The running game is always severely important in any football game and the Pittsburgh Steelers have always put a huge emphasis on it. With "glory days" backs like Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier and Jerome Bettis paving the way to titles in the past, its to no surprise that upstart back Rashard Mendenhall seems to be grabbing the torch.
Mendenhall is a third-year back out of the University of Illinois and was Pittsburgh's first round draft pick in 2008. This season, he accumulated 1,273 rushing yards and scored 13 times. Where Mendenhall has really stepped it up though is in the playoffs.
He has been "Mr. reliable" as the Steelers have out toughed the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets to reach Super Bowl XLV. Mendenhall stands only 5'10" tall but weighs 225 lbs. and is like a bowling ball rolling down the field once he gets the legs churning.
While Green Bay's defense is built to stop a runner like Mendenhall, with a big and athletic front four and talented, speedy linebackers, it is definitely going to be easier said than done.
Green Bay's running game is suspect as good as their passing game, but some unsung heroes have came up huge over the last couple of weeks. James Starks, an undrafted rookie out of the University of Buffalo and John Kuhn, a boulder-like halfback/fullback hybrid out of Division II Shippensburg College in Pennsylvania have bolstered the Packers rushing attack with tough runs for first downs and touchdowns against Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Chicago.
Kuhn actually has won a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers. He was on their practice squad in 2006 when they defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.
Kuhn and Starks, along with Brandon Jackson out of Nebraska have been filling all season since week one when Green Bay's star back Ryan Grant was lost for the year to a right ankle injury.
It will be interesting to see who comes up big for their respective teams but as far as the edge goes, I have to give this one to Pittsburgh with Mendenhall.
Even though the Steelers get this advantage, I'm still sticking to my guns and saying Green Bay 24, Pittsburgh 17.
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