Super Bowl XLV - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers

Packers are 2.5 point favorites.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/23/super-bowl-odds-2011-xlv_n_812844.html

 

Ben has pretty incredible pocket presence and is very hard to bring down, but when I say mobile, I mean quick.

Dude can't outrun anybody, at least not like Aaron can, but he makes up for that by being incredibly smart in the pocket and even smarter out of it. (knows when to throw it away, knows when he can pick up some yards)

Green Bay's pass rush is wicked, and the Steelers OL is about as banged up as any in the league.

I think Ben gets rocked, and I think Rodgers has a nice, but not spectacular, day throwing the ball. (QB rating in the mid to high 90s)

 

If you redefine mobile as "quick" OK. But Ben killed the Jets yesterday with his legs. That's mobile enough for me. Aaron Rodgers is definitely faster though.

I can see Ben getting rocked against a good pass rush because he holds the ball too long. The Steelers absolutely must get hits on Aaron Rodgers to equal things out.

 

Nah.

Roethlisberger again showed why hes a great QB.

He might have the bad stats but at the end he always delivers.

Rodgers has been bailed out by his defense two times already. Failed to deliver the knock out punch.

 

Mark Sanchez delivered the knockout punch against the Patriots, while Tom Brady failed repeatedly in the second half. Guess that proves Sanchez is the better QB.

 

I guess that proves you have to play the game. I've been a big Aaron Rodgers fan before he became popular this year. My personal nickname for him is Superman but he looked very human yesterday and it could happen again on the big stage.

 

Bite your tongue, blasphemer, before you get an Aaron Rodgers dragon punch straight to the sack.

 

I hate the Steelers with an undying passion.

I like Rodgers and Clay Matthews, so Go Packers!

 

I didn't know this about Rodgers.

Rodgers is the NFL all-time career leader in passer rating during the regular season (98.4), and lowest career pass interception percent (1.99%). Rodgers is also the only player in NFL history to have 4,000 passing yards in each of his first two starting seasons.

He is quickly becoming my new favorite non-Texan NFL player.

Me may turn out to be one of the all-time greats.

 

He was great this season, but last year he was even better and seemed to stay off the radar. This year proved last year was no fluke.

 

In addition to that, the fact that the Packers can rub it on Brett Favre who was so desperate to prove Green Bay made the wrong decision makes it even better.

 

You're joking, right?

His mobility plus strength is what makes him so effective. On Sunday, he made a handful of BIG-TIME plays with his legs.

His ability to be mobile and move around is what makes him so effective.

 

Rodgers > The Rapist

 

Like I said twice already, there's a difference between running fast and running smart.

Ben runs smart, not fast.

To avoid Roid Matthews, he's gonna need to be fast.

 

Its nice to see Aaron Rodgers getting first to a Superbowl than Brett Favre, after his circus show.

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat..._ad_according_to_site_creator_richard_be.html

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I'll be rooting for the Packers. Found out I got a ticket to the "big game" this week, and will be driving up Sunday morning and back Sunday night.. No idea where the seat is, but ill be in the stadium, and it should be a good game.

 

Changed my mind. My gut now says the Packers will win. But they need to avoid TOs and silly mistakes.

 

I'm up in the air on this one too. Same feeling I had about Arizona in the SB and Pittsburgh-Baltimore III this year.

The secret to beating the Steelers is really no secret at all. Quick passes, three step drops, get rid of the ball, use the pass to set up the run. That's how you do it. Ask Belichick or Brady. If your QB is getting rid of the ball that quickly it doesn't matter how many crazy blitzing schemes the Steelers throw at you. There simply isn't enough time for them to get a hit on the QB.

4-5 wide sets are what they'll need to be effective. The catch, of course, is that strategy removes the TE's and FB's thereby essentially daring the defense to blitz. The Packers employed this strategy against the Bears and Julius Peppers ended up getting a monster hit on Rodgers that basically ended up changing the game since Rodgers wasn't the same afterwards. The Steelers have that "knock out" capability so Rodgers better not gamble too much otherwise he might end up on the wrong side of concussion #28 of the season.

For the Steelers, RUN RUN RUN! Pound the ball, chew up the clock, position yourself to not play from behind. I'd strongly recommend ditching the 5-wide set the Steelers used against the Jets -- it removes Heath Miller from the play and overall it was completely ineffective. I'd also encourage the Steelers to not be afraid to throw on first down (nothing boils my blood more than Bruce Arians' ever-so-predictable 1st and 2nd down runs up the middle).

Overall, it should be a great game. The strategies I mentioned above will likely determine the winner of the game. If the Packers go Tom Brady on the Steelers and nobody touches Rodgers, it's over. If the Steelers are able to run the ball and get hits on Rodgers, it's not only over but Rodgers likely won't finish the game.

Steelers 27
Packers 23