Turnovers Doom Steelers In Super Bowl XLV

Added on Feb 07, 2011 by Scott in

Super Bowl

Entering Super Bowl XLV, teams that forced at least three turnovers were 30-4. Make that 31-4. The Green Bay Packers turned three Steelers mistakes into 21 points and that proved to be the difference in their 31-25 victory, and first world championship since 1997. As they did throughout the regular season and playoffs, the Packers survived injuries, dropped passes, dumb penalties and withstood two separate rallies by the vastly more experienced Steelers to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

From the opening whistle, favored Green Bay looked like the more composed and veteran team, while Pittsburgh was sloppy and flat. A first quarter pick-six by Pack safety Nick Collins off an ill-advised throw by Ben Roethlisberger gave Green Bay a 14-0 lead, which in the end, was too large a deficit to overcome. A second Big Ben interception by reserve defensive back Jarrett Bush set up a second quarter score to put Green Bay up 21-3.

The third and perhaps most damaging turnover came early in the fourth quarter. The Steelers were positioned at the Packers 41 yard line trailing 21-17. Reshard Mendenhall ran smack dab into Clay Matthews, who knocked the ball to the turf allowing fellow linebacker Desmond Bishop to pounce on it for the recovery. Eight plays later Greg Jennings caught his second touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers and for all intents and purposes, Super Bowl XLV was over.

The normally calm and collected Steelers were anything but for the majority of the game. They failed to exploit absences to Charles Woodson and Donald Driver, who both exited in the first half with shoulder and ankle injuries respectively. The keys to their offense, Roethlisberger and Mendenhall, each committed critical errors. The normally stout defense forced zero turnovers and was never able to rattle Rodgers.

To no one’s surprise, the team that executed better and suffered fewer lapses came out on top. Despite a 39-13 pass-run ratio, the Packers won. Despite at least four dropped passes, the Packers won. Despite Rodgers being hit close to twenty times, the Packers won. As it did all season, perseverance paid off.

That’s a wrap on the 2010 NFL season. Whether or not there is a 2011 season remains to be seen. A potentially ugly labor battle looms. Hopefully, a lockout can be avoided and both sides will reach an amicable agreement before the April draft. The longer it drags out, the shorter the odds the upcoming campaign will be interrupted. Thanks to the Packers and Steelers for ending this season on a high note. Maybe that’s a good omen. Fingers crossed.