Unsung Units (Part 1)

Super Bowl XLV (that is 45 for all you non-Latin speakers) will take place on Sunday, February 6th, 2011 in Dallas...I mean Arlington, Texas. It will feature the NFL's top two teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. Both teams are fairly well balanced with talent on both sides of the ball, but the focus of this game has been on two units, the Pittsburgh defense and the Green Bay offense.

It has all but been decreed that the winner of this elite unit slugfest will undoubtedly emerge as the victor of this year's Super Bowl. But I believe that it will be the two unheralded units in this game that will decide the outcome. So, instead of continuing the annoying, incessant banter concerning Green Bay's passing game and Pittsburgh's front seven, let us take a look at the sides of the ball with less notoriety.

We will begin with the squad that has already been to this dance, winning two of the last five championships: the Pittsburgh Steelers and their offense. This is a very productive, efficient offense that is successful in its own right despite taking a back seat to the number one scoring defense in the league.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger leads the Pittsburgh passing attack which ranks a respectable fourteenth in yards per game in the NFL. He has several weapons in his receiving corps including one of the toughest wideouts in the game in Hines Ward and a top big play receiver in second year player, Mike Wallace. Throw in consistent tight end Heath Miller, and this aspect of the offense is a reliable force that can be counted on to get the job done.

The Steelers' running game is also a top tier force, ranking eleventh in the NFL with almost 2000 rushing yards. The rushing attack is headed by bruising back Rashard Mendenhall, who combines punishing power with deceptive breakaway speed. In his rookie season it seemed that critics were already prepared to declare  Mendenhall a bust, primarily because of a shoulder injury and ball security issues. Mendenhall has come back the past two years with a vengeance, and has proved to be a fantastic replacement for previous feature back Willie Parker.

Now, on to the young, dynamic Packers' defense. This is an outstanding defense in its own right that is fueled by the runner up Defensive Player of the Year, Clay Matthews. This second year player out of USC has exploded onto the NFL scene by way of his unrelenting motor and unmistakable head of hair. The secondary is led by veteran team leader and one of the mainstays at cornerback in the NFL, future Hall of Famer, Charles Woodson. This elite defense ranks an impressive second in the NFL in points allowed, giving up a mere 15 per game during the regular season. 

In my mind, there are three match ups between these two units that will determine the outcome of the game.