It wasn’t nearly as exciting as last year’s sixth ring for us Steeler fans, but last night’s Super Bowl was still pretty entertaining to watch. It’s hard for me to watch any Super Bowl game without thinking of what the Steelers can learn from the teams on the field. I’m sure almost all of the players, coaches, and front office personnel were watching and here are a few things that they should have made special note of before they went to bed last night.
1. Quick, short passes are the most effective way to move the ball in today’s NFL. It should be said that this strategy only applies to teams with elite quarterbacks, which the Steelers happen to have. Drew Brees completing a mind-blowing 82 percent of his passes last night. I’m not meaning to slight Brees here, but he’s not that accurate with his throws because he has the best passing arm of all time; he just usually throws to safe underneath receivers. And it’s a smart strategy. With an elite quarterback, it is almost impossible to defend quick slants and outs all game long. Look at Brees’ TD pass to Jeremy Shockey. Shockey just took one step inside and the ball was on his chest. No chance for a sack. Almost impossible for the cornerback to defend. No reason the Steelers couldn’t use this more frequently.
2. Turnovers are the great equalizer. Steeler players and fans know this all too well, but it bears repeating. The Steelers were fifth in total defense this past season, an outstanding year for most teams. The Saints, on the other hand, were a lowly 25th in total defense. But the Saints defense helped carry a team to a Super Bowl win while the Steelers defenders possibly prevented the Steelers from reaching the big game. The difference? Takeaways (among a few other things, admittedly). The Saints had 26 interceptions to the Steelers 12. They recovered 13 fumbles to the Steelers 10. And they scored eight defensive touchdowns to the Steelers three.
3. Fortune favors the bold. Classic, three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust Steeler football was awesome. But it is getting outdated. Sean Payton made several decisions last night that would be deemed crazy by football traditionalists. As I mentioned in point one, ultra-conservative play calling isn’t the way to win anymore. The Steelers need to continue to be aggressive in their playcalling and philosophy. Thankfully, Mike Tomlin has never shied away from making a gutsy call.
4. Special teams!!! The Steelers’ special teams units have been anything but for the better part of the past decade. The one year they were particularly excellent in kick coverage was last year and they happened to win a Super Bowl. The Saints biggest play of the game was an onside kick recovered by some guy nobody has ever heard of. Kicker Garret Hartley made three long field goals. The Saints were unquestionably solid in special teams while the Colts mishandled an onside kick and missed a long field goal. These “little” differences in teams tend to show up in the biggest games. Special teams mishaps cost the Steelers a handful of games this year and, in turn, a playoff spot. Even more emphasis must be placed on special teams if the Steelers want to make it back to the playoffs and hopefully the Super Bowl in 2011.
