Photo by: Clarion
Three turnovers and 21 points proved too much for the Pittsburgh Steelers to handle on Sunday night as the Green Bay Packers battled for their league-best thirteenth championship.
Despite the league’s best run defense, and its best overall defense player (Troy Polamalu), the team that had hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy two of the last five seasons could not match up to a team with 14 players on its injured reserve, and registered two more key injuries during the game.
It is hard to tell whether the Packers won the game or the Steelers lost it, however one thing is blatant–turnovers made the difference.
“If you’re trying to wrap a bow around it in ten words or less –yeah,” Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin responded when asked whether the turnovers were to blame for the Steelers losing Super Bowl XLV.
Because of costly mistakes the Steelers’ core group of players, which includes Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Polamulu, James Farrior, Brett Keisel, Casey Hampton and Heath Miller, were not able to hoist their third Lombardi Trophy, stifling a potential dynasty and losing in the big game for the second time in franchise history.
Although turnovers were the undeniable factor in the game, lets not waste too much time dwelling on the losers and their mistakes.
It was Green Bay’s night. They made the plays that determined the games outcome–an interception run back for a TD, a crucial forced fumble and a turnover on downs with under a minute remaining.
They are the champions of the world, and they deserve to be. No team in NFL history has overcome as many injuries as Green Bay did in 2010 and still had enough talent to win four consecutive games in the playoffs–all on the road.
Not to mention, this is a team that couldn’t run for much of the season, placing a tremendous burden on quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who wasn’t 31-36 like he was against the Falcons last month, but still managed 304 yards, three touchdowns and a Super Bowl MVP.
The Packers title run appeared impossible, yet at the same time it seemed to be their destiny to win it all. I mean how else can you explain Green Bay overcoming injuries to Pro Bowl corner Charles Woodson and stalwart receiver Donald Driver? The team knew how to overcome what ever road blocks were cast in its way, and that is a sign of a true champion.
The other sign? A quarterback like Rodgers, who enters next season (whenever it may be) as the league’s best signal caller. I know, it’s crazy to say with the likes of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady still in their primes, but Rodgers has to be ranked No. 1 for a simple reason–he plays for the defending champions, and he can plausibly win in 2011. But I don’t want to look too much into the future, especially with a lockout looming.
The league’s smallest market now has its biggest trophy and the title of “world champion” to go with it. Congrats to Green Bay, the Lombardi Trophy has returned to where it belongs–the same town that forged it five decades ago.
