The Big Game

So it all comes down to this. Super Bowl XL will be played this evening. The best team in the AFC takes on the best team in the NFC. The Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Seattle Seahawks. The hype...the commercials...the pre-game show...the pre-pre-pre-pre-game shows...the halftime show featuring The Rolling Stones...and of course my annual Super Bowl Party! It doesn't get much better than this. This could very well be my favorite day of the year. Even if my team isn't playing, I'm still excited for this game.
I truly expect this game to be an instant classic. Seattle and Pittsburgh both deserve to play in this game. Seattle has been the best team in the NFC all year long for the most part. They have a high-powered offense that includes the league MVP, and new single-season TD record-holder, Shaun Alexander. In the AFC, after a rough stretch in which they lost 3 straight games and suffered through some injuries, Pittsburgh has been the best team in the Conference, winning 4 straight games to make the playoffs as the #6 seed, and then going on the road for three straight games and taking out the #3, #1 and #2 seeds, in that order.
Both Seattle and Pittsburgh have top-notch teams in all phases of the game. Offense, defense, special teams and coaching. You couldn't ask for a better match-up, in my opinion. Currently the Steelers are 4 point favorites, which is a little surprising to me. Sure they have been on fire as of late, but Seattle has been solid the entire year and they took out some pretty good teams in the playoffs, as well. They took apart a Redskins team that had beaten them earlier in the season, and they did it without their best player, the aforementioned Shaun Alexander. Then they completely eat up the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship game...a game which many had Carolina winning. So, my advice to the Steelers? Don't underestimate this Seahawks team just because it's the first Super Bowl ever played by a Seattle team. They are a good team...damn good.
Personally, although both teams are good and deserve to win, I am rooting for the Seahawks. I am not a huge Steelers fan, but more importantly, one of my best friends, Mr. Jeff Maxwell, is the biggest Seattle Seahawks fan I know. Actually, he's the only Seahawks fan I know, but being a Dolphins fan, I know what he is going through. I have never seen my team win a Super Bowl, and they have only been there twice in my lifetime...and I was 6 and 8 years old at the time. So, I don't remember much about it. I certainly wasn't as big a football fan then as I am now. For Jeff, the emotion is even greater. Seattle has NEVER been to a Super Bowl. In this day and age where teams change players so often because of free agency, who knows when and if they will get another chance like this anytime soon? So, for Jeff's sake, I want Seattle to win. They deserve it...and so does Jeff. Go 'hawks!

Now...on to my prediction. I have been thinking about this for a couple weeks now, and I honestly think this game could go either way. Both teams are very good in all aspects of the game. The outcome could be decided on who wins the turnover battle...or it could come down to who makes that one big play at a key point in the game like a kickoff/punt return for a touchdown, a clutch kick, or a defensive stop on 4th down. I also wouldn't be surprised if the game went to overtime. I think it will be that close. The key factor in this game for me is coaching. Mike Holmgren, head coach of the Seahawks, has been to the Super Bowl twice as head coach of the Green Bay Packers (1997 and 1998), winning one. Bill Cowher, on the other hand, has only been to the big game once, a 27-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in 1996. Not very impressive for the coach of the Steelers, who has the longest-running tenure as head coach of any active coach in the NFL (14 years). Could this be the year he gets over that hump? Absolutely it could be, but I don't think it will happen. I see Seattle's offense controlling the tempo of the game, and their defense stepping up big when it counts. Both teams will mix it up with both running and passing. Pittsburgh will throw in at least one trick play, as they have at least 3 guys starting on offense who can throw the ball...but Seattle should be ready for this if they have done their homework. Look for a tight game with Shaun Alexander getting a bunch of carries and a couple TD's, capping off his spectacular season with a Championship ring and the Super Bowl XL MVP award. SEA 27 PIT 24 in OT