Matt Freed, Post-Gazette THE PLAY -- Ben Roethlisberger makes "The Tackle" on Indianapolis' Nate Harper late in regulation of the AFC divisional playoff game. The tackle saved the season. Click photo for larger image. A Trophy Season The 2005 season remembered: The world really was round Leaders of the pack: Five players that made a difference A Reporter's Essay: From the cradle ... to the grave The Vince Lombardi Trophy and the Steelers Nation Steelers Fan Mailbag: All they want is a chance to say thank you Championship building blocks Editor's note: The coverage

The season will be remembered as much for "The Tackle" in Indianapolis as it will for "Counter 34 Pike" in Super Bowl XL. The vision of Jerome Bettis running out of the tunnel at Ford Field in Detroit, alone, ahead of his teammates, will remain in the consciousness as much as his 5-yard touchdown run against the Chicago Bears, a play in which he bowled over Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Antwaan Randle El caught three passes of 49 yards or longer and was the only player in the National Football League to return two punts for touchdowns in 2005. But his imprint on a special season, which ended with a 21-10 victory against Seattle in Super Bowl XL, was a pass -- a flea-flicker touchdown to Hines Ward in Detroit.

And, don't forget, the Steelers did not lose another game after a 38-31 home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 4, but even that defeat did not carry the same debilitating effect as a 23-17 overtime loss to Jacksonville -- a game decided by an interception return for touchdown.

Here are the top-10 plays in a season that featured more big plays than Broadway:

1. Ben Roethlisberger's tackle on Colts cornerback Nick Harper in Indianapolis, AFC divisional playoffs:

In a game when he was the best quarterback on a field that included Peyton Manning, Roethlisberger saved a touchdown, saved a game and, ultimately, saved the season from ending when he tackled Colts cornerback Nick Harper after a 35-yard return of a Jerome Bettis fumble with 1:01 remaining.

Roethlisberger was the last player between Harper and what looked to be a freakish 93-yard scoring return that would have given the Colts a miraculous comeback victory against the Steelers. But, he was able to stay with Harper and trip him at the Colts' 42, saving a touchdown that would have ranked as one of the most improbable playoff endings in NFL history.

"He had a great game, but that was the play of the game," receiver Hines Ward said. "He saved the game-winning touchdown. He saved the season."

2. Willie Parker's 75-yard touchdown run, Super Bowl XL:

The play is called Counter 34 Pike -- one of the team's signature running plays -- and Parker broke it for a 75-yard touchdown on the second play of the second half, energizing the Steelers and propelling them to their Super Bowl victory.

Parker got a big block from guard Alan Faneca to open the hole, and another from tackle Max Starks on middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu that allowed him to sprint untouched for a score. The run gave the Steelers a 14-3 lead and they never looked back.

"It was big, real big," Parker said. "It gave us momentum. I read it out, the offensive line did great and blocked it real good."

3. Ben Roethlisberger's 12-yard touchdown pass to Cedrick Wilson in Denver, AFC championship game:

Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Jerome Bettis' 5-yard touchdown run vs. the Bears Dec. 11 in a game the Steelers needed was a thing of beauty if you like smashmouth football. Click photo for larger image.

Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt put this play in specifically for the Broncos defense, and it worked to perfection in the second quarter of the conference title game at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver.

Roethlisberger made the play work, using a pump-fake that caused cornerback Champ Bailey to lean toward the middle of the field and allowed Wilson to get open in the corner of the end zone. Roethlisberger floated a perfect pass to Wilson that gave them a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.

"He was able to pick out two or three plays that, when they got in certain defenses, they were going to be touchdowns," Wilson said of Whisenhunt. "It was just a great game plan."

4. Antwaan Randle El's 43-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward, Super Bowl XL: The Seahawks looked as though they would fall behind, 21-3, in the third quarter, but cornerback Kelly Herndon returned a poor Roethlisberger pass 76 yards to the Steelers' 20, setting up a touchdown that cut the deficit to 14-10.

The long waits: Years between Super Bowl titles The Steelers went 26 years between Super Bowl titles. Franchises that have gone the most seasons between winning: Team Years From To Packers 29 1968 1997 Steelers 26 1980 2006 Cowboys 15 1978 1993 Cowboys 6 1972 1978 49ers 5 1990 1995 Redskins 5 1983 1988

After an interception by Ike Taylor, the Steelers needed just four plays to put an end to threat -- using a pass on a reverse from Randle El to Ward, who was wide open at the Seahawks' 5. The play was similar to a 51-yard touchdown Randle El threw to Ward in a Nov. 13 victory against Cleveland.

"We had it set up for this game," Randle El said. "When we called it, my eyes lit up and I had to try not to give it away."

5. Ben Roethlisberger's 43-yard touchdown pass to Cedrick Wilson in Cincinnati, AFC wild-card playoff game:

After trailing, 10-0 and 17-7, the Steelers rallied to beat the Bengals for the second time this season at Paul Brown Stadium and won their first road playoff game under Bill Cowher.

And the Steelers put an emphatic touch on the comeback with a flea-flicker play in which Randle El took a direct snap from center, ran to his right and threw back to the left to Roethlisberger, who delivered an easy touchdown to a wide-open Wilson. The score made it 28-17 and deflated the Bengals.

6. Willie Parker's 80-yard touchdown run in Cleveland, Dec. 24, 2005:

The Steelers highlighted a 41-0 victory against the Browns -- their first shutout win in five years -- with Parker's 80-yard scoring run through the middle of the Cleveland defense. The touchdown came in the third quarter and stretched the lead to 27-0.

It was the longest run by a Steelers player in nine years, since Kordell Stewart went 80 yards for a touchdown against Carolina in December 1996, and the fourth-longest play in team history. It was the longest run by a Steelers running back since Frenchy Fuqua scored on an 85-yard run at Philadelphia in December 1970.

"He brings that home-run threat every time," Ward said.

7. Ben Roethlisberger's 16-yard touchdown pass to Heath Miller in San Diego, Oct. 10, 2005:

The Steelers fell behind, 16-14, in their first Monday night appearance of the season, but Roethlisberger didn't waste any time regaining the lead.

He needed just 71 seconds and three plays to move the Steelers 62 yards, culminating the quick drive with a 16-yard touchdown to Miller, their rookie tight end, with 10:30 remaining. In retrospect, the 24-22 victory against the Chargers gave the Steelers a head-to-head tiebreaker they almost needed to secure a wild-card playoff berth.

8. Jaguars cornerback Rashean Mathis' 41-yard touchdown interception return in overtime, Oct. 16, 2005:

In a game in which quarterback Tommy Maddox committed four turnovers, the Steelers lost their second game in three weeks when Mathis returned an interception for a touchdown just 3:36 into overtime, giving Jacksonville a 23-17 victory.

The Steelers looked to be in good position to win the game in overtime when Quincy Morgan returned the kickoff 74 yards to the Jaguars' 26. But Maddox, who was starting for an injured Roethlisberger (knee), fumbled a handoff three plays later to ruin the opportunity.

Mathis then returned Maddox's third interception of the game for a touchdown on the second play on the next series.

9. Jerome Bettis' 5-yard touchdown run vs. Chicago, Dec. 11, 2005:

Bettis would score three touchdowns in his final home game against Detroit, but three weeks earlier he scored his most memorable touchdown of the season on a run in which he bowled over Urlacher on the way to the end zone.

The score gave the Steelers a 21-3 lead against the Bears and highlighted a victory that began an eight-game winning streak that ended with a Super Bowl championship.

10. Troy Polamalu's 77-yard fumble return touchdown in Green Bay, Nov. 6, 2005:

The Steelers, playing the first of three games without an injured Roethlisberger, needed their defense to win a sloppy game against the Packers.

And the player who provided the defining moment was Polamalu, their two-time Pro Bowl safety. Leading, 6-3, rookie cornerback Bryant McFadden sacked quarterback Brett Favre on Green Bay's first possession of the second quarter, forcing a fumble.

Polamalu scooped the fumble and ran 77 yards for the Steelers' first -- and only -- defensive touchdown of the season. Polamalu finished with two fumble recoveries against the Packers.