Bad Throw: Possible Turning Point of Super Bowl XLV

The turning point of the Super Bowl resulted from a bad third quarter pass from Steelers’s quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. It was a great play call, but was not executed well. Roethlisberger faked a handoff and was given enough time to make an accurate throw. Instead of helping the Steelers take the lead, he overthrew the pass to Mike Wallace. With the time he had and the ability of Wallace, it should have been a touchdown.

After the missed pass, Roethlisberger was sacked few plays later. They were forced to attempt a 52-yard field goal which missed wide left. The Steelers were gaining momentum prior to the play and lost the chance to the gain lead. The Steelers lost by five points, thus, the touchdown would have put the Steelers over the Packers.

Turning Point of Super Bowl XLV: Packers' Last Stand

Tramon Williams / Yunggunn2k3 (Wikimedia Commons)

The Packers came out strong, dominating the first half. Then the Steelers picked up and really threatened the Packers, as they were able to cut the lead to four points. At this point all the momentum rested on the Steelers’ shoulders, leaving Packers fans worried that they might face the ultimate heartbreak. The one play that shifted all the momentum back to the Packers was a fourth down stop. It came with less than two minutes left in the game, Steelers down by six, and Ben Roethlisberger in control.

This situation is very familiar to Roethlisberger, because he was in it two years before. In Super Bowl XLIII, Roethlisberger and the Steelers were down 27-23 with less than one minute left in the game. He was able to complete five passes in eight plays, which led to Holmes catching a six-yard pass for a touchdown. The Steelers won because of Ben’s quarterback vision, and his ability to perform well under pressure.

The Packers needed to force a turnover on fourth down at the Pittsburgh 33 yard line to ensure that history wouldn’t repeat itself, and they did. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers called to run a zone-blitz. "We ran fire zones those last two calls and fire zones are actually going to pass the inside receivers [from one underneath defender to another] and hopefully you don't give Ben enough time to sit there and let the routes develop," Capers said. Tramon Williams made the stop on Mike Wallace, securing the win for Green Bay. "My job is to stop the guy from catching the ball and that is pretty much what happened," Williams said.

Heath Miller: An Important Utility Player

Heath Miller / Steel City Hobbies (Wikimedia Commons)

Heath Miller is a perfect fit for the Pittsburgh’s Steelers. The six-year tight end is an effective part of the team. Miller is one of the best tight ends in team history. His 512 reception yards this season are higher than the tight end league average of 358. Even though the league leader that plays the tight end position has 1448 receiving yards, Miller does more than catching balls. His ability to block and run with the ball increases his value on the field. Miller’s athleticism is evident in his play, as he was a quarterback in high school and switched over to the tight end position in college. Miller is an important player that helped the Steelers to the Super Bowl. In the AFC Championship game against the Jets, he managed to get a key first down for the Steelers and kept the ball out of the Jets hands.

Sports journalist Clifton Brown states that Ben Roethlisberger, “loves throwing to Miller, particularly on third down and in the red zone.” This is for good reason because he can get open when they need a receiver. Miller is only the sixth player in Steelers history to exceed 400 receiving yards in the playoffs. In the last game the Steelers played against the Packers he had a career high 118 yards receiving. The Steelers know they have an outstanding player that can help with key plays when he is needed. Miller is capable to find a hole in the field and will be a tough match up for the Packers.

Can Emmanuel Sanders “Answer the Bell”?

Rookie Emmanuel Sanders' consistency might be the reason why he will be a key factor for the Steelers during the Super Bowl this Sunday. Sanders is not the Steelers first option, but when called upon he answers by always catching the ball.

This season he caught 28 passes for 376 yards and he also returned 25 kickoffs. These attributes will be useful against the Green Bay Packers, whose special teams unit was ranked 31st in the league.

Although he is not Ben Roethlisberger’s first option, he is considered a playmaker. Roethlisberger commented on Sanders’s role in a recent interview. “We are not calling Sanders every single play. It’s when we call him he answers the bell.” His clutch type play will give him lots of opportunities during the Super Bowl.

Sam Shields: Undrafted to Potential Super Bowl Star

Sam Shields 2010 Bowman

Over the last year Sam Shields has transformed himself from an afterthought in the NFL draft to being the starting nickleback for the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV and a budding star in the league. After going undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft, Sam Shields signed with the Packers after an unremarkable collegiate career at the University of Miami.

Going into Packers training camp Shields didn’t figure into the Packers’ plan, but after an interception on the first day of training camp and impressing coaches throughout training camp he earned a spot on the team. He made his presence known on an acrobatic week 10 interception while guarding the Cowboys Miles Austin, one of the elite receivers in the NFL. Shields also proved to be a useful kick returner for the Packers averaging a solid 21.5 yards per return. He played at a respectable level during the season but he has reached a new level of play in the playoffs.

In the first two playoff games Shields played a vital role in containing the Eagles and Falcons explosive group of wide receivers. Shields then burst onto the national stage in the NFC championship game recording a pair of interceptions and his first career sack. His two interceptions made him the first rookie in NFL history to do so in a league championship game.

Looking ahead to the Super Bowl Shields is going to be a major factor in containing the high powered Steelers offense. The Packers will likely use Shields’ speed and athleticism to match up with Pittsburgh's big play receiving core including Mike Wallace who led the league in receptions of 40 or more yards. Ben Roethlisberger’s ability to extend plays is going to test the Packers secondary and Shields’ speed will be a great asset to help cover the recievers downfield.

Former Packer Leroy Butler claims that Shields is a key to their defense “If Shields is covering well, that defense is impenetrable,” Butler remarked. Shields is primed to be a difference maker in the Super Bowl and has one last chance to show all the teams what they passed on during the draft.