Super Bowl Sunday
This is the day die-hard football fans have long awaited. It is also the day we dread.
The kickoff for Super Bowl XL (that’s 40, for those who don’t speak Roman) is just hours away and the champion of the 2005-2006 season will be known a few hours after that. The long season that began back in July with training camp for 32 NFL teams has come down to just two, the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks (13-3, 2-0 postseason) versus the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5, 3-0). But it is also the last meaningful game of the season (next week’s Pro Bowl simply doesn’t count at all) so when the winner emerges tonight, many of us will go into football withdrawal. Let’s hope then, tonight’s game is one to remember.
On paper, it may shape up to be just that. This is one of the hardest games for me to pick. I can make an argument for why both should win. First, defense wins football games, so the team that best stops the other team’s offense should come away with the Vince Lombardi trophy. Pittsburgh loves to play physical football. Linebacker Joey Porter has gone on record as saying his goal will be to force Seattle players out of the game. Safety Troy Polamalu is an aggressive defender who can force opposing quaterbacks into mistakes and capitalize on them. Witness his play against the Indianapolis Colts.
But the unheralded, lesser known Seahawks didn’t buy their way into this championship. While many of us on the east coast haven’t had a chance to see much of them, and frankly I can’t name a single defensive player, they completely shut down the Carolina Panthers who, like Pittsburgh, like to knock heads. And like Carolina, Pittsburgh has limited weapons on offense. They prefer the pass. Second year QB Ben Roethlisberger targets tight end Hines Ward and wide receiver Antwaan Randle El before thinking about the run. Seattle defends well against the pass and will try to force Pittsburgh into doing what it doesn’t do as well.
On the other side of the ball, Seattle has the best running back in the game today, Shaun Alexander and a pretty good QB themselves in 7 year pro Matt Hasselbeck, who’ll have Darrell Jackson and Joe Jurevicius as his primary targets.
Mike Holmgren gave up the General Manager position following the 2002 season to concentrate solely on head coaching and it has paid off. He’s looking to become the first coach to win two Super Bowls with two different teams (he coached the Green Bay Packers to the title in 1996). His counterpart in Pittsburgh, Bill Cowher, is still looking for his first Super Bowl win in his 14 years as a head coach.
The head and heart connection is at play here. My heart is with Pittsburgh. They are the more charismatic of the two teams, with more interesting “personalities.” This game is being played in the hometown of their future Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis and it would be a great story to see him get a ring as he leaves this game. But Seattle is like a lion hiding in the grass, waiting to attack. They are better than people give them credit and despite their quiet team demeanor, may come out and surprise the world.
I am 6-4 in my postseason picks thus far. My pick for Super Bowl XL is in bold:
Super Bowl XL
Sunday, Feb. 5
Detroit, Michigan
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Seattle Seahawks
6:00 p.m.
ABC
Wow... It is kind of nice to know I'm not the only one who thinks Seattle is better than people believe. I think Seattle will win as well (I just think they've been the better of the two teams all year). Hopefully, it will be a close and entertaining game.
Posted by: shim at February 5, 2006 5:42 PMWheres's the post game commentary? I came to your blog certain I'd find something and nada...nothing here and nothing on the listserv.
Posted by: andrea at February 6, 2006 10:17 AMThis game was definitely memorable - for all the wrong reasons.
How many more days before the new season?
Posted by: shawn at February 8, 2006 5:06 PM