Packers vs. Steelers: Predictions and Names To Know For the Big Game

SO it’s down to this. Packers vs. Steelers. While this can be seen as a defensive battle, or a quarterback showdown, there are many more important factors to the game, some more easily recognized than others, that are game-changers. So here is a list of names and match-ups to know for tomorrow night's Super Bowl brawl:


1) B.J. Raji (Nose Tackle, Green Bay): Obviously, with Maurkice Pouncey, the center for the Steelers out, B.J. Raji is expected to have a monster game. Last week he showed off his quick reaction skills with his touchdown as well as his ability to break through the offensive line of the Bears to shake up Caleb Hanie. As we know, Big Ben is very different from Hanie, but Raji will still be able to get to Ben a couple of times tomorrow night, and may even sack him. It does not help Roethlisberger that his offensive line, which is not great to begin with, lost Pouncey, as I mentioned before, and will cause problems for him during the game.

2) Mike Wallace (Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh): To me, he is the key to the Steelers. You can talk about Big Ben avoiding Clay Mathews and Raji as the key for the Steelers. You can talk about James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley and Troy Polamalu keeping Aaron Rodgers from making big plays as the key for the Steelers. But I predict Wallace to be the star. Just like Santonio Holmes (sound familiar?) with big play potential, and maybe even better because of his speed, look for Ben to spot Wallace early with deep throws. If Wallace can make a big play at the beginning of the game, the momentum will be with the Steelers. It would also make the Steelers a multi-skilled opponent: they can do a dump off to Rashard Mendenhall, a quick pass to Hines Ward, a Big Ben run, or, if it works early, a long pass to Wallace. He will determine the game.

3) Sam Shields (Right Cornerback, Green Bay): After a two-interception game versus the Bears, he will be assigned to Wallace. After my last statement, you know how important Wallace is to the Steelers. Shields’ job is to make sure Wallace doesn’t get the ball. Shields has the speed to stay with Wallace, but one catch could change the whole game. Shields is an undrafted rookie, so this is a BIG responsibility for him.

4) Erik Walden (Right Outside Linebacker, Green Bay): A lot of pressure will be on Walden to anchor the middle right side of the defense as the Right Outside Linebacker, while Clay Mathews, A.J. Hawk, Ryan Pickett, and Charles Woodson hold down the left side. B.J. Raji can clog up the middle of the field, leaving the right side as the weaker side with Nick Collins, Sam Shields, and Walden. The third year man out of Middle Tennessee State had an uneventful season after being picked up by the Packers from the Dolphins. He needs to have a solid game in order to help the defense be more balanced. If Big Ben, an experienced, veteran quarterback, finds a couple of openings in the Right Side of the D, he will attack it.

5) Bryant McFadden (Right Cornerback Pittsburgh): He will likely be defending Donald Driver, who is a veteran player, who, even though he had some injury issues this season, is still able to make catches when they are needed. Bryant’s job seems simple: keep Driver from getting the football. This may be harder than it would seem, however, which may cause some problems for Pittsburgh.

6) James Jones (Wide Receiver, Green Bay): You’ve been in the league for four years. STOP DROPPING THE BALL! You have opportunities to close the game for your team, and yet you let them slip away. Rodgers won’t be able to protect you forever. At some point you need to make plays when they are handing themselves to you on a golden plate.

7) Brandon Jackson, James Starks, and John Kuhn (Running Backs, Green Bay): The big three for Green Bay’s running game won’t have an easy time running through the Steel fortress that will be in front of them, but they need to have some success, no matter how small, in order to take some of the heavy load off of Rodgers. If the run game is stopped, Rodgers will be forced into action, ending with Troy Polamalu or Ike Taylor intercepting his passes, and James Harrison, James Farrior and LaMarr Woodley flattening him. As soon as Ryan Grant went down in the first week of the season, I knew a lot of pressure would be on Rodgers, I hope that these three will take part of the load.

My Prediction(s): I believe the game could go one of these two ways:


1) Packers 28, Steelers 21:

If Sam Shields contains Mike Wallace in the first quarter, Big Ben and Rashard Mendenhall will have to run the ball and complete short passes to gain yardage. If Erik Walden, B.J. Raji, Clay Mathews, and A.J. Hawk hold down the middle of the field, Ben will be forced to complete medium long throws which Woodson and Shields can intercept. Woodson has not had a pick yet during this year’s playoffs, and is due for possibly an important one this game. Rodgers, the Super Bowl MVP, throws for 225-plus yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, while Big Ben has 150 plus yards and 2 interceptions as the Packers win their first super bowl since Favre in 1996.


2) Steelers 28, Packers 14:

If the Steelers win, it will be by two touchdowns, either 28-14 or 21-7. I expect the Packers to score, but it won’t happen much if the ferocious defenders of the Steel City can help it. Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden help Polamalu with good pass defense while Woodley, Harrison, and Farrior shut down the run game, forcing Rodgers to be a one-man army. This all starts however, by Mike Wallace having a big catch on the first or second offensive series for the Steelers. I can imagine Ben working the ball up field with short passes to Mendenhall, Ward, and Antwaan Randle El, finishing with a big pass to Wallace to capture the momentum. If this happens, Ward will retire with a new ring, and the Steelers will be viewed as one of the greatest football teams of all time.