The Steelers were my preseason pick to win the AFC and the Packers were the most complete team in the NFC this season, this is a Super Bowl that makes sense. It's your typical ground-and-pound, hard-nosed team led by a tough as nails playmaking quarterback, against the new "it" quarterback and his stingy defense. There are so many big playmakers in this game aside from the quarterbacks that I can't even make a prediction right now.
Do Troy Polamalu and James Harrison win this one? Or is it fresh-legged James Starks? Will Rashard Mendenhall run wild on the Packers like he did against the Jets? Or is Clay Matthews going to further prove that he's the best linebacker in football? Each team has so many weapons on offense, but keep in mind that the two best defenses in the league will be going at it. I'll touch on the game a little more as we get closer, but man am I pumped for this one.
Even though the Jets Aren't in it
I've been open about my love for the Jets since I started this blog, and although its almost two full days later, I'm still pretty upset that the Steelers will be the team representing the AFC in the Super Bowl. Im sad that the Jets had so much potential this season and fell short, but I'm very realistic in the sense that I understand a team can't show up for one half of a conference championship game and expect to win. The Steelers absolutely dominated the Jets in the first half Sunday night, so much so that a rather incredible second half effort wasn't enough this time for the comeback kids.
The Jets found a way to make it look like they belonged in the AFC Championship, but timely stops and creative playcalling weren't the Jets strongpoints as Gang Green lost their second straight number one contender match. I have to say that I'm very happy the Jets were able to get as far as they did with a second year quarterback and a second year coach, but they're setting the bar awfully high for themselves (with their words and their work) and if a championship doesn't come soon this regime will be remembered the same way as the rest of the "same old Jets." But hey, at least they beat the Patriots in the Divisional, making up for the 45-3 embarrassment that can now be forgotten. Score one for the good guys.
Speaking of good guys...
Leave Jay Cutler Alone!
Alright, I understand that nobody really likes Jay Cutler (that's a very general statement but it holds much validity), but give the guy a break! I know his body language usually reads poorly, and he's said things that have made him look like a jerk in the past, but he was legitimately hurt on Sunday and he didn't give his team their best chance at winning their most important game of the season. If your issue is with my last statement, that Cutler didn't stand a chance of winning that game because he was hurt, that's fine, but to all of the people that think Cutler should have stayed in the game, stick to doing what you do and let Cutler live his life.
Understand that the tear in his knee prevented him from planting his foot and following his throwing motion, that's like wanting your basketball teams best shooter to stay in the game when he can't jump or get any lift on his shot. His injury prohibited him from physically performing, and his diabetes prevented him from receiving a cortisone shot to mask the pain he felt. Did he seem a bit more lively on the sidelines while his team was attempting to come back? Yeah, what should he have done? Sulked when thoughts of being able to rest and hopefully right the ship in the Super Bowl flashed through his head? Until you walk in a mans shoes you shouldn't criticize him, especially if its involving physical limitations.
I don't really care for Jay Cutler, but I do respect his abilities and I do think he's a gamer. He didn't pull a Phil Rivers and play the game of his life without his legs, but Phil Rivers' performance was truly unique and may never be emulated again. Cutler took his team to the NFC Championship in a season that many didn't even expect them to make the playoffs. He had an awful first half and taking the bench gave his team their best chance of winning, why does so much more have to be made of it?
"Karma is a B*tch"
Speaking of guys who have been targeted in a negative light of late. Whether LeBron James actually tweeted the above statement or not, how fit is this to say of the 2010-2011 Cleveland Cavaliers? I know I may have lost some of my readers just by mentioning the Cavs, but this is such an interesting story to me, and really just a proving point in my argument that LeBron has been the best player in the league the last couple of years. As I write this the Cavs are 8-37 (worst record in the NBA), at this point last season the Cavs were 34-11.
Cleveland has now lost 18 straight and 28 of their last 29 games! They had seven years to get LeBron even the slightest bit of help, they even could have traded for Amar'e Stoudemire last year! We all know at this point...Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison, Larry Hughes, a 60-year old Shaq, these guys just weren't even close to enough. You think Cavs fans finally get why LeBron left? I hope they do.
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