Super Bowl 45 Notebook

On Monday night, I rewatched the Super Bowl for charting reasons. Since it is the Super Bowl, and since I have a blog, here are my notes for the world to see and only the insane to read.

Super Bowl XLV

Coin Flip with Shannon Sharpe, Marshall Faulk, Deion Sanders, Richard Dent, and Chris Hanburger.

Packers win the toss and defer until the 2nd half. Pittsburgh will receive the opening kick of Super Bowl 45 –

Crosby Kick returned by Antonio Brown to the Pitt 36

Pitt - #1
1/10/36 – 13 – Quick hit to Ward for 4 yards (52)
2/6/40 – 11 bunch right – 21 blitz, Mendenhall run left, Zombo and Raji both win and Zombo makes the stop. – 4
3/10/36 – S01 – good protection, Roethlisberger intended for Brown, but ball is short and not close. – 3 and out for the Steelers – 13:24
Punt – Kapanos – FC – But, Tramon Williams muffs punt after Shields is pushed into Williams by Pitt #23 and the ball is finally recovered by the Packers. Packers very lucky to recover as Tramon gets it.

GB - #1
1/10/21 – S10 empty – quick throw to Jennings as Woodley on fire-zone drop and ball is incomplete.
2/10/21 – S11 protect – Handoff to Starks for 1 yard (56)
3/9/22 – S10 – Free play as Farrior was offside, Rodgers hits Driver downfield for 24 yards and a 1st Down. (37)
1/10/46 – 12 - PA pass incomplete to Nelson on left. Keisel with hit (73)
2/10/46 – 20 – Starks runs up middle for 3
3/7/49 – S10 – Pitt rushes 5, Rodgers deep right to Nelson and it falls incomplete. Perfect throw that should be caught.
Punt – Masthay just barely kicks into endzone – Touchback – 11:05

Pitt - #2
1/10/20 – 12 – Run right with motion at Matthews. Mendenhall gets 16 yards and a 1st Down. Peprah miss. Bishop Tackle.
1/10/35 – 22 - Run right – Mendenhall 9 yards on same play. Hawk.
2/1/44 – 12 – False Start 85 -5
2/6/39 – 11 – Quick throw to Wallace – Tramon quick stop with Hawk.
3/2/43 – 13 – Pass out of short yardage offense to get Heath Miller down seam against Tramon Williams. Throw high and incomplete. Missed chance.
Punt – Kapanos into endzone –Touchback – 8:17

GB - #2
1/10/20 – S11 protect – Rush 7, quick throw down the left sideline to Jennings but the ball is overthrown (24)
2/10/20 – 20 – pass to Nelson (20) +9
3/1/29 – 13 – Starks stopped initially, bounced outside right for 7 yards. Crabtree slams 94 Timmons to ground.
1/10/37 – 11 – slant to Nelson for 9 yards on left (20)
2/1/46 - 21 – Starks up middle for tough 1 FD
Packers Timeout #1 – 5:53
1/10/47 – 11 – Rodgers finds Jackson for nice gain. Bulaga was overrun by Woodley off right flank. Rodgers stepped up. 14 yards
1/10/P38 – 20 – Starks with downhill run right guard. 7 yards.
2/3/31 – 21- Bulaga again beat by Woodley. Rodgers hits Hall for 2.
*3/1/29 – 22 – PA Pass to Nelson (Gay) for a nice catch and Touchdown. 3:44
7-0 on a very nice strike.

GB Kickoff – Brown from endzone, penalty back at 14 (block in back #29)

Pitt - #3
1/10/7 – 12 – Double pump by Roethisberger. Hit by Howard Green beats LG Kemoatue. Underthrown badly intended for Wallace. Nick Collins picks it off and returns for TD. Flozell Adams is hurt. Unsportsmanlike celebration for 15 yards. 3:20

GB Kickoff from 15 – Mewelde Moore returns to 35.

Pitt - #4
1/10/36 – 11 – Mendenhall runs for 4 LG
2/6/40 – 11 – Mendenhall runs RG for 9 yards. First Down. Great success.
1/10/49 – 11 – PA Pass – Quick out to Sanders for 4. Flag – Illegal block in the back by 68 on BJ Raji. -10
1/16/43 – S11 – corner blitz 21 – dump off the Mendenhall for 7 yards.
2/9/50 – 12 – PA Pass, Roethlisbeger slips and throws awful ball to Miller.
3/9/50 – S01 – 24 blitz, Roethlisbeger scrambles up middle and he takes off for big gain of 18 yards and 1st Down.

2Q
1/10/32 – 12 – Mendenhall runs right, Woodson with fabulous ankle tackle.
2/13/35 – S11 – pass to Sanders at 20 is broken up nicely by Tramon Williams.
3/13/35 – S11 – pass to Sanders for first down to the 22. Sanders looks like he is hurt by the tackle from Tramon, but after falling has enough for the 1st Down.
1/10/22 – 22 – Roethlisbeger rolls right and perhaps had a man, but instead holds on to the ball and is tackled by Clay Matthews at the 20 yard line.
2/8/20 – 11 – Run right Mendenhall tries to turn the corner. 52 extends the play until Hawk gets there.
3/7/19 – S11 – Short pass to Wallace and Collins tackles at the 15 – Gain of 4, but the Packers get a stop.
Suisham from 33 yards. Good. 14-3. 11:08 left.

Pittsburgh kickoff –
Suisham to Lee who returns it to the 25.

GB - #3
1/10/25 – S11 – Gay blitzing off corner. Quick out to Jennings fell incomplete. Rodgers recognized quick. – Sanders carted off from earlier hit.
2/10/25 - S01 – inside blitz – quick pass to Jones for 5 on right sideline.
3/5/30 – S00 – 5 WR, quick pass to Driver. Farrior/Harrison tackles Driver and twists the ankle badly and Driver is done.
Punt to 20, return to 21.

Pitt - #5 – 9:28
1/10/22 – 11 – Mendenhall runs right again. +7, but hold on 83 who was grabbing Matthews.
1/20/12 – S11 – Pass to Wallace down left sideline for 16 yards. Collins.
2/4/28 – 12 – Run to Moore who bounces back right and gets to the 35 and first down.
1/10/35 – 12 – PA Pass, Roethlisbeger finds nobody open after long time in pocket, scrambles for 5 (Zombo).
2/5/40 – 11 – Moore runs up middle, nothing doing. Bishop makes tackle.
3/6/39 – S01 – Pass up the middle to Randel El for 13 yards and FD (24) out of bunch formation on the right. 82 picks ball off turf nicely.
1/10/G48 – 12 – Mendenhall run right, Bishop is there. Perhaps Bishop got away with no facemask there.
2/11/G49 – S11 – Pitt Timeout 4:35 #1
*2/11/49 – S01 – Jarrett Bush jumps crossing route to Wallace. Intercepted. Fascinating defense here. It looks like Bush is allowed to play CF and just read the eyes. Heath Miller looks wide open down left sideline as Woodson trails.

GB - #4 – 4:28
1/10/47 – 12 – Quick pass to Jennings on left. 3 yards. Ike Taylor.
2/7/50 – S11 – Polumalu blitz picked up, pass left to Nelson on stop for 17. (20)
1/10/P33 - 21 - Starks right as Hampton chases, turns corner and gets 12 and first down.
*1/10/21 – S11 – Pass to Jennings at the goal-line from the left slot. Touchdown. Polamalu hits him as hard as he can but Jennings holds on. Perfect throw – Ryan Clark just missed it. Nothing coverage was going to do about that. 21-3.

Green Bay Kickoff – Swain tackles Brown at 23 yard line.

Pitt - #6 – 2:18
1/10/23 – S11 – Pass to Randel El +37. Shields jumped route, but Roethlisbeger threw the high ball properly and it goes for a big gain. Throw a normal ball and it could be a pick 6. 2:00. Now Shields leaves hurt.
1/10/G40 – S01 – Incomplete deep shot to Wallace. Woodson on coverage is injured and will not play again. Matthews plays that snap in center spy position.
2/10/40 – S11 protect – blitz 5, Hawk deflects pass in air and incomplete. Intended for Ward.
3/10/40 – S11 – blitzing 6, and Roethlisberger threads needle to Ward for 14 yards and a big first down. Raji hits Ben. First Down. Woodson to locker-room.
1/10/26 – S01 – pass to Antonio Brown for 1 yard. Hawk and Collins are there.
2/9/25 – S11 – pass over middle to Hines Ward on dig route down to 8. Nicely threaded pass over the linebackers.
1/G/8 - S11 – pass to Ward in corner of endzone. Raji beat LG bady 68, but Ward had triple move on Bush. Touchdown. 21-10 :39

Pittsburgh kickoff touchback
GB - #5 - :39
1/10/20 – 21 – Run Starks up the gut for 4 yards. Halftime. 21-10.

3Q –

Pittsburgh kickoff touchback to Nelson – Woodson is out. Shields and Driver could return. Sanders is out for Pittsburgh.

GB - #6 – 15:00
1/10/20 - 12 - Starks quick hit right – Penalty Hold 86 – on Woodley
1/20/10 – S10 – Quick right to Jones +10
2/10/20 – S11 – Penalty – False Start 85 Jennings
2/15/15 – S10 – Quick left to Nelson +9 (24)
3/6/24 – S10 – Big pass to James Jones on right who is working on Gay, and Jones put the ball on the money and Jones dropped. Touchdown if caught.
4/6 – PUNT – Masthay to Brown at 33, and returned to 35. Penalty on Crabtree for facemask on the tackle - 12:39

Pitt - #7 – 12:39
1/10/50 – 22 – Run right by Mendenhall. Did Mendenhall tweak his groin. Runs by Matthews again who is tied up on Spaith. 17 yards
1/10/G33 – 12 – Redman middle for 2 to 31.
2/7/30 - 11 – PA Pass, Bush blitzes off slot. Roethlisbeger runs for 6, Peprah chases him out of bounds.
3/1/24 – 22 – Run left, Redman outruns Collins to the end after Zombo gets collapsed inside. Big gain to the edge and 16 yard run. FD
1/G/8 – 12 – Run RG, Mendenhall right through middle for TD. 50 yard TD drive with no pass plays. Wow. 21-17. 10:19

Pittsburgh Kickoff – Jordy returns from ez to 18
GB - #7 – 10:13
1/10/18 – 20 – Run Starks LG for 3.
2/7/21 – S01 – blitz off corner with Gay from right slot. Pass quick to Nelson is dropped at 33.
3/7/21 – S11 protect – 3 man rush, Harrison sacks Rodgers off Wells block as Woodley flushes him up (Bulaga).
3 and out Punt – fielded at Pitt 40.

Pitt - #8 – 9:00
1/10/40 – 13 – Mendenhall runs RG. +1
2/9/41 – 11 – empty. Quick out to Wallace. Runs for 7 before AJ Hawk brings him down.
3/2/48 – 11 – Pittsburgh Timeout #1 – 7:34
3/2/48 – 11 – Run to Moore, bounces it outside to the right again. Nice gain. FD
1/10/G44 – 13 – PA Pass deep to Wallace over the top on Peprah. Incomplete on poor throw. Just missed on a touchdown pass.
2/10/44 – S01 – empty backfield and a pump fake pass freezes everyone with a pass to Ward cutting across for 15 yards and 1st Down.
1/10/29 – 12 – PA Pass waggle back to right, Clay Matthews bats the ball in the air and nearly has a shot at an interception.
2/10/29 – 11 bunch right – Matthews spy, dump off to Miller, Bishop is there for loss on the play of 3.
3/13/32 – S01 – coverage sack as Matthews spy is there. Zombo cleans up with sack. -3
52 yard FG attempt by Suisham is not even close. Way wide left. 4:29

GB - #8 – 4:29
1/10/42 – 12 – PA Pass waggle right, bullet to Nelson on dig for easy 18 yarder as deep shot cleared coverage. +18 on McFadden.
1/10/P40 – 10 – Run right for Starks is a mess -3. Timmons is there.
2/13/43 – S11 – blitz 5, hot read to Quarless +5
3/8/38 – Pittsburgh Timeout #2 – 2:34
3/8/38 – S10 – Pass thrown quickly over middle to Swain covered by 37 and 43 is there for big hit. Again, nothing really there.
Punt Masthay FC at 13 instead of 56 yard FG attempt

Pitt - #9 – 2:23
1/10/13 – 11 bunch – run right as Mendenhall gets about 4, Hawk and Bush
2/6/17 – 11 – quick pass to Wallace – Bishop good hit. +4
3/2/21 – S11 – pass to left sideline and Wallace, but the pass is high and Tramon is there. 3 and out punt.
PUNT Kaponos – ball rolls all the way down and then Tramon takes very silly penalty as he slaps Madison-37 in the head. -15 more. Huge field position play.

GB - #9 - :47
1/10/13 – 22 – PA Pass behind Quarless. Rush 5
2/10/13 – S11 protect – Rodgers is flushed and throws the ball out of bounds while trying to avoid intentional grounding.
3/10/13 – S10 – Rush 4, bullet to Swain, but the ball was never caught. At first it sure looked like catch and fumble. Ball recovered by Jennings. But, the ball was ruled incomplete. Packers challenge and lose. :31
3 and out punt. Punt – huge punt by Masthay and returned to 42. But, penalty for ineligible downfield on 53 Briggs. Re-punt from 8 yard line.
Repunt – high hanging punt lands at Green Bay 41.

Pitt - #10 - :11
1/10/41 – 21 – Run right and Mendenhall again picks up 8 as they continue to pick on the right flank.

4Q –
*2/2/33 – 22 - run right but Matthews sets the edge and with Pickett cause major fumble and Mendenhall coughs up to Bishop. What a huge play on the Steelers 3rd Giveaway. Kevin Greene audio captures him telling Clay that “it is time” right before that play.

GB - #10 – 14:53
1/10/45 – 21 – Rodgers deep shot to Jennings out of bounds. Pressure eventually got to Rodgers and he was hit by Keisel
2/10/45 – 20 – LB Blitz up middle, quick out to Nelson, tackled by Polamalu +3
3/7/48 – S10 – rush 5, Jones down right sideline keeps ball up and FD +12.
1/10/P40 – S11 – dump off to Jackson is low and incomplete
2/10/40 – S10 – rush 5, Nelson drops a crossing pass that should be caught again.
3/10/40 – S10 – Double corner blitz from the right. Rodgers reads and hits it Nelson on hot route (Clark) for huge gain at huge juncture of the game. +28
1/G/2 – 32 inverted wishbone – Nowhere to go with the ball – sacked -6
2/G/8 – S01 – Jennings from slot runs a route to the pylon and loses Polamalu and it is easy pitch and catch for a TD. 28-17 – 11:17

GB kickoff to Brown who returns the ball to the 33.

Pitt - #11 – 11:51
1/10/34 – 12 – quick throw to Spaith for 9 off snap
2/1/43 – 12 – Crossing pattern for Wallace which gets 11 yards and a FD
1/10/G46 – S01 empty – blitz with Jarrett Bush gets there and hits Ben. Incomplete pass to the left side and Brown.
2/10/46 – 11 – Quick out pass to Wallace, and he works his way down the sideline for 14 yards and another FD
1/10/32 – 11 – PA Pass to Miller – PENALTY as Flozell holds on to Clay Matthews.
1/20/42 – S12 – Quick out pass to Wallace for 2 yards. Bishop is there.
2/18/40 – S11 – Pass over the middle to Ward down to the 25
3/3/25 – S10 - Rush 5, Roethlisberger finds Wallace in man to man down left sideline for a Touchdown as Shields is beaten and the safety doesn’t have time to get there. A very fine route and easy TD. 28-23 7:34
2Pt Conversion – Option pitch to Randel El for a walk in. 28-25.
Pittsburgh Kickoff is returned by Lee to 25

GB - #11 – 7:29
1/10/25 – 11 – rush 6 - Sack by Timmons, Hood, and Woodley. Starks didn’t pick up his guy very well.
2/14/21 – S01 empty – rush 5 – complete to Nelson +9 – 16th hit on Rodgers
3/5/30 – S10 – Penalty - False Start Colledge
*3/10/25 – S10 – rush 3 – huge throw and catch to Jennings for 31 yards down the seam. On Taylor in trail position and in front of the hit from Polamalu. Amazingly important play.
1/10/P44 – 21 – Starks to the right for 14 yards and FD
1/10/30 – 30 inverted wishbone – Starks LG for yard.
2/9/29 – 20 – Back shoulder fade route to James Jones on right sideline. On Gay again and a very easy 21 yards.
1/G/8 – 11 – Pass to Crabtree +1 3:35
2/G/7 – S10 – quick out to Jones +2
3/G/5 – S00 – pass to the corner looking for Nelson into the corner. Hit his hands and Madison is on the cover.
4/G/5 – FG Attempt from 23 yards is good. 31-25 – 2:07

Green Bay Kickoff – Redman returns to the 26 – Penalty – Unnecessary roughness on 57 Keyaron Fox is horrendous.

Pitt - #12 – 2:00
1/10/13 – S01 – Ben finds Heath Miller across the middle for 15 yards
1/10/28 – S11 – complete to Ward for 5 yards
2/5/33 – S11 – rush 5 – Ben throws it away as Hawk closes in. Incomplete and Wallace had no idea what the play call was
3/5/33 – S11 – rush 4, spy Hawk – Ben overthrows Wallace on other side of the field. :56
*4/5/33 – S11 – rush 4 incomplete pass to Wallace and Tramon Williams is there again to break up the pass. Game over. Contact was close and incidental.

GB - #12 – 0:49
1/10/42 – knee
2/10/41 – knee

Game is over. Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25