Super Hindsight:

After a day to digest the most-watched Super Bowl ever, it is time analyze what went right, what went wrong, the game-changing plays, and the future of both franchises…

The Super Plays:

Nick Collins’ interception return for a touchdown

The Steelers always rely on a strong ground game, but seemed to really be getting back to their roots here in the playoffs. Down 14-0 in the Super Bowl, a team cannot sit back and grind away the clock with the running game. Rashard Mendenhall rushed 47 times for 167 yards and three touchdowns against two of the league’s top rushing defenses in the Steelers’ two previous playoff games. The Steelers’ biggest advantage coming into the Super Bowl was their rushing offense. Mendenhall was effective when he got the ball (4.5 ypc), but 14 rushes are not nearly enough for running back to impact the game. This interception not only put the Packers up early, it negated the Steelers’ biggest advantage, and an integral part of the team’s foundation. When a team has to throw the ball around, possessions are shorter, putting their defense on the field longer, and tiring them out.

Rodgers’ laser to Greg Jennings

The extinguished running game could have easily been the difference between the Packers making the plays and the Steelers coming up just short. Steelers’ safety Ryan Clark got his fingertips on the pass that put the Packers up 21-3. If he’s just a little bit quicker, he gets there to break it up, maybe even intercept it. As it was, Rodgers’ window was so tight. If he leads Jennings, like a quarterback is trained to do, the ball is intercepted.

Clay Matthews’ big hit on Rashard Mendenhall.

This was as big of a play as Collins’ interception. The Steelers were driving and seizing momentum when Mathews hit Mendenhall at the perfect spot (shoulder pad on the ball, in an upward angle) to jar the ball loose. The Steelers were rolling, and if they finish that drive, they are up 24-21, and Ben’s interceptions are in the rearview mirror. Instead, Packers ball, and they finish the drive to go up 28-17.

Awareness

The Packers’ awareness around the ball was the difference in execution. For all the momentum-shifting plays, they were inches from going the other way. Anyone in the Steelers’ secondary William (Where’s the Ball?) Gay would have turned to make a play on Jordy Nelson’s touchdown. He had great positioning, but never turned his around to see the ball. If he had, he would have seen in floating a couple feet above his head and would have at the very least broken it up. This was indicative of the game, as the Packers were just a step quicker, up the final play of the game. Steelers’ WR Mike Wallace had his hand on the ball, and he an Roethlisberger connect on that play 9 times out of 10, but the Packers’ defensive backs reacted quick enough to break up the play.

Add another one to the list of great plays made by Rodgers. His shake off of Lamar Woodley to dump the ball to Brandon Jackson on third down in the first half was a huge play to continue building momentum. Only a player of Rodgers’ awareness and intelligence level, and only a player with Rodgers’ quickness and athleticism could have made that play. In short, only Rodgers could have done it, and he did it.

What’s next?

For Packers fans, Brett Favre should now be a swear word. Rodgers won the Super Bowl quicker than Favre, and played better. Rodgers had one of the best games in Super Bowl history joining a four-man list of players to throw for over 300 yards with three touchdowns, and no interceptions. “No interceptions” is what won this game for the Packers, and those two words do not exist together in Brett Favre’s vocabulary. Favre threw 30 interceptions in 24 career playoff games, including two (one for Green Bay, one for Minnesota) that ended his own bid at a storybook ending in NFC championship games. As great as he was, Favre was always about Favre, and Rodgers seems to be about the team.

With few exceptions, (Charles Woodson for the Packers, Hines Ward for the Steelers) both teams’ core players are under 30. Both teams build their rosters the right way, through the draft, and will continue to find key contributors strengthen few weaknesses. I don’t think any teams in the NFL can match the playmakers on both sides of the ball these teams have. The Packers have to avoid a Super Bowl hangover, and will adjust to having the target on their back for every single game next year. Losing Super Bowls is not in the Steelers’ DNA, and I fully expect them to come back hungrier than ever next season. These teams have two of the best quarterbacks in the league, and both are a good bit younger than their main competition (Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees are all well over 30). With that being said, I fully expect at least two more Super Bowl appearances for both teams in the next five years. If the teams played 10 times, they would probably split the series. The Packers were hungrier for their first Super Bowl than the Steelers, who expected to win their third. I guarantee Mike Tomlin will not allow them to ‘expect’ anything again. A Super Rematch seems probable, and fans should be rooting for it.