Defense Wins Championship

Like Donovan McNabb two weeks prior, Kurt Warner connected with his go-to receiver on what seemed to be the game-winning score in the fourth quarter of a championship game. But like McNabb, Warner's defense was also unable to hold onto the lead. The Cardinals got the ball back and began to drive. Then with one final sack, Pittsburgh's outside linebackers showed everyone what they had done best all season: get to the quarterback.

The Steel Curtain defense was able to make key plays at key times. It's called being clutch - and Pittsburgh seems to have a knack for it. From James Harrison's interception return to end the first half, to LaMarr Woodley's sack in the waning moments of the second half, the Steelers made a strong case for the "defense wins championships" argument, or even, the "3-4 defense wins championships" argument.

In actuality, Arizona's passing game was good. Sure, Larry Fitz was shut down in the first half. And as expected, the running game never got going. But the playcalling gave the Cardinals a very good chance to win this game. They managed to produce more than four hundred yards of offense and three touchdowns drives. The Steelers' offense didn't rack up three hundred yards and only had two touchdown drives.

Besides eleven penalties and the absence of a running game, the Cardinals looked good. Okay, maybe one hundred and six penalty yards and only thirty-three rushing yards isn't good - but Warner was solid. He found each of his one thousand-yard receivers six, seven, and eight times, respectively. And if Warner's interception on the goal line had been a touchdown pass, it would have been a completely different game.

Nonetheless, Harrison's interception was, indeed, a game-changing play. Pittsburgh's Defensive POY sold the blitz to Arizona's HOF quarterback, only to fall into coverage and step in front of a slant route intended for Anquan Boldin. We all said the same thing while watching: That's a fourteen-point swing! Little did we know how big of a swing it would be.

Minus the eighteen (accepted) penalties between both teams, this game was entertaining. There were runs of great offense, runs of great defense, and a handful of unforgettable plays. How often do we see the lead change twice in as many minutes in the Super Bowl?

In the end, though, it all came down to defense. Pittsburgh's outside linebackers, Harrison and Woodley, combined for eight tackles, two sacks, and one interception return for a touchdown to help the Steelers capture their sixth Super Bowl. In wasn't just this game, though. These versatile playmakers were outstanding all season long. They were the strength of Pittsburgh's defense - one hell of a 3-4 defense.