Sports Then and Now

Aaron Rodgers proved that the Super Bowl stage wasn't too much for him to handle.

It was billed as a classic matchup between two of the most storied franchises in the NFL and Super Bowl XLV did not disappoint. The Green Bay Packers started strong and then held on to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25. The victory is the fourth Super Bowl win for the Packers and their 13th overall NFL title.

Early on it looked like the Packers might have an easy day at the office as they scored twice in a 24 second period in the first quarter and led 21-3 with less than a minute remaining in the first half.

However, the Pittsburgh Steelers have too much pride and experience to go quietly into the night and they drove down the field late in the first half and suddenly changed the momentum when Ben Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward for an eight yard touchdown with 39 seconds remaining before intermission.

The Steelers kept it going early in the second half as they scored less than five minutes into the second half to cut the margin to four points at 21-17.

It looked like Pittsburgh might take the lead as they were driving down the field before a hit by Clay Matthews knocked the ball from running back Rashard Mendenhall and was recovered by the Packers.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers then quickly took advantage as the Packers went 55 yards in just eight plays culminating with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Greg Jennings. Read the rest of this entry →

Black and gold versus green and gold. Legacies like the “Steel Curtain” and the “Frozen Tundra.” Past history like The “Immaculate Reception” and the Ice Bowl.

Great moments like the grace of Lynn Swann’s acrobatic catch in Super Bowl X against Dallas and the one-yard plunge by Bart Starr off a key block by guard Jerry Kramer and center Ken Bowman to beat the Cowboys in the famous Ice Bowl. Pittsburgh versus Green Bay. Super Bowl XLV.

Sunday’s Super Bowl matches two of the National Football League’s storied franchises. A past filled with premier players, many who are today’s hall of famers. Steeler icons such as Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster on offense.

One of the best ever catches in Super Bowl history came from Lynn Swann against the Cowboys in Super Bowl X as shown by this diving catch.

“Mean Joe” Greene and L.C. Greenwood combined with the late Dwight White and the late Ernie Holmes in the trenches to form the vaunted “Steel Curtain” defense. Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, and Donnie Shell teamed with that foursome to create one of the best defenses ever. Super Bowl winning coaches like Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher, both who coached Rod Woodson, a hall of fame defensive back and kick returner who played most of his career for Pittsburgh.

The prestigious heritage for the Packers on offense lies in the names of Starr, Jim Taylor, Forrest Gregg, Fuzzy Thurston, Jerry Kramer, Jim Ringo, Don Hutson, James Lofton, and more recently Brett Favre. Green Bay’s defensive history lies behind the likes of Ray Nitschke, Willie Davis, Ted Hendricks, Willie Wood, and the late Reggie White, who was known as the “Minister of Defense.” White shares the Super Bowl record for most sacks in a game with three which he recorded in the Packers’ 35-21 win over New England in Super Bowl XXXI, Green Bay’s first Super Bowl win in 29 years. Coaches like Earl Louis “Curly” Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, and Mike Holmgren.

While the permanent status of today’s Steelers and Packers are still to be determined, each team boasts some of the game’s top players.

Ever since the Ice Bowl game in December of 1967, Lambeau Field has been called the Frozen Tundra.

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is already 2-0 in Super Bowls and a win Sunday would make him 3-0 before he turns age 30. The Steelers’ all-time leading receiver, Hines Ward is a crafty veteran and was the most valuable player of Super Bowl XL.

Second-year wide receiver Mike Wallace is perhaps the fastest player in the league and lead Pittsburgh in receiving with 60 catches for 1,257 yards and 10 touchdowns, giving him a 21 yards per catch average. Third-year running back Rashard Mendenhall scored a team-high 13 touchdowns and lead the team in rushing with 1,273 yards on 324 carrries.

Although he has a ways to go to equal Webster, rookie center Maurkice Pouncey had an excellent first season. However his status as to whether or not he will play Sunday is unclear as he suffered an ankle injury in the loss to the Jets in the AFC Championship game on Jan. 23. Second-year center Doug Legursky is Pouncey’s backup.

Although he was considered to be on the downside of his career after 12 inconsistent seasons in Dallas, offensive tackle Flozell Adams has helped solidify the Steelers’ line. Tight end Heath Miller has emerged as a quality receiver and blocker to help give Pittsburgh options on offense. Miller caught 42 passes for 512 yards this season and scored a pair of touchdowns. Read the rest of this entry →

Steve Young's performance in Super Bowl XXIX was masterful.

Welcome to the fifth and final installment of the 50 Greatest Individual Performances in Super Bowl History.

This is the best of the best, the top ten Super Bowl performances of all time:

10. Terrell Davis-Running Back, Denver Broncos, XXXII
Davis put the Broncos on his back and led his team as well as quarterback John Elway to their first Super Bowl title.

Davis carried the ball 30 times and gained 157 yards as he scored three touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown with 1:45 left as Denver shocked the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers 31-24.

Davis was chosen as the game’s MVP despite missing the entire second quarter with a migraine headache.

9. Joe Montana-Quarterback, San Francisco 49ers, XIX
In a much-hyped showdown with Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, it was Montana who stole the show.

The 49ers quarterback completed 24 of 35 passes for 331 yards, a Super Bowl record at the time, and threw three touchdown passes, to comply a 127.2 quarterback rating.

Montana also ran for 59 yards on five carries, a Super Bowl record for most rushing yards by a quarterback until Steve McNair in XXXIV, and ran for one touchdown.

In all, Montana totaled 390 yards of total offense and four touchdowns to win his second Super Bowl MVP in San Francisco’s 38-16 win over the Miami Dolphins.

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Jim Plunkett was named MVP of Super Bowl XV.

Welcome to the fourth installment of the 50 Greatest Individual Performances in Super Bowl History.

Today’s installment takes a look at performances 20 through 11:

20. Rod Martin-Linebacker, Oakland Raiders, XV
The Raiders linebacker intercepted Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski three times, the most interceptions in a Super Bowl, to help Oakland defeat Philadelphia for the Raiders’ second Super Bowl title in five years.

Martin’s first interception came on the third play of the game and his 17-yard return to the Eagles’ 30-yard-line lead to an Oakland touchdown.

His second interception ended an Eagles drive in Raiders territory and was converted into a 46-yard field goal by Chris Bahr, and his third interception allowed for the Raiders to run out the clock in their 27-10 victory over the Eagles.

19. Thurman Thomas-Running Back, Buffalo Bills, XXV
Much like his team, Bills running back Thurman Thomas had his best performance in his team’s first Super Bowl.

Thomas ran the ball 15 times for 135 yards and one touchdown, a 31-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter, and caught five passes for 55 yards, totaling 190 yards of total offense on 20 touches, averaging a 9.5 yards every time he touched the ball. Read the rest of this entry →

Santonio Holmes capped off an MVP performance with a game-winning grab in Super Bowl XLIII.

This is Part 3 of the 50 Greatest Individual Performances in Super Bowl History.

In today’s section, we take a look at performances 30 through 21:

30. Troy Aikman-Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys, XXVII
Aikman had the fourth highest-rated quarterback performance in Super Bowl history, a 140.7 rating, as he completed 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and threw four touchdowns in the Cowboys’ 52-17 blowout of the Buffalo Bills.

Aikman also rushed for 28 yards, more than Bills running back Thurman Thomas who ran for only 19 yards.

29. Jack Lambert-Linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers, XIV
The most memorable in Lambert’s Super Bowl career occurred in Super Bowl X when he threw Cowboys safety Cliff Harris after Harris taunted Steelers kicker Roy Gerela for missing a field goal.

However, his best performance came in Super Bowl XIV when Lambert made 14 tackles, 10 of them solo, and made an interception when the Los Angeles Rams were at the Pittsburgh 32-yard-line, to preserve a 24-19 lead which the Steelers increased following the interception to come away with a 31-19 win.

Lambert had 14 tackles in that Super Bowl X, but what makes this performance greater is fellow linebacker Jack Ham was injured and did not play against the Rams.

28. Kurt Warner-Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals, XLIII
Warner has the three highest passing totals in Super Bowl history, with his effort in Super Bowl XLIII for the Arizona Cardinals being the second highest as he threw for 377 yards on 31 of 43 passes and threw three touchdowns on the league’s best defense in 2008.

Down 20-7 in the fourth quarter, Warner completed 13 of 17 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns as the Cardinals took a 23-20 lead with 2:47 to go when Warner found Larry Fitzgerald for a 64-yard touchdown.

However, the Cardinals gave up a touchdown and Warner fumbled the ball on their last offensive possession as Arizona fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-23. Read the rest of this entry →

Larry Csonka rushed for 145 yards and two scores in Super Bowl VIII.

Welcome to Part 2 of the 50 Greatest Individual Performances in Super Bowl History.

In today’s section, the 40-31 performances are revealed.

40.  Dwight White-Defensive End, Pittsburgh Steelers, IX
White spent much of the week leading up to the Super Bowl in a hospital suffering from pneumonia, losing 20 pounds.

However, White suited up and started for the Steelers when they met the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX.

White made three tackles and was credited with the first safety in Super Bowl history as he helped “The Steel Curtain” hold the Vikings to 119 total yards, the fewest in Super Bowl history, as the Steelers won their first of four Super Bowls with a 16-6 win.

After the game, White went back to the hospital where he stayed for another 10 days.

39. Larry Csonka-Running Back, Miami Dolphins, VIII
Csonka set the then-rushing record for most carries and yards gained by a running back as he carried the ball 33 times for 145 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Dolphins’ easy 24-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings for the Dolphins’ second straight Super Bowl title.

Csonka became the first running back to be named Super Bowl MVP and the first running back to gain more than 100 yards in back-to-back Super Bowls(He had 115 yards in Super Bowl VII).

38. Franco Harris-Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers, IX
Harris broke Csonka’s one-year record for most carries and yards gained by a running back as he carried the ball 34 times for 158 yards and scored the Steelers’ first touchdown, a nine-yard touchdown run on the fourth play of the second half, to be named MVP in Pittsburgh’s 16-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
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