After barley squeezing in to the postseason (10-6) as the sixth seed in the NFC, the one-time Pro Bowl quarterback took hold of his opposition and steered Green Bay to three straight road playoff games by scoring a combined total of 90 points against Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago.
Rodgers, in his four postseason games (including the Super Bowl), became just the second quarterback to throw for over 1,000 yards in a single postseason.
Rodgers won the Super Bowl MVP award after the team's 31-25 victory by going 24 for 39 pass attempts, 304 yards and three touchdowns. But it was really Green Bay's top-tier defense whom stepped its game up and led head coach Mike McCarthy to the six-point victory against Pittsburgh.
It wasn't AP Defensive Player of the Year winner Troy Polamalu who made the biggest impact, rather DPOY runner-up Clay Matthews and his clan who made the big plays. Matthews recorded three tackles and forced a costly Rashard Mendenhall fumble.
Defensive back Nick Collins' 37-yard interception returned for a touchdown in the opening quarter of play seemed to set the tempo for Green Bay's defense, putting them up 14-0. (Note: Teams with an interception returned for a touchdown in the Super Bowl are 11-0).
It wasn't until late in the second quarter when the Steelers finally showed signs of life. Down 21-3, two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed a 77-yard drive with a touchdown toss to veteran wideout and former Super Bowl MVP (XL) Hines Ward from eight yards out.
Despite being downright dominated in the first half, Pittsburgh's offense came back out in the second half and outscored Green Bay 15-10, but the early offensive woes were too much to overcome. Roethlisberger finished the game with two INTs and Mendenhall's lost fumble gave them a grand total of three turnovers. All three of those turnovers were turned in to Green Bay touchdowns.
On Sunday the Packers showed the nation that you can win championships with not just great defense (obviously, because "defense wins championships), but also that an effective pass game can do more damage than a running game. Pittsburgh dominated the ground with 126 yards and a touchdown compared to Green Bay's 50 yards and no touchdowns. Making Green Bay one dimensional hasn't worked all season long, why should Super Bowl Sunday be any different?
Rodgers has been very patient over the last five seasons, including three years of warming the bench up for Favre. This championship was certainly much deserved as he brings the Lombardi trophy back to Titletown, USA. Also known as The Frozen Tundra in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
No "Stairway to Seven" will be played in Pittsburgh as Mike Tomlin's crew will be known as Sixburgh for at least another year.
**Packers Capture Fourth Super Bowl title in franchise history; Rodgers Becomes Third Different Green Bay Quarterback with a SB Ring**
("Editor's Note:" The Green Bay loss drops my postseason picks record to 7-4, unfortunately).
Photo credit
Aaron Rodgers: Kevin Terrell/NFL
Packers: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE
Hines Ward: Kevin Terrell/NFL
Lombardi trophy: Gary A. Vasquez/NFL
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