So as a new exercise in football analysis, I broke down the tape of the Super Bowl in excruciating detail. Every snap, every formation, every block...everything. And it took me a while. Five and a half hours, to be exact. But spare time is among the benefits of being gainfully unemployed. Here is my full breakdown of what went right and wrong for each team on Sunday.
The Good
Green Bay's Passing Game - Everyone is familiar with the ability of Aaron Rodgers. But the Packer receiving corps is also arguably the best in the league, and they showed why on Sunday. On 17 plays where they had four receivers on the field, Rodgers threw for 154 yards and one touchdown. That calculates to a stellar 9.1 yards per pass attempt (the NFL average hovers around 6.8 yards per attempt), a total which should have been higher if not for four crucial drops by Jordy Nelson and James Jones. Contrast that to Pittsburgh's performance with the same personnel, a 6.2 yards per attempt average on 11 plays with one touchdown, one sack and one interception, and you get a sense of how superior Green Bay's passing game was.
Mike McCarthy's spread offense - By continually spreading the field with multiple receiver sets, Mike McCarthy kept the Steelers' third defensive lineman off the field and limited the number of possible blitzes Dick LeBeau could call. On 54 plays, the Packer offense had three or more wide receivers on 37 of them. Furthermore, Green Bay's plan had little to do with deception. The Packers called for a pass on a whopping 32 of those 37 plays.
Aaron Rodgers - It goes without saying, but he had an excellent game. Most notable was the eight straight passes he threw to put the Packers up by 11 points after the Mendenhall fumble. At the make-or-break moment of the season, McCarthy put the ball in his star quarterback's hands, and he delivered.
Green Bay's Offensive Line - The way the Packer offensive line would handle the multitude of zone blitzes the Steelers would throw at them was going to determine who won the game. Chad Clifton and company were clearly up to the task, as Rodgers was rarely harassed despite dropping back 42 times. On the plays when the line had to handle five rushers on their own without any extra blockers, not once did they let the pressure reach Rodgers.
Aaron Rodgers - It goes without saying, but he had an excellent game. Most notable was the eight straight passes he threw to put the Packers up by 11 points after the Mendenhall fumble. At the make-or-break moment of the season, McCarthy put the ball in his star quarterback's hands, and he delivered.
Green Bay's Offensive Line - The way the Packer offensive line would handle the multitude of zone blitzes the Steelers would throw at them was going to determine who won the game. Chad Clifton and company were clearly up to the task, as Rodgers was rarely harassed despite dropping back 42 times. On the plays when the line had to handle five rushers on their own without any extra blockers, not once did they let the pressure reach Rodgers.
Green Bay's Defensive Line - As with most games, the team that won in the trenches came out victorious. B.J. Raji and Howard Green held the line of scrimmage on running plays, so much so that the Pittsburgh had their most success rushing when the middle was clogged and the backs bounced outside. Green also was the one who hit Roethlisberger's arm on the pick-six to Nick Collins, and Ryan Pickett blew through a block to help Clay Matthews cause the critical Rashard Mendenhall fumble.
Desmond Bishop - On Monday I said that Collins was the "Packer MVP not named Aaron Rodgers." After further review, I'm rescinding that award and giving it to Desmond Bishop. A mid-season injury replacement for linebacker Nick Barnett, Bishop was all over the field Sunday. He had several open-field tackles and his recognition of the Pittsburgh run fakes was a big reason why the Packers shut down the play action. He then topped it all off by recovering the Mendenhall fumble.
Green Bay's Early Play Action - The play action pass was a strategy the Packers used right away against the Bears with success, and they did so again versus the Steelers. In the first half, Green Bay's five play action attempts averaged an outstanding 12.2 yards.
Pittsburgh's Halftime Adjustment to the Play Action - The Steeler coaches clearly made some good changes at halftime, because Green Bay averaged only 4.1 yards on seven play action plays in the second half, including two sacks.
Steeler Passing Drives - Many are saying that Pittsburgh should have run the ball more, but it's hard to ignore that it's two most effective drives came when they abandoned the rushing game. In a two-minute drill before halftime, Bruce Arians called seven straight pass plays, all from the shotgun, to score a crucial touchdown before halftime. Then in the four quarter, Roethlisberger threw eight straight passes to cut the lead to one score.
Hines Ward - I wrote last week that Hines Ward is not a Hall of Famer. However, Sunday was a great example of the all-around effort that he has given to Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Not only did he have a great adjustment on a Roethlisberger pass to snag a clutch touchdown before halftime, but he had an excellent block to spring Rashard Mendenhall for his score. I only noticed one play the entire game when Ward wasn't on the field for the Steeler offense, which is a testament to his versatility.
Hines Ward - I wrote last week that Hines Ward is not a Hall of Famer. However, Sunday was a great example of the all-around effort that he has given to Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Not only did he have a great adjustment on a Roethlisberger pass to snag a clutch touchdown before halftime, but he had an excellent block to spring Rashard Mendenhall for his score. I only noticed one play the entire game when Ward wasn't on the field for the Steeler offense, which is a testament to his versatility.
LaMarr Woodley - On a day when many of Pittsburgh's heralded stars were invisible, LaMarr Woodley was not. The linebacker's stat line of three tackles and one sack does not do him justice. He consistently disrupted running plays and applied pressure to Rodgers, often resulting in a tackle or sack for one of his teammates. He was the second best player on the field Sunday.
The Referees - My roommate Colin commented how it was a controversial-free Super Bowl, and I completely agreed. Aside from a phantom facemask on a Steeler punt return, the refs called a very good game. Their most notable penalty was a block in the back that took a Pittsburgh kickoff return from the 43 yard line to the seven. It was a good call, and the next play Roethlisberger threw his gut-punching pick-six.
Pittsburgh's Beautiful Two-Point Conversion - Down five with seven minutes left, Mike Tomlin went for two to bring his team within a field goal. I'd explain the play, but it's much more enjoyable to just see it again yourself. Kudos to Arians for calling a zone-read triple option, something normally reserved for the college game, in such a huge spot.
The Referees - My roommate Colin commented how it was a controversial-free Super Bowl, and I completely agreed. Aside from a phantom facemask on a Steeler punt return, the refs called a very good game. Their most notable penalty was a block in the back that took a Pittsburgh kickoff return from the 43 yard line to the seven. It was a good call, and the next play Roethlisberger threw his gut-punching pick-six.
Pittsburgh's Beautiful Two-Point Conversion - Down five with seven minutes left, Mike Tomlin went for two to bring his team within a field goal. I'd explain the play, but it's much more enjoyable to just see it again yourself. Kudos to Arians for calling a zone-read triple option, something normally reserved for the college game, in such a huge spot.
The Bad
Sam Shields - The rookie Packer cornerback was lucky that his collision with Tramon Williams on the first punt didn't hand Pittsburgh the early lead. Fighting through an injury, Shields later missed a couple of tackles on wide receiver screens.
Green Bay's Pass Drops - The biggest reason the Steelers still had a chance to win the game with two minutes left was the reappearing stone hands of the Packer receivers. As much as I praised them above, I have to criticize them for the multiple drops in the second half that led to long third downs and punts. It's a testament to Rodgers' game that he overcame those mistakes.
Chris Kemoeatu - Chris Kemoeatu had a couple of good pulls on running plays, most notably the Mendehall touchdown. But otherwise, the Steeler left guard was a liability. His poor block allowed Big Ben's arm to get hit on the pick-six interception, he struggled to block Raji, and he had a mindless block in the back penalty. He also got away with a couple of other holds that the refs didn't see.
Green Bay's Pass Drops - The biggest reason the Steelers still had a chance to win the game with two minutes left was the reappearing stone hands of the Packer receivers. As much as I praised them above, I have to criticize them for the multiple drops in the second half that led to long third downs and punts. It's a testament to Rodgers' game that he overcame those mistakes.
Chris Kemoeatu - Chris Kemoeatu had a couple of good pulls on running plays, most notably the Mendehall touchdown. But otherwise, the Steeler left guard was a liability. His poor block allowed Big Ben's arm to get hit on the pick-six interception, he struggled to block Raji, and he had a mindless block in the back penalty. He also got away with a couple of other holds that the refs didn't see.
Troy Polamalu - As I said at the beginning of this post, I watched and re-watched every snap. And do you know when I saw Troy Polamalu's first good play? On an open-field tackle with 14:42 left to go in the fourth quarter. The Defensive Player of the Year clearly was not healthy. He was too late to break up Greg Jennings' first touchdown and completely left his zone on the receiver's second score. Polamalu is one of the few players in the league that is allowed to roam free and make plays based on his instincts. But when he doesn't have the speed he normally does, that style of play leaves him open to the bad performance he had Sunday.
Pittsburgh's Secondary - The Steeler fans want to blame just one of them, but I say blame them all. Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, William Gay and Anthony Madison each had their turns to be Rodgers' personal whipping boy.
Pittsburgh's Secondary - The Steeler fans want to blame just one of them, but I say blame them all. Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, William Gay and Anthony Madison each had their turns to be Rodgers' personal whipping boy.
Injuries - The various players knocked out before and during the game certainly had an effect on the outcome. Doug Legursky, filling in for Pro Bowler Maurkice Pouncey, was rarely able to get a push on the Packer defensive line and blew the block that led to Mendenhall's game-changing fumble. When Donald Driver left the game, the Packers no longer ran any five-receiver plays. His replacement, Brett Swain, was invisible except for his incomplete pass that McCarthy challenged. Jerrod Bush filled in as a pass-rushing cornerback when Charles Woodson was knocked out, and he whiffed on a sure sack of Roethlisberger. And Emmanuel Sanders' injury might have hurt most of all. Antwaan Randle El had a number of good catches and the two-point conversion I highlighted above, but he was utterly confused on the Steelers' final two-minute drive. Sanders, who spent time with the first-team offense all season, would have undoubtedly known the calls better.
The No Fun League's Puzzling Celebration Guidelines - Collins fell to two knees after his touchdown, and he was flagged for excessive celebration. Jennings fell to one after his, and his celebration was deemed legal. Is there really a difference between one knee and two knees? Yes, according to the NFL. You try to explain it, because I can't.
The No Fun League's Puzzling Celebration Guidelines - Collins fell to two knees after his touchdown, and he was flagged for excessive celebration. Jennings fell to one after his, and his celebration was deemed legal. Is there really a difference between one knee and two knees? Yes, according to the NFL. You try to explain it, because I can't.
The Ugly
Pittsburgh's Play Action - "Ugly" isn't a bad enough word to describe the Steelers' play action plays. Pittsburgh has a strong emphasis on the run game and Ben Roethlisberger spends a lot of time under center, so you'd think it could run the play action well. But the eight times the Steelers decided to fake the run, they came up completely empty. Twice the receiver was open and Big Ben threw a poor pass. Four times he had to throw the ball away or tuck and run because the coverage was great. And twice the offensive line was called for holding. That's three pass attempts, zero completions, three quarterback rushes for 13 yards, and two holding penalties for negative-16 yards. That's a grand total of eight plays for negative-3 yards. That isn't ugly. It's horrendous.
Big Ben's Pick Six - It was the play that Pittsburgh never recovered from. Yes, Roethlisberger's arm was hit while he threw the deep ball to Mike Wallace. But he made the mistake of pump-faking to the same side of the field that he ultimately threw to. If not for the pump, the safety wouldn't have been drawn to the left and would not have been able to reach the under-thrown ball.
Keyaron Fox's Brainless Personal Foul - Two minutes left, your team is one touchdown drive away from winning the Super Bowl, and you're a career backup that only contributes on special teams. What do you do? Definitely not shove a guy to get a personal foul and cost your team 15 yards of valuable field position. But that's exactly what Keyaron Fox did, pushing the Steelers from their 28 yard to their 13, and making an already mountainous task even more daunting.
Mike Wallace's Final Drive - After jettisoning a locker room headache and still making the Super Bowl, I bet few Steeler fans thought that they'd ever regret getting rid of Santonio Holmes. But he might have been the difference between Roethlisberger recreating his Super Bowl XLIII heroics and coming up short on Sunday. Down six with two minutes to go, the stage was set for the young Mike Wallace to reenact the epic performance of his predecessor, and he failed miserably. In the biggest moment of the season, Wallace could not have looked more lost. On the third play of the drive, he threw his hands up at the line of scrimmage, indicating that he didn't know the play call. At the snap, he simply ran a halfhearted route and Roethlisberger threw the ball away. On the next play, Wallace hooked in when Roethlisberger expected him to run a post. And on the final play, Big Ben simply threw the ball up hoping that Wallace could snag it from two defenders. Much was made of the Steelers having an edge in the Super Bowl because they had been there before. But their best receiver had not. In the end, that might have been the difference between winning and losing a championship.
Big Ben's Pick Six - It was the play that Pittsburgh never recovered from. Yes, Roethlisberger's arm was hit while he threw the deep ball to Mike Wallace. But he made the mistake of pump-faking to the same side of the field that he ultimately threw to. If not for the pump, the safety wouldn't have been drawn to the left and would not have been able to reach the under-thrown ball.
Keyaron Fox's Brainless Personal Foul - Two minutes left, your team is one touchdown drive away from winning the Super Bowl, and you're a career backup that only contributes on special teams. What do you do? Definitely not shove a guy to get a personal foul and cost your team 15 yards of valuable field position. But that's exactly what Keyaron Fox did, pushing the Steelers from their 28 yard to their 13, and making an already mountainous task even more daunting.
Mike Wallace's Final Drive - After jettisoning a locker room headache and still making the Super Bowl, I bet few Steeler fans thought that they'd ever regret getting rid of Santonio Holmes. But he might have been the difference between Roethlisberger recreating his Super Bowl XLIII heroics and coming up short on Sunday. Down six with two minutes to go, the stage was set for the young Mike Wallace to reenact the epic performance of his predecessor, and he failed miserably. In the biggest moment of the season, Wallace could not have looked more lost. On the third play of the drive, he threw his hands up at the line of scrimmage, indicating that he didn't know the play call. At the snap, he simply ran a halfhearted route and Roethlisberger threw the ball away. On the next play, Wallace hooked in when Roethlisberger expected him to run a post. And on the final play, Big Ben simply threw the ball up hoping that Wallace could snag it from two defenders. Much was made of the Steelers having an edge in the Super Bowl because they had been there before. But their best receiver had not. In the end, that might have been the difference between winning and losing a championship.
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