The Preview of Super Bowl XLV
Posted by smashmouthdraft | Posted in | Posted on 2:04 PM
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When the black and yellow, and the green and yellow clash inside "the house that Jerry built" on this coming Sunday, there is going to be one electric atmosphere. In the build up to this very emotional game, the light by the media has been shone directly on the maturity of Aaron Rodgers as an NFL Quarterback, and the questions of maturity and growth with the gunslinger on the opposite side, Ben Roethlisberger. As any fan of the game of football knows, this is not a game of one on the side of offense or defense, but rather it comes down to all eleven men on the football field. In this examination of the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, our very own Kristian D'Ignazio will breakdown his keys to determine the winner of the big game this Sunday.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
NFC CHAMPS
On offense, the Green Bay Packers are in a very interesting predicament. Throughout the playoffs, the media has discussed the growth and the development of Aaron Rodgers in the big game. That is very well deserved. However, the emergence of the Running Back James Starks is the real big surprise out of this team who finished 10-6. The running game has allowed the Packers to not allow the defense to zone in on Rodgers, and allowed the play action pass to open up big time creating havoc. The big issue for the team dawning their home green uniforms on Sunday, is the fact that the Steelers don't exactly have a problem shutting down the running game. The Steelers allowed a lead leading average of 62.8 yards rushing against, and have their eyes set on stopping Starks. This game is really going to breakdown and fall on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers wide-outs. Expect the Packers to try and split the Steelers defense up by using a plethora of three and four wide receiver sets to get the match-ups they want. The Packers are excellent of throwing the ball very quick, and using that very nice release of Aaron Rodgers to get it to his players in a hurry, to neutralize the pass rush from the defense.
Smashmouth X-Factor of Green Bay's Offense: James Jones - WR
DEFENSE:
As the Steelers defense is getting a lot of limelight heading into this duel, the Packers defense has not been weak or a slouch this year at all. Led by Clay Matthews, the runner up to Troy Polamalu for the AP Defensive Player of the Year award, the Packers defense have held all three of their NFC opponents in the playoffs to under twenty-one points. Perhaps the unit on both offense and defense that could easily be the biggest darkhorse in this game, the Packers look to get after Ben Roethlisberger early and often, but more importantly will be their ability to stop the Steelers rushing attack. The Packers must be able to stop the Steelers running game before it gets going, and they must hold the Steelers into 3rd and long situations where their secondary can make plays and get off the field. If Steelers rookie center Maurkice Pouncey can not go, expect "The Freezer" BJ Raji to have a big time game inside against the Steelers on Sunday.
Smashmouth X-Factor of Green Bay's Defense: AJ Hawk - ILB
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
AFC CHAMPS
OFFENSE:
The dramatic off-season and allegations against Ben Roethlisberger are the leading stories heading into Fort Worth. There is nothing more than Ben would want to seize the opportunity to silence the critics and bring home the seventh Lombardi back to Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Steelers must be able to get off to a good start and run the football with Rashard Mendenhall effectively. The running game has been the bread and butter of this team since one can remember, and this game shouldn't be any different. If the Steelers can run the ball well, the play action game will be avaliable against this ferocious secondary of the Packers. The Steelers will have trouble if they can't sustain drives, and get into tough positions where they must force a pass against Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams on the corners. The big question marks will be the time when Ben Roethlisberger goes back to pass that he will have. Clay Matthews and his 13.5 sacks on the edge, and potentially the loss of Pouncey with BJ Raji leading the charge, will make it even more critical that the Steelers keep the Packers off balance with play calling in this game.
Smashmouth's X-Factor of Pittsburgh's Offense: Mike Wallace - WR
DEFENSE:
Smashmouth's X-Factor of Pittsburgh's Defense: Lawrence Timmons - ILB
The Final Prediction - Steelers over the Packers, 24-20.
DEFENSE:
Another successful and dominating post-season for the defense of the Steelers, what else is new? The Steelers prowess of stopping the run and getting after the Quarterback creates an excellent match-up in this Super Bowl. The Steelers defense will look to try and shut down James Starks in his tracks, and zone in on Aaron Rodgers and look to pressure him. Pittsburgh must be creative in their blitz packages as the Packers will look to execute a very quick passing game to slow down the rush, and this will include many screens, slants, etc. If the Steelers can get a few stops, and press the Packers with exotic bltizes, that one mistake that they could force could be the difference in this ball game. Green Bay presents an excellent aerial attack and this could pose serious problems for the Steelers with the numerous wide receivers that the Packers could chuck the ball to. It will come down to the edge rushers, LaMarr Woodley (who had ten sacks) and James Harrison (who had 10.5 sacks) to disrupt the timing of this precise Green Bay offensive attack.
Smashmouth's X-Factor of Pittsburgh's Defense: Lawrence Timmons - ILB
The Final Prediction - Steelers over the Packers, 24-20.
