Amiti Aitelli blog

Pack leads Steelers 21-10 as second half begins

ARLINGTON, Texas – The second half of the Super Bowl is under way, with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers ahead 21-10 over the Pittsburgh Steelers — and on offense first after the extended halftime show.

Rodgers threw for 137 yards and two touchdowns in the first half while Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw two interceptions — both of them leading to Green Bay touchdowns.

The Steelers trailed 21-3 before Roethlisberger threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward with 39 seconds left in the first half when they really needed it.

Then came the 32-minute halftime show highlighted by a performance by the Black Eyed Peas. R&B star Usher and former Guns `N Roses guitarist Slash made special appearances as part of the set.

The Packers got the ball to start the second half because the deferred after winning the coin toss at the start of the game.

Rodgers' second TD pass was a 21-yarder to Greg Jennings with 2:31 left in the first half to make it 21-3. That score came four plays after Jarrett Bush set the Packers up with an interception near midfield.

The Steelers then went 77 yards in seven plays, the last two passes to Ward — for 17 yards and then the 8-yard touchdown when he made a leaping two-handed catch in the back of the end zone.

Nick Collins returned the other interception thrown by Roethlisberger 37 yards for a touchdown.

Rodgers threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson with 3:44 left in the first quarter. That drive ended with a perfectly placed pass to Nelson, who had made a leaping catch with defender William Gay running with him down the right sideline near the end zone.

The Packers then kicked off and the Steelers started at their own 7 after a holding penalty on the return. On the first snap after that, Roethlisberger was under pressure when he threw. The ball floated and Collins intercepted it.

Green Bay is trying to win its fourth Super Bowl championship. The Steelers are going for the third in six seasons and seventh overall.

The 45th Super Bowl, the NFL's signature event, pitted two of its storied franchises and capped a season that saw the league reach new heights of popularity despite a string of off-field incidents and that potential lockout with the current collective bargaining agreement expiring in 3 1/2 weeks.

The championship game Sunday also put the focus back on the field after a long, cold week in North Texas that included two wintry storms with snow and ice. There were no weather woes inside $1.2 billion domed Cowboys Stadium, and it wasn't bad outside either for fans coming into the game — though rain started falling outsided after sunset.

The NFL had to scramble when about 1,250 temporary seats weren't ready by kickoff for people holding tickets. The league was able relocate about 850 of them, but the other 400 didn't have seats and will get refunds for triple the face value of their $800 tickets.