As I mentioned Sunday, many football games are won and lost up front. The defensive line or "front four" is equally as vital to winning football as the offensive line is. While Green Bay holds the o-line edge, Pittsburgh is known for its tough as the streets d-line.
The Steelers have always claimed to take on the tough persona of the city of Pittsburgh's steel workers and it all begins on the line. This year's Steeler line consists of a front three in left end Ziggy Hood, right end Brett Keisel and nose tackle Casey Hampton.
Hood has emerged as a force in replacing pro-bowler Aaron Smith, who was lost mid-season to injury and Keisel is best known for toughness as well to go along with his Jeremiah Johnson mountain beard.
The Steelers do with three what many teams in the league cannot do with four, and that is pressure the quarterback. If for some reason they cannot get to the signal caller with three, they have an enormously talented linebacker corps to get the job done.
On Green Bay's side of things, their d-line is talented but young and a bit inexperienced. The Packers also feature a three-man d-line in person of B.J. Raji, Cullen Jenkins, and Ryann Pickett.
All three are young, but very talented. Raji displayed his athleticism in the NFC title game when he snatched an interception out of mid-air from the arm of Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie and danced his way into the endzone.
Jenkins has made huge plays for the Packers all season long and has continued to throughout the playoffs. Though both lines are tough, I have to with the more experienced and larger in Pittsburgh.
The real battle between these two great teams' defenses is at linebacker and I will preview that Tuesday.
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