After a quick four yard bubble screen to Hines Ward on the game’s opening play, the Steelers went predictable on their second and third down plays. An unimaginative draw play on 2nd and 6 was gobbled up, and a miscommunication between Ben Roethlisberger and his intended target on 3rd down forced the black and gold to punt it away.

The first minor break of the game then goes to Green Bay as Tramon Williams recovered his own muffed punt. A huge scrum ensued, and for a moment it looked like the Steelers may have recovered the loose ball.

The Steelers got a break of their own on Green Bay’s first offensive series. After one first down completion on 3rd and long, the Steelers dodged a bullet when Jordy Nelson let a ball go through his hands deep down the right sideline. A tough catch, no doubt, but one that Nelson has got to make. The Packers were forced to punt it away and the coverage unit was unable to down the ball before it tumbled into the endzone.