WITH SUPER BOWL XLV hours away, we look at some of the match-ups that will be going helmet-to-helmet on the grandest stage of them all.
Coaches’ corner
While their players brace themselves for the biggest night of their playing career, there are two very important men who must mastermind the defeat of their opponent.
Mike Tomlin – It’s a case of ‘been there done that’ for Steelers HC Mike Tomlin. Despite just a four year tenure in Pittsburgh, Tomlin has already tasted victory twice in Super Bowl games with Pittsburgh.
On the field, the Steelers epitomise what Tomlin is all about as a coach – a no-nonsense personality with a strong, physical defensive style. The Steelers’ D has been in the top five each season he’s been in charge, and have twice been the number one run D – 2008 and 2010.
And this is the area where Pittsburgh’s battles are often won and lost, if you can somehow break down that defence, you have a shot. Offensively, Tomlin likes to orchestrate a balanced offense, beating through the run game of Rashard Mendenhall. You can be sure Tomlin will have a few cards stashed up his sleeves with Aaron Rodgers’ name on them this Sunday.
Mike McCarthy – In Mike McCarthy over the last six years, the Green Bay Packers have had one of the best quarter back coaches in the game. The 47-year-old has been around, including spells at San Francisco, New Orleans and Kansas, but his first HC role in Green Bay couldn’t have come at a better time as a certain Aaron Rodgers had just been plucked out of the 2005 NFL Draft.
McCarthy has been working with young quarter backs for a long time, and has moulded Rodgers into the heartbeat, and this season – the legs, of this Packers team. It is quite fitting that we have one of the best defensive masterminds in the NFL right now, going head-to-head with one of the finest offensive brains in the game.
Expect McCarthy to put the Pittsburgh secondary through their paces on Sunday.
Signal-caller showdown
Ben Roethlisberger – It’s quite amazing that at just 28, Big Ben has already got two Super Bowl rings to his name.
The 6”5 giant is one of the most physically-strong players to have played the position, and has been a mammoth for the Steelers every since being drafted by the first round of the 2004 Draft.
This season Big Ben has only played 12 games, due to a suspension at the beginning of the year relating to some off-field matters, but has since patched up his relationship with the fans as well as the people within the organisation.
Along all that, Ben had a tremendous year – throwing for over 3,200 yards and 17 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. Unlike his opposite signal caller, Roethlisberger gets a less share of the load thanks to the powerful run game of Mendenhall at tail back. Big Ben is used to a mid-range passing scheme, often using the blistering pace of Mike Wallace and the wise old hands of Hines Ward.
If the run game can’t get it done, extra pressure will be heaped on Ben but he’s no stranger to Super Bowl winning drives, just ask the Arizona Cardinals.
Aaron Rodgers – Rodgers has epitomised everything you can ask for in a quarterback: a precise arm, of course; the ability to roll out of sticky situations, and use his legs when needed; but also the leadership qualities and trust of those around him.
Rodgers has truly been the ticker of this offense, consistently fetching high-percentage games and seasons, keeping his head firmly on his shoulders on and off the field (well, most of the time), having the patience and leadership qualities and earning the respect of everyone who comes in contact with him.
Rodgers is the ultimate quarterback, and is deserving of a Super Bowl ring. This season Rodgers threw for just over 3,900 yards and 28 touchdowns, for a quarterback rating of `101.2. They year before he threw for over 4,400 yards and 30 touchdowns, including a mere seven interceptions.
With the powerful rushing D of the Steelers, Rodgers will need to be at his very best to get the better of them. And no doubt he will.
Run down
Rashard Mendenhall – The dynamic run game of Mendenhall has been the main focus of attack from the Steelers offense this year. Mendenhall racked up 1273 yard in the regular season, in 324 attempts.
Mendenhall pounded his way past the Jets in the Championship game, with a 121-game and a TD. Mendenhall is fast and powerful, and has a ferocious ability to hit any holes in opposition defences.
Mendenhall has dropped the ball three times this year, but the Steelers will continue to hand him the ball. He’s occasionally used as a checkdown option for his quarterback, so expect a good all round game running and receiving the ball. If Steelers want to keep as much of the load off of Roethlisberger possibly, Rashard will need to have his wheels on this Sunday.
James Starks – This post-season has discovered a leading rusher going into the Super Bowl, James Starks. The Packers were hit hard at the beginning of the season when Ryan Grant was ruled out for the year, so had to patch their run game with a mix of Brandon Jackson, full back John Kuhn and Aaron Rodgers.
But Starks, a rookie who was pulled in the sixth round of last year’s draft, has been a shining light for the Packers so far – and when a run game was needed he has stood up immensely. Starks ran for over 100 yards against the Eagles a few weeks ago, despite not even being considered in the game plan. He has since amassed 263-yards this play-off season, the highest out of everyone so far, but will have a tough task trying to break the door open on Pittsburgh this weekend.
Troy Polamalu – This category takes a look at the biggest figures on each side of the defence, and with big responsibility comes big hair. And Polamalu is the king of big hair.
The soft-spoken safety has already seen the Steelers through two Super Bowls, and his epic performances at the line of scrimmage and behind show no signs of stopping. The 29-year-old is the focal point the Steelers defence, and has been one of the best defensive players in the NFL over the last eight years.
Watch out for the bushy haired bruiser as he looks to make some big plays against the terrific Packers offense.
Clay Mathews – On the other side of the ball there is the mane-haired Clay Mathews. The second year from California, like Troy, has been an unstoppable force in the Packers defence and already has an amazing 23.5 sacks in his two seasons, plus 111 tackles.
Mathews is quickly becoming one of the most fearsome defensive backs in the game and never fails to make quarterbacks sweat each week.