Packers Win Super Bowl XLV

PACKERS 31
STEELERS 25

It was not the "greatest Super Bowl ever" as many had trumped it up to be, but the Green Bay Packers found a way to hold off a late Steelers comeback to bring the Lombardi Trophy home to Green Bay as the Packers won 31-25 in North Texas.

The early moments of the game looked like it was heading for a blowout, as the Packers built a 21-3 lead thanks to a 37 yard interception return by Nick Collins, and a Aaron Rodgers 21 yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings.

Yet the Steelers just would not go away. The scored a touchdown just before halftime, when Ben Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward in the corner of the end zone to cut the deficit to 21-10. Then, in the third quarter, Rashard Mendenhall's eight yard touchdown run cut the deficit to four. Suddenly Pittsburgh was back in the game.

The Packers struggled in the second half, they were dropping passes, allowed Pittsburgh to march down the field and eat up clock, and looked lethargic and tired as the game wore on.

Add to the fact that the Packers lost Donald Driver to a ankle injury and Charles Woodsen to a shoulder injury -- one could understand that the Packers would be drained.

Then the Packers caught a break when Mendenhall was stripped of the football, Green Bay recovered near mid field. Rodgers then led a 2:56 drive right down the field, culminating in a touchdown pass to Jenning to open the gap back to 11.

Roethlisberger then led a terrific eight play drive that ended in a 25 yard touchdown to Mike Wallace to cut the lead to 28-23. Then in need of two points, the Steelers pulled one out of their hats, as Roethlisberger faked the run and flipped the ball to Antwan Randell-El who scored the two point conversion to cut it to 28-25.

The Packers needed to score. On a huge third down Rodgers hit Jennings in the flat for 31 yards to get a first down at midfield. That pass was huge, and it was the pass that gave Rodgers the MVP award for the night. Later, Rodgers hit Jordey Nelson for 21 yards to move the ball to the Steelers eight yard line.

The Packers settled for the field goal. Then it was up to their defense. The Packers rushed and blitzed Roethlisberger on the final drive, forcing two time Super Bowl champ to throw an incompletion on fourth and five to end the game.