Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Seattle Seahawks: Why the Steelers Won Super Bowl XL

Fact No. 6 – The officiating wasn’t nearly as bad as people say it was.

Here is a video I will reference for this part of my case, courtesy Youtube. It shows some of the “bad” calls that were made in Super Bowl XL.

(Video time index 0:05) Take note of this play. Clark Haggans is held by Sean Locklear, but the penalty is declined because Haggans still gets to Hasseleck. I will reference this play again in a moment.

(0:49) This is a clear hold on James Farrior by Chris Gray negating an 18-yard pick up on third down. Two plays later, the Seahawks punted.

(1:42) With 2:08 left in the first quarter, the ‘Hawks appeared to have scored, but Darryl Jackson was called for offensive pass interference. Despite the fact that Michael Irvin made a hall of fame career out of this very move, it is illegal. This is not a bad call.

(3:10) Okay, this is the call that people still talk about five years later. The first thing I would like to point out is that even if Ben didn’t score a touchdown here, the Steelers would have kicked a field goal. The eventual margin of victory was 11 points. Those four points wouldn’t have made a difference if the game had played out exactly the way it did.

That being said, have a look at that play and realize that the call on the field is the important part. The ruling on the field was that it was a touchdown. If you have watched any football games in the last five years, you know that a call on the field can only be overturned on instant replay if there is incontrovertible visual evidence that the initial ruling was incorrect.

I’m not saying Ben scored. I’m not saying he didn’t. I’m saying there is no way anyone can look at that clip and tell without a shadow of a doubt that he did or didn’t break the plane off the goal line. You just can’t tell. Because of that, under the rules of NFL football, the proper call was made.

(6:30) Locklear is back on the stand. Remember in the first quarter when he was called for a hold that was declined? This time, he holds Haggans while Hasselbeck is throwing a strike to Jerramy Stevens to set up a first and goal from the Steelers’ 1-yard line. In spite of John Madden saying he doesn’t see the hold, it seems pretty clear to me that Locklear has Haggans around the neck. (Thank god John Madden is not broadcasting any more. The NFL is better off without that clown calling games.)

Three plays later, Ike Taylor intercepted Hasselbeck, which set up the Steelers’ final score, the 43-yard pass from Randle-El to Ward.

There are several other calls shown on that video which could have gone either way. There is a possible offsides call that could have been made on Clark Haggans. It is a close play and I wouldn’t have been surprised if it had been called. There is a call on Hasselbeck on the interception return for low blocking. I’ll be honest. I don’t see it, but it was called. That wasn’t the reason Seattle lost the game, though. None of these calls were.

Closing arguement

It takes players making plays to win a football game. Any player or coach will tell you that one play or call does not cost a team a game.

The fact is that Matt Hasselbeck was 26 of 49 (53.1%) with a pick at a critical time of the game, when the Seahawks had a chance to take the lead. Did the refs throw all those incomplete passes?

The fact is that Sean Alexander was held to 95 yards and no scores after a season in which he was named MVP of the league and set a record for most touchdowns in a season. Did the refs tackle him?

The fact is that Seattle’s defense allowed the longest rushing play from scrimmage in Super Bowl history. Did the refs block the Seattle defenders?

Did the refs cause the Seahawks to only convert five third downs? Did the refs tell the entire Seattle defense to bite on a fake end-around allowing Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward to score the Steelers’ third touchdown?

In my opinion, the Steelers went into Super Bowl XL more prepared for the game because, from their point of view, they had been playing for their season for the seven games prior to the Super Bowl. A loss at any time from week 14 on would have meant they were out of the playoffs.

They were fire tested from having played a tougher schedule, having had to win on the road more often, and figured out, under pressure, how to win.

Those are my opinions.

The fact of the matter is that the Steelers made the plays they had to in order win and the Seahawks didn’t. Blaming the referees will not change those facts.

I rest my case.