Packers vs. Steelers: 5 Observations from Green Bay's Super Bowl Win
There was a time during Super Bowl XLV that a much different headline was shaping up for the Green Bay Packers.
"Injuries Finally Catch Up to the Packers."
With emotional leaders Charles Woodson and Donald Driver on the sidelines with injuries, it looked as if the Packers were finally doomed by their inescapable injury bug.ย
But as the Packers have done all season, each and every man on the roster pulled together and held off the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25.
This resilient group now has the title of World champions.
Let's break down five observations from the Packers' Super Bowl victory.
Another Fast Start
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The Packers jumped out to a surprising 21-3 lead over the Steelers, but maybe we should have seen it coming.
It's been the same script for the Packers all postseason, as Green Bay took leads of 11 or more points in each of their four playoff games.ย
And once again, that early lead allowed the Packers to weather some shaky moments during the middle portions of the game.ย
After an unnerving start for the Packers' offense, Aaron Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson for a 29-yard touchdown with 3:44 left in the first quarter.ย On the following defensive possession, Nick Collins intercepted Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 37 yards to put the Packers up 14-0.ย
A quarter later, Rodgers found Greg Jennings for another Packers' touchdown, and before anyone knew it, Green Bay had a 21-3 lead.
However, both the Packers' offense and defense cooled down in a hurry.
Just as fast as Green Bay had taken the big lead, Pittsburgh whittled the lead down to 21-17 with back-to-back touchdowns.ย
Without the early lead the Packers awarded themselves, Green Bay would have been unable to weather the storm of the late first half and third quarter.
J-O-R-D-Y Spells Redemption
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Even though Packers' receivers were dropping passes left and right, Rodgers' confidence in his talented core never wavered.ย
His receiversโJordy Nelson in particularโrepaid that confidence in full.ย
Nelson had two huge dropsโone in the first quarter which would have either ended in a touchdown or set the Packers up on the doorstep, and one in the fourth quarter when Green Bay was looking for a game-clinching drive.ย
Both times, however, Rodgers came right back to Nelson.ย
After his first drop (which, in all fairness, was a tough catch), Rodgers came right back on their next drive and hit Nelson on a 29-yard touchdown that gave the Packers a 7-0 lead.ย
Nelson's second drop came on a 2nd-and-10 pass on the Packers' final offensive drive, but once again, Rodgers wisely went back to him.
On the very next play, Nelson hauled in a pass over the middle and raced down the far sideline for a 38-yard gain that set up the Packers' final field goal.ย
It was a tough game all-around for the Packers' receivers, but they made the plays when they had to.
Nelson was the epitome of that resilience.
Turnovers Tell The Story
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Both the Packers (+10) and Steelers (+17) were among the best in the NFL at turnover differential during the regular season, but it was Green Bay who took control of the Super Bowl via the takeaway.ย
Nick Collins' interception return for a touchdown was just the first of three Pittsburgh turnovers, and the Packers turned their two other takeaways into touchdowns as well.ย
The much-maligned Jarrett Bush intercepted Roethlisberger in the second quarter, and four plays later, Rodgers found Jennings for a 21-3 Packers' lead.ย
However, the most important turnover of the game was the final one.ย
With the Steelers down just four points, 21-17, and on the move, Rashard Mendenhall coughed up the football after being sandwiched by Ryan Pickett and Clay Matthews.ย
Desmond Bishop recovered the fumble, and the Packers' offense once again made it hurt.ย
Jennings finished off the resulting 55-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown reception that gave the Packers an 11-point cushion, 28-17.
It's a well-used cliche in the NFL, but turnovers told the story of Super Bowl XLV.
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Aaron Rodgers MVP
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Aaron Rodgers' signature celebration is the "championship belt," in which the Packers' quarterback mocks that he's wearing a wrestling-style championship belt.ย
Well, Aaron Rodgers, the title belt is officially yours.ย
Capping off an amazing stretch during the postseason, Rodgers completed 24-of-37 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns, and was awarded the Super Bowl MVP.ย
Simply put, it was another masterful Rodgers' performance.ย
Under constant pressure all night long, Rodgers ducked, dodged and threw lasers all over Cowboys Stadium (four to five of which were dropped), and when it was all said and done, put together one of the best showings in the history of the Super Bowl.ย
And overall, you couldn't think of a more deserving quarterback to win Super Bowl MVP. Rodgers has had far from the typical six-year start to his career, but he's overcome every obstacle in his way.ย
I know I speak for all of Packers nation, congratulations Aaron Rodgers.
Super Bowl Was a Microcosm of The 2010-2011 Green Bay Packers
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There are plenty of teams that would have crashed and burned after their starting running back (Ryan Grant) was lost for the season, and even more teams that would have after losing talents like Jermichael Finley and Nick Barnett.
There are plenty of teams that would have packed it in after a 3-3 start, and even more teams that would have given up after back-to-back losses put their postseason hopes on life support.
And there was plenty of fans and talking heads that were done with Mike McCarthy, Ted Thompson and the rest of the Packers' management.ย
In the end, the final piece to the Packers' championship puzzleโthe Super Bowlโwent down exactly as the Packers' season had.ย
Just look at the comparisons; it really couldn't and shouldn't have ended any other way.
With all the preseason hype, the Packers were the sexy Super Bowl pick heading into the season. In the Super Bowl, Green Bay got off to a hot start and looked like a sure-winner.
Despite all the opening bravados, however, injuries started taking their tool. The aforementioned losses of Grant, Finley and Barnett put the Packers' season in serious jeopardy, and tonight, injuries to the Packers' emotional leadersโDonald Driver and Charles Woodsonโput the Packers' big early lead in trouble.ย
And finally, Packers' management has always been the scapegoat.
Believe or not, there were plenty of fans who wanted both McCarthy and Thompson gone after Green Bay's early struggles.ย
While McCarthy wasn't conventional in the Super Bowl (41 passes, 11 rushes), he called a great game against the vaunted Steelers' defense and was fantastic throughout the playoffs.
And the vilified Thompsonโwho shipped Favre out of town just three years agoโhas now undeniably put together a Super Bowl winning roster.ย The Packers showed this season that they have the most depth in the NFL, and that's also a direct reflection of Thompson.ย
In the end, the Packers overcame every obstacle put in their wayโboth during the season and in the Super Bowlโand for their efforts, now have the title of World Champions.ย
Looking Ahead
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In reality, there is no reason to look ahead. The Green Bay Packers are Super Bowl Champions, and they've accomplished the goal which every team sets out to conquer before the season.ย
Still, despite everything this team has achieved this year, the future of this team couldn't be any brighter.ย
Rodgers, who is just now inheriting the title of NFL's best quarterback for the next decade, will lead an offense next season that gets back both Grant and Finley.
The defense is also one of the NFL's best, and despite possibly losing Cullen Jenkins in the offseason, Dom Capers will have a mostly-intact squad.
And maybe the scariest part? As the NFL's second youngest team, they're only bound to get better.ย
Thompson will continue to add important pieces via the draft, and he's bound to find another Sam Shields or Frank Zombo afterwards.
With the Packers' development department as good as it is, there's no telling how good all their young players could become.
It's still to way too early to begin the "dynasty" talkโas every new NFL season is a unique challenge, but if you're going to construct the beginnings of one, the Green Bay Packers might just be the blueprint.ย
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