Maurkice Pouncey and the 15 Most Irreplaceable Players of Super Bowl XLV
Maurkice Pouncey could very well watch his first Super Bowl appearance from the sidelines. If he does indeed sit the bench with an ankle injury sustained in last weekend's AFC Championship, he will be sorely missed.
Pouncey is a pivotal player to protect the fortunes of Ben Roethlisberger. The vacancy he leaves could be huge. This got me thinking about the other key players to the Super Bowl. There are those players that fill in the gaps nicely but would not be missed if a second stringer came in to do their jobs.
But then there are the key guys. These are the ones whose departures would be almost certain death at the hands of the opposition. Here are the Super Bowl players that absolutely must be on the field in Dallas on February 6. The fate of their teams are depending on them.
15. Tim Masthay P Green Bay Packers
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I know what you are saying. Really, a punter? Well, Masthay was superb in the NFC title game against the Bears in keeping the ball within the 20 and away from Devin Hester. The Packers will need to put the Steelers on their heels on their own side of the field.
This game could be very close. It will come down to field position. A game of stars could come down to the little details and minutiae that sometimes gets overlooked.
If Masthay can again have a great game and place the ball perfectly, the Packers will be much better off.
14. The Place Kickers
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I cannot stress enough how close this game could be. Both teams have very accomplished defenses that will keep their opponents out of the red zone. The game is close in Vegas. The 2.5 points the Packers are favored by is nothing.
The game will most likely come down to a late drive that demands three points for the win. Both kickers will perform in their first Super Bowls.
Thus far Mason Crosby for Green Bay and Shaun Suisham for Pittsburgh have been consistent in their duties this season.
Both teams will count on their sure-footed kickers to bring home the game in what could be treacherous field position. Sending out a kicker with less acumen would be devastating.
13. Ike Taylor CB Pittsburgh Steelers
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Ike Taylor gets the unenviable task of covering Greg Jennings. Believe me when I say he is up to the task. He is one of the fastest defenders on the Steelers and will do well in keeping up with Jennings on the wing.
Without Taylor, Jennings would be left to his own devices. That will leave Rodgers with too much room to sneak a pass to his most gifted receiver.
The Steelers will have enough trouble containing the pass. Taylor buys them some hope that the Packers will have to gain ground on the run to be effective.
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12. James Starks RB Green Bay Packers
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The Packers do not have a great running game. Let me get that out right off the bat. But every team needs to establish some sort of ground control to be successful. The Packers can't very well go out there and pass the ball all day.
You have to get the Steelers to respect the run. The Packers have turned to James Starks as of late to do just that. He has been the more productive back in the stable of legs they now rotate. Green Bay can ill afford to lose the one running back that has found some momentum in the postseason.
That will be the key to opening up the offense.
11. Maurkice Pouncey C Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Steelers are in grave danger of being without their starting center for the Super Bowl. Pouncey suffered an ankle injury that is keeping him out of practice.
Some in the Steelers camp are not the least bit optimistic of his return. Guard Chris Kemoeatu told ESPN that Pouncey is out. I am sure Mike Tomlin would have loved to keep that one in the bag.
With Pouncey out, the Packers can fill that much more comfortable at breaching the line. Pouncey is a stout blocker with great ability to move with the pressure and maintain the sanctity of the pocket.
10. Sam Shields DB Green Bay Packers
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Much has been made of the Packers defense. They have turned the corner and are locking down some very prolific offenses this season.
The credit for that can go to Tramon Williams and Charles Woodson. They have received a great deal of credit and rightfully so. But Sam Shields has been the unspoken cog that keeps this defense ticking.
While the Steelers will plan for Woodson and Williams, it will be Shields to mix things up more often than not. You can bet that the ball will be on his side of the field. He has done a superb job of knocking down passes and causing fumbles so far.
The game will depend on him replicating his effort on the biggest stage in football.
9. Mike Wallace WR Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Steelers are a ground-and-pound team. They will go to the ground first and often. But that does not mean they will not try to pick apart a stout Packers secondary. The first option to do that would be Mike Wallace.
The Packers could very well take away Ben Roethlisberger's option after the snap. But Big Ben is wily. He will slip out of the pocket and find receivers that get open after the pocket has crumbled. It is a scenario the Steelers are getting quite used to.
Wallace is a beast at finding open windows for his quarterback to find him. Without Wallace, the passing game greatly suffers.
8. Chad Clifton OT Green Bay Packers
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Witness the unsung hero of Super Bowl XLV. The Packers may be favored, but it is not by much. Aaron Rodgers and crew have to be perfect in the area that they excel at the most: passing.
The Packers line has been shaky at times this season. But any success they have garnered is thanks to the blocking of Chad Clifton. Clifton will have to match up with an onslaught of rushers that hope to force the ball out of Rodgers hands. He is the most important player in keeping the Steelers line out of the pocket.
When Rodgers gets enough time he is deadly. Clifton is the man to buy him that time.
7. Clay Matthews OLB Green Bay Packers
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Clay Matthews is a man's man. He looks like the only thing that will satiate him is finding the ball and murdering whoever happens to be carrying it.
He will need to have a huge game for the Packers to take down the Steelers. As we all witnessed, Rashard Mendenhall was able to continually move the line of scrimmage four yards at a time in the AFC Championship.
The Steelers were also able to buy their receivers some time with their elusive quarterback taking to the wing. Both scenarios have their answer. Clay Matthews can cover the wings but can also be really useful as a linebacker that shoots the gaps.
You will see him on many occasions disrupting the line with the possibility of his entrance. This should be a fun chess match to watch.
6. James Harrison OLB Pittsburgh Steelers
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James Harrison has never met a ball carrier he didn't want to hit. If the choice came down to a hug from his mommy and knocking the snot out of a cutting wideout, Harrison would go with the snot-rocking hit every time.
He gives the Steelers their mettle, their moxie. He appropriately labeled this year's Steelers "Hits-Burgh." The name rings true. Harrison makes any receiver think twice about what is coming the other away. His presence is enough to play defense without him having to do a thing.
The Steelers would be nothing without Harrison covering the outside.
5. Greg Jennings WR Green Bay Packers
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The Packers have a great many receivers to boast. But Jennings has been on fire lately. He has over 100 yards receiving in the last two playoff games. Expect more of the same at the Super Bowl. The Packers live and die by the pass.
The Steelers are well aware of that and will attempt to take away every vestige of that part of their game. That means Rodgers will be throwing some mighty dicey passes to parts of the field that only Packers can get to.
You need a receiver with great hands that can out run even the swiftest of players. That player is Jennings. You can bet that if it is in his vicinity, he is hauling it in.
4. Rashard Mendenhall RB Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Steelers enjoy winning the battle on the ground. There is no one better to employ that strategy than Rashard Mendenhall.
The Steelers running back was like a battering ram against the Jets in the AFC title game. The Steelers controlled the clock and the ground game. The Packers will need to find an answer for him immediately. If they don't, they will be fighting an uphill battle all day.
Not only against the Steelers but against time. A player like Mendenhall gives the time of possession to the Steelers. That takes away precious opportunity to Aaron Rodgers and company.
3. Troy Polamalu SS Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Steelers defender not only locks down passing routes, he also raises the lush, luxurious hair quotient of Pittsburgh.
The fact is the Steelers will need an imposing man to cover deep in Super Bowl XLV. The Packers have too many weapons that can catch a nice route and fly off into the sunset. This is not the Ravens they are playing.
The Packers do not intend to pound the Steelers front line all day. They will look to the pass to get their point across. You can be sure that Troy Polomalu will be waiting for them.
2. Ben Roethlisberger QB Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Steelers could very well be without one of their starting linemen. That makes Ben Roethlisberger even more meaningful as the starting quarterback.
He may not be the fastest quarterback in the NFL, but he could be regarded as one of the more elusive. His size and strength make him a burden to take down. He is also a great passer on the run. He has no issues in buying some extra time with his legs in order to find a receiver open down field.
Big Ben is also battle tested. The Steelers have a two-time Super Bowl winner that understands what it takes to win the big game.
1. Aaron Rodgers QB Green Bay Packers
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Rodgers takes the No. 1 spot in a landslide. He means everything to the Packers. Green Bay will live and die with his production.
Going in to the week leading up to the Super Bowl, the weight on Rodgers shoulders is palpable. The Packers defense cannot function without him. They don't have the best offensive line in the game, but he has learned to adapt.
They do not have a running game, but he has made due. There is no quarterback that can slip into the Green Bay pocket and flourish like Aaron Rodgers.
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