Super Bowl Showdown: Packers/Steelers
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| Mike Neri - 2/3/2011 4:45 PM |
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Super Bowl Showdown: Packers/Steelers by Mike Neri A pair of flashy offenses met in the Super Bowl a year ago when the Colts and Saints battled it out, but this postseason has seen the return of defenses. The Steelers and Packers are two of the Top 10 defenses in the NFL, and ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in points allowed. So much for all those rule changes that favored offense the last few years! The Packers ranked an impressive second in total defense last year, 9th this season in yards allowed but second in points (15.6 ppg allowed) behind defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who likes to blitz and mix things up. The defense has allowed 0, 7, 3, 20, 16, 7, 31, 17, 3, 16, 24 and 21 points the last 12 games (12 ppg). The Packers led the NFC in points off turnovers. The Packers have a pair of shutdown corners and a great group of linebackers, led by Clay Matthews (QB Matt Ryan was sacked five times). Green Bay was 6-5 SU, 7-4 ATS on the road and 7-4 under the total away. They will face a Pittsburgh Steelers team that has become more balanced this season with the addition of rookie Center Pouncey: they have run on nearly half their plays (49 percent), compared to 42.2 percent last season. They ran over the Jets for 166 yards rushing the last game, but the injury to Pouncey (high ankle sprain) looks serious and reports are he is not 100% and may not be able to play at all. Have to believe the Packers are licking their chops to unload the blitz early and often. But this Pittsburgh passing attack is underrated, with two-time Super Bowl winning QB Ben Roethlisberger throwing to speedy WR Mike Wallace, veteran WR Hines Ward and tight end Heath Miller. The passing attack has gotten better as the season matured along with their two rookie receivers, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown. The return of DE Brett Keisel has solidified the league's No. 1 rush defense, holding the Ravens to 126 total yards and the Jets to 289 in the postseason. The dominant Black and Gold defense is 2nd in the NFL in yards, tops in points allowing just 14.5 ppg. Speaking of blitzes, the Steelers led the league with 48 quarterback sacks, racking up 7 in two playoff games. The Packers know that the Steelers are at their most dangerous when Ben Roethlisberger extends a play, rolls out and finds a wide-open receiver down the field. Pittsburgh wants to protect against Green Bay attacking him, particularly from the right side. Roethlisberger is in a much better position to throw if he's rolling right. These teams actually met late in the 2009 season, with the Steelers winning a 37-36 thriller on the last play. Ben Roethlisberger became only the third quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 500 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in that game. The defensive personnel in the secondary for Green Bay is largely unchanged from that regular: Three of the four starters remain -- cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams and safety Nick Collins. But the production and performance is much different, at least from that game. The Packers defense led the NFL with the lowest opponent passer rating (67.2) and was second with 24 interceptions, one of the reasons they allowed an NFC-low 240 points. The Packers, not the Steelers, are regarded as the explosive offensive team. And, in the postseason, that has been the case -- Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has had 15 pass plays of 20 yards or longer, six more than any other quarterback. But, in the regular season, the Steelers had 62 pass plays of 20 yards or longer, second only to the San Diego Chargers (66). The Packers had 57. So it's tough to get a feel for the final score: The defenses are sensational, yet the offenses have a boatload of talent and big play ability, as we saw the last time they met. Hang onto your seats, it should be another exciting Super Bowl! |
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