2011 Super Bowl XLV-Prediction-Steelers-Packers

Super Bowl XLV is here. The Blitz Bowl may be a better name for this one. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers defenses love to bring the blitz packages. Sacks and hard hits will be the theme in the football game. Which quarterback will survive the defense?

Get your best Super Bowl Recipes for food, snacks and best fan gear ready for an exciting NFL football game. Pull out those extra seats for the man-cave or entertainment room and be sure to have the Big screen TV available.

In this article you will see how each team made it to the Super Bowl, keys for a Super Bowl win, the match-ups and the Super Bowl prediction.

The NFL Championship will be played between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. The Steelers are the AFC Champions and the Packers the NFC Champions for the NFL Football 2010-2011 Season. Super Bowl XLV (45) is set to be a special event this year with 2 of the most storied NFL football franchises.

The NFL playoffs have been historic and a defensive battle this year. The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing in their 3rd Super Bowl in six years and 8th total. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the only NFL team with 6 Super Bowl Championships. The Green Bay Packers have 9 football Championships, 3 of them Super Bowl titles.

The NFL 2010-2011 Football season has been a year of surprises, disappointments, major injuries and league sanctioned penalties. The Packers and Steelers have both endured through struggles and battled their way into the ultimate game of the season.

In an era where the high powered offenses have ruled the NFL football games, the Packers and Steelers have risen to the top of the field with hard-nosed defensive play to match the offenses. The Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers are set to battle on the field for the right to be called World Champions 2011.

Tom Brady has won his second NFL MVP Award (Most Valuable Player) for the 2010-2011 NFL Football Season. Brady was the first ever Unanimous choice collecting all 50 votes. Brady also won the NFL Offensive Player of The Year Award.

Brady set an NFL record with 355 consecutive passes without an interception during the season. He led the league with 36 touchdowns with only 4 interceptions for the year.

Super Bowl XLV will be played at the Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Seating capacity is 80,000 and expandable to 111,000 with standing room.

A key feature of the stadium is the largest high-definition television screen in the world hung over center of the field and the retractable roof.

Green Bay Packers-

• NFC Champions
  
• Keys to Win Super Bowl
  

Pittsburgh Steelers-

• AFC Champions
  
• Keys to Win Super Bowl

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• Super Bowl Preview-video
  

• Packers-Steelers Key Match-Ups

• Super Bowl XLV Prediction

The Green Bay Packers have been the hottest team in the NFL Playoffs this season. Led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a defense that has been dominating the Packers defeated the top 3 seeded teams in the NFC on the road to advance to Super Bowl XLV.

The Packers were a preseason favorite for the Super Bowl in the NFL 2010-2011 football season, but key injuries piled up and the team struggled early. Ten starters were lost to the IR during the season.

Ryan Grant, starting running back, was the biggest blow to the offense when he went down in game one of the season. The Packers never regained the run game until James Starks emerged in the wild card game of the playoffs.

Aaron Rodgers has had a Pro Bowl type season and has the best receiving group in the league with Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson and James Jones. Tight End Jermichael Finley was lost early in the season, but the offense kept on pace.

The biggest surprise of the Packers season was the development of the defense. The defense has kept the Packers in games and even controlled opponents down the stretch. In the playoffs, the Packers defense has been one of the best in the league against both the pass and the rush. The defense was 2nd in the NFL in sacks with 47 and only one behind sack leader Steelers defense.

1] Protect Aaron Rodgers- The Steelers love to send the blitz against opposing teams. James Harrison can bring vicious hits. Aaron Rodgers has had 2 concussions this season and the Packers cannot allow Harrison, Woodley or Polamalu to have a free hit on Rodgers. If Rodgers is knocked out of the game, it could doom the team.

2] Tempo- An upbeat tempo to the game will benefit the Packers offense. The Steelers have had problems with teams that use quick snaps, no huddle and quick drop offenses.

The New England Patriots were able to take advantage and the NY Jets were successful in the 2nd half of the AFC Championship game by speeding up the game.

3] Keep Roethlisberger in the pocket-Roethlisberger is most dangerous when he is able to run side to side when pass protection breaks down. The Packers need to force Roethlisberger too stay in the pocket area or rush to the middle where the big lineman can make a play on him. The defenders will have to wrap Roethlisberger up since he is capable of breaking tackles.

4] Run the Ball- James Starks, Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn must be used in the running game. The Steelers will not allow big plays, but the Packers must not abandon the effort and can use the backs out of the backfield for screen passes.

5] Challenge Pittsburgh Secondary- This is the weakness of the Steelers defense and the strength of the Packers offense. The Packers need to make the 20+ yard plays with their multiple receivers to keep the Steelers defense from stacking the line. The Packers can take advantage and wear down the secondary. Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson could make big plays in the game.

Green Bay Packers-Road to the Super Bowl-READ MORE==>

The 2010-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers began their football season with their Pro Bowl quarterback Ben Roethlisberger serving an NFL League 6 game suspension which was later reduced to 4 games. Many experts believed this would cripple the team to start the season.

The Steelers turned to their defense and running game which is their tradition in football and the re-emergence of both as tops in the league has the Steelers back in the Super Bowl for the 3rd time in 6 years.

The Steelers won the AFC North Division title with a 12-4 record and the tie-breaker over the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers defeated the Ravens in the Divisional game and the New York Jets for the AFC Championship.

The Steelers offense has been balanced with the pass and the run game in 2010. The emergence of Mike Wallace as a deep threat in the passing game, along with rookies Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown in the playoffs, has opened up more room for the running game.

Rashard Mendenhall led the rushing attack with career numbers and has the ability to break away for big plays. He has been an asset as a receiver out of the backfield.

The Steelers defense is the force behind this year’s Super Bowl run. The Steelers have been dominating as the league’s #1 defense against the run. The only weakness in the Steelers armor is the offensive line, which has improved from last season

1] Ball Control- The Pittsburgh Steelers are at their best offensively with the long time consuming drives. A successful running game with the pass will keep the Packers offense on the sideline and allow the Steelers to control the tempo of the game.

The Steelers had a 15 play and 9 minute drive against the NY Jets in the AFC Championship game. These long drives can also wear down an opposing defense to allow big plays near the end of the game.

2] Protect Ben Roethlisberger- The Steelers offensive line has to find a way to keep Clay Matthews, Cullen Jenkins, B. Raji and Darren Woodson off of their QB. Roethlisberger is an elusive quarterback, but these big guys from the Packers can make life miserable for the Steelers in the passing game.

3] Run the Ball- Rashard Mendenhall will be the key player for the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. He can find ways to break plays to move the chains. His ability to run the ball can keep the Packers blitzes at bay and allow Ben to use the play action to set up his receivers. The Steelers will need to keep pounding the ball even if unsuccessful in the beginning of the game.

4] Hard Hits Penalties- James Harrison has been hit with several NFL fines for illegal hits in the 2010-2011 NFL football season. The Steelers defense is the 5th most team with yards per penalty with a 9.0 average. The Steelers must cut down on the illegal hits in the game, whether they agree with the official rule or not. Do not help the Packers with first downs.

5] Packers Yards Per Catch- The Packers receivers are the best at breaking tackles and the Y.A.C. (yards after catch) in the league. The Steelers defenders must make the first tackle on these receivers.

The Packers top 4 receivers average double digit yardage and the team leads with 20+ yards receptions. The Steelers linebackers must find a way to slow down the receivers to help the secondary. The Packers will have the advantage if allowed to get downfield.

Pittsburgh Steelers-Road to the Super Bowl-READ MORE==>

1] Roethlisberger-Rodgers—The Steelers will emphasize the run game to take the pressure off of Ben Roethlisberger while the Green Bay Packers will throw the ball first. Both offensive lines have given up sacks this season. Both quarterbacks are athletic and can make plays in the play action as well as running away from pressure.

Rodgers has a deeper receiver group and a quick release. Roethlisberger has a tendency to hold on to the ball too long looking for plays which lead to sacks. Roethlisberger has been sacked 8 times in 2 games in the 2011 playoffs while Rodgers has only been sacked 5 times in 3 games. The Steelers were 30th in the league in sacks per pass play.   

Advantage=Green Bay

2] Running Game--Rashard Mendenhall vs any Green Bay back is a win for the Steelers in the run game. The Steelers will make plays with the running game, but the Packers defense will limit the big runs. Green Bay will try to run with Starks, Jackson and Kuhn in short yardage, but look for the Packers to use the screen pass with their backs.

Advantage=Pittsburgh

3] Offensive Line—Neither team has been dominating on the Offensive line, but the loss or limited role of Maurkice Pouncey could hurt the Steelers with the run game and pass protection. The Packers allowed fewer sacks to the QB than the Steelers, but Rodgers has had 2 concussions this year and a Harrison direct hit could end the game for Rodgers and the Packers.

Advantage=Even

4] Wide receivers—The Green Bay receivers are hard for any team to control. They have the ability to break first tackles and make big plays on yards after catch. Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, James Jones as well as the running back out of the backfield are hard for any defense to handle. The Packers are the best with the 20+ yards pass plays. The Steelers will have a hard time with the Packer receivers.

Mike Wallace is the deep threat with Hines Ward, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown as the Steelers play-makers. Wallace will need to make big plays and shake Packer CB Tramon Williams who has been sensational in the playoffs.

Advantage=Packers

5] Defense—Hard hits, sacks and turnovers will give one of the teams the victory. Both teams are aggressive with the defense. The #1 and #2 sack leading defenses. Don’t look for a high scoring game, but a hard fought game.

Advantage=Even

6] Intangibles—The Steelers have been here now for the 3 times in 6 years. Experience is a factor, especially with all the distractions leading up to the Super Bowl game. Mike Tomlin will keep the Steelers focused. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is 10-2 in the playoffs and has a knack for big plays when they matter the most.

Advantage=Pittsburgh

The Green Bay Packers opened as a 2.5 point favorite over the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the NFL Championship even though they were a #6 seed in the NFC Playoffs and reached the Super Bowl.

The two teams are evenly matched with dominating defenses and Quarterbacks that can carry the team. Turnovers and Special Teams will play a role in determining the winner of the game.

The first half will be a defensive struggle for both teams. The Steelers should have the early advantage with their running game.

The second half will see more aggressive offensive plays and see the Packers speeding up the tempo and push the ball deeper down the field. Look for Roethlisberger to keep pace with Rodgers.

The game will come down to the last drive of the game. Take the Green Bay Packers with a long field goal by Mason Crosby for the win.

Prediction: Green Bay Packers- 27___Pittsburgh Steelers-24

Who will win Super Bowl XLV? All the TV and Sports writers have made their picks, now it is time to make your choice for this year's winner of the NFL Championship.

Who wins Super Bowl XLV: Green Bay Packers or Pittsburgh Steelers?

Black Eyed Peas, Grammy award winning Hip-hop musical group, will headline the Super Bowl XLV Halftime Show.  Hit singles include, Boom Boom Pow, I’ve Gotta Feeling and the current The Time (Dirty Bit).

This is the first time since the Janet Jackson wardrobe mal-function incident in 2004 that pop music has been the headline act in the Super Bowl.

Christina Aguilera, 5-time Grammy Award winner, is schedule to sing the National Anthem in the Super Bowl at the beginning of the game.

TV commercials during the Super Bowl games have become a huge part of the event. Advertisement prices for some slots have gone for over a million dollars.

The commercials are entertaining and are the "water-cooler" topic the day after the Super Bowl game. Each year the envelope is pushed for the next best commercial. Top 10 lists and all time lists can be found for each year's Super Bowl Ads.