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Ward Proves Toughness By Playing Hurt

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By TONY FABRIZIO

afabrizio@tampatrib.com

Published: February 2, 2009

TAMPA - WR Hines Ward didn't win the MVP this time. He did, however, prove his toughness.

The MVP of Super Bowl XL three years ago and the heart of the Steelers' offense, Ward made it back onto the field two weeks after suffering a sprained right knee in the AFC Championship Game.

He caught a 38-yard pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger on Pittsburgh's opening possession and made a 5-yard catch in the third quarter in the Steelers' 27-23 Super Bowl XLIII victory over Arizona on Sunday night.

The knee injury could have ended Ward's season, but the Steelers' leader in several career receiving categories fought to make it back, even having his portable hyperbaric chamber shipped down from Pittsburgh.

"You know what? There was no tomorrow," Ward said. "I left it all on the line."

SAVED BY THE CATCH: When WR Santonio Holmes caught what proved to be a winning TD pass with 35 seconds remaining, he picked up a teammate in the process.

Pittsburgh's come-from-behind victory saved C Justin Hartwig from a designation no professional athlete wants: championship game goat.

Hartwig was called for holding in the end zone with 2:58 remaining after Roethlisberger completed a 10-yard pass to Holmes. By rule, Arizona was awarded a safety.

That cut the Steelers' lead to 20-16, and Arizona followed with a go-ahead touchdown on a 64-yard pass from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald. Luckily for Hartwig, Pittsburgh still had time to score and did so with a 78-yard touchdown drive.

"I just said to the guys, 'It's now or never,'" Roethlisberger said of the winning drive. "'You'll be remembered if you do this.'"

BETWEEN THE UPRIGHTS: K Jeff Reed's perfection on field goals (2-for-2) and PATs (3-for-3) stood out at the end of a game decided by only a few plays.

The former walk-on kicker at North Carolina with the wild bleach-blond hair came through when the Steelers' goal-line offense faltered, kicking his 12th and 13th consecutive postseason field goals.

His 18-yarder in the first quarter after a replay review took away a 1-yard touchdown by Roethlisberger was the shortest Super Bowl field since the Steelers' Roy Gerela made one from that distance in 1976 and he added a 21-yarder in the third period.

Reed also set the team record for postseason PATs with 37, passing Gerela. He is 37-for-37 in postseason PATs.

HEINZ FIELD SOUTH: With their national following and closer proximity to Florida, it stood to reason the Steelers would have more fans than the Cardinals at Raymond James Stadium. They did, by about a 2-to-1 margin.

Black and gold attire and yellow "Terrible Towels" transferred the Bucs' home digs into something of a Heinz Field South.

Arizona fans entered the stadium earlier - perhaps to soak up every second of the Cardinals' first Super Bowl appearance.

Tony Fabrizio

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