Arizona Cardinals’ Super Bowl loss No. 10 in NFL.com rankings
Dec 16, 2015, 6:50 AM | Updated: 9:54 am
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes (10) catches a fourth quarter touchdown pass in front of Arizona Cardinals safety Aaron Francisco (47) during the NFL Super Bowl XLIII football game, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Arizona Cardinals fans will probably never want to remember the 27-23 Super Bowl loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII, but unfortunately for them, it was quite the memorable game and NFL.com acknowledged that in their rankings of all Super Bowls to date with XLIII coming in at No. 10.
10. Super Bowl XLIII – Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23
Another fantastic Super Bowl of recent vintage. The Santonio Holmes catch in the corner of the end zone to give Pittsburgh a 27-23 win over Arizona is burned in the mind’s eye of anyone who recalls this game. What a performance by the Cardinals. What if Kurt Warner had more time at the end, a la Staubach in Super Bowl XIII? Look out.
While the ranker, Elliot Harrison of NFL.com, does represent the idea of the Cardinals winning the game late, what about Larry Fitzgerald’s touchdown with 2:37 left to take the lead and possibly win the game? That catch and image for such an all-time great player might be more powerful than Holmes getting two feet down, something at least Cardinals fans can agree with.
The 1990 Super Bowl came in dead last at No. 49, which was the San Francisco 49ers’ blowout 55-10 victory over the Denver Broncos. In terms of big losses, it doesn’t stop there for the Broncos. Coming in next at No. 48 is the recent Seattle Seahawks 43-8 shellacking of the Broncos in 2014.
Super Bowls played at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale fared very well, claiming the two of the top three spots.
That might be an unfair indicator of the great Super Bowls to happen in recent years. David Tyree’s “Helmet Catch” and Super Bowl XLII come in at No. 2 and 2015’s last-second interception by Malcolm Butler of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX is No. 3.
Neither can defeat Super Bowl XIII for the top spot. The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 35-31, in that game, which also featured the most famous dropped pass of all time. Cowboys tight end Jackie Smith butchered a sure touchdown throw from Roger Staubach in the third quarter that would have tied the game.
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