Super Bowl XLV - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers

I wanted a Bears v. Jets superbowl, but this should be decent...

I think the steelers will win...

 

I dont know I still see people wearing those Got 5? t-shirts out here in LA a lot. Those should have been tossed out after the Steelers won their 5th and definitely destroyed after they won their 6th. You cant go wearing a shirt like that when there is another franchise with just as many, or in this case more rings than you.


Steelers for me of course man prices are crazy high looks like i am going to have to still wait another time to go to the SB when the steelers are in it.

 

Me too. Don't understand this at all. Maybe the oddsmakers know that cheeseheads are notorious gamblers when their team makes the Super Bowl. If a bunch of pro-Packer money doesn't flow like they expect, the line will move.

 

The Packers may be slightly less talented, but they are hot at the right time... and Vegas knows it.

 

The only thing Vegas cares about is how they think people will put their money.

As far as being hot, I would have agreed with you yesterday before the games. But a great defense can cool off any offense. Ask the surf and turf Rams about the Pats; ask the Packers themselves about the Bears. The Steelers run game is also the perfect tool to keep the ball away from Aaron Rodgers. I don't think the Packers run defense is any better than the Ravens or Jets.

 

I don't agree that they're slightly less talented. They were injury-ravaged throughout the season, most notably with multiple concussions to Rodgers, and lost several coin-flip games at the very end... but they're an elite team talent-wise and everyone knows it. They've finally gotten mostly healthy, Rodgers is back in a groove and that's why the spread is what it is.

You're putting a whole lot of stock in one game. For starters, the Ravens shut down the Pitt running game - 71 yards on 31 carries for a 2.3 YPC average. The Steelers also weren't in the rushing top 10 for the season. Yes, they looked excellent for a half yesterday - and they aren't a bad running team - but to act as if their running game is particularly strong, or the "perfect" tool to keep the ball away from Rodgers, is an exaggeration.

In an indoor game, with comparable defenses, I'll take the superior QB every time.

 

It's common wisdom to think "Steelers have a good run game" and "defense beats offense", but I don't buy either one of those.

Steelers pass D is suspect, and the Steelers run game averages 4.1 per carry (good for 17th best in the league).

Rodgers will shred them. Hell, the last time the Steelers faced a competent QB was Tom Brady in week 10, and they got spanked. Since then, it's been a parade consisting of Jason Campbell, Bruce Gradkowski, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Clausen, Colt McCoy, with Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez making two appearances. And the only other good QB they played against this year, Brees, pwned them too.

Big Ben is not mobile (despite what people say, but dude can take a hit though) and will get eaten alive by the Packers' front 7, their ONLY hope is that running game of theirs... and I already don't have a lot of faith in that. The saving grace is that the worst part of the Packers is their run D. So maybe they can exploit that.

The wild card is special teams, which I say is pretty much a wash. Maybe with a slight edge in the punting game to Pittsburgh and a slight edge in the field goal game to Green Bay.

 

When totally healthy, I agree they are as talented as the Steelers.

But as it stands right now, position vs. position, I think the Steelers have a minor edge.

But we both agree the Packers are on fire right now and St. Rodgers will bring down his holy wrath upon the Steelers for their BS luck vs. the Oilers in the 70s.

 

I don't why you keep saying Rodgers is superior, like its a given.

 

Average QB rating since week 10

Big Ben: 93

Rodgers: 116

They're both good, but since the home stretch, Rodgers has been playing out of his mind (the game he got a concussion notwithstanding).

 

yeah, rodgers has been playing out of his mind, till yesterday. but he really has, but ben has the experience and he's clutch in his own right. never really been asked to put up big numbers but has done it in the past.

 

Ben sucked even worse yesterday, too.

BR: 35

AR: 55

 

One is very good, the other is great. To be completely honest, Roethlisberger was pretty awful yesterday before the two huge throws on the final drive of the game. That's not to say that Rodgers was great - certainly, the weather in the games yesterday can limit any passing attack - but statistically, Rodgers is better, as Donny explained.

Roethlisberger is a great improvisor, and thus has an innate ability to make plays in big spots. But as an overall quarterback for a full-length game plan, Rodgers is more accurate and typically makes better progressions and reads.

 

Because it was warm and sunny last night in Pittsburgh, right? Am I allowed to use that excuse too?

It's okay to for your "great" QB to nearly lose to somebody named Caleb Hanie while putting forth a sub-par effort, but it's unimaginable for Roethlisberger to do the same yet still be either on the same level or possibly better.

Weak argument is weak argument. No offense, but I'd stick with the stat argument if I were you (however minuscule of an edge Rodgers seemingly has there).

 

You realize he said "games", right?

Don't get all butt hurt because an impartial observer likes Rodgers more than Roethlisburger. Jeez.

 

Uh, what? I was talking about both games, as clearly evidenced by the use of the plural S.

 

Aside from your bizarre quibble about yesterday, Rodgers has had a superior QB rating, more TD passes, more rushing yards (on much higher YPC) and fewer sacks in each of the past three seasons than Roethlisberger. The gap isn't enormous, no, but most non-fanboys would agree who the better QB is.

 

Not at all the case. The best QB conversation is always Brady and Manning followed by any number of current flavors of the week. Last year it was Brees, this year it's Rodgers. Rivers is always in that mix too. When you listen to all the analysts it's usually those guys in some order followed by Roethlisberger. The point is I'm used to it.

I don't get appalled when I hear people acting like "Rodgers > Roethlisberger" is common knowledge. I just read too quickly on The Cat's post and jumped to the conclusion he was making excuses for Rodgers. My bad on that. Perhaps we'll continue THAT portion of this discussion two weeks from today?

 

Besides time of possession, the key for the Steelers will be getting a pass rush on Rodgers. I have to assume they will. Otherwise, Rodgers will shred them as you say.

When you say Big Ben isn't mobile, you must not have seen him yesterday at all. Temporary insanity perhaps?

I don't think it can be argued that Rodgers isn't better than Big Ben. Better passer, better runner. But you have to play the game. The Packers didn't impress me at all against the Bears. If they don't raise it up quite a bit, they will lose the Super Bowl.