7
Feb
2011
Monday Morning Super Bowl XLV round-up: Packers outlast Steelers to re-claim Lombardi Trophy
This year's trophy also came with a championship belt (Photo: Getty Images via ChicagoBreakingSports)
The Green Bay Packers are bringing the Lombardi trophy back to Titletown.
As the whole world watched, the Packers hung on to defeat Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV, with Aaron Rodgers throwing 3 TDs and taking home the MVP trophy. Green Bay jumped out to an early 21-3 lead, and for a minute it looked like we might be headed for a blowout. But the Steelers were able to turn the momentum and mount a comeback in the second half to cut the lead to within a score. But down by 6 points with just under 2 minutes to go, Ben Roethlisberger wasn’t able to summon the last-minute heroics needed for a game-winning drive, and the Packers held on for the victory. In the end, the difference in the game came down to turnovers. Pittsburgh committed three turnovers, and Green Bay committed none. Plus, the Packers were able to capitalize on all three of the Steelers turnovers with touchdowns. It’s pretty simple, really: when you spot a team 21 points in the Super Bowl, it’s difficult to win.
Rather than re-hash every angle you’ve probably heard overanalyzed a dozen times by now, we’ll just provide a few links to some of the more interesting side notes to this year’s big game:
- Yes, Christina Aguilera screwed up the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner. Deport her immediately.
- After all of his ploys to add extra attendees for the game (including selling tickets for standing room only party plazas outside the stadium) Jerry Jones missed setting the Super Bowl attendance record by 766
- And thanks to that attempt by Jerrah, 400 ticket buyers, who each paid $800 for newly constructed seats at Cowboys Stadium, were forced to watch the game on TVs in the stadium after the fire marshal deemed their seats unsafe. But the league is hooking each of the displaced fans up with $2,400 cash, NFL merch, tix to SB 46 … oh, and they got to go on the field during the post-game celebration last night.
- Only one record was set during SB XLV: fewest combined rushing attempts by both teams, with 36 (Packers 13, Steelers 23)
- Injured Packer CB Charles Woodson apparently gave an emotional, “Gipper-esque” halftime speech to his teammates, which helped fire them up to take home the championship.
24
Jan
2011
Charles Woodson and the Packers are coming to see President Obama (VIDEO)
BJ Raji does the getdown after scoring on an interception return in the NFC Championship (Photo: JSOnline.com)
Lost in all the back and forth over whether Jay Cutler is or is not a wuss seems to be the fact that the Green Bay Packers soundly defeated their third consecutive road playoff opponent, and are headed to Dallas for Super Bowl XLV. As the number six seed in the NFC, the Packers have gone into hostile territory and beaten the Eagles, Falcons and Bears in consecutive weeks, and done so in impressive fashion. Quite simply, Mike McCarthy’s team is playing the best football in the league right now … and with or without Cutler, the Packers were going to win that game.
While Aaron Rodgers may get all the (well-deserved) love from the media, perhaps the biggest factor in the Packers’ success has been the play of their defense. Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers’ group allowed only 15 points per game in the regular season, and have been able to recover from some key injuries along with way. Led by shutdown corner Charles Woodson, agile big man BJ Raji and All-Pro LB Clay Matthews, Green Bay has effectively contained some of the game’s most dangerous offenses this post-season. So if you’re a believer that defense wins championships (and I am), take note that the Packers D is dominating games and peaking at the right time.
After the victory, Woodson addressed his teammates and took the opportunity to address President Obama, who had said he would attend the Super Bowl if his hometown Chicago Bears won on Sunday. To which Woodson replied that the Packers will instead come to see Obama … when they visit the White House as Super Bowl champions:
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
13
Jan
2010
Rex Ryan Really Rikes Revis as Defensive POY (video)
(sorry, but sometimes headline alliteration supersedes proper English)
(Image via NYJetsFan.com)
Yesterday, Packers DB Charles Woodson was named as the AP’s Defensive Player of the Year for 2009. And while Woodson had an excellent year with 9 INTs, the runner-up for the award was NY Jets CB Darrell Revis, who arguably had the most memorable season for a shutdown corner in recent years.
As you might have guessed, Jets HC Rex Ryan wasn’t too pleased that his best player was passed over for the award, and stated his case for Revis to the media:
Ryan makes some excellent points, but isn’t it just refreshing to have an NFL head coach who actually says what’s on his mind, and doesn’t turn every question into some coachspeak BS session?!? I mean, the guy clearly a clown, but it makes for some good entertainment!
