My Profile Help Log OutAll Sources NFL Media > Releases > News Story

News / Release

Back to Summary

Super Bowl XLV Preview

01/31/2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE1/31/11http://twitter.com/nflfootballinfo

SUPER BOWL XLV: PITTSBURGH STEELERS VS. GREEN BAYPACKERS

It all comes down to this. On Sunday, February 6, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers will meet in Super Bowl XLV (6:00 PMET, FOX) at Cowboys Stadium in North Texas. The game features two of the most storied franchises in NFL history. The Steelers have won an NFL-best six Super Bowls and the Packers own 12 NFL championships (three SuperBowls), the most all-time.

TEAM SUPER BOWLTITLES

TEAM NFL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Pittsburgh Steelers 6 Green Bay Packers 12Dallas Cowboys 5 Chicago Bears 9San Francisco 49ers 5 New York Giants 7Five tied (incl. GB) 3 Pittsburgh Steelers 6

At 28-16 (.636), Green Bay has the league’s best postseason record. Pittsburgh is second with a 33-19 (.635) mark. “We’re very similar organizations,” says Steelers chairman emeritus DAN ROONEY. “We’re similar in the way weoperate. We have great respect for the Packers and we always have.” The Steelers are back in the Super Bowl for the third time in the past six years. Pittsburgh defeated Seattle in SuperBowl XL (February 5, 2006) and knocked off Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII (February 1, 2009). The Steelers will maketheir eighth Super Bowl appearance, tied with the Dallas Cowboys for the most all-time. “This is Pittsburgh,” says Steelers linebacker LARRY FOOTE. “If you don’t win the Super Bowl, it’s a bust. The guysin the 1970s created that mentality. You have to do your best to follow suit. Our defensive meeting room is right nextto the Lombardi Trophies. Everyone is expected to do their part to win. The standards don’t change.” Green Bay returns to the Super Bowl for the first time since back-to-back appearances in Super Bowl XXXI (January26, 1997) and XXXII (January 25, 1998). The Packers beat New England in Super Bowl XXXI and lost to Denver inSuper Bowl XXXII. Green Bay will make its fourth Super Bowl appearance, including victories in Super Bowl I and II. “To me, this means everything,” says Packers veteran wide receiver DONALD DRIVER, who will play in his first SuperBowl. “When you play in this league a long time, the ultimate goal is to first get to the Super Bowl and then theultimate goal is to win it. I’m excited about it. The biggest thing for me now is to put that ring on my finger and haveit be part of my legacy that I’ve been to the Super Bowl and won it.” In the AFC Championship Game, the Steelers knocked off the New York Jets 24-19 at Heinz Field. Running backRASHARD MENDENHALL rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown and quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER notchedhis 10th career postseason victory. Roethlisberger, who is in his seventh year, is one of only three quarterbacks (ProFootball Hall of Famer TROY AIKMAN and TOM BRADY) in NFL history to win at least 10 postseason games by theend of their seventh season. “Ben does things that nobody else does,” says NFL Network analyst and Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVINabout Roethlisberger. “If you win Super Bowls, you belong among the best to ever play this game.” Roethlisberger has already won two Super Bowls in his career and with a win on Sunday would join Pro Football Hallof Famers TERRY BRADSHAW (four), JOE MONTANA (four) and Aikman (three) and Brady (three) as the onlystarting quarterbacks in NFL history to win at least three Super Bowls. Green Bay punched its ticket to North Texas with a 21-14 win at Soldier Field over the Chicago Bears. The defenseled the way with three interceptions. Rookie cornerback SAM SHIELDS, an undrafted free agent, had twointerceptions and a sack, becoming the first NFL rookie and the first Packer to record two interceptions and a sack in aplayoff game. Defensive tackle B.J. RAJI added a key fourth-quarter interception that he returned 18 yards for atouchdown. Raji is the first defensive lineman in franchise history to return an interception for a touchdown in thepostseason. The Packers are the first No. 6 seed in the NFC to advance to the Super Bowl since the NFL instituted the current 12-team playoff format in 1990. The only other No. 6 seed to play in the Super Bowl was the 2005 Steelers, who went

Home Teams Game Day Resources My PageReleasesWelcome Alan!

on to win Super Bowl XL. Green Bay has not trailed by more than seven points in any game this season, the first team to accomplish the featsince the 1962 Detroit Lions. “This team has great character,” says Packers quarterback AARON RODGERS, who has a 113.0 career postseasonpasser rating, the highest in NFL history (minimum 100 attempts). “If you look at the roster right now, there are anumber of guys who were either not with us at the beginning of the season or were not counted on to play a big role. To have guys step up says a lot about our character. We just believe in each other.” Pittsburgh head coach MIKE TOMLIN, who guided the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XLIII, can become the firsthead coach in NFL history to win two Super Bowls in his first four seasons. He is also aiming to become the youngesthead coach in league annals to win two Super Bowl titles (38 years old). “It’s special,” says Tomlin about moving on to Super Bowl XLV. “There are 32 teams that start this journey and thereare only two left. We are fortunate enough to be one of them. It’s awesome.” On the opposite sideline will be Green Bay’s MIKE MC CARTHY, who grew up in Pittsburgh and spent four seasonsat the University of Pittsburgh as an assistant coach. “Pittsburgh is obviously a big part of who I am,” says McCarthy, who has guided the Packers to the playoffs in three ofthe past four seasons. “My family is still back there. This is going to be a very unique experience for everybody. Iwas a Pittsburgh Steelers fan growing up and they’re my second favorite team. But we’re preparing to beat thePittsburgh Steelers in a football game and that’s what we need to stay focused on. “They’re an excellent football team, obviously. They’ve had a lot of success. They’re a veteran team and anexperienced team. They’ve been through this experience before and we have not. We understand that. But we’regoing to stick to our approach and that’s the way we’re going to face it. Our goal is to bring the Lombardi Trophy backhome.” Both teams can attribute some of their success this season to stellar defensive play. The Steelers, led by defensivecoordinator and Pro Football Hall of Famer DICK LE BEAU topped the NFL allowing just 14.5 points per game. Green Bay defensive coordinator DOM CAPERS, who held the same title with the Steelers from 1992-94, and thePackers ranked second (15.0 points per game). The two teams also ranked one-two in opponent passer rating (Green Bay 67.2, Pittsburgh 73.1) and sacks(Pittsburgh 48, Green Bay 47 – tied for second). “I’ve got as much respect for Dick Lebeau as anybody in the business,” says Capers. “I consider him a good friend. We roomed together back in 1992 when BILL COWHER took the job and we worked there together for three years. Anybody who has been in the league for more than 50 years as a player and a coach has to have something special. I don’t think anybody can compare with him.” These two talented defenses combined for seven Pro Bowl selections this year: linebacker JAMES HARRISON,defensive end BRETT KEISEL and safety TROY POLAMALU for Pittsburgh and safety NICK COLLINS, linebackerCLAY MATTHEWS and cornerbacks TRAMON WILLIAMS and CHARLES WOODSON for Green Bay. “We’ve got a lot of talent on this team,” says Woodson. “Every week, it’s somebody else stepping up. The guys onthis team have been making plays week in and week out. We have a ton of guys who can just make plays at any timeand at any point in the game. We know how hard it is to get to the Super Bowl. You want to be able to get there andwin it. It’s all or nothing now. Hopefully we can go down there and win it.”

******************************************************************************************************************************************NFL FACTOID

In the last meeting between these two teams (December 20, 2009), Pittsburgh QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER (503yards) and Green Bay QB AARON RODGERS (383) combined for 886 passing yards in the Steelers’ 37-36 win overthe Packers. It marked the highest passing yardage total in NFL history in a game that did not have an interception. ******************************************************************************************************************************************

FINAL 2010 NFL STANDINGS

American Football ConferenceEast Division

Team W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streakz-New England Patriots 14 2 0 .875 518 313 8-0-0 6-2-0 10-2-0 5-1-0 Won 8x-New York Jets 11 5 0 .688 367 304 5-3-0 6-2-0 9-3-0 4-2-0 Won 1Miami Dolphins 7 9 0 .438 273 333 1-7-0 6-2-0 5-7-0 2-4-0 Lost 3Buffalo Bills 4 12 0 .250 283 425 2-6-0 2-6-0 3-9-0 1-5-0 Lost 2

North DivisionTeam W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streaky-Pittsburgh Steelers 12 4 0 .750 375 232 5-3-0 7-1-0 9-3-0 5-1-0 Won 2x-Baltimore Ravens 12 4 0 .750 357 270 7-1-0 5-3-0 9-3-0 4-2-0 Won 4Cleveland Browns 5 11 0 .313 271 332 3-5-0 2-6-0 3-9-0 1-5-0 Lost 4Cincinnati Bengals 4 12 0 .250 322 395 3-5-0 1-7-0 3-9-0 2-4-0 Lost 1

South DivisionTeam W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streaky-Indianapolis Colts 10 6 0 .625 435 388 6-2-0 4-4-0 8-4-0 4-2-0 Won 4

Home Copyright © 2011Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy

Jacksonville Jaguars 8 8 0 .500 353 419 5-3-0 3-5-0 7-5-0 3-3-0 Lost 3Houston Texans 6 10 0 .375 390 427 4-4-0 2-6-0 5-7-0 3-3-0 Won 1Tennessee Titans 6 10 0 .375 356 339 3-5-0 3-5-0 3-9-0 2-4-0 Lost 2

West DivisionTeam W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streaky-Kansas City Chiefs 10 6 0 .625 366 326 7-1-0 3-5-0 6-6-0 2-4-0 Lost 1San Diego Chargers 9 7 0 .563 441 322 6-2-0 3-5-0 7-5-0 3-3-0 Won 1Oakland Raiders 8 8 0 .500 410 371 5-3-0 3-5-0 6-6-0 6-0-0 Won 1Denver Broncos 4 12 0 .250 344 471 3-5-0 1-7-0 3-9-0 1-5-0 Lost 1

National Football Conference

East DivisionTeam W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streaky-Philadelphia Eagles 10 6 0 .625 439 377 4-4-0 6-2-0 7-5-0 4-2-0 Lost 2New York Giants 10 6 0 .625 394 347 5-3-0 5-3-0 8-4-0 3-3-0 Won 1Dallas Cowboys 6 10 0 .375 394 436 2-6-0 4-4-0 4-8-0 3-3-0 Won 1Washington Redskins 6 10 0 .375 302 377 2-6-0 4-4-0 4-8-0 2-4-0 Lost 1

North DivisionTeam W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streaky-Chicago Bears 11 5 0 .688 334 286 5-3-0 6-2-0 8-4-0 5-1-0 Lost 1x-Green Bay Packers 10 6 0 .625 388 240 7-1-0 3-5-0 8-4-0 4-2-0 Won 2Detroit Lions 6 10 0 .375 362 369 4-4-0 2-6-0 5-7-0 2-4-0 Won 4Minnesota Vikings 6 10 0 .375 281 348 4-4-0 2-6-0 5-7-0 1-5-0 Lost 1

South DivisionTeam W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streakz-Atlanta Falcons 13 3 0 .813 414 288 7-1-0 6-2-0 10-2-0 5-1-0 Won 1x-New Orleans Saints 11 5 0 .688 384 307 5-3-0 6-2-0 9-3-0 4-2-0 Lost 1Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10 6 0 .625 341 318 4-4-0 6-2-0 8-4-0 3-3-0 Won 2Carolina Panthers 2 14 0 .125 196 408 2-6-0 0-8-0 2-10-0 0-6-0 Lost 2

West DivisionTeam W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streaky-Seattle Seahawks 7 9 0 .438 310 407 5-3-0 2-6-0 6-6-0 4-2-0 Won 1St. Louis Rams 7 9 0 .438 289 328 5-3-0 2-6-0 5-7-0 3-3-0 Lost 1San Francisco 49ers 6 10 0 .375 305 346 5-3-0 1-7-0 4-8-0 4-2-0 Won 1Arizona Cardinals 5 11 0 .313 289 434 4-4-0 1-7-0 3-9-0 1-5-0 Lost 1

x - Clinched Playoffs; y - Clinched Division; z - Clinched Conference

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (JANUARY 23)

(Home team in CAPS)

Sunday, January 23Green Bay 21, CHICAGO 14PITTSBURGH 24, NY Jets 19

PRO BOWL RESULTS (JANUARY 30)

Sunday, January 30NFC 55, AFC 41

SUPER BOWL XLV (FEBRUARY 6)(All times local)

Sunday, February 6Pittsburgh at Green Bay, 5:00 PM (FOX)

Related Links: