Being able to show that they've been the AFC Champions three times in the last six years should say a lot about the heart of every man on the Steelers roster. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had the protection he needed from his offensive line, being sacked only once, but the men in green and gold were able to hurry him, knock passes out of the air, and turn two interceptions into touchdowns. Hines Ward could have easily been the Super Bowl MVP with the hot performance he put on, but that title isn't given to a fantastic player on the team who doesn't win the game. Courageous play by rookies Emmanuel Sanders, Issac Redman, and Antonio Brown showed just how much they've matured over the season. In the end, it wasn't so much about the loss as it was the disappointment.When the Steelers got the ball with a mere 1:59 left on the game clock, down by six points and needing a touchdown and PAT, Roethlisberger took the snap from center Doug Legursky who replaced the injured Pro-Bowl-selected rookie Maurkice Pouncey. The two men had been working well together (minus one mishandled snap that was still turned into a play). The spark was there, but when Roethlisberger let the ball go it didn't land in the hands of his receiver; the Steelers came up 67 yards short of the goal line. In 2009, Roethlisberger and the Steelers were in a similar situation, and they were able to score against the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII and lift the Lombardi Trophy. Steelers receiver Hines Ward said, "I just had that feeling we were going to do it again," of Sunday night's game. Roethlisberger entered the huddle for their final drive and told the offense, "I believe in you guys. We can do this." They could have, but didn't, and after three passes that weren't able to be converted, a dejected Roethlisberger left the field.
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