The Pittsburgh Steelers will win their seventh Super Bowl this upcoming Sunday. Ben Roethlisberger will win his third championship. Pittsburgh’s defense will generate a goliath turnover to seal the deal late in the game.
The Steelers finished the season with a 12-4 record. This earned them the second seed in the AFC. Pittsburgh came in first in the AFC North Division, ahead of their archrival Baltimore Ravens.
These two teams were fundamentally identical in between the hash marks. Head-to-head, the Steelers and the Ravens split their two meetings during the regular season. Come playoff time, the Steelers defeated the Ravens by a score of 31-24.
Next came the Jets in the AFC Championship Game. Pittsburgh went on to thump them 24-19. Sunday will be the most imposing obstacle yet, the Green Bay Packers. The Packers have managed to defeat the top three NFC seeds on the road to get to the Super Bowl.
The Packers have an explosive and swift defense, headed by linebacker Clay Matthews. They will attempt to get after Roethlisberger from all angles, including around the corners with Charles Woodson.However, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has yet to participate in a Super Bowl. He lacks Roethlisberger’s poise and late game experience.
Big Ben’s post-season record is 10-2. He is undefeated in the Super Bowl. I do not believe much will change on Feb. 6 against the Packers. If victorious, Roethlisberger will already be one of five quarterbacks in history to have three rings.
Rashard Mendenhall has the potential to have a superior performance. He has indeed broken out with 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns during the regular season.
Hines Ward is a true Steeler. Thirteen years in the league and eight seasons of 950 or more yards receiving later, he is still famished. Ward is the prime example for what proper diet, workout regime, pure talent and overall preparation will get you in the league.
Coach Mike Tomlin is a naturally gifted coach. He is only 38-years-old and has compiled a career playoff record of 5-1. He has the correct attitude and approach for games. The bottom-line is that he knows how to win.
The most prominent part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ team and organization is their defense. They were nothing short of dominant this season. Pittsburgh ranked first in the league in total yards per game (207.5 yards), rushing defense (52.5 yards), sacks (48) and fewest points allowed (232).
Safety Troy Polamalu will continue to be a focal component on the defense. He compiled seven interceptions in fourteen regular season games en route to being named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
The Steelers’ strongest asset on defense has to be their linebacking core. It is made up of leader and 2008 Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison as well as James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons.
Polamalu and the Steelers linebackers will be too much for the Packers offensive line. The run game will be non-existent for Green Bay. Therefore Rodgers will be forced to pass more than what is desirable. This is not a recipe for success against the Steelers’ engulfing defense.
Experience will be a somewhat telling factor in this game. I do believe the team that makes the most plays and the least mistakes wins the ballgame. Nonetheless, the Packers have already gotten caught up in the hype.
Green Bay had some distractions earlier this week with a team photoshoot. Players on injured reserved voiced their displeasure at the possibility of being left out of the team’s Super Bowl photo. Controversies like these need to be kept private and not brought to the media’s attention.
Unlike the Packers, the entire Steelers team has experience with the Super Bowl. Eighteen players have two or more rings. These players are able to lessen the anxiety during the week. They have been in this situation before and understand how to manage their time for non-football activities. The Packers have two players, Woodson and DT Ryan Pickett, with Super Bowl experience. Both of these players were on the losing end.
With another championship under the belt, black and yellow will perhaps be considered a dynasty. They will become more reminiscent of the 1970’s Steel Curtain Steelers’ squad, which won four championships.
Roethlisberger is equipped to lead this group of warriors and celebrate in Texas.
Tim Shanahan can be reached at tshanahan@spartans.ut.edu.
Guess you were wrong. And yes- experience is sooo overrated. The packers didn’t even have all of there best players out there.
Steelers win because Rodgers has no idea what a good defense can do. He’s never seen anything remotely like the Pittsburgh D and he’s going to panic after he takes a few hits from those guys. Steelers 34 Packers 13
Why does experience matter? Its just another game. Sure with all the hype it may seem like a circus, but all the coaches and players treat it like another game by sticking to their routines and not getting too distracted by the media circus.
The Packers have won three in a row on the road vs. the top three seeds in the NFC. They have more depth and more talent on the offensive side of the ball.
I don’t know who’s going to win… but just because the Steelers have more superbowl experience doesn’t mean they have it locked up. Experience is overrated.