Packers overcome Steelers 31-25 in Superbowl XLV (Part 2)
Near the end of the first half of the Super Bowl, the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared to be in deep trouble. The defence had proved to be dominant until that point in the game, but then the Green Bay Packers had beaten Pittsburgh’s defence to score a touchdown.
On the next play the defence asserted itself and scored a touchdown off an interception. The Steelers had possession of the ball but ended the first quarter trailing 14-0.
Pittsburgh started the second quarter from Green Bay’s 32-yard line. The Steelers lost three yards in the first play and on the second, quarterback Roethlisberger was unable to complete the pass. On third and 13, Roethlisberger passed 13 yards to wide receiver
Emmanuel Sanders to get the first down. On the next three plays the Steelers advanced just seven yards and were forced to attempt a field goal from the 15-yard line. Shaun Suisham attempted the field goal and it was good.
The Steelers sent the Packers offence off the field before the first down. In three plays the Packers gained just nine yards and punted the ball on the fourth from the 34-yard line to give possession back to the Steelers. The Steelers got off to a shaky
start.
Wide receiver Heath Miller incurred a 10-yard offensive holding penalty. Roethlisberger was able to salvage the drive with a 16-yard pass to Mike Wallace on the first and 20. Mewelde Moore rushed seven yards for the first down. On the third and 6, from the
39-yard line, the quarterback passed 13 yards to Antwaan Randle El. However, the Steelers still couldn’t make it to Green Bay’s half.
Roethlisberger then attempted to pass to Mike Wallace from the 49-yard line. Wallace was being covered by cornerback Sam Shield. The receiver cut across the field from the left to receive the pass however, cornerback Jarrett Bush got to the ball before Wallace
and rushed it to Green Bay’s 47-yard line for two yards.
The Packers weren’t going to waste the turnover. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers passed for 20 yards in two plays. Running back James Starks followed it up with a 12-yard rush through the right before being pushed out of bounds. The Packers had advanced 32 yards
in three plays. Rodgers threw his second touchdown pass of the game from the 21-yard line.
Greg Jennings slipped past the defensive line almost unchallenged. Rodgers had a split second window to throw the ball to Jennings and he timed it perfectly. Jennings backed into the endzone as he turned around to catch the ball for the touchdown but not
without taking a serious hit from Pittsburgh’s safety, Troy Polamalu.
With the touchdown and the extra point, Green Bay led 21-3. The time was right for Roethlisberger to step up. He had thrown two interceptions already, which both resulted in touchdowns for Green Bay, and he had been able to lead the Steelers to only a field
goal.
Following Rodgers second touchdown, Roethlisberger opened the series with a deep left pass to Randle El, who took it to the Packers 40 for 37 yards before he was stopped by Sam Shields. Roethlisberger tried to pass to his top two receivers, Ward and Wallace
but failed on both attempts. On the third and 10 Big Ben tried again and finally found Ward for 14 yards.
The quarterback connected with Antonio Brown for a one-yard gain before aiming once again for Ward. From the 25-yard line Ward caught a 17-yard pass to take the Steelers well into the red zone. Ward finished off the drive with an eight-yard reception in
the endzone. Ward gained 39 yards for the Steelers in three receptions.
With the touchdown the Steelers trailed the Packers by 11 points at the end of the first half.
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