Packers vs Steelers - Inches Count

by MarkJoel66 on Nov 3, 2009 8:41 PM EST

I am not sure if everyone had a chance to watch the Green Bay versus Minnesota game, but I was struck by two plays that happened as Green Bay was staging a comeback, that defined the difference between Green Bay and the Pittsburgh Steelers in a nutshell.

I don't have the game recorded, so I will have to go off of memory... this was after Green Bay scored two touchdownds to bring the game within reach. Momentum had donned Green and Gold, and things were looking up.

On the next defensive possession (Minn had the ball) a blitzing lineman gets around behind Brett, and closes in on his blind side as Brett starts to throw. It looks familiar -- EXCEPT -- this time, the rusher is a half a second slow. Instead of stripping the ball (as Woodley did) Brett starts his throw. The ball pops up in the air and Green Bay watches as it falls in the middle of three defensemen. Incomplete pass. Vikings ball.

Later in the drive, a pass goes off the hands of a Vikings receiver and pops into the air... falling harmlessly between two Green Bay defenders. Incomplete pass. Vikings ball... the Vikings would later score, putting the game out of reach.

The week before, simlar plays happened... but the ball was stripped and returned for a touchdown in one instance, and it was intercepted and returned for a touchdown in the other.

A half a step... a dropped interception... inches separated the Packers last week from what the Steelers did the week before.

But, the great teams make those plays, and the pretty good teams don't.

Football may be a game of inches... but those inches separate also-rans from champions... And the distance measured is the distance between good and great.

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Very true

But another big difference is that Aaron Rodgers was getting absolutely creamed by the Vikings pass rush. He was barely able to finish the game and I won’t be surprised if he’s out of action for awhile.

by Billy52 on Nov 3, 2009 9:20 PM EST reply actions

Aaron Rodgers got beat up? Crap I didn't watch the game.

Man the Steelers really dodged a bullet their last game. The O-line held up and the Big Boy got a little less rough housing than usual, I should say. That may be a good measuring stick for our pass protection this year.

Their are some teams that have a serious Black and Gold butt whuppin’ comin’ their way! Yeah!

Good writeup too MarkJoel.

"It was an attrition football game and you know we like that."

by showtime on Nov 3, 2009 10:20 PM EST up reply actions