The Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers will square off this evening in Super Bowl XLV. The championship showdown is scheduled to kickoff at 6:29pm ET at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The latest 2011 Super Bowl Odds, Picks & Predictions have the Packers, who represent the NFC as the six seed, listed as a -3 against the spread favorite; the Over/Under is set at 44.5.
Green Bay earned its way to Super Bowl 
XLV by winning three road playoff games. The Packers ousted the Eagles 21-16 in the Wild Card round, the top seeded Falcons 48-21 in the Divisional round, and the Bears 21-14 in the NFC Championship.
Green Bay faced its most difficult challenge in Chicago, where it tallied a marginal 356 total yards and failed to score an offensive touchdown after the 11:13 mark in the second quarter. Aaron Rodgers, who is the favorite to win the Super Bowl MVP award (+150), completed 17-of-30 for 244 yards and two interceptions.
The Packers prevailed, though, after their defense scored a touchdown and limited the Bears to 17 first downs and 301 total yards.
So, what happened to Green Bay, a team that went 10-6 in the regular season, in the playoffs? Why were they able to run through the NFC? Three reasons. First, the Packers possess 13-3 talent, but they were devastated by injuries. Heading into the playoffs, they were the healthiest they had been in a long time, and they had adapted to the loss of players like Nick Barnett (LB) and Jermichael Finley (TE). Second, their defense, with the exception of the 31 points the Patriots posted against them, played lights out football the second half of the season. Third, the Packers discovered a ground game in the playoffs by utilizing the fresh legs of rookie running back James Starks.
Pittsburgh took a different regular season path than Green Bay, finishing with a 12-4 record and atop the AFC North standings. The Steelers, the two seed in the AFC, played both of their playoff games at home thanks to the Jets Divisional round upset of the top seeded Patriots.
Pittsburgh's postseason success looked different than its regular season success, though, as its defense, which yielded an average of 14.5 points per game during during the regular season, gave up a combined 43 points to Baltimore and New York.
One thing that did look the same, though, was the Steelers run smothering front seven. The Ravens and Jets, two teams adept at rushing the ball, combined for 105 yards on the ground.
That stat is, perhaps, critical to the outcome of today's title clash. It is unreasonable to think that the Packers relatively new rushing prowess will continue against the Steelers. Only two teams have topped the 80 yard mark on the ground against them all season long.
So, what happens to Green Bay's offense when the run is taken away? Well, The Packers are 1-4 when rushing for fewer than 80 yards in a game.
Rodgers figures to make plays in the passing game and the Packers receivers match up well with the Steelers secondary, but Pittsburgh gives up so few points because they make opposing offenses one dimensional. What happens to one-dimensional offenses in the red zone? More often that not they have to settle for three points.
Green Bay will get its yardage and it may even score on a big play or two, but Pittsburgh wins this game because of its defense. More specifically, because of its run defense.
Green Bay Packers vs Pittsburgh Steelers 2011 Super Bowl Odds, Picks & Predictions:
Green Bay Packers -3 (+100), Over 44.5 (-110), -140 (Moneyline)
Pittsburgh Steelers +3 (-120), Under 44.5 (-110), +120 (Moneyline)
