None of that changes with one bad first touch and a slip of the studs. We cannot be so reductionist that we condense a whole campaign into one trip.
Liverpool had many chances to cancel out Ba's breakaway goal before Willian scored a second moments before the final whistle. But the symbolism was easy to recognise as Chelsea returned to the chase and Manchester City's subsequent 2-0 win over Crystal Palace renewed their hopes of regaining the title they lost to Manchester United last year.
Gerrard, the narrative ran, was finally receiving his due for rejecting Chelsea's advances, tolerating a never-ending influx of substandard players and seeing United, Arsenal, Chelsea and City all mount the podium during his time at the top.
In the autumn of his playing days, "Stevie G" had found a manager of great creative energy and attacking intent. He would lead Liverpool back to the land of plenty not with a grunt and a shunt but at the head of a wonderfully entertaining side.
History tells us Gerrard always fights on. So will Liverpool, at Crystal Palace and at home to Newcastle, though the outcome is no longer in their hands.
"This is a boy who's picked up this club so many times, and it was just really unfortunate, at a crucial moment, right on half-time," Rodgers said. "But again he was doing everything he possibly could today.
"There's certainly no blame. We're in the position we're in because of him. He's been instrumental for us this season. It's just unfortunate that he slipped over and it could have happened to anyone."
Twice in a week Chelsea have smothered league leaders and kept clean sheets. Atletico Madrid were top of La Liga when they failed to score against Mourinho's men at the Vicente Calderon Stadium. Liverpool were five points clear when a shadow Chelsea side time-wasted, blocked off and ultimately defeated, mentally and tactically, the best team in the country.
The purist will endorse what Rodgers said after the match.
"We're a team who try to win the game, in a sporting way," he observed. "There were probably two buses parked today rather than one."
Soon we will be saying, "Mourinho parked the depot."
Until a fortnight ago Liverpool were just hoping to win the league. By the time this game came round they were expected to. The extra anxiety that moment brings was obvious in their struggle to circumvent a tactic that drew some acid comments from Rodgers.
"We were the team that wanted to win the game.
"It was difficult because they played virtually from the off with a back six: back four, two wingers [tucked] in, midfield three. So it was 10 players behind from the first minute."
More and more banners declare Anfield's yearning to be back on top in English football. More and more emotion throbs around this ground. But to be champions for the first time since 1990, Rodgers' men must survive these gruelling tests.
With 11 successive Premier League wins, Liverpool were threatening to sweep Chelsea and Manchester City off the road. The 3-2 victory at Norwich City last weekend felt like a dress rehearsal for a coronation.
But in this state of mind Chelsea could ruin any occasion. Luis Suarez bobbed and weaved but was blunt. Raheem Sterling fizzed in the first half but lost his way in the second. Daniel Sturridge joined the action with half an hour left but by then the pattern was unchangeable.
Rodgers extolled "the values of how we work". Liverpool, of course, must stick to what they know. They are on a long and distinguished list of Mourinho's tactical victims.
There is only one way to win the title after a 24-year wait and Gerrard knows it better than anyone. The hard way.
