February 4th, 2011 Friday
Friday’s Football Fixx
COUNTDOWN TO SUPER SUNDAY
COUNTDOWN TO SUPER SUNDAY
The clock is ticking and the big dance is nearing for both the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers. I am pretty sure that anything and everything that can be said about these two teams has been spoken and with less than 48 hours until kickoff there’s not much left to say other than let their actions speak louder than words.
Action is what most football fans will hoping to see and lots of it come Super bowl Sunday and with superstars like Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Clay Matthews, Greg Jennings, Hines Ward, James Harrison, and Charles Woodson it’s not likely we’ll be disappointed. We’ve already seen these two mix it up once before and they gave us one memorable matchup, we much more greater at stake and on the line this time around these two figure to give us everything they’ve got and then some. Near one thousand yards of offense and 73 points will be a tough act to follow, but with the greatest prize dangling before each, Sunday will be nothing less than fantastic battle of epic proportions.
Breaking it Down
If you have been following the coverage all week long you have probably heard several spins from many analysts sharing their opinions of what each team does well, their strengths, their weaknesses and tendencies; not to be different I will offer my own summation of this Super Matchup
For the Packers the strength of their game lies simply in the arm of Aaron Rodgers. Sure the Pack would love to be able to run the ball around 25 times on Sunday, but simply their success is going to come in the air. The run will be used mostly to slow down the Steelers’ pass rush and if the offensive line can give Rodgers time, he should be able to easily take apart the Steelers secondary.
On the other side, the running game will be very key for Big Ben who likes to throw the ball downfield. With his big play receiver (Mike) Wallace, if Roethlisberger can use the play-action effectively he’ll be able to freeze the secondary long enough to keep his eyes downfield for the big play. The Packers could be susceptible to the run, so running back Rashard Mendenhall should be the early focus for the Steelers, like a boxer throwing jabs and just waiting for Big Ben to throw that big overhand haymaker downfield.
Defensively for the both teams, neither figure to lose this game to the run. If the Packers are going to have success, they will need to get to Big Ben and put him down, but the same will be true of the Steelers. Linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley must pressure Rodgers and get in his face in order to slow down the Packers passing attack.
Action is what most football fans will hoping to see and lots of it come Super bowl Sunday and with superstars like Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Clay Matthews, Greg Jennings, Hines Ward, James Harrison, and Charles Woodson it’s not likely we’ll be disappointed. We’ve already seen these two mix it up once before and they gave us one memorable matchup, we much more greater at stake and on the line this time around these two figure to give us everything they’ve got and then some. Near one thousand yards of offense and 73 points will be a tough act to follow, but with the greatest prize dangling before each, Sunday will be nothing less than fantastic battle of epic proportions.
Breaking it Down
If you have been following the coverage all week long you have probably heard several spins from many analysts sharing their opinions of what each team does well, their strengths, their weaknesses and tendencies; not to be different I will offer my own summation of this Super Matchup
For the Packers the strength of their game lies simply in the arm of Aaron Rodgers. Sure the Pack would love to be able to run the ball around 25 times on Sunday, but simply their success is going to come in the air. The run will be used mostly to slow down the Steelers’ pass rush and if the offensive line can give Rodgers time, he should be able to easily take apart the Steelers secondary.
On the other side, the running game will be very key for Big Ben who likes to throw the ball downfield. With his big play receiver (Mike) Wallace, if Roethlisberger can use the play-action effectively he’ll be able to freeze the secondary long enough to keep his eyes downfield for the big play. The Packers could be susceptible to the run, so running back Rashard Mendenhall should be the early focus for the Steelers, like a boxer throwing jabs and just waiting for Big Ben to throw that big overhand haymaker downfield.
Defensively for the both teams, neither figure to lose this game to the run. If the Packers are going to have success, they will need to get to Big Ben and put him down, but the same will be true of the Steelers. Linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley must pressure Rodgers and get in his face in order to slow down the Packers passing attack.
Keys to the Game
Everyone knows that Rodgers is going to be key for the Packers offense, but his tight ends Andrew Quiarless and Donald Lee could be huge in the red zone on Sunday. With the Steelers having to worry about the Packers three and four receiver sets, the tight end spot could be vulnerable.
The Steelers need Big Ben to play well without question, but important to his success will be his running game. Mendenhall needs to have a strong game on Sunday if the Steelers offense is going to be effective. If Mendenhall is held in check, Big Ben could have a long day with lots of cheese in his ears.
Who AM I Picking
In case I have not made it clear, I am picking the Packers on Sunday. Their passing attack is just too awesome to stop. The Steelers have a very good pass rush, but Rodgers can deliver the ball quickly and will have plenty of options. While Big Ben is a big threat in his own right, the Steelers’ “O” line is going to have a tough time trying to slow down the Packers pass rush.
My Pick: Green Bay Packers
Everyone knows that Rodgers is going to be key for the Packers offense, but his tight ends Andrew Quiarless and Donald Lee could be huge in the red zone on Sunday. With the Steelers having to worry about the Packers three and four receiver sets, the tight end spot could be vulnerable.
The Steelers need Big Ben to play well without question, but important to his success will be his running game. Mendenhall needs to have a strong game on Sunday if the Steelers offense is going to be effective. If Mendenhall is held in check, Big Ben could have a long day with lots of cheese in his ears.
Who AM I Picking
In case I have not made it clear, I am picking the Packers on Sunday. Their passing attack is just too awesome to stop. The Steelers have a very good pass rush, but Rodgers can deliver the ball quickly and will have plenty of options. While Big Ben is a big threat in his own right, the Steelers’ “O” line is going to have a tough time trying to slow down the Packers pass rush.
My Pick: Green Bay Packers
News and Notes From Around the League
BRADFORD EARNS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
The Rams rookie starting quarterback had a fine year leading his team to a 7-9 record, six wins better than their dismal 2009 season. Bradford showed lots of poise and courage in the pocket and showed plenty of zip and precision with his throws. A battered receiving corp left the young gunslinger shorthanded much of the 2010 season, but despite he was still able to pass for 3,512 yards with 18 touchdowns and a respectable 76.5 passer rating.
SUH NAMED DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
The Lions stud defensive lineman is well on his way to becoming a star in this league. In his maiden voyage as a professional Suh racked up 10 sacks and 66 total tackles from his defensive tackle position. His also added a forced fumble and interception to his resume to earn the honors of ROY. His presence on the field gives the young Lions’ defense attitude and great improvement.
CLARK REHAB JUST STARTING
The Colts starting tight end suffered an unusual injury to his wrist. He wore a cast for three months and has just starting rehabbing about two weeks ago. It recovery time is going a bit slow that what some had originally thought, but it sounds like Clark should fine by late summer.
UMENYIORA ON HIS WAY BACK TO HEALTH
This is good news for the Giants and their defensive End. Umenyiora bounced back in 2010 with a solid campaign collecting 11.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles; this followed a disappointing 2009 season that saw him lose his starting job. Osi is recovering from hip surgery and expects to be healthy and ready for camp this summer.
Just my views.
By David Ortega
BRADFORD EARNS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
The Rams rookie starting quarterback had a fine year leading his team to a 7-9 record, six wins better than their dismal 2009 season. Bradford showed lots of poise and courage in the pocket and showed plenty of zip and precision with his throws. A battered receiving corp left the young gunslinger shorthanded much of the 2010 season, but despite he was still able to pass for 3,512 yards with 18 touchdowns and a respectable 76.5 passer rating.
SUH NAMED DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
The Lions stud defensive lineman is well on his way to becoming a star in this league. In his maiden voyage as a professional Suh racked up 10 sacks and 66 total tackles from his defensive tackle position. His also added a forced fumble and interception to his resume to earn the honors of ROY. His presence on the field gives the young Lions’ defense attitude and great improvement.
CLARK REHAB JUST STARTING
The Colts starting tight end suffered an unusual injury to his wrist. He wore a cast for three months and has just starting rehabbing about two weeks ago. It recovery time is going a bit slow that what some had originally thought, but it sounds like Clark should fine by late summer.
UMENYIORA ON HIS WAY BACK TO HEALTH
This is good news for the Giants and their defensive End. Umenyiora bounced back in 2010 with a solid campaign collecting 11.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles; this followed a disappointing 2009 season that saw him lose his starting job. Osi is recovering from hip surgery and expects to be healthy and ready for camp this summer.
Just my views.
By David Ortega
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