Super Bowl 2011: Top 10 Storylines for Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Let the media frenzy begin.

Super Bowl XLV is less than two weeks away and the storylines are already taking form for the marquee matchup in Dallas on February 6, 2010.

By the time the big game rolls around we will all undoubtedly be sick and tired of hearing about each of these storylines, but for now, this is one of the more intriguing Super Bowls we have had in a while.

Super Bowl XLV brings us an ideal quarterback matchup, pitting Aaron Rodgers against Ben Roethlisberger, each carrying his own story and each backed by a tremendous defense.

The leagues two winningest teams in history are led by two of the best young head coaches in the game and have battled adversity to get to this coveted game.

And as if those headlines weren't enough, Super Bowl XLV will be played in the most over-hyped stadium in the history of sports, Cowboy Stadium. You can count on this being quite the spectacle in Dallas.

Here are the top 10 storylines to follow throughout the next two hype-filled weeks.

10. Flozell Adams Returns To Dallas In Search Of His First Super Bowl Ring

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BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Tackle Flozell Adams #71 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on from the sidelines during the third quarter of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. Pittsburgh won

Flozell Adams spent 12 seasons with the Cowboys and will return to Dallas in search of the first Super Bowl Title of his storied career.

This is a homecoming of sorts for "the Hotel" after a successful career spent playing under Jerry Jones.

This is far from the most dramatic Super Bowl Homecomings (Jerome Bettis in Detroit comes to mind), but it should garner some attention in the days leading up to the game.

9. Cowboy Stadium Hosts Super Bowl XLV

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ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 04: A general view of play between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the Big 12 Championship at Cowboys Stadium on December 4, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Jerry Jones loves any chance he can get to show off his billion dollar creation and he now has the game's largest stage at his disposal.

Throughout the next couple of weeks countless time will be spent getting every possible angle of the stadium and talking about it ad-naseum.

Jerry Jones always finds a way to sneak into the spotlight, this should be no different.

8. Ted Thompon's Construction Of The Green Bay Packers

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CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Fox's Terry Bradshaw interviews former Green Bay Packers legend Willie Davis, general manager Ted Thompson and Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy after the Packers defeated the Chicago Bears 21-14 in the NFC Championship Game

One storyline that won't get the attention it deserves is the job Ted Thompson and the rest of the Green Bay front office has done constructing this team.

They made a commitment to the future when they let go of Brett Favre and they have been adding depth ever since. The result is the deepest roster in the NFL and a trip to Super Bowl XLV.

7. Super Bowl XLV: A Matchup Of The Two Winningest Teams In NFL History

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23 Sep 1990: Head coach Chuck Noll of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on from the sidelines during a game against the Los Angeles Raiders. The Raiders won the game 20-3.

Few teams in the league could stack up the history and tradition of excellence Green Bay and Pittsburgh have established.

With 12 Super Bowl titles between the two of them, the league could not have asked for a better matchup.

Along with the excellence on the field comes two of the NFL's best fan bases who will travel from far and wide to watch their team make a run at the Lombardi Trophy. 

6. Hines Ward Retiring On Top

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Hines Ward #86 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates their 24 to 19 win over the New York Jets in the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on January 23, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty

Hines Ward mentioned prior to the start of the season that he would retire with one more Super Bowl Ring.

It remains to be seen if he will follow through on his claim should the Steelers win their third Super Bowl in six seasons.

We have seen a number of players walk away from the game on top, and it would be no surprise if Hines Ward was the next of that group.

5. Mike McCarthy's Rise To Greatness As a Head Coach

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Green Bay Packers looks on in the second half against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

On this biggest stage in sports, Mike McCarthy is getting an opportunity to step into the upper echelon of NFL head coaches.

Sure, Green Bay has a ton of talent, but he has gotten this team through some tough stretches with genius play calling and scheming.

The 2010 Super Bowl made Sean Payton a genius, and 2011's version could do the same for Mike McCarthy.

4. Defense Wins Championships

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Linebacker Clay Matthews #52 of the Green Bay Packers holds up two fingers against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The old mantra "Defense Wins Championships" still rings true in the new age of football that favors the offense.

The Steelers and the Packers boasts the two best scoring defenses in the entire NFL. They have difference making star players in Clay Matthews and Troy Polamalu and great defensive coordinators in Dom Capers and Dick LeBeau.

This should be a fun one to watch.

3. Aaron Rodgers Stepping Out Of Brett Favre's Shadow

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers looks to pass against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

This is Aaron Rodgers's best chance to date to step out of Brett Favre's enormous shadow once and for all.

Rodgers has established himself as one of the best young quarterbacks in the game but is on the verge of being considered the very best in the business.

If the Packers win this game, Aaron Rodgers will have as many Super Bowl rings as Brett Favre. Weird huh?

Big time players make big time plays in big time games. This is a big time game A-Rod.

2. Green Bay Packers Overcoming Adversity and Injuries

Win McNamee/Getty Images

LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 10: Tight end Jermichael Finley #88 of the Green Bay Packers leaves the game on a cart after injuring his knee against the Washington Redskins at FedExField on October 10, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. The Redskins won the game in ov

No team has overcome more injuries to key players than the Packers this season. They lost 10 key contributors to injury including star tight end Jermichael Finley, Ryan Grant and Nick Barnett.

It is astonishing that Green Bay is still playing for a Super Bowl. What if those guys had never gotten injured?

1. Big Ben's Redemption

Al Bello/Getty Images

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates their 24 to 19 win over the New York Jets in the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on January 23, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty

Talk about overcoming adversity.

On the other sideline is Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger who was suspended for the first four games of the season after rape allegations.

Now he finds himself playing for the third Super Bowl of his young career.

These two teams have overcome as much adversity as any team and the league and that is why they find themselves on the NFL's biggest stage. They got hot at the right time and have set up a classic clash between two of the league's very best.

I'm ready for the hype and the headlines to pass and for these guys to play football.