The crown for the champions of the NFL this year is a foam block of cheddar cheese.
More than 100,000 football fans gathered in Dallas’ Cowboys Stadium and thousands more tuned in on television to watch the Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday 31-25, earning their fourth Super Bowl title, their first in 14 years. It was the most-watched televised event in history, drawing in more than 100 million viewers globally.
Wittenberg students crowded into dorm lounges, rooms and houses to watch the game. Fraternities and sororities alike gathered to tune in.
Sophomore Eric Wittig cheered on Green Bay at a friend’s house with fraternity brothers.
“I had to cheer for the Packers; my great-grandfather worked for them.”
Packers’ quarterback and MVP of the game Aaron Rodgers threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns.
“It’s a dream come true,” Rodgers said when interviewed after the game. “It’s what I dreamt about as a little kid watching Joe Montana and Steve Young and we just won the Super Bowl.”
Greg Jennings, who caught two of Rodgers’ touchdown passes, shared his teammate’s enthusiasm.
“Wow! It’s a great day to be great, baby.”
The Packers took the lead with two touchdowns in 24 seconds in the first quarter, one an interception returned for a touchdown by Packers free safety Nick Collins. The Steelers then responded with a 49 yard drive ending in a field goal, making the score 14-3.
Jarrett Bush, Packers defensive back, grabbed another interception from Big Ben, which led to a touchdown scoring drive with only 2:24 left in the second quarter. But the Steelers weren’t ready to head back to the locker room yet. Wide receiver Antwaan Randle El caught a 37-yard throw from Roethlisberger on the first play of a drive that ended in an 8-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward, bringing the score to 21-10 at halftime.
Both teams lost players due to injury in the first half. The Steelers took out receiver Emmanuel Sanders while the Packers lost receiver Donald Driver and defensive backs Charles Woodson—who broke his collarbone—and Sam Shields. Shields later returned to the game.
The Steelers started the third quarter strongly, with a five-run drive ending in an 8-yard touchdown play by Rashard Mendenhall. The Packers were then forced to punt after an unsuccessful drive, and the Packer defense took the field and made a key stand, including batting down a pass, and sacking Roethlisberger twice. Pittsburgh attempted a 52-yard field goal, which sailed left of the uprights. Another Packer drive down the field led to an 8-yard touchdown pass to Jennings, answered succinctly by a Steeler drive ending in a touchdown throw to Mike Wallace. The Steelers then got the two-point conversion when Roethlisberger faked a hand off and pitched the ball to Randle El, shrinking the Packer lead to 28-25.
With seven minutes left on the clock, the Packers made it to the 8-yard line but were kept out of the end zone, resulting in a successful field goal, which sealed the deal at 31-25.
“It feels awesome,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy. “It’s great to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Green Bay.”
(Eric Werner / s13.ewerner@wittenberg.edu)
