With the 2009 NFL season looming on the horizon, it seems an opportune time to look
forward to what's in store for gridiron fans in the coming months and, just as importantly, reflect
on
the year that was for the Super Bowl XLIII Champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 2009
season promises to be one of the most intriguing in years. Will Brett Favre lead his purple-clad
Minnesota clan deep into the playoffs, or will his bum shoulder and aging legs keep the Vikings
from
contention in a weak NFC North? Will the Dallas Cowboys and a Jessica Simpson-free Tony
Rom(e)o
return to postseason play? Will the real Miami Dolphins (1-15 in 2007, 11-5 in 2008) please
stand
up? Can the Detroit Lions win a game? Will the off-season quarterback switch-a-roo (Jay Cutler
to
Chicago, Kyle Orton to Denver) push da Bears and the Broncos back into postseason contention?
Will the
dynamic trio of Michael Vick, Donavan McNabb, and Michael Westbrook prove too much
athleticism
for opposing NFC defenses to handle? Will Tom Brady's return from a season-ending injury in
2008's week one propel the former champs back to glory? And last but not least, can the
Pittsburgh Steelers repeat as Super
Bowl Champions?
'The Catch' v. 2.0.
Fresh off another winning season in 2007 but falling short of the prize by losing to the
Jacksonville
Jaguars 31-29 in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, the hungry Pittsburgh Steelers seemed
more
focused, more determined, and more prepared to win it all the following year under the
instruction
of second-year Head Coach Mike Tomlin. Facing down the Black and Gold was the NFL's most
difficult schedule in 2008. The team was set to face a vaunted selection of the NFL's best: the
division rival Baltimore Ravens twice; the perennially sound Philadelphia Eagles; 2007's nemesis
the
Jacksonville Jaguars; both Manning brothers, one in a week eight contest with Eli and the Giants,
the other two weeks later versus Peyton's Indianapolis Colts; Phillip Rivers and the San Diego
Chargers; the vaunted New England Patriots; the talented Dallas Cowboys; and in the
penultimate game of
the
season, Jeff Fisher's up-and-coming Tennessee Titans. Beginning the regular season with an
impressive victory over the meddling Houston Texans, the Steelers proved early on that they
were a team to be reckoned with, playing a complete game and showcasing a fine running
attack; an impressive aerial assault; and a stifling defense that, by season's end, would come to
be known as one of the best in history -- Pittsburgh Steelers or otherwise. The undefeated 2007
New
England
Patriots these 2008 Steelers were not, however; the club looked vulnerable in a loss to the
Eagles in week three but rebounded to win 10 of their remaining 13 games, losing only once on
the road to the Titans in week 16 and once to each Manning brother at Heinz Field. Finishing
with a strong 12-4 record, the Steelers entered the postseason as the AFC's second seed with a
week off before hosting the San Diego Chargers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. The rest,
as they say, is history.
After dispatching the Chargers in a 35-24 victory at Heinz Field, the Steelers prepared to face
their arch-nemesis, the Baltimore Ravens, the AFC's sixth seeded team fresh off a 13-10
upset road victory over the top-seeded Tennessee Titans. Despite the Steelers' checkered history
of hosting AFC title games -- having lost three in a row and four of five in the Steel City dating
back to January 1995 and a loss to the San Diego Chargers -- this 2008 version proved up to the
task, taking out their opponent for the third time in three tries in the 2008-2009 season. Super
Bowl XLIII, played at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium (home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers),
pitted the vaunted and historically dominant Pittsburgh Steelers against the up-and-coming
Arizona Cardinals, a franchise known more for losing seasons and low attendance numbers than
multiple Super Bowl victories and Hall-of-Fame players and coaches. The game's most intriguing
story line revolved around the two head coaches; the Cardinals' Ken Whisenhunt served as the
Steelers' defensive coordinator during the team's previous Super Bowl win in Detroit, and was a
leading candidate for the head coaching job that ultimately went to Tomlin. Though the game
started with the Steelers taking command with a 3-0 lead and dominating the Cardinal offensive
attack by surrendering only one first down in the first quarter and ending the
half with a 10-point lead thanks to a record-breaking 100-yard interception return for a
touchdown by AP Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison, the game took on a decidedly
different tone in the final 30 minutes.
The
third quarter yielded but one score -- a Jeff Reed 21-yard field goal that gave the Steelers a 20-7
lead and, with their top-ranked defense, a seemingly comfortable cushion -- but the fourth
quarter would prove to be one of the wildest in Super Bowl history. Down by 13, the Cardinals
mounted an impressive rally; All-Pro wideout and former University of Pittsburgh standout Larry
Fitzgerald -- who had been held to one catch over the first three quarters -- exploded for two
touchdown
grabs in a span of five minutes, the second giving the Cards a 23-20 lead with 2:37 to
go. Unfortunately for Arizona, Ben Roethlisberger once again ran the two-minute drill to
perfection, taking his team 72 yards in 8 plays, culminating with a catch in the corner of the end
zone by third-year wideout and game MVP Santonio Holmes, a play reminiscent of San Francisco
49er Dwight Clark's reception in the back of the end zone during the 1982 NFC Championship
game.
Narrated by Harry Kalas, NFL Super Bowl XLIII Champions proves to be a top-notch
production and up to the standards of the typical NFL films feature. It's got heart, spirit, and
is written and narrated to perfection, grabbing audience attention and telling the story of the
2008 Steelers with an aura of suspense and excitement, despite the fact that the outcome is
known to the majority of viewers. Even taken in small doses -- an interview sound-bite here,
a Tunch Ilkin radio call there -- it's still a fascinating watch (and an absolute thrill for Steelers
fans!)
as the games unfold through a collection highlights that recapture the magic of that sixth Super
Bowl-winning season. NFL Films' technical presentations never disappoint. They capture football
from every conceivable angle, taking viewers onto the sidelines not just to see player reactions
from a detached distance but into the midst of impromptu player-coach meetings to set strategy
for the coming series, or just to revel in the excitement of a pending victory as players smile,
joke, and otherwise celebrate the hard-fought and well-deserved victories. The use of
slow-motion photography brings a palpable sense of excitement to every action shot and makes
even a three-yard run, a sack for a seven-yard loss, or an incomplete pass through a leaping
receiver's arms in the end zone appear as an absolute work of art. NFL Films is the best in the
business and the sport owes much of its legacy and future success to the superbly-crafted pieces
that chronicle every aspect of the game year in and year out.
2008-2009 Pittsburgh Steelers schedule and results (winning team appears in bold).
Week One:
Sunday, September 7, 2008: Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers, 38-17. Heinz
Field: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Week Two:
Sunday, September 14, 2008: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns, 10-6.
Cleveland Browns Stadium: Cleveland, Ohio.
Week Three:
Sunday, September 21, 2008: Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles, 15-6. Lincoln
Financial Field: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Week Four:
Monday, September 29, 2008: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers, 23-20/OT.
Heinz Field: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Week Five:
Sunday, October 5, 2008: Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars, 26-21.
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium: Jacksonville, Florida.
Week Six:
BYE.
Week Seven:
Sunday, October 19, 2008: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals, 38-10. Paul
Brown Stadium: Cincinnati, Ohio.
Week Eight:
Sunday, October 26, 2008: New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-14. Heinz Field:
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Week Nine:
Monday, November 3, 2008: Pittsburgh Steelers at Washington Redskins, 23-6. FedEx
Field: Landover, Maryland.
Week Ten:
Sunday, November 9, 2008: Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-20. Heinz
Field: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Week Eleven:
Sunday, November 16, 2008: San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers, 11-10. Heinz
Field: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Week Twelve:
Thursday, November 20, 2008: Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-10. Heinz
Field: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Week Thirteen:
Sunday, November 30, 2008: Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots, 33-10.
Gillette Stadium: Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Week Fourteen:
Sunday, December 7, 2008: Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-13. Heinz Field:
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Week Fifteen:
Sunday, December 14, 2008: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, 13-9. M&T Bank
Stadium: Baltimore, Maryland.
Week Sixteen:
Sunday, December 21, 2008: Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans, 31-14. LP Field:
Nashville, Tennessee.
Week Seventeen:
Sunday, December 28, 2008: Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-0. Heinz
Field: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
AFC Divisional Playoff:
Sunday, January 11, 2009: San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers, 35-24. Heinz
Field: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
AFC Championship Game:
Sunday, January 18, 2009: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers, 33-14. Heinz
Field: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Super Bowl XLIII:
Sunday, February 1, 2009: Pittsburgh Steelers at Arizona Cardinals, 27-23. Raymond
James Stadium: Tampa, Florida.
Super Bowl XLIII Champions: Pittsburgh Steelers rushes onto Blu-ray with a passable
1080i, 1.78:1-framed transfer. Considering the source material and 1080i presentation, a
collection of mediocre visuals is what's expected, and that's exactly what the disc delivers. It's hard
to find fault with what's available here; much of the footage is unrehearsed, captured in the
moment, and shot for the purpose of a television broadcast, not to be presented on huge
screens at the local multiplex. With that in mind, the transfer does have its moments where one
almost forgets that this is HD television material. The footage from Steelers training camp at St.
Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, sparkles, looking pristine, clear, and colorful; the team's
yellow practice jerseys in particular stand out nicely. Some fine details are evident here and there,
and several look good enough to merit attention, particularly some of the shots of the green turf
and the painted lines and logos that adorn it; several times it seems viewers could conceivably
count each blade of grass. Obviously, there are some issues throughout. There's really no sense in
examining the smattering of standard-definition footage that pops up here and there, but even the
1080i elements sometimes showcase soft focus, aliasing, and some jagged lines, but on the whole
the release grades out as "satisfactory" when considering the source.
Super Bowl XLIII Champions: Pittsburgh Steelers steamrolls onto Blu-ray with a passable
Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. There's really little to say about this one. The main attraction is the
late, great Harry Kalas, legendary voice of the Philadelphia Phillies and, as it
pertains to this release, NFL Films since replacing John Facenda in 1984. Kalas' voice is strong, a bit
bass-y but soothing and familiar, an "old friend" sort of voice that's balanced, excited, and confident.
Though a lossy presentation, his voiceover work here sounds great, and it's hard to imagine him
sounding any better save for a face-to-face chat or being privy to a recording session at the studio.
Otherwise, sound effects play primarily across the front; whether cheering crowds or the smacking
of shoulder pads, most effects don't pack much of a punch but are discernible one from the other.
Maybe the best non-Kalas moment comes when fighters fly over Raymond James Stadium; the
effect creates the sensation of the jets screaming from one side of the soundstage to the other.
Just don't expect something that rivals a big-budget Action film. Super Bowl XLIII Champions:
Pittsburgh Steelers' soundtrack gets the job done, and for a title like this, it's hard to ask for
much more.
Super Bowl XLIII Champions: Pittsburgh Steelers contains several special features. HD
Gamecast --
4th Quarter of 2008 Week 14 vs. Cowboys (1080i, 19:57) is a commercial-free and
edited for-time re-airing of the
FOX HD broadcast of the game that sees the Steelers come back from a 10-point deficit to win the
game. Post Game Highlights (480p, 7:38) features the Lombardi Trophy presentation to
the 2009 Super Bowl champs. Also included are several interview/profile segments featuring
several of the team's stars and coaches: Running Back Willie Parker (480p, 4:11), Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger (480p, 4:00), Head Coach Mike Tomlin (480p, 2:52), and Defensive Coordinator
Dick Lebeau (480p, 5:05). Steelers Nation (480p, 5:09) looks at the blue-collar mentality
of both the team and its fans and the franchise's appeal in the city, the country, and around the
world. Finally, Steelers Defense (480p, 3:50) looks at what makes a Pittsburgh team a
true winner: suffocating defense.
Super Bowl XLIII Champions: Pittsburgh Steelers does a fine job of briefly chronicling the
Steelers' 2008 Super Bowl season, offering highlights of each regular season game and delving a bit
deeper into the post-season contests. It's a solid NFL Films production: well-crafted, exciting, and
an emotional ride for Steelers fans, even after the fact. The piece documents an important slice of
sports
history; the Steelers have won sport's biggest game an unprecedented six times, and there's no
reason not to think that there'll be another Steelers Super Bowl XLIV title next spring. Warner's
Blu-ray presentation isn't a show-stopper, but it serves the material just fine. Featuring a suitably
good video presentation, an adequate 5.1 lossy soundtrack, and a few decent extras, Super
Bowl XLIII Champions: Pittsburgh Steelers earns a recommendation, and the title is a
must-buy for Steeler Nation.
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