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

NEXT EDITION - THE KEY MATCHUPS

Comparing the Defenses

In Super Bowl XLV the Packers and Steelers both have offenses that are capable of putting up extraordinary numbers and both are capable of going MIA and disappearing altogether. The hallmark of both teams is most certainly not the offenses. No offense, but this is a game for the old fashioned purists as the Pack and Steelers are bringing some tough, gritty, and stingy defenses to the party.

These defenses are fast, rangy, ballhawking with a devastatingly dominant LB and an all Pro Safety. In a game this large it will be up to the OCs of each team to try and devise a game plan that can squeeze point out against defenses that give them up by the thimble full. The Steelers led the league in points against, and are trailed by the Packers. The oddity is how similar the D’s of each team are and yet how singularly unique to their own squad they have become.

Mention hardnosed, smash mouth football and it goes together with Pittsburgh like a shot and a beer. The precursor standard of LB in the Steel City has its bloodlines in Jack Lambert, and Jack Ham and run all the way through to James Harrison. Mel Blount and Donnie Shell have paved the way for Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor. The Steelers play defense in an overused term of a way – old school. Nothing fancy, no sound bytes, no braggadocio. They just lace ‘em up and get after it fast, hard, and mean.

The Packers have returned to glory on the strength of their vastly improved and underrated defense. When Green Bay comes up in conversation the sexy pick is to talk about Aaron Rodgers or his stable of receivers. To do so would be to ignore what got the Packers into the Super Bowl – a defense that bends but never breaks. While they will yield more rush yards than their black and gold counterparts they have an incredible resolve in the red zone and make teams earn every point, every yard.

It is no secret that both teams employ a 3 – 4 base defense with Dom Capers turning the Packers fortunes around with his and Dick LeBeau authoring the book on the 3 – 4 in Pitt. Both men have a lot of respect for each other and both teams not only play this brand of D very similar they both play it very well. Capers imported some of his old Steeler cronies to assist on the Packers Defensive coaching staff – Darren Perry (DB Coach) has garnered much notice and is rumored to be a hot ticket for a DC job somewhere soon, like say, Philly, and first time ever coach anywhere Kevin Greene who has brought his own brand of psychotic toughness to Clay Matthews III and the rest of the Packers ‘backers.

In the days of Vince Lombardi and Chuck Noll each coach built his team around its collective ability to impose its will on the opponent. This game ultimately comes down to how the defenses will fare against formidable offenses. We compare these two Super defenses by starting with:

DEFENSIVE LINE –



The Man in the Middle -
Steeler NT Casey Hampton



Pittsburgh may, or may not have, their best Dlineman in Aaron Smith for SB XLV. Smith is still nursing a bum wheel but will make every effort to be back out there. In the interim the fort has been ably manned by the triumvirate of Ziggy Hood, Brett Keilsel and NT Casey Hampton. This is as ferocious a front 3 as there is in football today. Hampton is a load up front, stronger than Paul Bunyon’s ox Blue and harder to move. Hood is showing all sorts of promise after a so so rookie campaign while Keisel can stuff the run and go after the QB. The 3 – 4 is so reliant on the front 3 occupying linemen and space that these 3 make the LB’s jobs that much easier. While the Pittsburgh line can stuff any running game they can be held off in a big passing game. How tired they get will go a long way in either stuffing the Packers or watching Rodgers go up top.

Cullen Jenkins' Sack Dance

On Green Bay’s side of the ball Cullen Jenkins and Ryan Pickett surround blossoming 2^nd year man B.J.Raji. Raji has been the glue that has held the Packers defense together all year. His enormous size (6’2”/ 337 lbs) belies his nimble feet, witnessed when he dropped into coverage for a game winning interception he ran in for a TD against Chicago. Raji is capable of and routinely handling 3 and 3 interior linemen at a time, freeing up space for Jenkins and his LBs to run wild. Jenkins had been hampered by a club he had to wear on his broken hand earlier this year as well as a recurring calf strain that limited his mobility. The one area of concern for DC Dom Capers will be the Packers ability to stop the run as this group and the Packers are middle of the Pack in run D. The Packers will have to contend with Rahsard Mendenhall and they are well aware that containing him is the key to this game.

ADVANTAGE – STEELERS

LINEBACKERS –



The Monster of the Steelers
LB James Harrison



There is a good reason the Steelers D is known as ‘Blitzburgh’. This is a veritable “Who’s Who” of the NFL’s best LB’s. The Steeler have James Harrison, James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons on their side while the Packers have Clay Matthews III, A.J. Hawk, Desmond Bishop and Erik Walden on theirs. Mr. Walden will be excused from this class as he was a midseason practice squad pick up who has been a very pleasant surprise and fill in for GB. But the remaining LB’s are that good. Harrison is tougher than a 2 dollar steak and he and Farrior combine to create all sorts of upset for the OLine and OC in keeping them off the QB. Harrison has that edge of craziness to his play and trying to contain him will be a full time all game long proposition. Both Capers and LeBeau employ their LB’s in a variety of blitz packages and use them often. The Steelers D is well suited for the bruising AFCN division and plays the run as well as anyone. The Steelers LB’s can sometimes flounder in a pass happy attack unless they can generate enough of a push to get inside on the blitz. Age is a factor here as Farrior and Harrison are the elder statesmen in this group, and have been known to gas deep in a game.

Clay Matthews III doing what he does best

The Packers can pin the defensive resurgence on 1) the hiring of Dom Capers 2) the drafting of B.J. Raji and 3) GM Ted Thompson doing the unthinkable in making a draft day trade UP to nab Clay Matthews III in the same draft. Matthews has become the centerpiece of Capers D and will line up anywhere and can exploit any weakness. He blitzes from all angles, can support the run and will also be seen in coverage. Hawk and Bishop have emerged as the # 1 and 2 tacklers on the defense, and Bishop’s sudden rising may spell the end for MLB Nick Barnett, out on IR and in a contract year. Walden literally came out of nowhere to become a solid contributor to this D. The Packers youth at LB with Bishop the senior member will keep them going. This one is close, but youth is served here.

ADVANTAGE – PACKERS

CORNERBACKS –

The Steelers will be excused from the downward glances cast at the mention of their corners. The trio of Ike Taylor, William Gay and Bryant McFadden will have a long day. Gay has been singled out in single coverage on numerous occasions in isolated 1 on 1 match ups and has not produced. The strength of the Steelers corners is not in their ability to make plays it is in the team’s ability to pressure the QB into bad throw and having the comfort of knowing Troy Polamalu is back behind them ready to clean up whatever mess the make. Of all the potential matchups on the field this one against the Packer WR’s will be the tallest order to fill.

Sir Charles and Nick Collins with another pick
against Detroit

Green Bay counters with what can be called the best CB’s in the business as a group. If Charles Woodson needs any more hype at this point someone has been in a cave or a fan of baseball. Woodson has had his steadily spectacular year again while Tramon Williams has exploded onto the landscape of the NFL. Williams rise is phenomenal; an UDFA who went unrecruited in college who was cut from the Texan’s practice team who has simply put up a Pro Bowl year and has been lights out in the playoffs. His Jordan-esque leap to pick off Matt Ryan in the Divisional Final against Atlanta was nothing short of spectacular, and it came against a team and a QB who does not throw picks. While on the subject of meteoric ascensions Sam Shields, yet another UDFA from Miami (the ‘U) has also blossomed with 2 dandy picks of his own against Chicago last week, the last of which sealed the game and the trip for the Packers. Shields emergence has in turn freed up Woodson to more of a rover’s position where he can line up to cover, take the slot, or move around in blitz packages. This one isn’t even close.

ADVANTAGE- PACKERS

SAFETY –

One of the very best ever
Pitt Safety Troy Polamalu

Quick – when was the last time Troy Polamalu played and was NOT the flat out best S on the field in a game? This is intriguing because while the Steelers have an All Pro in Polamalu the Packers can roll out their own All Pro Nick Collins. This is great vs. great here, with both players being the right man for their teams at the right time. Polamalu is a first ballot Hall of Famer and does everything so effortlessly. He can stuff the run, break up the deep ball, grab a few picks and has a briefcase full of highlights of ESPN made moments. Slowed by a nagging leg injury Polamalu would need to be carried off the field on a gurney to not show up. And when he does he packs a wallop. The Packers WR’s will have eyes in the backs and sides of their helmets when crossing over the middle on slants as this is where Polamalu inflicts punishment. The injury has hampered Polamalu’s overall effectiveness however and his ability to change a game, a fact not lost on GB.  As good as Polamalu is Ryan Clark can still get beat like a rented mule. The Steelers will give up long pass plays far too often for Mike Tomlin to be happy. It will be up to Clark to not make mistakes, a tall order considering what the Pack will bring to the table.

Collins has earned his keep in a far less dramatic way. All he does is make the play. And when he hits he brings the wagon along. Collins will get lost occasionally in 2 deep coverages as he did with Woodson against the Bears and look embarrassing and then follow it up with a rocking blow that separates not only the ball from the receiver but the receiver form his senses. Charlie Peprah has gone from the Practice Squad to starting S ahead of Atari Bigby thanks to the job done by Darren Perry. Peprah has taken his sage’s advice and parlayed that into a consistent performance that has seen him make few mistakes. While he doesn’t make the big plays as his counterparts do he doesn’t need to. That job is already filled. He’ll need to make zero mistakes in this one.

ADVANTAGE (Ever so slight) – PACKERS

NEXT UP - THE SPECIAL TEAMS

Comparing the Offenses

The high of making it to the Super Bowl has now been supplanted by the work it will take to win the Super Bowl. We’ll begin by making some comparative analysis of both the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

These are two very, very good teams, and built almost in mirror images of the other. Both feature big, rangy QB’s, a solid receiving group, and punishingly stingy defenses that employ a 3-4 base. These are two of the oldest and proudest franchises in the history of the NFL, and among the most successful in terms of championships won. They play in far less than major markets yet manage to have fan bases that spread around the world. Both teams are blue collar, lunch bucket, roll up your sleeves and get dirty hard working groups that eschew the trash talk and big city nonsense. These are two teams that have respect for their opponents and come right out and play a good, old fashioned hardnosed brand of football better suited for the mud and snow of a field in a long gone era. The roots of the NFL are entrenched in Green Bay and Pittsburgh, and how fitting it is they should meet in the big one. Look closely at the Steelers and you’ll see the Packers and vice versa.

The Packers are the singularly unique entity in all of professional sport in that they are the only community owned team that exists. This can never happen again, not in today’s multibillion dollar deals that comprise the makeup of today’s sports owners. There is a board of directors, yet no single owner calling the shots. How quaint.

The Steelers are owned by the Rooney family and always have been. Arthur Rooney began the team and has seen it pass from his son to his son’s son. The Steelers, after the dark days of their existence pre 1970 have had but 3 coaches in 40 years – Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin. Talk about stability.

Both teams play before knowledgeable fans that demand as much of their players off the field as they do on the field and are as fiercely devoted to their respective teams as a mother bear is to her cubs. The Steelers faced tremendous adversity with the off field antics of Santonio Holmes, Jeff Reed, and Ben Roethlisberger in the past year. Holmes, a former Super Bowl MVP was dispatched to the Jets for a draft choice that was technically a move backwards for the Steelers. Reed was also sent packing, and when Roethlisberger displayed his moronic frat boy stupidity in the men’s room of an Atlanta night club, it is a fair guess that the entire organization heard the saber rattling.

While the Steelers have high expectations they are not stupid. Rather than expel Big Ben they offered him up on silver platter to Roger Goddell and the suspension committee to serve as a poster boy for off field bone headedness. While not in the room it is no stretch to say that Ben probably heard one of the Rooney’s tell him to take his lumps, shut his mouth, and clean up his act, an act that had worn thin the patience of the entire organization. To his credit Roethlisberger does seem chagrined by the whole mess and seems to have taken his job and role far more maturely and seriously. To be measured by his achievements on the field without the taint of afterhours activity is a testament to the demands placed squarely on Roethlisberger’s broad shoulders.

His counterpart in Green Bay had a much different trial by fire. After famously sweating the draft as he fell to #23 Aaron Rodgers then had to take a seat to a legend in Titletown behind Brett Favre. Faced with the dilemma of Favre’s waffling and Rodgers’ 5 year contract due to expire the Packers tossed the dice, forced Favre’s hand and went with the untested kid. To Rodgers’ credit he remained above the cacophony of noise that surrounded the ugly divorce. The Packers remained solid in their support of Rodgers. When Favre took an unfair shot at Rodgers saying he would not only compete for the Green Bay QB position but “… we all know who’s gonna win it…” was a left handed slap at his understudy. Rodgers simply went about his job in his California laid back style and avoided the fight. In the process he has earned the respect of his coaches, fans, and most importantly his teammates. At this juncture Rodgers has rewarded the faith placed in him so much so that he now has, at age 27, exactly one half the same Super Bowl appearances as the guy he replaced. While no one will ever make anyone forget Brett Favre, Rodgers has gone a long way in being the most successful player to ever replace a legend. The Packers are now his team, and in this game the obvious areas to begin the comparison is at the key position of quarterback.

QB –

Break out the mirror here. Both teams feature big, tough, rangy, mobile signal callers. Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger just might be the two best QB’s when it comes to extending plays, stretching the field and improvising on the run. They can kill you the same way in a variety pack of ways. Each man is the right guy in his team’s offense. Both are smart, rangy, and with enough machismo to believe they can make any throw. Roethlisberger is the bigger of the two and a harder load to bring down while the nimble Rodgers posses more speed. Neither QB wants to make his living with his feet however. Roethlisberger has played well with a broken bone in his foot while Rodgers has had 2 serious concussions this year. Roethlisberger has a flair for the dramatic while Rodgers has been tested under the fire of a 5 current game win-or-go-home streak of his own that has seen him catch fire. Both are capable – very capable – of loading their teams onto their shoulders and carrying them a long way. With the noted exception of Rodgers ill-advised toss that Brian Urlacher of the Bears almost turned into a nightmare for the Pack Rodgers has taken better care of the ball. He has learned to not force a ball into an area where he can’t get a favorable match and has also learned the art of dumping it off when no one is open. Roethlisberger can still frustrate Head Coach Mike Tomlin with what Tomlin likes to call Big Ben’s ‘John Wayne’ style of play. One thing Roethlisberger has that Rodgers doesn’t at this point in his career is the pedigree – Roethlisberger has 2 Super Bowl rings while Rodgers is looking for #1. Ben’s experience vs. Rodgers’ hunger?

ADAVANTAGE – NONE

RUNNING BACKS –

It wasn’t too awful long ago that when the subject of running backs came up that Packers fans everywhere were relegated to downcast eyes and visions of what might have been. When Ryan Grant went down at the time the conventional wisdom was he took the Pack’s hopes for any post season success with him. #2 back Brandon Jackson never quite became that #1 back, yet FB John Kuhn became an unexpected treasure and burgeoning folk hero as he rediscovered his Shippensburg and Dover Pa. High days as a feature back. The Packs game went from good to none to serviceable to okay to maybe we CAN run the ball when 6^th round draftee James Starks came off the PUP list. Starks showed early promise but followed that up with some incredibly piss poor practice habits that landed him in Head Coach Mike McCarthy’s doghouse and his butt back on the bench. Credit former Packer RB and current RB coach Edgar Bennett with sitting the promising rookie down and setting the first year man straight. Rather than sulk and pout Starks heeded the advice and responded with an explosive breakout in the playoffs. MM’s playbook is one half play action, and without a running game the defenses had a much easier shot at getting after Rodgers as the Dolphins and Redskins showed. Now with Starks in the Packers have a legit #1 back, albeit one who has also gone in 2 short years from Buffalo to a season long+ injury filled hiatus to a start in the Super Bowl. And, for the record, that was Buffalo University, not the Bills. The Steelers counter with bruising RB Rahsard Mendenhall who has had quite a ride in the Steel City. Big, powerful and fast Mendenhall can break it wide outside or run it up the gut and over any defender. A compact bowling ball of a runner Mendenhall has found his stride and when he goes, so goes the Steeler offense. Much like the Packers when the running game is working with Mendenhall that creates more options for Pittsburgh as Roethlisberger can use the threat of the run to set up his deep strikes. Mendenhall’s tendency to put the ball on the ground or disappear altogether in ball games still can cause Tomlin to bang his head on a wall. The key for the Steelers and their hopes rides on Mendenhall. If he can get loose, the Steelers will like their chances. If he is contained or doesn’t show up or has ball security issues, swing it back the Packers way.

ADVANTAGE – STEELERS

OFFENSIVE LINE –

It would be unfair to call both the Packers’ and Steelers offensive lines anything other than “much maligned”. At times both teams have had issues with protection, run blocking, injuries and blown assignments. Ironically these two teams with supposed inferior lines are in the Super Bowl. The Packers line has finally stayed intact and has some success to show for the collective efforts. LT Chad Clifton is the workhorse Pro Bowler and is flanked by promising rookie Bryan Bulaga. Bulaga has looked like a rookie at times and yet has shown he is worthy of his first round status when he lined up across from Julius Peppers. Scott Wells is an undersized and undervalued C for the Pack while LG Darryn Colledge has been steadily if slowly improving. Colledge still may be the weakest run blocker on either team, while the best offensive lineman in this game is Packers RG Josh Sitton. Sitton has been a beast all year and makes no technical mistakes. He is a solid pass defender and excels in blowing large holes open in the run game. Big and strong as a horse this will be Josh Sitton’s last year in anonymity and he adds an element of nastiness that can spark the entire OLine. The Steelers will have to somehow get around this man beast to have any hope of getting to Rodgers. Super rookie Maurkice Pouncey of Pittsburgh may not even make it to the dance. After having his left leg rolled in the W over the Jets Pouncey is reported to have somewhere between a ‘high ankle sprain’ to a ‘broken bone in his ankle’. At last report he was not practicing and was seen in a walking cast. NFL injury reports are traditionally sketchy at best. Pouncey’s leg could be severed at the hip and dangling by sinew and the injury report will state he has a “leg contusion”. Without Pouncey Roethlisberger will have a case of the night sweats as Pouncey has been the Steelers best all year. LT Jonathan Scott has had serious issues in pass protection while RT Flozell Adams is on his last legs as he signed from Dallas for the year. While the G package of Chris Kemoeatu and Ramon Foster have strength enough in the run game they are not necessarily mobile. The loss of Pouncey, who draws the assignment of additional inside support, will be huge as the thought of B. J. Raji in the middle of the Pack’s D Line is an intimidating one and will give Tomlin fits.


ADVANTAGE – PACKERS

RECEIVERS –
 
The Steelers have learned to go from smash mouth to air it out. With Hines Ward, Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Wallace and Antwaan Randall El the Steelers have 4 very solid WR’s who are tough, nasty, and good. While both Ward and Randall El have both lost a step Sanders and Wallace both provide enough speed to open up the airways over Heinz Field. Ward’s toughness and leadership can never be questioned, but is worth noting that when the Steelers take to the air Ward is usually not seen on the field. Wallace has big play ability and Sanders is the X factor in the Steelers passing game. If the Oline can hold off the Packers ferocious rush Roethlisberger may have enough time to wing it in to his WR’s hands. TE Heath Miller also presents Ben with a solid target and the Steelers love him in short yardage situations. One advantage that the Steelers exploited against the Jets is one the Packers will be better prepared for than the Jets. In the AFCCG vs. New York the Steelers used a deployment of a 3 wideout set to create a numbers mismatch and set up a quick bubble screen, primarily to Sanders with Ward and Wallace plowing the road. The Jets foolishly continued to counter this set with a 2 deep zone and the mismatch worked heavily to the Steelers. That was the Jets… they will have no such luxury as the Packers will rotate between man and zone to keep the Steelers guessing.

The Packers counter with what may be the deepest set of receivers in the game. Led by All Pro Greg Jennings and vet Donald Driver the Packers WR’s are as scary as any in the league and tougher to cover than Brett Favre at a retirement announcement. Jennings has just gotten hot and is coming off an 8 grab game against the Bears, and showed incredible toughness in hanging onto the ball while being rocked by the punishing Bears D. It’s a good dress rehearsal as the Steelers will be bringing some pop to the party. While Driver has lost a step he is still one of the NFL’s toughest players over the middle in any type of throw. Call him the Green Bay version of Hines Ward. The Packers also have the luxury of James Jones and Jordy Nelson. Nelson had his own coming out party against Atlanta while Jones has quietly become a reliable target for Rodgers. While the Packers are without budding superstar Jermichael Finley TE Andrew Quarless has been forced into a more pressing role as he has been an improvement throughout the season. Look for Jennings to get a lot of attention. If he does the Steelers will be forced into guessing which poison they want to take. This could be a game for the # 3 and 4 receivers to shine.

Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson,and James Jones
may be the best in the business as a group

ADAVANTAGE – PACKERS

NEXT EDITION – THE DEFENSES

The Bears Start Recruiting Their Fans Early