Between the Green Bay defense's big plays and Aaron Rodgers' super passing performance, the Super Bowl gave us plenty of interesting stats. The Packers forced the Pittsburgh Steelers into three turnovers in Super Bowl XLV, converting each into touchdowns. The tone was set early when Nick Collins intercepted an underthrown pass from Ben Roethlisberger, taking it back for the touchdown just moments after Green Bay broke a scoreless tie. It was the first of many turnovers forced, a big difference in the game.
While the Packers' defense was superb, it was the Aaron Rodgers show on Sunday. Rodgers completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. In a game where mistakes cost the Steelers, it was Rodgers solid play that kept the Packers in front, always just out of Pittsburgh's grasp.
Rodgers did it all without one of his biggest weapons after Donald Driver limped off the field in the second quarter. Without Driver, Jordy Nelson stepped up and stepped into the limelight, catching nine passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. Greg Jennings was solid as usual, catching four passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns. And they did it all without a run game to speak of as James Starks rushed for just 52 yards on 11 carries.
On the other side of the ball, Roethlisberger bounced back from early interceptions to nearly lead the Steelers all the way back. He finished the game completing 25 of 40 passes for 263 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions -- both of which came in the first half. Those early mistakes, though, proved costly, and forced the Steelers to play from behind throughout the game.
Mike Wallace was Roethlisberger's favorite target and he came through. Wallace was targeted 16 times, catching nine passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. Hines Ward was Roethlisberger's second option, catching seven passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Antwan Randle El added two catches for 50 yards.
The Steelers were able to get it going on the ground, led by Rashard Mendenhall, as usual. Mendenhall finished as the game's leading rushing, carrying 14 times for 63 yards and the only rushing touchdown in Super Bowl 45. Ben Roethlisberger scrambled for 31 times, with Isaac Redman adding 19 yards and Mwelde Moore adding another 13 on the ground.
In the end, it was the turnovers that made the difference, with a few timely stops by the Packers helping the cause. Green Bay came through in the clutch after forcing those three interceptions, forcing an incompletion on fourth down with under a minute to go to preserve the win. With the 31-25 victory, Green Bay had its fourth Super Bowl championship, keeping the Steelers from winning their seventh.
For more on the game, check out our Super Bowl XLV StoryStream.