Comparing the Special Teams

Super Bowl XLV is as close on paper between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers as there has ever been. In a game that is as close as these two teams match up the difference between winning and losing may come down the Special Teams and who outplays whom.

The Pack and the Steelers both have Special Teams that would qualify for government assistance and at times have been the wart on the nose for each squad. Time to go deeper.

KICKER –

When Steelers K Jeff Reed decided to dance naked in a fountain the Steelers had more exposure than they needed. In the steady parade of Steeler studipity Reed’s antics came on the heels of Santonio Holmes well publicized antics and occurred prior to Big Ben doing the wild thing with a posse holding lookout. Dumping Holmes for a draft pick lower than one used to tab him on the Jets was a surprise but Reed’s pink slip sent the message the rest of the Steelers got. Well, of course, Roethlisberger has always behaved as if he was above it all, so the Steelers had a major dilemma. How to clean house without gutting their hopes. So it was sayonara Santonio and Reed got the boot leaving the NFL to mop up Big Ben’s mess. After Reed the Steelers struggled with their kicker until settling on former Redskin Shawn Suisham, who ended up in Mike Shanahan’s rather overcrowded doghouse in DF.C after costing the ‘Skins a few games with some suspect efforts. While Suisham will never make any forget Gary Anderson or Roy Gerela he has been serviceable in his role. He has a range that is not much beyond 45 yards and after 40 or more he is prone to the shanks. The Steelers will need to get it close to give Suisham, and themselves, a chance.

Thunderfoot! Packer
K Mason Crosby

Mason Crosby has bounced back nicely from an off year. No longer known as 'Missin Crossbars' the big legged Crosby has all the tools yet lacks an NFL grade consistency to strike fear in the hearts of the opponent. Crosby can boom with the best of them; his 50 yard kick that dinged the upright a few weeks ago would have been good from 70 yards, but he can struggle with accuracy. His kickoff placement has improved but are not where MM wants them all the time. Keeping Stefan Logan of the Steelers in check is Crosby’s first responsibility. He gives the Packers a slight edge as he is the better of the 2 kickers with more range.

ADVANTAGE – PACKERS

PUNTERS –

R Tim Masthay's improvement
helps the Pack's cause

The Steelers have so little regard for the kicking game that they have another recycled player handling the punting chores. Ironically, Jeremy Kapinos filled that role for the Packers last year and is now in Pittsburgh. Kapinos ranked near the bottom of the league in almost every statistical category last year for the Pack, and his numbers have not improved dramatically. Pittsburgh’s stout defense can get an assist as they weather whatever storm Kapinos cannot boot them out of. Knowing that Green Bay simply waived Kapinos to hold open tryouts where they found UDFA Rookie Tim Masthay says everything in one sentence. Masthay began the year shaky but has grown into his role and the pace of an NFL game. No longer looking disjoint Masthay has shown fluidity and the ability to drop the ball inside the 20 and keeping the returner from doing any significant damage. Masthay’s punting against the Bears and the keeping the ridiculously talented Devin Hester to under a 5 yard avg. return is not lost on the Packers or his importance. The Packers have been winning the battle of field position, largely due to Masthay. Masthay does not yet have the numbers of an average punt, for example, but it must be stated that the Packers move the ball so well that seldom is Masthay pinned in his own end where he needs to launch a ball. When he is, he can and is capable of putting a jolt into one as he did when he sent a 65 yarder into orbit in frigid Chicago last week.

ADVANTAGE – PACKERS

COVERAGE/ RETURN TEAMS –

Stefan Logan brings the sizzle back to
the Steelers return game

All that really needs to be said on this topic is that the Steelers can tackle and small but shifty Stefan Logan can run. Packer fans everywhere can simply go silent on this topic. The ugly underbelly is the Packers ability, or more to the point inability to bring down opposing kick returners. The epitome of the embarrassingly humorous culminated in Patriots Offensive Lineman Dan Connolly returning a Packer kickoff 75 yards to the 3. And yes, he is a LINEMAN. It didn’t get any uglier than that. The Packers began the year by watching the soles of Devin Hester’s feet in an early loss to Chicago and have tried so many players as a returner that Travis Williams and Desmond Howard were being considered. The Pack has seen at times Jordy Nelson, Tramon Williams, Sam Shields and James Starks try their hand at returning the ball with poor results. The Steelers have brought in Canadian Football League whiz Stefan Logan who has handled the rock all year. While the Packers have improved their coverages by simply staying in their coverage lanes this is still the one area Pittsburgh can and will attempt to exploit.

ADVANTAGE (And it’s not even close) - STEELERS

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