Super Bowl XLV: Is James Starks or Rashard Mendenhall More Important On Sunday?

As the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to face off in Super Bowl XLV, the attention has gone to the great quarterback play and both dominant defenses.

However, what has been overlooked is the running back play of the Steelers' Rashard Mendenhall and the Packers' James Starks.

The running game has been key for both teams in the past two months with these two playmakers making an impact in the offense.

Both players have found their success in a different way, though. Rashard Mendenhall was a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2008 draft, and played an entire regular season for two straight years.

This season, Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians decided to create a more balanced attack by going back to the old running game of the Steel Curtain.

Mendenhall rushed for 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season, and has provided the balanced attack needed in the playoffs.

For James Stark, he faced a much more difficult path and has made a name for himself. Being a sixth-round pick in the 2010 draft, Stark barely saw any action during the regular season.

Once the postseason hit, Starks finally got his opportunity. In the three postseason games he played in, Starks received at least 20 carries and rushed for over 60 yards.

Even though it does not seem like a whole lot, Starks is able to make a big burst when the opposing defenses least expect it.

The question today is which running back is more important to their team? In a close decision, I believe Rashard Mendenhall is key.

As I mentioned, the Packers are a pass-first offense and utilize all of their weapons. Their offensive line isn't near the top of the league when it comes to run blocking, which is why Starks is used quite often to get a decent stat line.

Green Bay must also deal with a Steelers defense that is the best in the league against the run and will limit Stark's playmaking abilities.

For the Steelers, Rashard Mendenhall must have an impact for Pittsburgh to win. The blitz schemes of the Green Bay Packers will not only put pressure on Ben in the pocket but also help the secondary contain the speedy receivers of the Steelers.

Mendenhall has the size to be a punishing back at the line of scrimmage, along with the speed to break a long run on the sidelines.

There is a reason Mendenhall was a high draft choice by the Steelers. His improvement as a starter makes the Steelers' offensive attack that more dangerous, especially through the play-action pass.

While the Packers will rely on the passing attack to get the victory, a more balanced attack will be needed from the Steelers in order to get championship number seven.

I am an NFL Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. Follow me on twitter: twitter.com/MattMiselis