By Dean Michaels

Super Bowl XLV: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl XLV

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The Steelers aim for NFL-best 7th Super Bowl title

In their last Super Bowl appearance, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Cardinals (Super Bowl XLIII) to surpass both the Dallas Cowboys & the San Francisco 49ers for league-best 6 Super Bowl titles (IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL, XLIII).

The Steelers make their 8th Super Bowl appearance, which ties them with the Cowboys for most Super Bowl appearances in NFL history.

With a Super Bowl XLV win, the Steelers will surpass Cowboys (33) for most postseason wins.

MIKE TOMLIN (38-years old) can become the youngest head coach in NFL history to win 2 Super Bowl titles. Tomlin can also become first head coach ever to win 2 Super Bowls in his first 4 seasons as head coach. Tomlin has won 5 consecutive postseason games

With a win in Super Bowl XLV, BEN ROETHLISBERGER (2) can join Pro Football Hall of Fame Quarterbacks TERRY BRADSHAW (4), JOE MONTANA (4), TROY AIKMAN (3) and TOM BRADY (3) as only the Quarterbacks in NFL history to win at least 3 Super Bowls. Roethlisberger has 2-0 record in Super Bowl games.

In Super Bowl XLIII, Ben Roethlisberger completed 21 of 30 passes (70.0 pct.) for 256 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT for a 93.2 passer rating. Roethlisberger has a 133.9 4th quarter passer rating in 2 Super Bowls. Roethlisberger's .833 winning pct. (10-2 record) in postseason ranks second in NFL history behind Pro Football Hall of Famer BART STARR (.900; 9-1 record).

In only meeting vs. the Green Bay Packers, Roethlisberger completed 29 of 46 passes (63.0 pct.) for career-best 503 yards with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 121.9 passer rating

RB RASHARD MENDENHALL had a career postseason-high of 121 rushing yards in the AFC Championship Game against the New York Jets. Mendenhall has 3 rushing TDs in 2 career playoff games

WR HINES WARD (81) needs 3 receptions to surpass REGGIE WAYNE (83) for 4th-most postseason catches in NFL history. Ward had 7 receptions for 126 receiving yards (18.0 avg.) in last game vs. Packers. Ward averaged 23.7 yards per catch in Super Bowls (7 receptions, 166 yards).

WR MIKE WALLACE had 2 TD catches in only meeting vs. the Green Bay Packers. Averaged an AFC-best 21.0 yards per catch in 2010 reg. season

TE HEATH MILLER has 4 postseason TD receptions. Miller had 7 catches for 118 yards in last game vs. Packers

The Pittsburgh Steelers has not allowed 100-yard rusher in 16 consecutive postseason games, 2nd-longest current streak (Redskins, 17)

LB JAMES HARRISON returned an interception for a 100-yard TD in Super Bowl XLIII. Harrison's memorable play is the longest play in Super Bowl history

LB LA MARR WOODLEY is the first player since 1982 to post at least 1 sack in 6 straight postseason games. Overall, Woodley has 10 sacks in 6 career postseason games

CB WILLIAM GAY had a 19-yard FR-return TD in last game vs. Jets

CB IKE TAYLOR & S TROY POLAMALU each have 3 career postseason INTs.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

The Green Bay Packers aim for their 13th NFL championship. Their 12 NFL titles are most all-time.

This is the Packers' 5th Super Bowl appearance overall. The Packers are 3-1 in their previous 4 Super Bowl apperances. The Packers have a 28-16 (.636) playoff record, which is the best mark in NFL history. Their 28 postseason victories are 3rd most in all-time.

The Packers are the first No. 6 seed in NFC to advance to the Super Bowl since 1990 when the NFL instituted their 12-team playoff format. The Packers join the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers as the only No. 6 seeds to reach the Super Bowl since 1990. Green Bay has advanced to the postseason in 3 of the past 4 seasons under head coach MIKE MC CARTHY. McCarthy was born was raised in Pittsburgh.

The Packers have 26 postseason berths, tied for 4th most in NFL history. This year the Packers lead the NFL in 2010 postseason with 90 points scored & 12 TDs.

In their Division win at Atlanta, the Packers scored a club postseason record 48 points, 2nd most by road playoff team in NFL history (73, Chicago, 1940 NFL Championship).

Packers are the first team in NFL history to score 45+ points in game in back-to-back postseasons.

This season, the Packers had 6 players selected to Pro Bowl: T CHAD CLIFTON (2nd), S NICK COLLINS (3rd), WR GREG JENNINGS (first), LB CLAY MATTHEWS (2nd), CB TRAMON WILLIAMS (first) & CB CHARLES WOODSON (7th)

QB AARON RODGERS has completed 94 of 135 (69.6 pct.) for 1,213 yards with 10 TDs vs. 3 INTs for 113.0 rating in 4 postseason starts. His 113.0 rating is highest in NFL postseason history (min. 100 att.). In 2010 playoffs, leads QBs in pass yards (790), att. (93), comp. (66), comp. pct. (71) & rating (109.2). In 4 career playoff starts, has 3 games with 120+ rating & 3 games with 3+ TD passes. Aaron Rodgers is the only player in NFL history to throw for 3+ TDs & rush for TD in each of 2 different postseason games. Led NFC with 101.2 rating. Is first Packers QB with consecutive seasons with 100+ rating (103.2 in 2009). Has 2 of top 3 marks in franchise history, trailing HOFer BART STARR’s 105 rating in 1966. Had 3,922 pass yards & his 12,394 yards since becoming starter in 2008 are 2nd most by QB in first 3 years as starter (KURT WARNER, 12,612). Passed for 383 yards, 3 TDs & 101.3 rating in only start vs. Pittsburgh

Rookie RB JAMES STARKS is NFL postseason leader with 263 rush yards & 87.7 rush yards per game. RB JOHN KUHN was member of Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad in 2005 & played 9 games with Steelers in 2006

Packers had 3 WRs with 50+ catches each for first time in franchise history: Jennings (76), DONALD DRIVER (51) & JAMES JONES (50). Jennings tied for NFC lead with 12 rec. TDs. Aims for 3rd playoff game in row with 100+ yards. Leads NFL this postseason with 17 catches & 239 rec. yards. Had 5 catches for 118 yards & TD (83 yards) in last game vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Driver has longest TD catch (90 yards) in team postseason history (2007 NFC Champ vs. NYG). Jones has TD in 3 of past 4 playoff games. Had TD catch in last meeting. WR JORDY NELSON is averaging 73 yards per game in past 2 playoff contests

CB Williams has 3 INTs (1 TD) in 2010 playoffs, tied for most by Packer in single postseason (JOE LAWS, 1994 & CRAIG NEWSOME, 1996). Leads NFL with 9 INTs in reg. season & playoffs. Since joining the Green Bay Packers in 2006, CB Woodson leads NFL with 8 INT-TDs. Has INT-TD in each of 5 years with the Green Bay Packers & is only player in NFL history with INT-TD in 5 consecutive seasons. S Collins ties for 2nd with 4 INT-TDs in that span.

DT B.J. RAJI had 18-yard INT-TD last week, first career INT & TD. Is first Packers DL with INT-TD in postseason. the Green Bay Packers has 2 INT-TDs in single postseason for first time in franchise history (Williams & Raji).

Rookie CB SAM SHIELDS had sack, FF & 2 INTs last week in NFC Championship game. Is first rookie with sack & 2+ INTs in playoff game. Became first Packer with sack & 2+ INTs in postseason game & 5th NFL player to accomplish feat. LB Matthews has 4.5 sacks in 4 playoff games & has 0.5+ sack in all 4 contests. Finished 2nd in NFC with 13.5 sacks & is first Packer to start career with consecutive 10-sack seasons (10 in 2009). Had 2 sacks in only meeting vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Green Bay Packers

SERIES:

 

 STEELERS PACKERS
Source: NFL
LEADER (REG. SEASON)   18-14
STREAKS (REG. SEASON) 7 of past 9  
COACHES VS. OPP. (REG. & POSTSEASON) Tomlin: 1-0 McCarthy: 0-1
COACHES PLAYOFF RECORD 5-1 4-2
VS. COMMON OPP. (REG. SEASON) 3-2 (Atl. 1-0, Buf. 1-0, Mia. 1-0, NE 0-1, NYJ 0-1) GB: 2-3 (Atl. 0-1, Buf. 1-0, Mia. 0-1, NE 0-1, NYJ 1-0)
PLAYOFF RECORD 33-19 28-16
LAST WEEK W 24-19 vs. Jets W 21-14 at Bears
LAST GAME (REG. SEASON) 12/20/09: Packers 36 at Steelers 37.  Pit. QB Ben Roethlisberger completes game-winning TD pass to WR Mike Wallace as time expires.  Roethlisberger (503, 3 TDs) & Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (383, 3 TDs) pass for combined 886 yds. & 6 TDs w/ 0 INTs.

 

REGULAR SEASON STAT LEADERS

 

 STEELERS PACKERS
Source: NFL
PASSING Roethlisberger: 240-389-3,200-17-5-97.0 (3C) Rodgers: 312-475-3,922 (3C)-28 (T3C)-11-101.2 (1C)
RUSHING Mendenhall: 324-1,273-3.9-13 (T2L) B. Jackson: 190-703-3.7-3
RECEIVING Wallace: 60-1,257 (3C)-21.0-10 (T3C) Jennings: 76-1,265 (2C)-16.6-12 (T1C)
OFFENSE 345.3 358.1
TAKE/GIVE +17 (2L) +10 (2C)
DEFENSE 276.8 (2L) 309.1 (2C)
SACKS Harrison: 10.5 Matthews: 13.5 (2C)
INTs Polamalu: 7 (T2L) T. Williams: 6 (T2C)
PR Brown: 5.8 T. Williams: 8.0
KR Sanders: 25.1 Nelson: 22.5
PUNTING Kapinos: 41.9 Masthay: 43.9
KICKING Suisham: 61 (19/19 PAT; 14/15 FG) Crosby: 112 (46/46 PAT; 22/28 FG)

 

Super Bowl XLV Capsules: Steelers vs Packers

 

Super Bowl XLV - Game Capsules - Steelers vs Packers