Football: Steelers fall just short in effort for seventh Super Bowl

With 7:34 remaining in Super Bowl XLV last night, Ben Roethlisberger found receiver Mike Wallace… With 7:34 remaining in Super Bowl XLV last night, Ben Roethlisberger found receiver Mike Wallace for a touchdown and Antwaan Randle El followed with a two-point conversion, making the score 28-25 in favor of Green Bay.

When the Steelers defense held the Packers to a field goal that gave Green Bay a slim 31-25 lead with just more than two minutes remaining, Steelers fans everywhere were hoping for a repeat of Roethlisberger’s famous winning drive two years ago in Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals.

But there was no thrilling, last-minute win this time for Pittsburgh as the Packers defense held. Green Bay finished with a 31-25 win and the fourth Super Bowl title in franchise history.

The Steelers only picked up one first down on their final drive of the game, and when Roethlisberger’s fourth-down pass to Wallace hit the ground, hopes for a third Super Bowl victory in six years ended.

Following two weeks of speculation and hype leading up to the game, it was Green Bay who drew first blood with 3:44 left in the first quarter as quarterback Aaron Rodgers floated a 29-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jordy Nelson to give the Packers an early 7-0 lead.

It would only take them 24 seconds to double that lead.

On the first play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff, Roethlisberger dropped back and appeared to have Wallace open for a deep pass down the left. But Green Bay defensive tackle B.J. Raji got a piece of Roethlisberger’s arm on the throw, and his weakened pass was intercepted by Nick Collins. Collins returned the ball 37 yards for the Packers’ second touchdown in three plays.

Following a Pittsburgh field goal, Green Bay took advantage of another Roethlisberger interception. A four-play, 53-yard drive, capped by a 21-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to wide receiver Greg Jennings, gave the Packers a commanding 21-3 lead with 2:24 left in the first half.

But despite being down by 18, the Steelers were far from finished.

Roethlisberger responded by throwing a touchdown pass to receiver Hines Ward with less than a minute left in the half, cutting the deficit to 21-10 going into the break.

The Steelers continued their comeback as running back Rashard Mendenhall rumbled into the end zone from 9 yards out early in the third quarter, narrowing Green Bay’s lead to 21-17.

But it was Mendenhall who lost that momentum on the opening play of the fourth quarter.

With the Steelers in Green Bay territory, the Packers star defensive end Clay Matthews forced a Mendenhall fumble that would lead to another Jennings touchdown catch to give the Packers a 28-17 advantage.

The Steelers pulled close in the final quarter, but couldn’t overcome the Green Bay advantage.

Following the game, Green Bay Packers quarterback Rodgers was awarded the Super Bowl XLV MVP trophy for his three-touchdown performance.

“I’ve got to give credit to our defense. This is a great group of men that we put together here. We’ve got a lot of character and been through a lot together,” Rodgers said in front of the national media. “It’s just great to be able to share it with them.”

In a game filled with Pittsburgh turnovers, dropped passes by Green Bay and several key injuries on both sides, the Packers prevailed and took home the Vince Lombardi Trophy — named after their legendary head coach.