Good day all – Happy day after the Super Bowl to you.
I hope that you’re feeling better than I am. Let’s just say that I’m a little dehydrated this AM.
As for last night’s game – let me say this first and get it out of the way. I was wrong.
Yup, I picked the Steelers, I took the under, I thought Big Ben would come through again in the big game. And I was wrong on all accounts.
However, the game was exciting. The score was still close. And the Steelers had a shot at the end of the game with that last possession and a chance to win the game.
I’m not ready to throw Ben Roethlisberger under the bus for the Steelers loss. It’s not all on him. That pick 6 in the first quarter hurt bad. There’s no doubt about that. But it was obvious that Ben got hit as he released the ball… I can only imagine the joy and anticipation that Packers fans were feeling as that ball fluttered in the air for what seemed like forever. It must have been the exact opposite of what I was feeling as I watched it. I knew it was bad news right away. They must have known it was good. Ugh.
I’m very willing to give Green Bay the credit that they deserve. Especially in the first half of the football game. They were all over the ball. Aaron Rodgers was able to avoid mistakes. Jordy Nelson was catching balls at an alarming rate (as far as I was concerned) and the lack of a great running game wasn’t making a difference at all. The Packers were doing everything that they needed to do to take control of Super Bowl XLV.
The second half was killer exciting at our party full of Steelers supporters. We all had a feeling like the boys in black and yellow were going to be able to pull off the comeback. The momentum had swung. The gears were in motion. The blood was pumping.
When Rashard Mendenhall ran in from about the 8 yard line I gave a quick yelp of happiness and enthusiasm which lasted until the Packers came back and found Greg Jennings in the 4th quarter. But my yelling came back when (after my pleas all night long) Mike Wallace finally made a big play with his 25 yard TD reception. The room exploded and it seemed like the Packers were on the ropes. Ben and Coach Tomlin were wearing them down. They were ready to take control of the game. Things were interesting.
But the Packers didn’t break. They bent, but that’s it. And that’s a sign of a really good football team. The defense stepped back up and did their job and held down the Steelers during the 2 minute drill with the game on the line. The 3 point favorite held on for a 6 point victory and I’m sure made a bunch of people very happy and fatter in the wallet. More importantly though they made their fans happy and accomplished what they set out to do at the start of the NFL season.
In the end though it was mistakes that undid the Steelers and a well played game that lifted the Packers. Aaron Rodgers was a deserving MVP with 3 touchdown passes, no picks and the leadership that he needed to bring to the table. That leadership was especially needed after the Pack lost Charles Woodson and Donald Driver to injury during the game. Those are 2 veteran guys who could have derailed a more fragile team. Looking back now it’s pretty impressive that the Packers pulled through the way that they did. There’s a lot of credit deserved – and this is me giving it to the team. They all played well and earned the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Congratulations Green Bay – You’re the champions of the world.
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