the Seahawks (15-4) returned a record 76 yards.
That set up the Seahawks' only touchdown, a 16-yard pass to Jerramy Stevens — Joey Porter, his verbal sparring partner all week, was nowhere in sight.
But with Parker's burst and Seattle's self-destructive tendencies, the Steelers completed their postseason march through the NFL's top four teams: Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Denver and Seattle, with all the wins coming away from Heinz Field.
Ward had five receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Seattle, looking nothing like a team that rampaged through its conference, damaged itself all day. It had four penalties for 40 yards in the opening half, one that nullified a touchdown pass.
The second half wasn't much better, and Ike Taylor's 24-yard return with Hasselbeck's poor throw gave Pittsburgh the one last opportunity it needed.
The 23-year-old Roethlisberger achieved it more with his legs than his arm. He dived into the end zone from the 1 late in the first half — the TD was upheld on replay — and converted enough second-half first downs to wind down the clock.
Usually, that is Bettis' job. But this Sunday, he was just along for his final ride.
What a journey it has been.
The Steelers were 7-5, then won their final four regular-season games to secure the AFC's last playoff spot. They went to Cincinnati and won a wild-card game. They won at Indianapolis, which had the league's best record. And then they handed Denver its first home loss in the AFC championship game.
And now they — and 73-year-old owner Dan Rooney — have their "One for the Thumb" — the first four came in their Steel Curtain days, won by the likes of Mean Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060206/ap_on_sp_fo_ga_su/fbn_super_bowl
Not only did the Steelers earn that elusive fifth championship ring and their first since 1980, but they completed a magic Bus ride that made Jerome Bettis' homecoming — and likely farewell — a success.
"I'm a champion. I think the Bus' last stop is here in Detroit," Bettis said.
On this night, satisfaction was more than Mick Jagger's signature song that closed the halftime show.
It was sweet validation for Cowher with a title in his 14th season as their coach, the longest tenure in the NFL. The tough guy teared up as he walked to midfield to embrace Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.
"It's surreal," Cowher said. "I'm going to tell you, this is a special group of coaches, a special group of players. I was one small part of this."
Pittsburgh tied San Francisco and Dallas with its five Super Bowl titles.
And the Steelers certainly got plenty of help from the Seahawks, too. Seattle was plagued by penalties, drops, poor clock management and a critical fourth-quarter interception of Matt Hasselbeck just when the NFC champions seemed ready to take the lead.
Instead, Pittsburgh (15-5) got the clinching score with the kind of trickery that has carried it through an eight-game winning streak.
Versatile wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, a quarterback in college, took a handoff from Parker, sprinted right and threw perfectly to Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward for a 43-yard TD with 9:04 remaining.
Bettis' role was minimal in what might be the final game for the NFL's No. 5 career rusher.
So was quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's impact — the most noteworthy play for the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl was a horrid pass that Kelly Herndon of the Seahawks (15-4) returned a record 76 yards.
That set up the Seahawks' only touchdown, a 16-yard pass to Jerramy Stevens — Joey Porter, his verbal sparring partner all week, was nowhere in sight.
But with Parker's burst and Seattle's self-destructive tendencies, the Steelers completed their postseason march through the NFL's top four teams: Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Denver and Seattle, with all the wins coming away from Heinz Field.
Ward had five receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Seattle, looking nothing like a team that rampaged through its conference, damaged itself all day. It had four penalties for 40 yards in the opening half, one that nullified a touchdown pass.
The second half wasn't much better, and Ike Taylor's 24-yard return with Hasselbeck's poor throw gave Pittsburgh the one last opportunity it needed.
The 23-year-old Roethlisberger achieved it more with his legs than his arm. He dived into the end zone from the 1 late in the first half — the TD was upheld on replay — and converted enough second-half first downs to wind down the clock.
Usually, that is Bettis' job. But this Sunday, he was just along for his final ride.
What a journey it has been.
The Steelers were 7-5, then won their final four regular-season games to secure the AFC's last playoff spot. They went to Cincinnati and won a wild-card game. They won at Indianapolis, which had the league's best record. And then they handed Denver its first home loss in the AFC championship game.
And now they — and 73-year-old owner Dan Rooney — have their "One for the Thumb" — the first four came in their Steel Curtain days, won by the likes of Mean Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060206/ap_on_sp_fo_ga_su/fbn_super_bowl