The Steelers are a rugged bunch on defense with six starters over 30. They will be looking to put a lick on Aaron Rodgers early in this game. They have the best linebacking corps in football, and inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons is as good rushing the quarterback as LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison. I wouldn’t put it past any Steeler to take a borderline shot in order to knock Rodgers from the game with so much at stake.
“This is probably the only Super Bowl ever that the players from either team could jump in the defensive huddle and understand the terminology and probably run the defense,” Pittsburgh’s LeBeau said.
To combat the Pittsburgh pressure, look for the Packers to slide their offensive line protection in order to protect Rodgers’ blindside. Pittsburgh’s defenders are sure tacklers, and I don’t suspect Rodgers will be able to escape as many rushers as he has in previous games. With Troy Polamalu playing a center field role in the defense, Rodgers will throw either quickly to the outside or deep to the outside to his quartet of receivers led by Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, who is expected to start despite sitting out three days of practice here to rest a quad injury. The Packers believe they can beat Pittsburgh cornerbacks Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden.
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