Pittsburgh Steelers, 31 Baltimore Ravens, 24
Both teams took advantage of weakling pass interference penalties early on, trading tainted TDs. The subsequent insanity of Ravens DT Corey Redding's fumble recovery for TD in which the other 21 players seemed to be huddling up for the next play seemed to stun the Steelers into another fumble and QB Joe Flacco hit TE Todd Heap to go into halftime 21-7
The Baltimore Ravens offense than truly collapsed for an entire quarter. They had more turnovers than yards. More turnovers... than yards. The Ravens D kept it as close as they could despite only 126 yards of offense the whole game. The game tied at 24, QB Ben Rothlisberger pulled a patented big-time bomb 58 yards to WR Anotnio Brown that eventually led to the game winning TD.
Not to say Baltimore didn't have it's chances. WR Anquan Boldin dropped a sure TD and WR TJ Houshmanzadah dropped a perfect 4th and 18 pass to end the game. The drops ensured that it would be Rothlisberger not Flacco, once again, who made the big plays at the big times in the big games.
KEY PLAY: Early 3rd. RB Ray Rice fumbled in Baltimore territory. It was the catalyst for an absolutely devastating 3rd quarter. Up 21-7 at the time, Rice's uncharacteristic fumble brought the Pittsburgh crowd back. The Steel train was on an unstoppable downhill roll as soon as TE Health Miller got his feet down in the yellow & gold end zone, turning Rice's mistake into 7.
MVP: It has to be QB Ben Rothlisberger. With his O-line battling injuries and the Ravens playing lights out D and special teams, Rothlisberger had small windows in which to win the game and he pulled it off. LB Terrell Suggs gave a valiant effort with 3 sacks and was a disrupting presence all game. Had the Ravens won, he would have been sure MVP.
Green Bay Packers, 48 Atlanta Falcons, 21
QB Aaron Rodgers was stellar with 3 TDs, and a 136.8 passer rating. RB James Starks helped balance the game with 25 carries. The Falcons just had no answer for the perfect timing passes and Rodgers' ability to get away from the pressure. Coach Mike Smith summed it up when he said the D got there but just "couldn't make the play".
The entire NFL stood up and took notice this day. There has been a nagging inkling through the last month that Green Bay was gaining momentum and must be stopped (the Bears tried to knock them out in week 17 with nothing to play for). These fears seem have been realized.
QB Matt Ryan, RB Micheal Turner and the Falcons offense just weren't built to erase large deficits. The pundits all had it absolutely correct when they said Green Bay needed to jump out to a lead. Down 14-7, they responded to an Atlanta kickoff return TD with a 92 yard TD drive. They put up 35 unanswered points.
KEY PLAY: CB Tramon Williams proved he should be in the Pro Bowl (as I said during the season) with his 3rd interception of the postseason; a 70-yard 'pick-6' with :00 left in the first half. The TD took a tough, close game (about to get closer as Falcons were in FG range) and broke it wide open.
MVP: QB Aaron Rodgers is announcing himself into the elite of Brady, Brees and Manning. Many have watched him put up similar numbers but he now has 10 TDs in 3 playoff games. 2 wins. Rodgers had four receivers with 75 or more yards. He is the center of a red-hot offense.
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