By Mike Wolf
Writer
This year’s Super Bowl had a lot to live up to after the inspiring win by the New Orleans Saints last year. Though the standards for this year’s game were possibly inflated, overall it was a mediocre Super Bowl. Unlike last year, when the Saints’ victory over the Colts seemed to represent the positive attitude in New Orleans after Katrina, the Packers’ lackluster victory over the under-performing Steelers left much to be desired.
After an extremely fast start for Green Bay, the game stayed relatively close throughout. There never was serious excitement because it seemed like the Steelers were determined to give the game away. Three turnovers in the biggest game of the season is an unacceptable amount of mistakes for a team that considers itself worthy of a championship.
Though Ben Roethlisberger made some good plays in the second half, rallying his team to within a one-score margin, he did not step up to the level of play that won his team a Super Bowl only two years ago. An underwhelming quarterback rating of 97.0 exemplifies his pedestrian play. He was simply outmatched.
While Roethlisberger failed to play to his “elite” status, his counterpart on the Packers, Aaron Rodgers, seems to have solidified himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the game today. Rodgers has been an underrated quarterback the past few years, as most football watchers are more concerned with whether or not Brett Favre really retired.
Rodgers was left with huge shoes to fill for Green Bay fans, and over the past three seasons he has not been letting them down. All the same, critics still had not come to a decision about whether or not he was on par with the best players in the league.
In this game, Rodgers showed us all that he certainly is on that level. Posting an astounding 111.5 quarterback rating against the league’s best defense is quite a feat. Furthermore, with his newly adorned Super Bowl ring, he not only showcases his talent, but he shows that he is a winner as well. In this one season, he seems to have moved out from under the immense shadow cast on him by his predecessor.
In the end, this year’s Super Bowl was defined by both the excellent play of (perhaps) the best young player in the game and the sloppy play more experienced players. It seems the football gods may have some sense of irony.