For the third time in the last six years, the Pittsburgh Steelers will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Mike Tomlin's team won the big game in its past two trips, beating the Seattle Seahawks in 2006 and the Arizona Cardinals in 2009. Here are five reasons to believe that the Steelers will bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Pittsburgh again on Sunday.
1. Experience
While only two of the Green Bay Packers — cornerback Charles Woodson and defensive end Ryan Pickett — have ever been played in the Super Bowl, the Steelers roster shares a combined 54 championship rings. (Ironically, the only Packers player with a Super Bowl ring is running back John Kuhn, who was on Pittsburgh's practice squad in 2005-2006.) With over 5,000 media members and the entire country's attention descending on Dallas, the more level-headed team should prevail.
2. Troy Polamalu
If you believe the adage, "defense wins championships," then having the Defensive Player of the Year certainly can't hurt. When healthy, Polamalu is a premier playmaker at the safety position, with the ability to turn a game on its head at any time. Polamalu had seven interceptions, a forced fumble and a touchdown return this season, and the Steelers have not lost a game he played in since Week 10.
3. The Ground Game
The biggest difference between these two teams isn't the quarterbacks, the defenses or the special teams. Rather, it comes down to one position: running back. The Packers will continue to rely on rookie James Starks, who has shown flashes of brilliance in the playoffs, but has also failed to convert in key short-yardage situations. The Steelers, on the other hand, have Rashard Mendenhall, who scored 13 touchdowns this season and rushed for 121 yards on 27 carries against the New York Jets to propel his team to victory in the AFC Championship Game.
4. Sack … or Not
There's no denying that the Steelers' injury-ravaged offensive line is a concern, but Ben Roethlisberger's size and agility offer a remedy to what would otherwise be a crippling problem. Big Ben was sacked just 32 times this season because, more often then not, he was able to shed the defenders that had him in their grasp. Clay Matthews, B.J. Raji and Charles Woodson will get their fair share of shots at Roethlisberger, but whether they're able bring him down is another matter entirely.
5. Pass Rush
The Packers' pass rush may get more press, but don't forget that the Steelers have the league's best group of linebackers, including LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison, who had 10 and 10.5 sacks, respectively, during the regular season. They'll match up against Green Bay's shaky offensive tackles, including declining veteran Chad Clifton and mercurial rookie Bryan Bulaga. Advantage Pittsburgh.
