Short answer
The Santonio Holmes catch game is Super Bowl XLIII, and this is Pittsburgh's last drive: down 23–20 to Arizona, 2:30 left, ball at the Pittsburgh 22, two timeouts each. You call every snap from that spot, and your calls are graded against Mike Tomlin's, which score in the 45th percentile in our engine, so there's room to do better.
The situation
Super Bowl XLIII, February 1, 2009, in Tampa. Pittsburgh led 20–7 entering the fourth quarter, but Arizona scored twice, the second a 64-yard touchdown from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald. Cardinals 23, Steelers 20.
Ben Roethlisberger starts at his own 22 with 2:30 left and two timeouts; Arizona has two. A field goal ties it and a touchdown wins it, which makes this a different drive from most: you can play for the kick and still keep the end zone in mind.
How the real drive went, play by play
It started badly. A holding penalty on the first snap backed Pittsburgh up to its own 12, 1st-and-20. Roethlisberger found Santonio Holmes for 14, missed Nate Washington deep, and hit Holmes for 13 on 3rd-and-6 to the 39. Washington caught 11 to midfield, and Roethlisberger scrambled for 4 to the Arizona 46.
After a timeout at 1:02, Holmes caught a short pass and ran for 40 yards to the Arizona 6. Pittsburgh used its last timeout at 0:49. On 1st-and-goal Roethlisberger threw to Holmes in the left corner and it went through his hands. On 2nd-and-goal he threw to the back right corner, and Holmes caught it over the defense with both toes down. Replay upheld it. Pittsburgh led 27–23 with 0:35 left. Holmes caught four passes for 73 yards on the drive.
The calls that decided it
At the Arizona 6 with 0:49 and no timeouts, Pittsburgh threw on 1st and 2nd down. The case for it: an incompletion stops the clock, so you keep all your downs and the field goal is always there. The case against: a run is safer and Arizona might not expect it. But a run stopped short with no timeouts means hurrying to the line while the clock runs.
The other calls are about the timeouts. Tomlin used one at 1:02 and the last at 0:49, both with the ball in Arizona territory. In this game you decide when to spend them, when to spike and when to play for the kick, and it all comes down to how many plays you can fit before 0:00.
More Legends
- 28–3 · Super Bowl LI, down 8, 3:30 left, own 9
- The Minneapolis Miracle · NFC Divisional round, down 1, 0:25 left, own 20
- 13 Seconds · AFC Divisional round, down 3, 0:13 left, own 25
- Every Legend and Playoff Run
FAQ
What was the final score of Super Bowl XLIII?
Pittsburgh beat Arizona 27–23 on February 1, 2009, in Tampa.
How much time was left on the Santonio Holmes catch?
Holmes caught the 6-yard touchdown with 0:35 left, on 2nd-and-goal.
Was Santonio Holmes the Super Bowl MVP?
Yes. Holmes was named MVP of Super Bowl XLIII. He caught four passes for 73 yards on the final drive alone.
Do I need to pay to play this?
This Legend is part of the Legends Pass, a one-time purchase that also unlocks every Playoff Run and removes ads. The daily drive, Practice and Survivor stay free, and 28–3 is a free Legend you can try first.
Sources
- nflverse play-by-play data — the real drive, snap by snap: down, distance, clock, timeouts and play descriptions
- Super Bowl XLIII, Pittsburgh vs Arizona box score — Pro Football Reference