Super Bowl Recap

Super Bowl Recap

First off, we need to appreciate what a great game that both teams played yesterday in Super Bowl 45. It had almost everything that a championship game should have: big hits, big plays and major drama at the end. One also had to appreciate the fact that the referees were not a factor in this physical and closely fought game. I thought that the referees did an amazing job, just remember that Steelers vs Seahawks Super Bowl in 2006 and the officiating fiasco that ensued at Ford Field giving Pittsburgh the easy victory. Yesterday, the two teams combined for 13 penalties, the Packers with 7 for 67 yards and the Steelers had 6 for 55 yards, none resulting in first downs. One more amazing stat from the game was the third down efficiency by both teams. The Packers converted 6 of 13 third downs and the Steelers hit on 7 of 13 attempts. That's outstanding work against two fine defenses.

We loved how Green Bay came out firing with Aaron Rodgers taking control through the air finding WRs Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson. When the Packers went up 7-0 on a 29-yard pass from Rodgers to Nelson on third down at the end of the first quarter, it capped a 9 play 80 yard drive. The ensuing kickoff pinned Pittsburgh deep at their own 7 yard line after a block in the back penalty. Instead of pounding the running game at the Packers, the Steelers came out with a deep pass to Mike Wallace. Ben Roethlisberger was pressured and hit and the ball came out fluttering into the hands of GB safety Nick Collins, who returned it to the house 37 yards for the score. Pittsburgh went against everything that they preached all season by throwing deep in their own territory into double coverage and the result was a tragic one for the Steeler Nation. On the following possession, Pittsburgh drove 13 plays and Shaun Suisham hit a 33 yard field goal making it 14-3. After a quick stop, the Steelers got the ball back again and started driving into Green Bay territory when Roethlisberger made his next mistake, his second interception on a fine play by CB Jarrett Bush. Four plays later it was 21-3 when Rodgers connected with Jennings for a 21-yard score over the middle into double coverage. There was simply no stopping Rodgers and the Green Bay passing attack in the first half, and Pittsburgh two interceptions now cost them 14 points in the first 28 minutes of the game. Pittsburgh would rally in true Steeler fashion with a late touchdown pass to Hines Ward at the end of the half, after Green Bay defensive captain and star DB Charles Woodson broke his collarbone  The Woodson injury would have a devastating effect on the Green Bay secondary for the rest of the game.
The Packers came out of halftime shaky, committing 3 penalties on their first five plays giving Pittsburgh a quick stop and great field position. The Steeler quickly drove 50 yards and scored on a Rashard Mendehall TD run run up the middle just 5 minutes into the second half (21-17). The game stayed at 21-17 until the fourth quarter, when Mendehall fumbled the ball away at the Green Bay 36 yard line. Pittsburgh's third turnover of the game resulted in another Packer touchdown. Green Bay drove 55 yards and scored on the second TD pass of the game from Rodgers to Jennings (28-17). The third Pittsburgh turnover was essentially the death blow to the Steelers, no team had ever won a Super Bowl down 3 turnovers or from 18 points behind (it was 21-3 in the first half). Ben would rally the Steelers one more time with another TD drive capped by a Wallace 25-yard TD catch on third down. Pitt added the two point conversion drawing to within 28-25 with just over 7 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. But the Pitt defense could not hold, and Rodgers led the Pack 70 yards on 10 plays keyed by a huge 31 yard pass to Jennings on third and long in Green Bay territory. Mason Crosby hit he 23 yard field goal and the Packers went up 31-25 with under two minutes to go in the game.Big Ben couldn't rally one last time and the Packers won Super Bowl 45 by the score of 31-25!!

What we liked: The Packers winning by over 3 points and covering the spread was nice to see. We really enjoyed the proverbial shootout with a lot of passing plays down the field.  A special thank you should go out to GB Coach Mike McCarthy, who let Rodgers continually throw the ball-- resulting in 39 attempts. We asked for 35 passes and we got 39 leading Green Bay to victory. The Super Bowl MVP was Rodgers, who left little doubt to who was the best player on the field  Sunday. Rodgers completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and NO interceptions or fumbles. WR Jordy Nelson dropped at least 3 passes but still finished with 9 grabs for 140 yards, and stepped up big after Donald Driver left the game in the second quarter. Jennings also had a huge game with 4 catches for 64 yards and two TDs. I did love the Pittsburgh effort in their attempted comeback and the heart that they showed even in losing the big game.

What we Loathed: The Steelers calling that deep pass play to Wallace from their own 7 yard line only down 7-0. The Steelers three turnovers, that really changed this game, forcing them to air it out after falling behind 21-3 in the first half. They only got Mendenhall 15 touches in the game--he was their best player all season and he needed to be more involved if they were going to win this game. The Shaun Suisham missed 53 yard field goal was just flat out Ugly. Why not punt the ball deep and pin Green Bay back inside their own 10. On the Green Bay side, you have to feel terrible for Driver and Woodson watching most of the game from the sidelines. Both guys have played so long only to watch their teammates carry them to victory. The Woodson injury forced Green Bay to get conservative on defense and altered their entire defensive game plan. It's hard to imagine Pittsburgh scoring 25 points in this game, especially when it was 21-3 when Woodson was injured late in the second quarter.

Celebration Time for Green Bay! Now the rest of us can wait for free agency in March and the draft in April, assuming that there isn't a holdout/lockout over the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Commissioner Roger Goodell  has done a great job so far, now he needs to help the two sides come together one more time.