TAMPA, Fla. – Justin Hartwig had better hug Santonio Holmes today.

If the Steelers did not come back to win Super Bowl XLIII 27-23, the Steelers center might be searching for a disguise before walking around the Steel City.

Hartwig committed a bonehead play that gave the Cardinals the opening they needed to make their furious fourth-quarter comeback. He basically tackled blitzing linebacker Karlos Dansby drawing a holding call in the end zone, which is an automatic safety.

The safety made cut the Steelers’ lead to 20-16 and the ensuing free kick set Arizona up with great field position at their own 36. Two plays later Kurt Warner hit Larry Fitzgerald and the wide receiver ran 64 yards to put the Cardinals up 23-20.

The safety was set up by a good tactical decision by Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt. Arizona’s drive stalled at the 36 with 3:34 left in the game and with the Cardinals still possessing all their timeouts.

With the Cardinals down 20-14, Whisenhunt could have tried a long field goal to cut the lead to three points, but instead opted to punt. Former Jets punter Ben Graham made a beautiful kick that died just before the end zone and was downed by Michael Adams at the 2. A personal foul on James Harrison moved the ball to the 1.

The Steelers opened up with a pass to Hines Ward that fell incomplete. Willie Parker then ran up the middle, and it appeared Arizona might have stopped him for a safety, but Parker leaned his way across the goal line. On third down, Ben Roethlisberger found Holmes for a 19-yard pass that would have gotten the Steelers out of trouble. But Hartwig pulled the blitzing Dansby down on top of him and drew the flag, swinging the momentum back Arizona’s way.

Roethlisberger and Holmes connected with 35 seconds left to bail Hartwig out and prevent him from searching for that fake mustache and glasses.