Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV – Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Here we go. The ultimate game for football purists. This game will wreak of tradition. Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, Lambeau Field, 12 NFL titles (and three Super Bowls). Art Rooney (The Chief), Dan Rooney, Art Rooney II, Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin (three head coaches in 42 years). Each one has brought home Vince Lombardi’s trophy.
You can throw all of the corporate baloney out the window (sorry, Jerry Jones – NOT!). These are two small market teams that play football the way it was meant to be played, even though both offenses know how to air the ball out, and both teams play defense. This is a game the way the football Gods intended it to be, so here we are.
Just so all of the fashion conscious people are represented, the Green Bay Packers are the designated home team in this contest (NFC, odd years, AFC, even years) and that means they get to choose which uniform they are wearing. They will play in their traditional home garb, green jerseys and gold pants. That means the Steelers will be in their white road jerseys and their gold pants. Then again, it won’t matter how anyone looks once the game is over. There will be one winner and one loser.
Let’s get down to business. The Packers got here the long way, the same way the Steelers did in 2005 and the Giants in 2007. They won three games on the road and ultimately football’s grand prize. So, it can be done. Once the Pack qualified for the playoffs, they were considered a very dangerous team, and here they are.
Aaron Rodgers was drafted as the heir apparent to Brett Favre. He has proven that he was not a wasted pick and is one of the top quarterbacks in the game. He has a passing game that is deadly. He has four wideouts to throw to. About the only drawback is that the Pack does not have much a running game, and somewhere Vince Lombardi is spinning in his grave.
The defense is a mirror image of the Steelers. The Pack plays a 3 – 4 and Dom Capers is their defensive coordinator. He was Bill Cowher’s first defensive coordinator back in 1992 and Dick LeBeau was the secondary coach. Capers then went onto to become the first Carolina Panthers head coach, then subsequently the Houston Texans first head coach. But coordinator is where he has done his best work. This will be a chess match.
This game could ultimately hinge on how effective and productive Rodgers is in getting the ball to his wide receivers. While he is not a scrambling quarterback, Rodgers can get outside the pocket and run for yardage, first downs and, ultimately, touchdowns. But, Rodgers is a pocket passer, first, and the Steelers secondary had better be on its toes Sunday night and have put in extra film study the last two weeks to deal with the passing attack of the Pack.
Make no mistake about it, the Packers are a very dangerous team, and it all rides on Rodgers. He is the engine that makes the team go. If something would happen to him, it could alter the game in a multitude of ways, although his backup, Matt Flynn, nearly beat the Patriots in the latter part of the season. There is no significant dropoff.
What makes it even more bittersweet is that head coach Mike McCarthy is a Greenfield native and there are McCarthy and Packer fans in southwestern PA. If the Steelers were not in this game, I would be rooting hard for Green Bay. They are a reflection of the Steelers, and vice versa.
What has not already been said about the Steelers? Okay, we know what’s at stake. A seventh Lombardi trophy would further the distance between the Steelers and 49ers and Cowboys. It would also put another ring on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s fingers, making it three.
The Steelers can match the Packers pass for pass. We all know what kind of gunslinger Ben is with the ball. His blessing and his curse is his willingness to extend a play, hold onto the ball too long, and take a sack in the process. But if he is willing to give his receivers time to get open and make a play, then I’ll take that. What Ben has that Rodgers doesn’t is an effective running game. Rashard Mendenhall has come into his own in his third season and his first half against the Jets was reminiscent of Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis. If he is allowed to run on the Packers defense like that, then it could spell game over for Green Bay. Running the ball, ball control, taking time off the clock, that is a killer for any run and gun offense. They cannot score if they’re not on the field.
The Packers might have the better receiving corps, overall, but the Steelers have the better receivers in terms of football players. They are willing to do the dirty work to advance the ball, get into opposing territory, and help the team score. That’s how team play, and winning, is done. For that part, I will take the Steelers receivers any day. A balanced attack will be critical Sunday night and the Steelers have the inside track on that data.
The battle of the defenses may end up being a draw. However, I give the advantage to the mad scientist, Dick LeBeau, as to what he will have cooked up in his laboratory in preparation for Sunday night. You don’t spend your entire adult life in the game of football and not have that experience not pay off. Dom Capers is an outstanding defensive coordinator and he has some excellent players at his disposal (Clay Matthews, A.J. Hawk, Tremon Williams, Charles Woodson, and B.J. Raji, among others). But I don’t think there is anyone who is as thought of as much as Dick LeBeau is by his players, fellow coaches, and organization. And what he has at his disposal is an arsenal that could take its place among the all time greats in Steeler history. So, the edge goes to Lebeau over Capers.
Mike Tomlin is going to his second Super Bowl in four years. This is the first for Mike McCarthy. Tomlin is only 38, whereas McCarthy is 47, not that it matters. When Tomlin was hired, no one knew who he was. Now, he can make history. Winning two Super Bowls in his first four years, before the age of 40, and add to the Steeler legacy. That would also give him one more than Bill Cowher. Tomlin could also add more to his jewelry collection during his tenure as coach.
It could simply come down to who makes the bigger plays, who ends up making the biggest play, and which player ends up making the biggest impact in this game. The Packers likely will try and take away Mike Wallace, making the rookies (Brown, Sanders) and Ward try and beat them. But I think Wallace is going to have a significant impact on this game, much like Santonio Holmes did two years ago in XLIII.
I also believe Roethlisberger may end up playing the game of his life and Mendenhall will complement him in the back field. It says here that Mendenhall ends up with 100 yards rushing and Ben with at least 300 yards passing. They open up with a score, add more scores (touchdowns) for insurance, and put the game away with a powerful rushing attack, killing the clock. If the Steelers could run on the Jets, I also feel they can run on the Packers, whose rushing defense ranks in the middle of the league. It will be up to the offensive line to protect Ben and open up the rushing lanes for Mendenhall, even though he has the ability to cut outside and use his speed and quickness, not to mention his spin moves, to elude the defense.
There will also be at least one big play made by the defense in this game and Troy Polamalu will be a part of it, but it could end up being someone unsung that benefits from Troy’s playmaking ability. A possible tip, pick, and run back for six. That is why teams practice the tip drill and why it is so effective. I think the defense is going to trick Rodgers into one mistake that affects the outcome. The pressure may also end up with a couple of sacks. The defense will end up playing a game for the ages.
They say that some are headed for destiny and that is where I see this Steelers team headed. There is a feeling and, yes, numbers are involved, that makes this a game that will not be soon forgotten. The experience factor weighs in the Steelers favor, and the fact the team is like family and genuinely cares for one another makes them a very difficult out in this Super Bowl. This will be a try for seven Lombardis, Ben wears seven, and this is his seventh season. While I am not a superstitious guy, this bodes well.
After it’s all said and done, after the dust settles and the smoke clears, be prepared for another parade and Super Bowl party in the Burgh. This team just will not be denied. It will be the most super of Super Bowls, but the edge goes to the Steelers in this one, only because they have the more balanced attack and a more galvanized team that battles for one another. A young, charismatic coach in Tomlin and the best defensive coordinator in the business in Lebeau, and a quarterback destined for greatness and a stratosphere only achieved by four other quarterbacks in the history of the game. It all adds up.
Final score, Super Bowl XLV, Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Green Bay Packers 24
Here we go. The ultimate game for football purists. This game will wreak of tradition. Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, Lambeau Field, 12 NFL titles (and three Super Bowls). Art Rooney (The Chief), Dan Rooney, Art Rooney II, Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin (three head coaches in 42 years). Each one has brought home Vince Lombardi’s trophy.
You can throw all of the corporate baloney out the window (sorry, Jerry Jones – NOT!). These are two small market teams that play football the way it was meant to be played, even though both offenses know how to air the ball out, and both teams play defense. This is a game the way the football Gods intended it to be, so here we are.
Just so all of the fashion conscious people are represented, the Green Bay Packers are the designated home team in this contest (NFC, odd years, AFC, even years) and that means they get to choose which uniform they are wearing. They will play in their traditional home garb, green jerseys and gold pants. That means the Steelers will be in their white road jerseys and their gold pants. Then again, it won’t matter how anyone looks once the game is over. There will be one winner and one loser.
Let’s get down to business. The Packers got here the long way, the same way the Steelers did in 2005 and the Giants in 2007. They won three games on the road and ultimately football’s grand prize. So, it can be done. Once the Pack qualified for the playoffs, they were considered a very dangerous team, and here they are.
Aaron Rodgers was drafted as the heir apparent to Brett Favre. He has proven that he was not a wasted pick and is one of the top quarterbacks in the game. He has a passing game that is deadly. He has four wideouts to throw to. About the only drawback is that the Pack does not have much a running game, and somewhere Vince Lombardi is spinning in his grave.
The defense is a mirror image of the Steelers. The Pack plays a 3 – 4 and Dom Capers is their defensive coordinator. He was Bill Cowher’s first defensive coordinator back in 1992 and Dick LeBeau was the secondary coach. Capers then went onto to become the first Carolina Panthers head coach, then subsequently the Houston Texans first head coach. But coordinator is where he has done his best work. This will be a chess match.
This game could ultimately hinge on how effective and productive Rodgers is in getting the ball to his wide receivers. While he is not a scrambling quarterback, Rodgers can get outside the pocket and run for yardage, first downs and, ultimately, touchdowns. But, Rodgers is a pocket passer, first, and the Steelers secondary had better be on its toes Sunday night and have put in extra film study the last two weeks to deal with the passing attack of the Pack.
Make no mistake about it, the Packers are a very dangerous team, and it all rides on Rodgers. He is the engine that makes the team go. If something would happen to him, it could alter the game in a multitude of ways, although his backup, Matt Flynn, nearly beat the Patriots in the latter part of the season. There is no significant dropoff.
What makes it even more bittersweet is that head coach Mike McCarthy is a Greenfield native and there are McCarthy and Packer fans in southwestern PA. If the Steelers were not in this game, I would be rooting hard for Green Bay. They are a reflection of the Steelers, and vice versa.
What has not already been said about the Steelers? Okay, we know what’s at stake. A seventh Lombardi trophy would further the distance between the Steelers and 49ers and Cowboys. It would also put another ring on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s fingers, making it three.
The Steelers can match the Packers pass for pass. We all know what kind of gunslinger Ben is with the ball. His blessing and his curse is his willingness to extend a play, hold onto the ball too long, and take a sack in the process. But if he is willing to give his receivers time to get open and make a play, then I’ll take that. What Ben has that Rodgers doesn’t is an effective running game. Rashard Mendenhall has come into his own in his third season and his first half against the Jets was reminiscent of Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis. If he is allowed to run on the Packers defense like that, then it could spell game over for Green Bay. Running the ball, ball control, taking time off the clock, that is a killer for any run and gun offense. They cannot score if they’re not on the field.
The Packers might have the better receiving corps, overall, but the Steelers have the better receivers in terms of football players. They are willing to do the dirty work to advance the ball, get into opposing territory, and help the team score. That’s how team play, and winning, is done. For that part, I will take the Steelers receivers any day. A balanced attack will be critical Sunday night and the Steelers have the inside track on that data.
The battle of the defenses may end up being a draw. However, I give the advantage to the mad scientist, Dick LeBeau, as to what he will have cooked up in his laboratory in preparation for Sunday night. You don’t spend your entire adult life in the game of football and not have that experience not pay off. Dom Capers is an outstanding defensive coordinator and he has some excellent players at his disposal (Clay Matthews, A.J. Hawk, Tremon Williams, Charles Woodson, and B.J. Raji, among others). But I don’t think there is anyone who is as thought of as much as Dick LeBeau is by his players, fellow coaches, and organization. And what he has at his disposal is an arsenal that could take its place among the all time greats in Steeler history. So, the edge goes to Lebeau over Capers.
Mike Tomlin is going to his second Super Bowl in four years. This is the first for Mike McCarthy. Tomlin is only 38, whereas McCarthy is 47, not that it matters. When Tomlin was hired, no one knew who he was. Now, he can make history. Winning two Super Bowls in his first four years, before the age of 40, and add to the Steeler legacy. That would also give him one more than Bill Cowher. Tomlin could also add more to his jewelry collection during his tenure as coach.
It could simply come down to who makes the bigger plays, who ends up making the biggest play, and which player ends up making the biggest impact in this game. The Packers likely will try and take away Mike Wallace, making the rookies (Brown, Sanders) and Ward try and beat them. But I think Wallace is going to have a significant impact on this game, much like Santonio Holmes did two years ago in XLIII.
I also believe Roethlisberger may end up playing the game of his life and Mendenhall will complement him in the back field. It says here that Mendenhall ends up with 100 yards rushing and Ben with at least 300 yards passing. They open up with a score, add more scores (touchdowns) for insurance, and put the game away with a powerful rushing attack, killing the clock. If the Steelers could run on the Jets, I also feel they can run on the Packers, whose rushing defense ranks in the middle of the league. It will be up to the offensive line to protect Ben and open up the rushing lanes for Mendenhall, even though he has the ability to cut outside and use his speed and quickness, not to mention his spin moves, to elude the defense.
There will also be at least one big play made by the defense in this game and Troy Polamalu will be a part of it, but it could end up being someone unsung that benefits from Troy’s playmaking ability. A possible tip, pick, and run back for six. That is why teams practice the tip drill and why it is so effective. I think the defense is going to trick Rodgers into one mistake that affects the outcome. The pressure may also end up with a couple of sacks. The defense will end up playing a game for the ages.
They say that some are headed for destiny and that is where I see this Steelers team headed. There is a feeling and, yes, numbers are involved, that makes this a game that will not be soon forgotten. The experience factor weighs in the Steelers favor, and the fact the team is like family and genuinely cares for one another makes them a very difficult out in this Super Bowl. This will be a try for seven Lombardis, Ben wears seven, and this is his seventh season. While I am not a superstitious guy, this bodes well.
After it’s all said and done, after the dust settles and the smoke clears, be prepared for another parade and Super Bowl party in the Burgh. This team just will not be denied. It will be the most super of Super Bowls, but the edge goes to the Steelers in this one, only because they have the more balanced attack and a more galvanized team that battles for one another. A young, charismatic coach in Tomlin and the best defensive coordinator in the business in Lebeau, and a quarterback destined for greatness and a stratosphere only achieved by four other quarterbacks in the history of the game. It all adds up.
Final score, Super Bowl XLV, Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Green Bay Packers 24
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