Super Bowl XLV set
Green Bay at Chicago
Before the NFC Championship game, B.J Raji was just another player for the Green Bay Packers. At the end, he was the hero; the one that made all the difference.
Raji returned an interception 18 yards for a touchdown as Green Bay held off 3rd string quarterback Caleb Hanie and Chicago for a 21-14 win. Green Bay will meet Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.
Green Bay started with the ball at their own 16, and using a few slants and out patterns, they picked apart the Chicago defense and got to the one, where Aaron Rodgers faked a handoff and took the ball in for 6. Chicago got to the Green Bay 34, but after Jay Cutler over-threw Devin Hester on what would have been a sure touchdown, the Bears had to punt.
Both teams couldn't score for a long time, with a sack taking away a field goal try for Green Bay and Chicago having to punt from their own 2. Tramon Williams muffed the punt and lost 5 yards for Green Bay, but the Packers still had outstanding field position.
On one play, Brandon Jackson caught a screen pass and used Brian Urlacher on a juke to get into field goal range. James Starks ran for 12 yards on the next play, and after a 15 yard pass over the middle to Jordy Nelson, Green Bay was at the 4. Starks took a handoff to the right side and made the extra effort to get the ball in, and give Green Bay the 14-0 lead.
Chicago got to the 30, but a holding penalty took away a chance at points. However, Chicago did pass up a 48 yard field goal, definitely one that kicker Robbie Gould could have made. They also passed up a 51 yard kick, which both could have made a difference.
Late in the first half, Green Bay was driving and looking to make the score 17 or 21-0 when an Aaron Rodgers pass bounced off Donald Driver's foot and into the hands of Bears linebacker Lance Briggs. Chicago looked like they were sure to score with the ball at the Green Bay 41, but on a lob pass to Johnny Knox, rookie Sam Shields stepped in front of the pass and made a great interception, ending half 1 at 14-0.
Midway through the third quarter, Green Bay had 3rd and goal at the Chicago 6 and looked sure to score. Rodgers had thrown 55 career red zone touchdowns and only one red zone interception, but red zone INT number 2 happened then. If it wasn't for an Aaron Rodgers tackle, Urlacher would have taken the interception to the house. But the tackle was huge, for Chicago went 3 and out with backup Todd Collins in. Jay Cutler injured his knee and would not return.
Neither team could get anything going until Caleb Hanie was put in as quarterback for Chicago. Hanie, who most Bears fans had never heard of, led Chicago to the Green Bay 33 and hit Johnny Knox on a slant for 32 yards. On the next play Chester Taylor bullied in for 6, and the score was now 14-7. After a 3 and out from Green Bay, the game looked to be in Chicago's hands.
But on 3rd down Caleb Hanie was on the run, and he was looking for running back Matt Forte. But he didn't see nose tackle B.J Raji dropping back in coverage, and Raji snatched the throw and took it 16 yards to the end zone, giving the momentum back to Green Bay.
However, that 21-7 lead wouldn't last long, for Hanie led Chicago back downfield. He hit Earl Bennett on a deep out at the 11, but instead of the play being over and Chicago in the red zone, Bennett made a juke and got into the end zone. Green Bay was forced to punt again, and Chicago looked poised to tie the game and give Chicago overtime momentum.
Chicago was called for intentional grounding early in the drive, but the Bears got back and got a fourth and 1. Chester Taylor ran right tackle for 4 yards and gave Chicago another first down. Matt Forte caught another first down pass, and soon Chicago was faced with 3rd and 3 at the Green Bay 27.
The Bears decided to run a reverse play to Earl Bennett, but he lost 2 yards and brought up 4th and 4. Hanie went to Johnny Knox again, but Sam Shields jumped the route and made his second interception of the game, this one punching a Super Bowl ticket for Green Bay.
NY Jets at Pittsburgh (brief)
Pittsburgh took an early 24-0 lead on the New York Jets and held on for a 24-19 win to punch their Super Bowl ticket and a matchup with the Packers.
Rashard Mendanhall ran for 121 yards and a touchdown, which gave Pittsburgh a 7-0 lead. Mendanhall ran for 35 yards on 1 carry on their next drive, which set up a field goal. On the Steelers next possession, Ben Roethlisberger hit Heath Miller for 24 yards and Emmanuel Sanders for 20, setting up a QB touchdown run, which gave Pittsburgh a 17-0 lead.
The Jets were looking to make it a 17-7 game at the half, but on 3rd down Ike Taylor came in on the corner blitz, stripped Mark Sanchez of the football got Pittsburgh the ball. But Pittsburgh's offense didn't need to come on; William Gay returned the fumble for a touchdown. Nick Folk made a 42 yard field goal, but Pittsburgh led 24-3.
However, New York wasn't done. Sanchez found Santonio Holmes on a play action pass for a 45 yard touchdown, and midway through the 4th the Jets racked up 2 points on a safety. Then Mark Sanchez picked apart the Steelers defense and converted a fourth down and hit Jerricho Cotchery for a touchdown pass.
Although the Steelers were trying to run down the clock, they also picked up first downs by passing. On 3rd and 6 Ben Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown on a crossing route for 14 yards and the game-sealing first down, getting Pittsburgh into the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl Preview
I think rookie running back James Starks will have to step up for Green Bay to win, or the Green Bay defensive lineman and tackles will have to get to Ben Roethlisberger and force him to make bad decisions. I think Green Bay will execute their plan on defense and win Super Bowl 45 24-20.
Before the NFC Championship game, B.J Raji was just another player for the Green Bay Packers. At the end, he was the hero; the one that made all the difference.
Raji returned an interception 18 yards for a touchdown as Green Bay held off 3rd string quarterback Caleb Hanie and Chicago for a 21-14 win. Green Bay will meet Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.
Green Bay started with the ball at their own 16, and using a few slants and out patterns, they picked apart the Chicago defense and got to the one, where Aaron Rodgers faked a handoff and took the ball in for 6. Chicago got to the Green Bay 34, but after Jay Cutler over-threw Devin Hester on what would have been a sure touchdown, the Bears had to punt.
Both teams couldn't score for a long time, with a sack taking away a field goal try for Green Bay and Chicago having to punt from their own 2. Tramon Williams muffed the punt and lost 5 yards for Green Bay, but the Packers still had outstanding field position.
On one play, Brandon Jackson caught a screen pass and used Brian Urlacher on a juke to get into field goal range. James Starks ran for 12 yards on the next play, and after a 15 yard pass over the middle to Jordy Nelson, Green Bay was at the 4. Starks took a handoff to the right side and made the extra effort to get the ball in, and give Green Bay the 14-0 lead.
Chicago got to the 30, but a holding penalty took away a chance at points. However, Chicago did pass up a 48 yard field goal, definitely one that kicker Robbie Gould could have made. They also passed up a 51 yard kick, which both could have made a difference.
Late in the first half, Green Bay was driving and looking to make the score 17 or 21-0 when an Aaron Rodgers pass bounced off Donald Driver's foot and into the hands of Bears linebacker Lance Briggs. Chicago looked like they were sure to score with the ball at the Green Bay 41, but on a lob pass to Johnny Knox, rookie Sam Shields stepped in front of the pass and made a great interception, ending half 1 at 14-0.
Midway through the third quarter, Green Bay had 3rd and goal at the Chicago 6 and looked sure to score. Rodgers had thrown 55 career red zone touchdowns and only one red zone interception, but red zone INT number 2 happened then. If it wasn't for an Aaron Rodgers tackle, Urlacher would have taken the interception to the house. But the tackle was huge, for Chicago went 3 and out with backup Todd Collins in. Jay Cutler injured his knee and would not return.
Neither team could get anything going until Caleb Hanie was put in as quarterback for Chicago. Hanie, who most Bears fans had never heard of, led Chicago to the Green Bay 33 and hit Johnny Knox on a slant for 32 yards. On the next play Chester Taylor bullied in for 6, and the score was now 14-7. After a 3 and out from Green Bay, the game looked to be in Chicago's hands.
But on 3rd down Caleb Hanie was on the run, and he was looking for running back Matt Forte. But he didn't see nose tackle B.J Raji dropping back in coverage, and Raji snatched the throw and took it 16 yards to the end zone, giving the momentum back to Green Bay.
However, that 21-7 lead wouldn't last long, for Hanie led Chicago back downfield. He hit Earl Bennett on a deep out at the 11, but instead of the play being over and Chicago in the red zone, Bennett made a juke and got into the end zone. Green Bay was forced to punt again, and Chicago looked poised to tie the game and give Chicago overtime momentum.
Chicago was called for intentional grounding early in the drive, but the Bears got back and got a fourth and 1. Chester Taylor ran right tackle for 4 yards and gave Chicago another first down. Matt Forte caught another first down pass, and soon Chicago was faced with 3rd and 3 at the Green Bay 27.
The Bears decided to run a reverse play to Earl Bennett, but he lost 2 yards and brought up 4th and 4. Hanie went to Johnny Knox again, but Sam Shields jumped the route and made his second interception of the game, this one punching a Super Bowl ticket for Green Bay.
NY Jets at Pittsburgh (brief)
Pittsburgh took an early 24-0 lead on the New York Jets and held on for a 24-19 win to punch their Super Bowl ticket and a matchup with the Packers.
Rashard Mendanhall ran for 121 yards and a touchdown, which gave Pittsburgh a 7-0 lead. Mendanhall ran for 35 yards on 1 carry on their next drive, which set up a field goal. On the Steelers next possession, Ben Roethlisberger hit Heath Miller for 24 yards and Emmanuel Sanders for 20, setting up a QB touchdown run, which gave Pittsburgh a 17-0 lead.
The Jets were looking to make it a 17-7 game at the half, but on 3rd down Ike Taylor came in on the corner blitz, stripped Mark Sanchez of the football got Pittsburgh the ball. But Pittsburgh's offense didn't need to come on; William Gay returned the fumble for a touchdown. Nick Folk made a 42 yard field goal, but Pittsburgh led 24-3.
However, New York wasn't done. Sanchez found Santonio Holmes on a play action pass for a 45 yard touchdown, and midway through the 4th the Jets racked up 2 points on a safety. Then Mark Sanchez picked apart the Steelers defense and converted a fourth down and hit Jerricho Cotchery for a touchdown pass.
Although the Steelers were trying to run down the clock, they also picked up first downs by passing. On 3rd and 6 Ben Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown on a crossing route for 14 yards and the game-sealing first down, getting Pittsburgh into the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl Preview
I think rookie running back James Starks will have to step up for Green Bay to win, or the Green Bay defensive lineman and tackles will have to get to Ben Roethlisberger and force him to make bad decisions. I think Green Bay will execute their plan on defense and win Super Bowl 45 24-20.
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