NFL Playoffs

[Guest Chaos Theory]

Steelers vs. Seahawks should be a good game. I'm interested to see if Alexander can run against a defense that has only allowed one 100 yard rushing game this year and that was the 24-7 defeat to the Colts.

[Sabu]

Well, I for one would not have predicted these 2 teams to be in the Super Bowl, but this should be an interesting Game. I'm rooting for the Seahawks, although it would be nice to see the Steelers win, seeing as it's Bettis's last season.

[gunnar hendershow]

Steelers like road look, will wear white in Super Bowl

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH -- To coach Bill Cowher, the Pittsburgh Steelers simply look right in white.

The Steelers will buck years of tradition and wear their white away uniforms in the Super Bowl against Seattle, even though they are designated by the NFL as the home team and could wear their more imposing black jersey tops.

The black jerseys and gold pants are the Steelers' traditional look, and numerous sports teams have switched to black uniforms in recent years because they believe it creates a more intimidating presence.

Cowher made the choice by himself and without consulting with ownership, saying, "We're not playing at Heinz Field so, in my mind, it's an away game."

The Steelers' unprecedented success as a road team no doubt factored into Cowher's decision to wear white for the fourth consecutive game. The Steelers are the only sixth-seeded team to reach the Super Bowl and the first to knock off the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 teams in a conference to get there. They have won in successive weeks at Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Denver.

Their choice will put the Seahawks in their metallic blue "home" jerseys. Seattle was 10-0 in the regular season and playoffs while wearing blue at home. But they were 0-2 away from Qwest Field, losing at Jacksonville in Week 1 and at Washington in Week 4.

The Steelers also will go against another tradition by not flying to Detroit until Monday -- normally, teams travel to the Super Bowl site on the Sunday before the game. With Pittsburgh located so close to Detroit, Cowher said there was no reason to go any earlier since the first big Super Bowl-related event is Tuesday's media day.

But it was Cowher's decision to wear white that caused the biggest stir in a town where it's difficult to drive past more than one or two houses without seeing a black and gold Terrible Towel or banner. Cowher became perplexed at the constant questioning about the issue at his weekly news conference, finally saying, "You want to know what shoes I'm wearing, too?"

"I didn't think it was that big a deal what jersey color you're wearing," Cowher said. "Maybe that's just me, OK? To me, if you're not playing at Heinz Field it's an away game. I think anyone can understand that rationale. If it's a sensitive issue to people, I'm sorry."

Sensitive issue, maybe. But could it be superstition?

"We've been playing well last three weeks on road, and this is another fourth game on the road -- I don't know if that's superstitious," he said.

Uniform issues aside, Cowher effectively revealed the Steelers' theme for the next two weeks, and it's a familiar one -- we ain't done nothing yet. Despite the Steelers' 3-for-3 AFC road sweep, he said any Super Bowl finalist's season is defined by what it does in this game and not how it gets there.

"The deal isn't done yet," he said. "This is going to be our toughest challenge. Seattle is playing at an extremely high level, and we haven't accomplished anything yet. That's the thing to keep in mind. ... it all can change in one play, one quarter, one bad game."

The Steelers know all about that, having lost four AFC title games at home and a Super Bowl in the last dozen seasons, gaining them a reputation of being a team that can't stand up to the challenge of big games. While this road run may be altering that theory, Cowher understands it will be stamped on his team again -- especially since the Steelers are favored against Seattle after being underdogs the last two weeks.

"They're just as hungry as we are," Cowher said. "It's a golden opportunity for us, but don't underestimate the challenge that's in front of us. ... You realize how hard it is to get there, but don't lose sight that the goal is to win a championship.

"Nobody remembers that you lost a Super Bowl, they remember who won a Super Bowl."

Cowher did reveal one other thought he had after the Steelers ended a streak of three consecutive losses in the AFC title game by beating Denver 34-17 Sunday.

"Thank goodness I'm not going back to Hawaii," he said.

The losing coach in each conference championship game handles the Pro Bowl teams, so Cowher has coached the AFC four times since the 1994 season. This is his second time in the Super Bowl; the Steelers lost 27-17 to Dallas in January 1996 as a two-touchdown underdog.

Well, it's kind of useless... but now the Seahawks are forced to wear their hideous one-color home unis. They wore white pants once this year, can they, for the sake of all who aren't blind, do it again? The Seahawks are also undefeated in their home unis.

[Brock Lesnar]

My Superbowl prediction. Seahawks 36-17 Steelers

[Guest Chaos Theory]

Steelers to win. Tell ya why.

Defense. One of the best secondaries in the league. Their front four can and will stop Alexander. Hasselback will be forced to throw the ball and against the Steelers Secondary and will be weighed, measured, and found wanting.

[ROC]

I couldn't give a shit if the Steelers are the better team...I'm still going with the Seahawks. Why? Two words: Shaun Alexander.

Mostly the fact that I'm an Alabama devotee (another interesting tidbit is that another ex-Bama player is a Seahawks player, Cornelius Wortham), but maybe the Hawks can steal it. I can't say I'm fully confident in the Seahawks, but never say never.

[gunnar hendershow]

I'm going for the Seahawks for more reasons than just Shaun Alexander. I'm going with them because of Matt Hasslebeck, one of the most underrated linebacking corps and secondaries in the NFL, and Mike Holmgren.

Seahawks- 27

Steelers- 20

[ROC]

Seattle 3, Pittsburgh 0 at the end of the 1st.

The game so far hasn't been the most exciting thing (though, it IS the first quarter), and neither have been the commercials, excluding ads for V for Vendetta and Cars, which both look class.

[Summers]

Come on Steelers!

[Rich]

seattle should have a touchdown though, the officials have been overly harsh so far

Edited February 6, 2006 by Rich__H

[naiwf]

It should be about 10-0 or 13-0, but Seattle's going to get the brunt of every flagworthy play against them because they aren't the "sexy" team with 80% of the fans in the stands supporting them.

[Rich]

am i detecting a note of cynasism

ouch that tackle look painful

[TheArsenal]

I don't normally watch NFL.......but damn!! That guy got bent in half!! The wrong way!!

[naiwf]

am i detecting a note of cynasism

ouch that tackle look painful

[Rich]

seattle deserve to be in the lead by more, but pittsburgh are improving

damn should have been a TD for the steelers there

[TheArsenal]

How come the scoring is so low?

Is it normal?

[ROC]

How come the scoring is so low?

Is it normal?

[Rich]

not normally, but it is simply that both defenses are shutting out the offenses very effectively, and really both teams up until just now haven't really done much risky

Roethlisberger is something special now, a couple more seasons and he will be absolutley amazing

i am loving it being almost 1 am, and i am sat here watching this game drinking beer

[TheArsenal]

WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

TOUCHDOWN PITTSBURGH!!!

AND A KICK TOO!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

(Now, was that a bad call??)

Edited February 6, 2006 by TheArsenal

[Rich]

finally i can agree with you lol