A couple of thoughts on Super Bowl XLV

Ravens vs. Steelers

Polamalu – 2 tackles*

Jets vs. Steeler

Polamalu – 4 tackles, 1 assist*

Steelers vs. Packers

Polamalu – 3 tackles*

*No sacks, no interceptions, no forced fumbles.

It is hard to attack someone who plays in the secondary because if you just glance at a box score you would think half the shut down players in the league stunk.  Darrelle Revis in the Wild Card round box score simply shows 1 tackle, making no mention that he held Reggie Wayne, who is one of the best receivers in the league, to 1 catch for 1 yard.  To simply look at Troy Polamalu’s end game results and say he had a bad post season is not fair, however if you watch ESPN or saw the playoffs games you know he was a non factor.

Troy Polamalu made a polarizing play in the regular season against the Ravens when he flew around left tackle, leapt into the air, sacked Joe Flacco, and forced a fumble that eventually led to the Steelers winning the game and securing a #2 seed.  His leap over the Titans offensive line to tackle Kerry Collins literally as he got the snap was another example of his ability to make game altering, season defining plays.  We still see those plays shown to this day on SportsCenter, plays that occurred months ago.

I don’t doubt for a minute Troy was hurt worse than we know.  I just ask the question, what impact did he have on these playoffs?  His presence wasn’t felt in any of the games.  The Defensive Player of the Year should impact meaningfully playoff games.  I remember some key plays involving Polamalu this Post Season, none of them impactful.

a)      Against the Ravens, Troy was steam rolled by Ray Rice for a Raven’s touchdown to tie the game at 7.

b)      Against the Jets, the only time Simms or Nantz mentioned his name was on a sideline shot he delivered to a Jet late in the fourth quarter when the game was practically over.

c)       Against the Packers, Polamalu, whether it was scheme or his own wild ways, was playing 25 yards off the ball the entire game.  On Greg Jennings first score instead of delivering a bone crunching hit he leads with his forearms and to no one’s surprise Jennings hangs on.  On Jennings second TD that gave the Packers a 28-17 lead and all but ended the game, Polamalu bit on an inside route with a linebacker playing right below him and left Jennings wide open in the corner for the score.  Jennings would complete the trifecta for one more catch over Polamalu that lead to the Packers getting a field goal to go up 31-25 and force Big Ben to drive the length of the field.

The Packers assaulted teams with short slant routes and ESPN’s Steve Young when asked what happened to Troy said that he was 25 yards off the ball to prevent that.  Utter nonsense.  The Packers would run 5, 10, maybe 15 yard slant routes at best, but I don’t recall one 25 yard slant route all playoffs.  Troy could have easily been positioned 10 yards in and had a greater impact on the game.  If scheme was the reason he was 25 yards off the ball shame on Dick LeBeau for not making an adjustment as the Packers only had one big pass play which was Jennings in the slot for the opening score.

As much grief as the secondary deserves, the Mendenhall fumble was the game changer:

Down 17-21, the Steelers have just scored 14 unanswered and are in the midst of a drive that I think would have led to them taking the lead.  Mendenhall takes a handoff on Green Bay’s side of the 50 and is immediately met by Clay Matthews who forced the ball loose and changed the momentum of the game.

You could tell by the body language and the deterioration of Green Bay’s secondary that they were about to break, but the heart of the defense, when the soul (Charles Woodson) was lost to a broken collar bone, saved his team’s season.  With Rodgers in the midst of another one of his disappearing acts (this time due to an abnormal amount of drops by his receivers), his defense, like it did against Chicago courtesy of Raji, bails him out with a huge take away that would eventually lead to a Packer touchdown.

Mendenhall had a phenomenal game against the Jets to propel the Steelers to the Super Bowl, but no one in Pittsburgh or the NFL will remember that.

It was a great game, could have been an all timer had Big Ben driven down and made it interesting, but none the less great job by the Packers.  When presented with a turnover the Packers turned each one into 7 points.  Rodgers completed what was one of the all time great post seasons by a quarter back, erased all the demons of Favre, and brought a championship back to title town.  Their team is young enough to be a threat for the next 5 years and Rodgers ascension amongst the elite quarter backs will only grow as Brady and Manning age.

As for the Steelers, an admirable fight from 21-3 down ends in defeat.  It will be interesting to see what happens to this team in the coming years because a lot of people took hits in this game.  Big Ben isn’t going down in the books as an immortal, Polamalu will have a search party after him until training camp, and Mendenhall had one of the all time gaffes that cost his team the game.

You never know when you’re going to get back into this game, just ask Dan Marino.

Notes from the memo pad:

Amazing that Rodgers in just 3 seasons has been able to replace a legendary quarter back. In transitions that take years and sometimes decades, he has already done it at the age of 27. I think this makes Favre’s transition back into Packer world a lot easier than it would have been had Green Bay not won a title for awhile.

The Charles Woodson collar bone injury was sad to see. When asked to address the team at the half, knowing he had a broken collar bone, Woodson reportedly broke down. A class act his whole career, robbed on the snow job/tuck rule, it is great to see him finally, albeit with one hand, hoist the Lombardi trophy.

Tomlin made a boneheaded choice going for that 53 yard field goal.  Suisham is an awful kicker he wouldn't have made anything over 40 let alone 50.  Amazing the Steelers made it so far and he didn't cost them.


Steelers have a great set of linebackers, none of which can cover.  They have loaded the team up with 3 pass rushing linebackers and one in Timmon's who can cover, but not for any length of time.  Would be interesting to see if they jettison one of the veterans and bring in a young stud who can pass cover better than he blitzes.

For those counting Rodgers has as many Super Bowl wins, one, as Favre.


3rd and 10 Steelers about to get the ball back down 3, Rodgers hits Jennings on the Packers bread and butter slant route. At 10 yards he cut and since this was Polamalu's side of the field, Troy was 15 yards away. He eventually swooped in after Jennings picked up another 10 or so yards to make the tackle but the dagger had been delivered.

The referees needed to swallow the whistle on the last kickoff.  The unnecessary roughness call on #57 was a disgrace.  In the heat of the moment you sort out the scrum and let the men play.  The minute that flag landed on the field you knew the Steelers would not come back.  The epic drives for immortality never include penalties that back the team up.


Whoever was in charge of the halftime performance and overall production for that matter should be relieved of their duties. No ones microphones were properly set, half the lighting during the Black Eyed Peas performance was out, and the "Sounds of the Super Bowl" segment was a bomb. Sounds of the game need to be meaningful, I want to hear Tomlin after Ben's pick 6, or Rodgers when his team is on the verge of blowing a 21-3 lead, not Matthews shouting wildly as he hugs a teammate.