Just wow them in the end, because the final act is the only one that the audience will remember as they leave the theatre. And the fourth quarter of Sunday's Steelers-Cardinals clash was pure theatre, sublime football, an ending that was stuffed with more plot twists in the final eight minutes than any screenwriter could conjure up.

This was not a matchup that captured the country's imagination before the game. But that's one the beautiful things about football: you never know when a classic is going to break out. You just have to be there to find out.

Through three plus quarters, Super Bowl XLIII looked like an odd game full of penalties, missed red zone chances, and one incredible 100-yard play by James Harrison. By the end, there were too many brilliant plays piled on top of another to keep straight. Here are eight that I'll always remember.

Head to NBCSports.com for the rest of our coverage from Tampa. And check out Gregg's blog for his thoughts on the post-game locker room and interview scene at the game.

1. Santonio Holmes' game-winning touchdown

62, Scat, Flasher. It doesn't have quite the same ring as the Immaculate reception, but that play call will go down right next to Franco Harris' romp in Pittsburgh lore.

The play wasn't initially designed to get Holmes the ball. In fact, Nate Washington and Hines Ward were ahead of Holmes on Roethlisberger's progression.

But Roethlisberger had great protection in the pocket and was able to read the field. This was typical, as Pittsburgh's maligned grunts played well all game. Roethlisberger looked inside quickly, but it appears Roethlisberger had Holmes in mind all along, no matter what coordinator Bruce Arians called for.

Sometimes it's not about the play call. The perfect throw and catch can beat even the best defense, and that was the case here. Three defenders were covering Holmes – safety Aaron Francisco, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and cornerback Ralph Brown. Roethlisberger had about a six-inch window to throw into, and he nailed it on a perfect line over Brown's out-stretched hand. Francisco, the night's Bill Buckner, arrived just in time to push Holmes to the ground.

Holmes is listed at 5'11, but he's at least two inches shorter in person. He used every inch of that frame to stretch out, catch the ball with his fingertips, and guarantee he wouldn't buy a beer in Pittsburgh for the rest of his life.

Asked about the play after the game, despondent Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson just shook his head and said, "Great catch." He took a deep breath, and we waited for him to say something else. He just kept shaking his head.

Like the David Tyree catch from last Super Bowl, the Holmes grab becomes less probable the more you watch it. That is a throw most coaches would probably say not to make. It had a greater chance of being intercepted than completed. It's the type of throw and catch that creates legends in the span of five seconds.

2. Holmes' first down to start the game-winning drive

Don't let this play get lost in the shuffle. The Steelers still had 74 yards to go with 1:56 remaining, and were facing a third-and-six. Roethlisberger pump-faked, got safety Aaron Francisco up in the air, ducked under a possible hit, then found Holmes leaping for a first down grab over the middle. Holmes dropped a lot of passes this season while getting hit. This time he held on. If he didn't, the Steelers were looking at one more play to save their season.

3. Larry Fitzgerald's 64-yard touchdown to take the fourth quarter lead

Fitzgerald's touchdown, much like Randy Moss's last year, was the storybook ending that wasn't. It was the would-be championship moment that will finish as a footnote.

"It was like getting a chair pulled out from under you," Fitzgerald said. "It just hurts to be able to get so close and fall short of your ultimate goal."

The Steelers double covered Fitzgerald all game, but the Cardinals broke free in the fourth quarter by spreading Pittsburgh out.

"The play itself was another in-breaking, intermediate route, which they were struggling with once we went to it," offensive coordinator Todd Haley said.

Right before the play, sage writer Tom Curran said, "They need to get Polamalu out of there."

Troy Polamalu was shaded towards Fitzgerald, but he got caught heading towards Steve Breaston on a sideline route while Fitzgerald exploded over the middle. They ran a similar play at least ten times in the second half, often to other receivers. No one else can bust open a zone like Fitzgerald.

"I was thinking, he was way faster than I thought," safety Ryan Clark said after failing to catch up with Fitzgerald.

4. Cardinals safety on a holding call with 2:58 remaining

This was an easy call for the official, but a crucial one with only 2:58 left in the game. It wiped out a remarkable throw and catch from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes for a would-be first down. The Cardinals, at the very least, would have wasted more time and had to burn times outs to get the ball back.

There was a healthy press box discussion whether the Steelers should intentionally take a safety while up six points if they got to fourth down. The holding call/safety came on third down, so we'll never know what Mike Tomlin's decision would have been. (Update: Tomlin said he would have taken the safety after the game.)
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