VIKING SUPER BOWL PREVIEW
That's right folks, another Seahawk Super Bowl article. This article will give you a football geeks outlook on why the Seattle Seahawks will be Super Bowl XL Champions. I know, I am just a overzealous Seahawk fan but after reading this you would have a hard time disagreeing with my judgment.
Seahawk Offense vs. Steeler Defense
These two groups are the strength of the respective teams. The Seahawks led the NFL in scoring and were #2 in total yards so it is safe to say that their offense is at least decent. The Seahawks are running the prototypical “West Coast Offense” better than any team since the 1980s 49ers. Interestingly enough, Mike Holmgren was the play caller and offensive coordinator for those teams. The Steelers have a fierce and athletic defense that plays a scheme (the 3-4) that was originally designed to stop the San Francisco 49ers “West Coast Offense” whose principle architects were the legendary Bill Walsh and Mike Holmgren. This matchup will be a war but unfortunately for the Steelers it will be more a tactical war than a physical war. Pittsburgh's defense is very good, but when matched up with balanced dynamic offenses it can be shredded. Cincinnati's scored 38 points in Pittsburgh and moved the ball at will. I do not foresee that happening but it is reasonable to think that the Hawks will score 27 points which will be enough to win this game. I envision the Hawks moving the ball through the air with short, precise passes and an occasional long run. Shaun Alexander will not the player to watch in this game. Matt Hasslebeck will win the MVP of the game because the Steeler defense will be geared to stop Shaun Alexander. Of course, if they actually knew the Hawks they would know that our passing game sets up our running game and the way to stop the Hawks is to pressure Hasslebeck into costly mistakes. Look for Jerramy Stevens to have a big impact down the middle of field, the Steelers are very aggressive with blitz packages and when teams blitz they are generally vulnerable down the middle of the field. Matt Hasselbeck has not thrown an interception on the road in his last eight games and I do not see him doing it now, he is playing the position at a level where very few QBs ever have. Over the last six weeks he is completing 75% of his passes!! That is a complete joke and no way do the Steelers stop Matthew, he is on another planet right now.
Seahawk Defense vs. Steeler Offense
This matchup is not really a matchup. I know you have been hearing about the great Ben Rothliesberger all week and while is a good quarterback he is not asked to win games solely with the passing game. He will be forced to win this game with his arm because the Steelers WILL not run the ball effectively against the impenetrable run defense of the Seahawks. They have allowed 75 yards rushing TOTAL in two playoff games against two teams that generally like to run the ball are a decent at doing so. The Seahawks defense is strong in the front seven and the pressure that they create on the quarterback typically hides the slight weakness of the defensive backs of the Hawks. The Steelers led the league in rushing attempts again this year and their offense is completely built on the running game. When the Steelers are unable to run the ball the offense comes to screeching halt. The receivers of the Steelers are decent but when covered in a zone they lack the speed or the size to make big plays. Most defenses are forced to play “Eight in the Box” meaning that most teams bring the strong safety up to the line of scrimmage in order to stop the run. This allows the Steelers to throw the ball down the field against man-to-man coverage. I do not see the Hawks having to bring a safety up and this will eliminate the advantage that the Steelers exploit in the passing game. Against a basic defense with the discipline and talent of the Seahawks, I see the Steelers scoring 17 points max.
Special Teams
The Steelers are superior from a kick return standpoint and there will be a time in the game where that advantage will rear its head. Antwaan Randle El is an outstanding punt returner and I see him getting loose for a 20-30 yard return at some point. That is the reason that I think the Steelers will score 17 points, if they are forced to drive 80 yards they will not score. They will need a short field to work with to score and a turnover or special teams play will, at some point, give them that short field they need to punch into the end zone. The Hawks returners are average at best and the best we can hope for is for them not to fumble. The punters and kickers are roughly the same and neither team has a mentionable advantage.
Coaching
This is the biggest disparity between these teams. Bill Cowher is a bad ass looking guy, a true NFL lifer with the heart of a warrior. In terms of football knowledge and creativity is a dwarf when compared to the greatest offensive mind in the NFL, Mike Holmgren. Holmgren is 1-1 in the Super Bowl and he did take the Green Bay Packers to back-to-back Super Bowls. While much of his success is credited to Brett Favre, it is notable that Brett Farve has never been the same after the departure of Coach Holmgren. He is without a doubt the finest quarterback coach in the NFL and he is credited with developing Brett Farve, Steve Young and now Matthew Hasselbeck. Bill Cowher, on the other hand, is a coach that is known for losing big games. He has been to one Super Bowl where his team was run over by the great 1990s Dallas Cowboys. He has also lost four AFC Championship games at home, something that Mike Holmgren has not done once. The coaching advantage is really why I am steadfastly confident that the Seahawks will win the Super Bowl in convincing fashion.
Team Analysis
|
Seattle |
Pittsburgh |
|
Offense |
9.0 |
7.5 |
The best against above avg. |
Defense |
8.7 |
9.2 |
A pick em matchup |
Return Game |
4.5 |
8.0 |
Randle El is outstanding |
Kicker |
8.8 |
8.6 |
Brown has stronger leg |
Punter |
7.0 |
7.0 |
|
Coaching |
9.6 |
7.5 |
Holmgren looks for SB #2 |
Final Pick and Stats
SEATTLE 27-PITTSBURGH 17
Matt Hasslebeck Super Bowl MVP
24-31 249 Yards 2 TD 0 INT
Ben Rothliesberger
19-34 219 YDS 1 TD 2 INT
Shaun Alexander
23 Carries 89 Yards 1 TD
Bettis/Parker
33 Carries 107 Yards 1 TD
Darrel Jackson
7 Catches 101 yds 1 TD
Hines Ward
5 Catches 64 Yards
-arthur@arthurshall.com |
