Steelers would win in the snow, but +
Too bad the Super Bowl is almost always played in ideal conditions.
Yes, the NFL’s showcase has to either be at a warm setting or in a dome, which is a shame since you have the league’s two most notorious bad-weather teams facing each other.
When you think of the Steelers and Packers, you think of hard-nosed, tough players who spit in the face of windy, frigid and snowy conditions, laughing at Mother Nature while opposing players cower next to their sideline heaters.
If I had my way, Pittsburgh and Green Bay would meet somewhere in Alaska for the Super Bowl to determine who was the true champion of football and the elements.
And the Steelers would win.
But, this game won’t be played on an icy field or even under cold conditions, which, to me, are what football is all about.
Instead, the two teams will meet inside the massive space station Jerry Jones has built that he calls Cowboys Stadium. The retractable dome will be shut, so weather will not be a factor.
And that brings us to the main reason I feel the Packers will win on Sunday.
You see, Green Bay fans like to think their team loves playing on grass, in the snow or rain, but that just isn’t true. This team, while it’s forced to play in bad weather often up in Wisconsin, is really built for, and loves, a dome.
Just look at the Packers’ playoff run so far. Cold day, grass field in Philadelphia: they hang on to win when a late Michael Vick pass into the end zone is intercepted. Dome in Atlanta: quarterback Aaron Rodgers is close to unstoppable and they dismantle the Falcons. Cold day, grass field in Chicago: they take a quick 14-0 lead, then have to hold on for dear life against the Bears’ third-string quarterback to win.
Yes, their tradition is that of a cold-weather squad, but the Packers are a perfect dome team, especially on offense.
The Steelers are the tougher, stronger, more battle-tested team, and I dare say more of a “real” football team than the Packers.
This isn’t to say the Packers aren’t a physical team, too. They are.
But for the most part, Steelers love to play an opponent in cold weather, while Packers put up with it, but would rather be in sunny Miami or Pasadena + or in a climate-controlled dome.
There are other reasons I’m picking Green Bay to win besides the venue, such as the Steelers being without Pro Bowl rookie center Maurkice Pouncey, who was the anchor of a patched-up offensive line, but the fast track is the biggest factor in my prognostication.
I see the Packers spreading out the Steelers’ defense, as most think they will do, and passing Pittsburgh to death.
Everyone is expecting that tactic, but here are a few myths about the game I’d like to dispel:
1. “The Packers won’t be able to run the ball on the Steelers.”
How did the Patriots run for over 100 yards against Pittsburgh? They set up the run with the pass. That’s what the Packers will likely do. No, Green Bay won’t be able to just line up and blow Casey Hampton, Ziggy Hood and Brett Keisel off the ball, but they will be able to pick up yardage with draws and screens. The latter is just as good as a run.
2. “If the game is close, Ben Roethlisberger will pull it out in the end.”
When you do the unexpected more than a few times in big spots in sports, everyone then expects you to ALWAYS do it. That’s just unreasonable. It actually puts more pressure on Big Ben when people are now assuming all week that if he’s given the chance he’ll win it in the end, like it’s a foregone conclusion.
I’ll make this prediction right now: If it comes down to Ben having to drive the field for the winning score in the final minute or so, he will come up short.
Want an example? Just look at the Packers’ last Super Bowl appearance under Brett Favre. Coach Mike Holmgren had so much faith in Favre that he reportedly asked his defense to allow Denver to score a late short-yardage, fourth-quarter touchdown to take the lead so his future Hall of Famer would have enough time to drive for the winning score. A few minutes later, a fourth-down pass was knocked away and the Broncos celebrated. Everyone thought Favre would pull it out and the Packers would repeat as Super Bowl champions. He failed and Green Bay lost.
3. “The Steelers’ huge advantage in Super Bowl experience – 25 players to two – gives them a big edge.”
Once in awhile you may see players overwhelmed by the moment, but for the most part it doesn’t play a factor once the game begins. Just look at the example above. In that game, the Packers were the defending champions.
As for Rodgers cracking under the pressure + please. He’s been playing in Favre’s shadow for three years now, which has been a tremendous stress on him, and has survived well enough to be the highest-rated quarterback in NFL postseason history going into this game. I doubt he’ll blink here.
So, on grass, in the snow and cold, it would be Steelers 24, Packers 14.
But, in the comfort of a dome on an artificial surface, it’ll be Packers 35, Steelers 20.
Rob Burchianti can be reached at rvburchianti@hotmail.com.