The Table Is Set - A week from today, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers will face one another on the NFL's biggest stage, as both teams prepare to take the field for Super Bowl XLV. Not only will the match-up feature two of the games elite quarterbacks as Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers oppose each other, but it will also showcase two of the more dominant defenses in the league. Though both teams and their respective leader have reached the title game behind completely different storylines, one thing they can relate to is the impressive obstacles they've had to overcome to get this far. While the Packers have won all three of their Postseason games on the road against higher seeded opponents (Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago), the Steelers won at home defeating two of the games premier defensive oriented teams, Baltimore and the Jets who similar to Green Bay, were also road warriors this postseason, beating both the Colts and Patriots away from home.If Pittsburgh plans to distance themselves farther from the field by hoisting a record seventh Lombardi Trophy, they'll have to do so without their rookie Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey. Though he hasn't officially been ruled out by team trainers who've described his status as day-to-day with a high ankle sprain, fellow teammate Chris Kemoeatu is already saying how much the talented young center will be missed, as his Steelers get set for their third Super Bowl appearance in six years. Pouncey, a first round pick out of Florida, suffered an injured ankle in the AFC Championship game during Pittsburgh's opening drive that lasted nine minutes long and resulted in a touchdown.
Filling the void of Pouncey at the center position will be Doug Legursky who was called upon in Sunday's 24-19 victory over the Jets. Despite a number of bad snaps including one in the end-zone that resulted in a safety, Legursky has two weeks to practice and make both himself and Big Ben comfortable. However, the latest speculation surrounding Pouncey has the Pro Bowler as a game time decision. Personally, I think Mike Tomlin and company is trying to throw the green and gold off a bit, by getting them to prepare for the less experienced Legursky and make them think Pouncey will not play. There's no doubting he's injured, but do you honestly think he's going to miss the biggest game of his life? I don't.
Unlike years past, this Super Bowl could hugely impact the legacy of the winning quarterback. For Ben Roethlisberger, another Super Bowl triumph can put him in the elite category with New England's Tom Brady as the only active QB's to win three Super Bowl's. For Rodgers on the other hand, a Championship ring in only his third season at the helm would match the Super Bowl success long time Packers QB Brett Fave was able to accomplish in his 16 seasons with Green Bay, capturing his lone title in 1996. If playing the past two seasons with the rival Minnesota Vikings hasn't made Packer fans forget about Favre, perhaps a Rodgers led Super Bowl victory might be the perfect antidote to do the job.
Prediction - Playing away from the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field will be nothing new for the Pack, as they've played and won all three games this postseason on the road as mentioned. As for Pittsburgh, playing outside of Heinz Field might make them a little homesick. But if I'm going to bring that point up, I might as well bring up the point that Pittsburgh has the experience of being in this situation before, which means the location will have little to no effect on the outcome. Prior to the start of this season, I predicted a Ravens-Packers Super Bowl. Given my AFC pick has been bounced out of the Playoffs, I'm sticking with my NFC pick, Green Bay over Pittsburgh, 24-20. With that said, GO PACK GO!
After the Bears' 21-14 loss at home in the NFC title game to the Green Bay Packers, QB Jay Cutler is taking heavy criticism regarding his play and health. Trailing 14 to nothing in the third quarter with only 80 yards passing to show for, Cutler was pulled from the game in favor of back-up Quarterback Todd Collins. What seemed to be more of a mechanic issue or struggle to find his rhythm, turned into a more serious injury than first thought, as it's been learned that Cutler has a torn MCL in his left knee. With Cutler sidelined prior the injury was officially announced, it wasn't long before players and fans alike began bashing Cutler over Twitter, as he became a trending topic on the social network within minutes.Unlike those questioning whether or not he was hurt, Cutler's teammate and defensive captain LB Brian Urlacher came to his QB's defense, as did Bears head coach Lovie Smith, stating that Cutler was indeed hurt and not faking his injury. Having been the most sacked QB in the league this season, leading the NFL with a whooping total of 52 sacks, including a career high 9 sacks against the New York Giants earlier this year, there's no doubt Cutler has had his fair share of cuts and bruises since the start of the season. Cutler's toughness shouldn't necessarily be questioned, based on that stat alone, despite the arguments former and current QB's such as San Diego's Philip Rivers recently made. "I would've played until I had to be carted off the field, but that's just me." Rivers said.
Though he's been bombarded with the widespread skepticism, I personally can't attack Cutler, but I will make the case that players in the past have remained in the game after suffering more severe injuries, such as Donovan McNabb who returned to the field after suffering a broken ankle in 2002. For Cutler, a 2008 Pro Bowler during his tenure with the Denver Broncos, the biggest disappointment has to be the sour ending to his impressive season in which he bounced back from a disappointing 2009 campaign when he threw 27 Touchdowns to go along with a league leading 26 Interceptions for a 7-9 Chicago Bears team. Improving off his forgetful season just a year ago, Cutler helped the Bears to a division leading 11-5 record by compiling 23 TD's and 16 INT's, resulting in a better QB rating, despite throwing for fewer yards.Even with Cutler out for most of the second half on Sunday, the Bears hopes of making it to Super Bowl XLV were anything but over, as third string Quarterback Caleb Hanie took over for the injured Todd Collins. Down 14-0 in the fourth quarter, Hanie led the Bears offense to a touchdown during his first series on the field. After a costly pick-six to defensive lineman B.J. Raji, Hanie moved Chicago down field for another score to bring the Bears within seven, before a late Sam Shields interception with less than a minute remaining ended the possible rally, sending Green Bay to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1997.
In what's been a relatively quiet offseason that is usually dominated by their vast payroll larger than most, the Yankees make their biggest move yet by signing free agent reliever Rafael Soriano to a 3 year, $35 Million dollar deal. After solidifying himself as one of the more dependable closers for the past two years in Atlanta and most recently Tampa Bay where he led the American League in saves last season with 45, Soriano will serve as a setup man for the future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. Soriano, a 31 year old Dominican born converted outfielder, broke onto the big league scene in 2002 with the Seattle Mariners, where a number of injuries got the best of him. After being traded to the Braves before the start of the 2007 season, Soriano served as a part time closer alongside Mike Gonzalez.Although Soriano will see a demotion moving from the closer role to the setup role in 2011, it'll be for a good cause, as Rivera chases the all-time saves record held by the recently retired Trevor Hoffman. Currently at 559 career saves, Mo could possibly surpass Hoffman's save mark of 601 this season to become the all-time saves leader. If Soriano has success in a Yankee uniform and decides to commit to all three years of his contract that includes options to opt out, he could very well succeed his fellow countryman as the Yankees next closer, a helm that's been held by Rivera since 1997. That's if the 41 year old Mo retires of coarse, after the 2012 season when his contract expires. Other than giving Rivera a cushion leading into the ninth inning, the addition of Soriano adds that much more depth to the bullpen, than the archrival Boston Red Sox who many including myself think has the better team offensively, after the additions of Crawford and Gonzalez.
Just how committed to the bullpen are the Yankees? For what it's worth, Brian Cashman and company has invested more money in the Yankees relief corps, than the Rays have invested in their entire roster. With left-handed reliever Pedro Feliciano as the other main addition to the New York bullpen, the only remaining concern lies within the starting rotation. While long time Yankee starter Andy Pettitte's future is still in question, the Bronx Bombers signed former 2005 AL Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Although fans of the pinstripes are hoping Colon can return to the form that saw two appearances in the mid summer classic, it's unlikely he'll have much of an effect given he hasn't pitched since 2009.
Hoping to maintain a strong pitching rotation similar to that of their NL Central counterparts, the Chicago Cubs made headlines as the most recent team to strengthen their pitching staff. After signing former Tampa Bay Ray Carlos Pena to fill the void of Derrek Lee who starred many years at first base for the Cubs, Chicago and Tampa Bay agreed on an eight player trade that will send pitcher Matt Garza to the Windy City, thus reuniting the two former teammates. Helping Tampa Bay outlast the division rival New York Yankees and finish atop the AL East for the second time in three years, Garza finished the 2010 season at 15-10 with an ERA of 3.91.Adding yet another disappointing season to their dreadful World Series drought that reached 102 years after their unsuccessful 2010 campaign, the Cubs finishing the year with an overall record of 75-87 placing them second to last in the division, only ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates (57-105). With much of their struggles coming within the starting rotation, the addition of Garza addresses their needs of a starting pitcher that can hold his own. Having pitched his entire career in the American League and three of his five years in the powerhouse AL East, chances are Garza will see his ERA drop, entering the DH-less National League. However, pitching in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field is not always a beneficial adjustment given it's a hitters park.
Like many teams, Chicago took the trade approach, rather than taking the free agency route that has been somewhat unattractive this offseason in terms of pitchers available. While Garza departs a crowded Tampa Bay rotation that includes lots of young talent led by All-Star David Price, he joins a Cubs pitching corps that will most likely feature Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Carlos Silva, and Tom Gorzelanny. The proud owner of an ALCS MVP Award in '08, Garza hurled one of six no-hitters thrown this past season, and became the first player in Rays franchise history to accomplish the feat. Though he serves as a major upgrade over the less experienced Randy Wells (8-14), it'll be hard to envision the Cubbies as contenders considering the pieces the Reds and Cardinals have, and those the Brewers have recently acquired.Having lost a number of key players to free agency this offseason, it'll be interesting to see how the season pans out as Tampa Bay now parts with yet another key contributor to their recent success.
After leading no. 4 ranked Stanford to a 12-1 record this season that resulted in an Orange Bowl appearance, beating Virginia Tech 40-12, Cardinal's head coach Jim Harbaugh lands a new gig. Just 4 days after his bowl game triumph, Harbaugh's dreams of coaching an NFL team come true, agreeing to a 5 year, $25 Million dollar deal with the San Francisco 49ers. Compiling an overall record of 58-27 at the collegiate level split between time at the helm of Stanford University and the University of San Diego, Harbaugh helped turnaround a Stanford football program that tasted its first bowl game victory since 1996. Unsure about leaving his northern California home to coach for other suitors most notably on the east coast and up north, Harbaugh will stay put, as the only moving he'll do is from college to the pro's.Before the announcement of Harbaugh coaching in the city by the bay became official, critics believed he should have returned to Stanford, where he and Heisman Trophy runner-up Andrew Luck became staples of the program, capturing the first BCS bowl win in school history. Many thought Harbaugh was leaning towards a return, when Luck announced his decision to ditch the NFL Draft to serve his redshirt junior season at Stanford, despite being unanimously projected as the first overall pick in the Draft (Carolina Panthers). Instead, Harbaugh leaves behind a successful legacy, to pursue another golden opportunity that awaits. According to sources, other NFL teams interested in Harbaugh, included the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins.
If you asked me, I'd say Harbaugh made the move that makes all the sense in the world. Not only will he be living his dream of being an NFL coach, but he'll be doing so in an environment and division that is capable of winning right away. Not to mention in the bay area, where he's already gained superstardom. Why would anyone want to coach a team (Miami) in a powerhouse AFC East division that includes facing the Jets and Patriots four times a year, when he can contend for a title as soon as 2011 in the pathetic NFC West? Harbaugh also made it clear that his wallet wasn't a factor, leaving nearly $2 Million dollars per year on the table, offered by the Dolphins. But at the end of the day, the 49ers were most aggressive in lobbying Harbaugh, as sources say both sides met for five hours a day before a deal was reached.Similar to the recently ousted head coach Mike Singletary, Harbaugh's roots linked to the NFL are deep. Playing at the QB position, Harbaugh saw action with six different teams, most remembered for his days as an Indianapolis Colt, and a Chicago Bear where he served as Singletary's teammate for four years. Harbaugh also spent two seasons as a quarterback coach with the 49ers' cross-bay rivals -- the Oakland Raiders. Jim's older brother John, is head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, making the Harbaugh duo the first pair of brothers in NFL history to coach at the same time. And although Jim has bragging rights out of the two, coaching a team that's currently in the first round of the Playoffs, John will get to see his brother up close and personal, as both teams are scheduled to face one another come next season in Baltimore.
Now that the 49ers found their head coach, the only thing missing is a QB, who Harbaugh knows a thing or two about. However, the question remains, who will it be?
With the Adrian Gonzalez deal leading the pack as the biggest transaction this offseason via the trade, the Milwaukee Brewers made a trade just as big, but in the pitching department. Hoping to solidify a lethal starting rotation to keep up with the rest of the good pitching staffs in the NL Central, most notably Cincinnati's when Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez are healthy and St. Louis' which features rookie standout Jaime Garcia and an All-Star cast of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, the Brewers have made a handful of acquisitions resulting in an offseason that's been been nothing short of active. Headlining their busy campaign in hopes of contending for a division title in 2011, the Brewers made a splash by dealing for Kansas City Royals ace Zack Greinke.Greinke, the recipient of the 2009 AL Cy Young Award, was on many teams' radar this offseason, and was even targeted by such teams as the Yankees and Angles after both failed to land Cliff Lee. Instead, KC played it smart sending their talented hurler to the Midwest. By doing so, not only did they manage to trade him to a small market team like their own, but they also traded him out of the American League, and still received the talented prospects they were hoping for in exchange. With hitting being their strong point for many years now, the Brewers have never really had a dominant pitching staff to compliment their talented hitters which include the likes of Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Cory Hart. However, Milwaukee plans to put an end to that in 2011.
The Brewers who've been seeking a legitimate ace since Ben Sheets, are hoping Greinke is the answer. Since the mid-season trade in which C.C. Sabathia was dealt from Cleveland to Milwaukee in '08 and single-handedly carried the Brew Crew to the Postseason behind a remarkable 11-2 record and an outstanding ERA of 1.65, the ball club's pitching woes have only increased. Sure the Brewers have had a decent arm in Yovani Gallardo who made a trip to the All-Star Game in 2010, but they've been yet to find that piece of the pitching puzzle to help get them over the hump. Joining Greinke to help address this issue, will be Shaun Marcum who was acquired two weeks before Greinke. At age 29, Marcum (13-8) shined bright in a powerhouse AL East division as Toronto's front man last year when former Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay was packaged to Philly.The trio of Greinke, Marcum, and Gallardo all seen Opening Day starts last season for their respective teams, giving Milwaukee some stability to go along with Randy Wolf and Chris Narveson who quietly won 25 games last season between the two. The makeover to their starting rotation might not put them in Phillies or Giants territory just yet, but it should be enough to put them in a situation for a similar pennant race that saw the Reds dethrone the Cardinals as division champs this past season.
Usually when a team in the NFL makes the Playoffs by way of winning the division, they finish with a .500 record or better. That's unless you play in the laughing stock that is the NFC West. In only his first year at the helm, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll made history, but not in the way he would have liked. After Sunday night's 16-6 victory over the division rival St. Louis Rams, the Seattle Seahawks made the record books by becoming the first team in NFL history to win their division and clinch a Playoff berth with a losing record (7-9). Much of that can be credited to a mediocre bunch within the division.While St. Louis surprised many most notably behind the heroics of top Rookie of the Year candidate Sam Bradford who helped turn a dreadful 1-15 Rams team just a year ago into a possible Playoff contender before falling shy of the Playoffs (7-9), the rest of the teams struggled in the QB department. In Arizona, the hangover that Kurt Warner left behind, was nothing short of obvious as frustration was filled throughout behind the likes of Derek Anderson and Max Hall among others. However, no disappointment was greater than that of the San Francisco 49ers. After finishing the 2009 season with a .500 record of 8-8, many predicted the Mike Singletary led 49ers to not only win the division with ease, but also be a force in the Playoffs. That obviously wasn't the case, as an 0-5 record to start the season dug an early hole for the franchise that saw Alex Smith and Troy Smith juggle the starting QB job.Although there's been a handful of team to make the Playoffs with .500 records, never has it been this sad, as two teams in the NFC with 10-6 records (New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers) will miss out on a shot to the Super Bowl. Whether or not they're more deserving, is entirely up to the commissioners office to do something about it. Of coarse nothing will be done this season if ever, but it's a for sure topic to be addressed come next football season. Hoping to silence the critics, the Seahawks will host the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints who won the NFC Wild Card. Hours after Seattle won their seventh game of the year to assure them a playoff spot, sports books around the States released their odds that have the Saints winning by double-digits. But to Seattle's credit, the self-proclaimed '12th Man' will do everything possible to make it tough on Drew Brees and company, as they'll enter the most hostile environment in the NFL -- Qwest Field. 
