Super Bowl Predictions

Predicting the Super Bowl is half of the fun. And considering due to a potential NFL Lockout I may not be able to predict another until 2013. Well, that and because this blog has been at a total stand still as of late, JQ and I are going to post our predictions.

If I were a betting man (which I am – like when I put money on the Steelers during their preseason 13-to-1 odds stage) I would bet that my prediction will be off by at least five billion points. But I still figure that while in the spirit of Super Bowl Sunday that I throw out my thoughts for you to read and eventually mock.

Here it is:

We’ve been hearing a lot of “these teams are identical” talk – I don’t really buy it. Yes, they both have great defenses and solid quarterbacks and wear yellow pants, but what they need to do to win are not as similar as the blue-collar towns that they represent.

Steelers will draw first blood - either a touchdown or a field goal. Whether they get the ball first or second, the Steelers always seem to get some points on their opening drive. And I think the Packers (offensive line in particular) may be a little taken back by the defense that they are playing. They struggled against a Chicago Bears defense that relied on their defensive ends to rush, they didn’t send confusing packages like Dick “Benjamin Button” LeBeau.

I say the Steelers find ten points somehow before Aaron Rodgers settles down and realizes, “Hey, I’m playing in doors and I’ve been on fire. I haven’t needed a running game all year. I’m Aaron Rodgers.” Then at some point second quarter, Rodgers will answer with a touchdown and field goal for a halftime score of (somewhere around) 10-10.

It’ll be defense going hard to start the second half. I’ll say the Steelers will squeeze out two field goals in the third quarter – one either coming off of a turn over or on a short field because, well, that’s what Pittsburgh does.

Mid-fourth quarter, Rodgers will lead some methodical drive and put the Packers up 17-16 right around the two-minute warning. That’s when Ben Roethlisberger (who will at the time have 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, and will not have thrown a ball over 10 yards unless Mike Wallace burns on of Green Bay’s stone-feet corners) will step onto the field. The acquitted quarterback will run around and dump on 5-yard passes and fit a few 15-yards in to Hines Ward in soft coverage. Long story short, Roethlisberger will lead a game winning drive after his defense held Green Bay all day and throw his first TD of the day with less than a minute left. Actually, we’ll call it a short field goal as time expires.

Steelers 19

Packers 17

Co-MVPs: 

Rex Ryan, NYJ coach – for taking out Tom Brady and the Patriots and handing the Steelers a trip to the Super Bowl.

Matt Dodge, NYG punter – for punting to Desean Jackson as time expired in week 15 which lost the Giants the game and the playoffs. By kicking it to Jackson, the Packers slipped into the playoffs. If Dodge kicks out of bounds, the Packers aren’t in the Super Bowl. If he had never punted to him, Aaron Rodgers and his championship belt would have been spending January at home in California.

LaMaar Woodley, Pittsburgh OLB – Woodley is going to eat Bryan Bulaga for dinner. The rookie right tackle hasn’t really blocked well against pass-rushers all year and Woodley has been a savage in the playoffs. Look for Wood to have two sacks, some sort of takeaway, and a big momentum changing play that either sets up a score for the Steelers or takes the wind out of Green Bay’s sales. (Don’t sleep on Mike Wallace either for the MVP).

There is my prediction. Go easy on me if the Packers win in a shootout, 52-49. And, please, enjoy this game because it may be the last one we see until fall of 2012.

- DQ