Clubber breaks down some of the key match-ups for Super Bowl 45 and predicts a winner.
Dallas, TX -- Back in early September before the start of the regular season, I predicted that the Green Bay Packers would be in the Super Bowl. Then again, I also predicted that they would be playing the Baltimore Ravens.
If there is one thing you could say about the 2010 NFL season, it’s that it was very unpredictable. I'm quite sure no one predicted that Randy Moss would play for three teams this year or that Arian Foster would lead the league in rushing.
Well, both the predictable and the slightly-unpredictable (unless you're Peter King) has happened in that the Packers are facing the Steelers in Super Bowl 45. With that in mind, it’s time to take a look at the five burning questions facing both teams for Sunday's game at Cowboys Stadium.
1) Can Doug Legursky handle B.J. Raji?
Legursky is a back-up lineman that will be getting the start in the place of the Steelers’ outstanding rookie centre Maurkice Pouncey. As a matter of fact, this is Legursky's first start as a centre in the NFL. His first start just so happens to be in the Super Bowl against a beast like Raji.
Now in his second year, Raji has emerged as one of the strongest and most athletic nose tackles in the league. Legursky knows he will have his hands full Sunday. "He's a heck of a bull rusher, he's got a low base in power and he can definitely get underneath pads. He also has got good edge-to-edge moves. You combine that with his power and he is a pretty significant force in there."
2) Can Ben Roethlisberger win another big game in the playoffs?
Big Ben comes into Super Bowl 45 with a remarkable 10-2 record in the post-season. Ironically, only Packers legend Bart Starr has as good a post-season record at 9-1. Big Ben rarely puts up huge offensive numbers but he nearly always finds a way to make the key throw at the key time in the game. That skill coupled with his ability to shake off would-be tacklers with relative ease makes Roethlisberger a difficult challenge for Dom Capers and the Packers’ defence.
3) Can Aaron Rodgers withstand the wrath that is about to descend upon him?
Dick LeBeau will try to unleash a barrage of exotic zone blitzes on Rodgers in order to get him out his comfort zone. If the Steelers’ league-leading run defence is able to contain James Starks, then the fate of the Packers’ offence will rest squarely on the shoulders of Rodgers.
Rodgers says that his biggest priority in his pre-snap reads is to identify where Troy Polmalu is on the field. "He's a great blitzer, he's a good cover guy and he has good ball skills. It is going to be important to figure out where he's at. We're going to make sure if he's coming under pressure that we’re going to get somebody to account for him"
Polamalu loves trying to confuse a quarterback as he makes his pre-snap reads. "Any time you can make them hesitate a split second is always a benefit for the defence. You always got to make sure they don't have that pre-snap key."
4) Who will have the bigger impact: Troy Polamalu or Charles Woodson?
While he might not make cool shampoo commercials like Polamalu, Woodson is no less of a game-changing defensive player. Whether it is sacking the quarterback, coming up with a key interception or making a big tackle on third down, the Packers can count on Woodson to be the man that makes the key play when they need it.
Polamalu's record of making big plays in big games is well documented. He is quite simply one of the best defensive players in the modern era of the NFL. Expect both players to make at least one big play because they both have an innate ability to rise to the occasion.
5) The last question, in my mind, is one of the biggest: Can the Steelers' cornerbacks handle the speed and skill of the Packers' receivers?
Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden started every game for the Steelers this year and give Dick LeBeau's defence a steady presence at the corners. But Taylor and McFadden will face a stiff challenge Sunday, especially when the Packers go to what they call their "Big 4" or "Big 5" formation. This is where the Packers employ four or five wide receivers and try to create a mismatch that Rodgers can exploit.
"We feel confident in the receivers that we have, from No. 1 all the way down to No. 5. When we can get all of us on the field we believe there is a mismatch somewhere and that's were it becomes Aaron's job to find that mismatch and get the ball to the open guy," receiver Jordy Nelson said.
Polamalu said it is important for the entire secondary to be disciplined in their pass coverage technique. "They have so many talented wide receivers … it is important to keep everything in front of us."
Who wins Super Bowl 45?
Picking a winner in this game is extremely difficult. Both teams come into the game with impressive strengths and some nagging concerns. Both teams have elite level quarterbacks, punishing defences and solid coaching.
The Steelers have an edge in the running game, but the Packers have the edge with a much healthier offensive line. The Packers also have a better core of receivers than the Steelers. The Steelers will battle until the final whistle; that's just the way they are, but the Packers come into the game with the perfect combination of skill, toughness and confidence to get the job done. Rodgers better get his "belt" ready, because the Vince Lombardi trophy is going back to Green Bay.
Packers 30, Steelers 24
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