Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 pitted the team that
had won the most NFL titles, the Green Bay Packers with 12, against the
Pittsburgh Steelers, the club that had won six Super Bowls, the most since that
annual showcase had come into existence.
The Packers, who overcame a rash of injuries throughout
the season, were the sixth seed in the NFC coming into the playoffs. Having
started out the 2010 season at 3-3, they won five of their next six games and
finished second in the NFC North at 10-6. QB Aaron Rodgers (pictured above), the successor to
Brett Favre as starting quarterback, suffered two concussions but also came
into his own in a year in which he led the NFL in passing with a 101.2 rating.
Pro Bowl WR Greg Jennings was the most productive of a good receiving corps (76
catches, 1265 yards, 12 TDs) while WR Jordy Nelson was coming on in the postseason.
The running game had been a chronic problem after RB Ryan Grant suffered a
season-ending injury in the opening game, but RB James Starks was a pleasant
surprise in the playoffs. The defense featured a solid group of linebackers led
by OLB Clay Matthews. Head Coach Mike McCarthy’s team went on the road in the
postseason and defeated the Eagles in the Wild Card round, ambushed the
top-seeded Falcons in Atlanta, and then bested the long-time rival Bears for
the NFC title.
Pittsburgh, under Head Coach Mike Tomlin for the fourth
year, topped the AFC North at 12-4 despite not having QB Ben Roethlisberger for
the first four games due to a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal
conduct policy. The Steelers were 3-1 without him and when Roethlisberger
returned, he played well. Wide receivers Mike Wallace and Hines Ward were
productive while RB Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 1273 yards and 13 TDs. The
Steelers ranked second in the league in total defense, and the unit was solid
throughout. Pittsburgh defeated the division-rival Ravens and Jets to reach the
Super Bowl.
Wintry weather had been a problem in the week leading up
to the contest, but clear skies and milder temperatures returned on game day.
There were 103,219 fans in attendance at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas,
with many more watching the telecast.
The teams exchanged punts until midway through the first
quarter, when the Packers put together a nine-play, 79-yard scoring drive.
James Starks ran for eight yards on a third-and-one play and Aaron Rodgers
completed three passes to Jordy Nelson, the third of which was good for a
29-yard touchdown. Mason Crosby added the extra point.
An illegal block on the ensuing kickoff had the Steelers
starting at their seven yard line, and on the next play Ben Roethlisberger
threw long and was intercepted by FS Nick Collins, who returned it 37 yards for
a TD. Crosby’s conversion put Green Bay up by 14-0.
The Steelers came back with a 13-play drive that extended
into the second quarter and was helped along by Roethlisberger scrambling for
18 yards on a third-and-nine play and passing to WR Emmanuel Sanders for the
necessary 13 yards in a third down situation to the Green Bay 22. The drive
finally stalled at the 15 and Shaun Suisham kicked a 33-yard field goal to get
the AFC Champs on the board.
The Packers went three-and-out on their next series and
Pittsburgh moved to midfield before Roethlisberger again was picked off, this
time by DB Jarrett Bush, giving the Packers the ball at their own 47. It took
Green Bay just four plays to make the most of the turnover. Rodgers completed
passes to Greg Jennings for four yards and then Nelson for 16 before Starks ran
for 12 yards to the Pittsburgh 21. From there, Rodgers again connected with
Jennings down the middle (pictured below), this time for a touchdown and, with Crosby’s PAT, a
21-3 lead.
Down by 18 points and getting the ball back on offense
with 2:24 left in the first half, the Steelers advanced 77 yards in seven
plays. Roethlisberger started off with a throw to WR Antwaan Randle El that
picked up 37 yards to the Green Bay 40. Another Roethlisberger pass was knocked
down at the line of scrimmage, but he completed his next four tosses, three of
which were to the 34-year-old veteran Hines Ward. The last completion to Ward
was good for a six-yard touchdown and, following Suisham’s extra point, the
score was 21-10 at halftime.
The Packers had the first possession of the third quarter
and punted, with a face mask penalty on the return giving Pittsburgh favorable
field position at the 50. Rashard Mendenhall ran for 17 yards on first down
and, following a short running play, Roethlisberger gained six yards on a
scramble that set up third-and-one. RB Isaac Redman gained 16 yards around end
and Mendenhall capped the five-play series with an eight-yard touchdown carry.
Suisham added the extra point and the Steelers were behind by just four points
and appeared to have the momentum.
The Packers had another short possession followed by a
punt, and the Steelers, starting at their 40, again moved into Green Bay
territory. Roethlisberger threw to Ward for a 15-yard gain to the 29, but the
Packers stiffened on defense and, following a third-down sack of
Roethlisberger, Suisham was wide on a 52-yard field goal attempt.
The teams exchanged punts for the remainder of the period
but, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Mendenhall fumbled, which was
forced by Clay Matthews, and LB Desmond Bishop recovered for the Packers at the
Green Bay 38. Two pass completions were followed by two that fell incomplete,
but facing third-and-10, Rodgers connected with Nelson for 38 yards to the
Pittsburgh two. Rodgers was sacked by LB LaMarr Woodley for a loss of six yards
on first down but followed up with an eight-yard scoring pass to Jennings. With
the successful conversion, the Packers held a widened lead of 28-17.
The Steelers responded with a 66-yard drive in seven
plays. All of those plays were Roethlisberger passes, and he completed six of
them, including the last to Mike Wallace for 25 yards and a TD (pictured below). Pittsburgh then
went for a two-point conversion and it was successful when Randle-El took a
pitchout and reached the end zone. Green Bay’s lead was narrowed to three
points at 28-25.
The Packers started their next possession at their 25
with 7:34 left to play. Rodgers was sacked on first down by DE Ziggy Hood but
threw to Nelson for nine yards and, after a false start backed them up five
yards, Rodgers went deep to Nelson for a gain of 31 yards to the Pittsburgh 44.
Starks ran twice for a total of 15 yards before Rodgers went long for WR James
Jones and picked up 21 yards to the eight yard line. The Steelers held on
defense, but Crosby added a crucial 23-yard field goal to make it a six-point
game.
With the clock now down to just over two minutes, the
Steelers had one last shot. Starting at their 13, Roethlisberger threw to TE
Heath Miller for 15 yards and Ward for five, but the next three passes fell
incomplete and with that Green Bay came away with a 31-25 win.
The Steelers led in total yards (387 to 338) and first
downs (19 to 15). They also recorded three sacks, to one by Green Bay. However,
Pittsburgh also turned the ball over three times, to no turnovers by the
Packers.
Aaron Rodgers, the game’s MVP, completed 24 of 39 passes
for 304 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Jordy Nelson had 9
catches for 140 yards and a TD while Greg Jennings scored twice while pulling
in four receptions for 64 yards. The Packers didn’t run the ball much, and
James Starks led the club with 52 yards on 11 carries.
For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger was successful on 25
of 40 throws for 263 yards with two TDs, but also two interceptions, and ran
for 31 yards on four attempts. Mike Wallace was the top receiver with 9 catches
for 89 yards and a touchdown and Hines Ward contributed 7 receptions for 78
yards that also included a score. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 63 yards and a
TD on 14 carries.
“This is where it (the Lombardi Trophy) belongs,” said LB
A.J. Hawk. “As long as the Packers have lived, it’s going to be great to bring
that back.”
It was the 13th league championship for the
Packers, and they appeared on their way to another when they went 15-1 in 2011.
However, they fell flat in a loss to the Giants at the Divisional playoff level
to snuff out their hopes of repeating. Pittsburgh again went 12-4, finishing
second in the AFC North, but lost in stunning fashion to the Denver Broncos in
overtime of their Wild Card playoff contest.
