Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago

As they have all season, unsung Packers make big plays
 

By Pat Kirwan NFL.com
Senior Analyst
Published: Feb. 6, 2011 at 11:27 p.m. Updated: Feb. 6, 2011 at 02:04 a.m.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Packers came into the Super Bowl, heck into the playoffs, with 15 players on injured reserve. They leave Cowboys Stadiums as world champions. And they leave with 44 players under the age of 30. The Packers could very well be on the verge of a dynasty.

The quarterback played a phenomenal football game. Aaron Rodgers' third-down conversion to Jordy Nelson for 38 yards early in the fourth quarter to set up his 8-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings won him the MVP award.

Having Nelson play such a key role in this game showed the Packers' resiliency when it comes to personnel. I was wondering what was going to happen when Donald Driver went down, because the Packers needed to throw to win the game. Nelson took his game to another level.

The Packers' spread offense is almost unstoppable, especially on those slant plays. No surprise, that big play to Nelson was on a slant. The Steelers blitzed nickelback William Gay on that play, and Rodgers made them pay. The Packers had previously misfired on a few of those slant plays. If they had connected on those, they could have scored three or four more touchdowns.

When the Steelers became desperate and went to six- and seven-man pressure schemes, Rodgers was unflappable. He almost made the same error he did in the NFC Championship Game when he was intercepted by Brian Urlacher in the red zone, but he showed his growth and maturity by taking the sack instead of throwing into coverage. He threw the touchdown to Jennings on the next play.

I can't go any further without talking about the unsung heroes on Green Bay's offensive line. Tackle Chad Clifton was phenomenal all day against James Harrison and anybody else the Steelers sent as a blitzer. Josh Sitton played like an elite guard. Rookie Bryan Bulaga also came through. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau put Harrison and LaMarr Woodley on right tackle Bryan Bulaga and a running back late in the game, and they responded beautifully.

Three of the Packers' touchdowns were directly related to turnovers, which their underrated defense caused. It's one thing to cause turnovers, it's another to capitalize and score touchdowns.

The defense also had to make adjustments when Charles Woodson went out late in the first half with a broken collarbone. I have to hand it to two defensive backs, Jarrett Bush and Pat Lee, for filling in. Both had to play a lot more than expected because of Wodson's injury, and each came through with critical sacks.

I wrote in my first blog post of the day, that I was surprised that the Packers deactivated LB Erik Walden to go with Frank Zombo, even with the ankle injury. Zombo had a huge sack in the third quarter, which forced the Steelers to attempt a 52-yard field goal, which Shaun Suisham missed. Just another Packer who stepped up when he had to.

With all of these players who have been coming forward, it just shows how good the coaching is in Green Bay and how they get all 53 guys ready to play. Most of the time, they had to.

I picked the Packers to win the Super Bowl back in August. I had some doubts during the season, but they were phenomenal and will probably be the favorites to win it all next year, too. Like I said, looks like we might have a dynasty on our hands.



This article brings up a point that hasn't been mentioned here yet. Everyone keeps saying how they're glad to get this ring for Driver and Woodson, but we can't forget Clifton either. This was the first ring for the old man in the trenches. Maybe now he can retire and let the Packers develop new talent on the line, but I have a feeling we'll see him suit up again next year.

Seriously, though, has a more patchwork team ever won the Super Bowl? I can't think of one.
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Mucky Tundra (2h) : All the stuff I'm reading from Lions fans are pointing at his toe; he more or less has permanent turf toe in one of his big toes
dfosterf (3h) : Kenny played through it, and a shame he gets little credit for that, imo
dfosterf (3h) : Big men. I hope it's not the undoing of Kenny Clark
dfosterf (3h) : Probably his toe. Pretty much a great center. Toe injuries are brutal to bigen
Mucky Tundra (9h) : Lions All-Pro C Frank Ragnow retires
wpr (30-May) : It's all good.
beast (30-May) : Yeah, and I enjoyed your comments and just attempted to add to it. Sorry if I did it incorrectly.
wpr (30-May) : Beast I never said Henderson was the salt of the earth. Nor even that he was correct. Just quoting the guy.
Zero2Cool (29-May) : What did you do??
Zero2Cool (29-May) : Whoa
beast (29-May) : OMG the website is now all white, even some white on white text
beast (29-May) : Henderson, who admits to taking cocaine during the Super Bowl against the Steelers, might dislike Bradshaw as he lost two Superbowls to him
wpr (28-May) : Hollywood Henderson said Bradshaw “is so dumb, he couldn't spell 'cat' if you spotted him the C and an A.”
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : Cooper stock=BUY BUY BUY
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : Also notes he’s playing with more confidence.
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : @AndyHermanNFL MLF says there was a time last year where Cooper was at 220 pounds. Now he’s at 240 and still flying around.
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : And don't even get me started on Frank Caliendos "impersonations"
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : I got tired of them being circle jerks with them overlaughing at each others jokes.
Zero2Cool (28-May) : It used to be must watch TV for me. now it's "meh" maybe to hear injury update
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : I haven't watched the pregame shows in years and I don't feel like I've missed a thing
Zero2Cool (28-May) : Love says knee affected him all season, groin injury didn't help matters.
Zero2Cool (28-May) : I used to enjoy him on FOX Pregame. Now it's like a frat party of former Patriots.
Zero2Cool (28-May) : LaFleur on Watson: “Christian is doing outstanding. I would say he’s ahead of schedule.”
Martha Careful (28-May) : Bradshaw is a dumb ass cracker. I am so tired of his "aw shucks" diatribe. He should shrivel up and go away.
buckeyepackfan (28-May) : He wad all butt hurt because Aaron duped the media saying he was immunized.
buckeyepackfan (28-May) : Bradshaw needs to retire. He's been ripping on Rodgers ever since the covid crap. He was all hury
Zero2Cool (28-May) : Terry Bradshaw doesn't want Rodgers in Pittsburgh lol wow
Zero2Cool (27-May) : one day contract, which he also feels is pointless, but if Packers came to him, he would
packerfanoutwest (27-May) : Aaron Rodgers talks possibility of retiring with Packers, just another rumor
dfosterf (27-May) : Go watch 2001
Zero2Cool (26-May) : 1984
dfosterf (26-May) : That movie sent a chill through many. 1968.
dfosterf (26-May) : "Open the pod bay doors, HAL"
buckeyepackfan (25-May) : Haven't we all seen thus movie? It doesn't end well!! Lol
Zero2Cool (25-May) : lol Anthropic’s new AI model turns to blackmail when engineers try to take it offline
dfosterf (25-May) : Claude Opus 4
dfosterf (25-May) : AI system resorts to blackmail when its developers threaten to take it offline
beast (22-May) : Colts Owner Jim Irsay has passed away
Zero2Cool (21-May) : Well, emailing should work now. After not working for almost a year. Oops.
Zero2Cool (21-May) : Brotherly Shove did not get enough votes.
Zero2Cool (20-May) : lol our email hasn't worked in months. 7 pages of unverified users
Zero2Cool (20-May) : MySpace Screaming Lord Byron ... Brett Favre.
Zero2Cool (19-May) : Packers have signed first-round pick Matthew Golden, leaving second-round tackle Anthony Belton as their only unsigned draft pick
beast (19-May) : Supposedly he has to take his image, and name off of it... but otherwise could keep selling wine if he wanted to.
Zero2Cool (19-May) : he giving up his win business?
beast (19-May) : Speaking of Woodson, sounds like he'll be a minority owner (0.1%) of the Browns
Mucky Tundra (15-May) : Zero, regarding Woodson, that'd why I find the timing with Williams peculiar
dfosterf (15-May) : Ryan Hall y'all does a great job of tracking thesr
Zero2Cool (15-May) : Fear not!! I planned to do 33mi bike ride tomorrow morning, so ... yeah
Zero2Cool (15-May) : We got some dark clouds and nasty winds right bout now.
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