As a part of the NFL's 100th season, the league is featuring the top 100 plays in the history of the NFL. On Friday night, the "NFL 100 Greatest," aired on NFL Network, with 31-100 being unveiled.
The Steelers had three plays on that list, two of them from a Super Bowl win and one from an AFC Divisional Playoff Game.
Terry Bradshaw's 73-yard touchdown pass to John Stallworth in Super Bowl XIV came in at No. 45 on the list. The Steelers were trailing the Los Angeles Rams, 13-10, at halftime. The Steelers took the lead on a Lynn Swann touchdown reception, but the Rams came back, going ahead 19-17 in the third quarter. The Steelers took the lead for good when Bradshaw hit Stallworth on the 73-yard reception, going on to win, 31-19.
It wasn't a pass that landed Ben Roethlisberger on the list at No. 57, but instead a tackle. It was a fantastic finish, albeit one which had all of Steelers Nation holding their breath. In the closing minutes and in need of a big play, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was sacked for a 10-yard loss on fourth down, giving the Steelers the ball at the Colts two-yard line. The game appeared to be over, but not even close. Jerome Bettis did what he never does, fumbled near the goal line when he was hit by Gary Brackett. Nick Harper recovered in stride and looked like he was headed to the opposite end zone, until Ben Roethlisberger, the unlikeliest of heroes, made what would become known as "The Tackle." Roethlisberger got Harper with the shoestring tackle at the Colts 42-yard line. Manning took control and drove the Colts to the Steelers 28-yard line, where an almost automatic Mike Vanderjagt gave Steelers fans their breath back when his 46-yard field goal went wide right. The Steelers held on to win, 21-18, and head to the AFC Championship game against the Broncos and eventually win Super Bowl XL.
It's not bad when a wide receiver makes it on the list, for throwing a touchdown pass. Antwaan Randle El's 43-yard pass to Hines Ward in Super Bowl XL came in at No. 80 on the list. Randle El took a reverse handoff and threw a strike to Ward, the first touchdown pass thrown by a wide receiver in Super Bowl history. The touchdown pass sealed the deal on a 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
