A 26 to 27 is better than a 23 to 27 you know.
No, it isn't. They'd still lose the game, and a field goal would be a completely moronic decision that leaves them no chance to win where a deep ball to the end zone might. You don't get remembered for "getting within one point of the other team at the Super Bowl", you get remembered for winning the damn game.
I ran a simulation on Troy Aikman NFL Football (Genesis, 1994) and the Steelers wound up winning 80-3 despite getting no first downs and being dominated on time of possession (10 offensive plays total). That game was silly like that.
Even so if they got close enough after the two good passes where they called timouts (which was dumb of them. Why call timeouts when you made a good pass to gain yardage) they could at least passed for a touchdown. They were on the 40- yard line on the first bs timeout, they passed the ball and they got to at least the 25- yard line, then the second one got them to the 30- yard line, if they didn't call timeouts on either, they could get close enough for a pass touchdown at least.)
Ok, time for me to step in here. They called timeouts because those passes were up the middle of the field, meaning that the clock was still running. The purpose of the time-outs were to stop the clock. If they didn't call timeouts, then the clock runs out and they lose the game, or they have to spike, which is a loss of down.
But I saw the Cardinals doing hasty plays and acted without really thinking of what they were doing after :35. I know that I'd be rushed on :35 on 4th Quarter, but I still would keep calm and make good decisions.
(I don't play football, but this I know).
It's called a 2 minute drill, and it's run int he "no-huddle offense," which is a very effective way to run an offense if you can do it. The Bills went to (and lost...but that's not the point) 4 straight SBs running a no-huddle offense. On their last scoring drive, Arizona was running a no-huddle offense. The Colots have also run this type of offense, and were very successful thanks to Peyton Manning, the smartest QB in the history of football. In the no-huddle, the QB calls the play at the line, either based on the defense or what the coach calls into him. This saves time, and keeps the defense on their heels, as well as preventing them from substituting, keeping the same tired defense on the field. Manning caught the Chargers subbing and ended up throwing a TD pass in the Colts - Chargers wildcard game.
But in the end Cardinals lost and I lost 30 bucks on the bet! (Until I stole it back when he wasn't looking so he was cheated out of his bet! So it was loss/win situation! lol he was like where'd it go! HE checked his car and the table he was crazy, he then left home without his 30! And I kept that 30 hahaha I then told him last night I took his 30 back. He was pissed, but he wasn't mad so he and I laughed)
The Steelers might have gotten the W, but the Cardinals won the game. The Cardinals completely outperformed the Steelers, amassing some 400 yards against a Steeler defense that had not allowed over 300 all season. On the other side, the Steelers weren't even able to muster 300 yards, and only forced 2 turnovers, one of which was highly questionable. The Cards had 11 penalties for over 100 yards called against them, while the Steelers had about 50 yards on 7 penalties.
The refs won the game for the Steelers. They made BS calls, and miss game-altering calls, such as the half dozen or so holding calls against the Steelers on Harrison's INT return, which would have resulted in them not getting a TD and the half ending with the Cards getting the ball to start the 3rd quarter. Also, opting to not review the "fumble" that ended the game. I say "fumble" because it wasn't, it was CLEARLY an incomplete pass, you don't even need a replay to see that. The ball remained in Kurt's hand through the throwing motion, and was knocked off-target by the Steeler who hit his hand and the ball. That is an incomplete pass, not a fumble. On top of that, there was a personal foul on the Steelers on that play which would have given the Cardinals another 15 yards, easily in range for a Fitzgerald jump ball, a play he makes a vast majority of the time due to his height, excellent hands and ball control, and a 42" vertical jump. It was an exciting game, but it should have ended 30-20 in favor of the Cards.