Green Bay fought through a ton of injuries this season, and then had three more key injuries in the first half of Super Bowl XLV (you've got to love the Roman numerals). They lost two defensive backs, including one of the best defensive players in the league in Charles Woodson, and lost number one wideout Donald Driver. They had a rough third quarter, and had difficulty running the ball. They were facing an experienced team, one that had seemed to find just what it needed when it needed it, and whose defense was often impenetrable when it needed to be impenetrable.
And Madden 11 predicted a Steelers win. That's an awful lot to overcome. Well, consider it overcome.
Rodgers, the game's MVP, thrilled his legion of Cheesehead fans with a spectacular six-game string that should finally erase the bitterness of the Brett Favre separation in Green Bay. He's not equal with Favre in Super Bowl wins, yet he extended the Packers' record of NFL titles to 13, nine before the Super Bowl era.
The Packers QB threw for three touchdowns, two to Greg Jennings, and the Packers (14-6) overcame even more injuries, building a 21-3 lead, then hanging on to become the second No. 6 seed to win the championship. Coincidentally, the 2005 Steelers were the other.
Rodgers threw for 304 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown to Jordy Nelson, who had nine catches for 140 yards to make up for three big drops. Rodgers found Jennings, normally his favorite target, for 21- and 8-yard scores.
Rodgers, the game's MVP, was outstanding, but the best thing the Packers did was avoid mistakes (other than taking some bad angles and getting sucked inside on some Pittsburgh running plays, and dropping perfectly thrown Rodgers passes). They had no turnovers; Pittsburgh had three. Jordy Nelson dropped some of those pinpoint passes, but also caught a bunch including a touchdown pass. Greg Jennings wasn't really all that open on those seam passes up the middle, but Rodgers found him anyway.
The second best thing the Packers did was to - somehow - neutralize Troy Polamalu and James Harrison, the latter having one tackle, for a sack, in the entire game. Rodgers saw some pressure, but he had time to throw on most dropbacks, and found the open guy with regularity. No wonder they didn't run much.
The Packers will be back again next year, presenting a strong defense of their championship with their injuries having the summer to heal. And the Patriots will be my favorite to represent the AFC. Sweet.
