Steelers turn big plays into Super Bowl victory

Big plays from Willie Parker and Hines Ward put a shine on a lacklustre performance as the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in Super Bowl XL on Sunday to join a select group of NFL champions.

The victory gave Pittsburgh a record-equalling fifth Super Bowl title to join the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers as the NFL's greatest champions.

More importantly to the Steelers, it was the first for running back Jerome Bettis and their coach Bill Cowher.

After 13 seasons of punishing duty that has made Bettis the NFL's fifth all-time leading rusher, "The Bus" was finally able to celebrate a championship in what is expected to be the final game of his career.

The victory also ends doubts that Cowher, the longest active coach in the NFL with 14 seasons at the Pittsburgh helm, could not win the big one.

Pittsburgh's fifth Super Bowl win certainly will not be remembered as its best.

After guiding the Steelers to three impressive road wins just to get to the Super Bowl, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger stumbled through an error-filled contest completing just nine-of-23 passes for 123 yards with two interceptions.

Pittsburgh's mistakes, however, were offset by a string of big plays, including a Super Bowl record 75-yard touchdown run from scrimmage by Parker.