Green Bay Packers 'every bit as physical' as Pittsburgh Steele

By Peter Finney, Times-Picayune



DALLAS — For a first-time Super Bowl coach, Mike McCarthy talked this week like an X-and-O boss who has been there before.
Eric Gay/The Associated Press

Green Bay Packers Coach Mike McCarthy says his team is 'every bit as physical' as the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Green Bay Packers didn’t just sneak in. They bounced back from two overtime losses in a 3-3 start to win three playoff games, all on the road.
They held up after a flock of injuries, a long list on injured reserve, and Green Bay still found a way to reach the Final Two — as a favorite no less.
So what do McCarthy’s Packers have to do?
They have to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night, and that’s not the whole story. The Packers have to prove the oddsmakers right by defeating a more physical football team.
Who says so?
In a way, James Harrison has.
How?
With $100,000 in fines for what the league determined were illegal hits.
In another way, when it comes to being “physical,” the Packers also are fighting tradition.
The Steelers’ Super Bowl highlight reel, dealing with a half-dozen championship victories, is sprinkled with “physical” images of bloody, black-and-blue Franco Harris, toothless Jack Lambert, really mean Joe Greene, and, lately — of course — really, really mean James Harrison.
When Dick LeBeau, the Steelers’ defensive coordinator, sees Harrison, 32, he sees someone who fits into two age categories — physiological and chronological.
“James is obviously a veteran player chronically,’’ LeBeau said. ‘’But physiologically, he maintains the capacities of a very young player. He hasn’t lost a step or a second of reaction time in the seven years I’ve had him. He’s mean. He oozes the physical side of football.’’
He’s Pittsburgh’s poster boy for “physical.”
And it doesn’t end there.
I’m looking at a photograph of angry James Farrior, featuring tattooed muscles. We’re told the Steelers’ linebacker is part of a defense known for its “pounding hits.”
It’s all fueled by tradition, to those “Steel Curtain” years.
In a diplomatic way, McCarthy spent the week calling it “a nice story line.’’
“We sure respect the way the Steelers play,’’ he said. “But, trust me, we’re every bit as physical as they are.’’
Joe Whitt, who coaches Green Bay’s cornerbacks, said it bothered him to hear how “physical” the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens’ defenses were before they faced the Packers.
“We outhit the Jets, and last year we outhit the Ravens,’’ he said.
As for McCarthy, who grew up in Steeltown an avid fan of “physical football,” he was happy to expand.
“To me, finishing a play in the best example of who’s being more physical,’’ he said. “It’s not how many times you slobber knock somebody.’’
What it comes down to, he said, “Is our guy scrapping, clawing, fighting for the extra yard? Physical football is winning the fundamental battles. It’s a receiver releasing properly on a defensive back, a defensive back getting his hands on a receiver. It’s finishing runs, getting off blocks, finishing tackles. It’s not, let’s get into two backs (formation) and see who’s the toughest. I’m not into running into walls to run into walls.’’
Looking back to growing up in Pittsburgh, McCarthy watched Coach Chuck Noll win four championships with defense all right, but mostly with fundamentals and excellent players. He talked about ‘’the opportunity Jim Haslett gave me with the Saints, especially with Jim being a defensive head coach who pushed the physical side of the game.’’
Packers defensive end Ryan Pickett suggested, if you’re wondering how “physical’’ a team he plays for, just check the tape of a December victory over the New York Giants and the 48-21 blowout of the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome.
“We were playing what people considered two physical teams,’’ Pickett said. “You’ll see we’re a pretty physical bunch all across the board. We can line up and hit you in the mouth.’’
Come Sunday night, we’ll see.

I love Mike McCarthy.

Good article, hope they can prove it Sunday night.

We shall see Sunday.

MM tells it like it is.

Man, the audacity to even THINK, let alone say, we're as tough as the toughest team in football history is amazing. Sarcasm intended.

You'd better be.

I do like the double-standard that has been applied here, tho'. The Steelers are a tough physical team, which makes us cheap shot artists and thugs. The Packers are every bit as physical as us, which makes them...?

"...a tough, physical, CLEAN football team."

BTW, I don't think Pittsburgh is dirty.

I think the Harrison fines add into the whole 'cheap shot" thing. If you get fined you are therefore a cheap shot.......or something like that.

Then again I think Harrison has gotten jobbed on all that too.

I think Deebo actually talked himself into trouble on that one. He said he's out to hurt people, but not injure them. It was a bad choice of words. He should have said something like "inflict pain" or "play physical ball" or even better just kept his mouth shut. People in the press confuse "hurt" with "injure".

Green Bay can think they are on the Steelers level all that they want. But, the videos, and the stats don't prove it. Not, this season. I also think the Jets would have been ranked higher than the Packers if they didn't have that let down game in New England.

The Packers toughest physical defense they played all year was the Bears. And they couldn't score more than 21 in any of those 3 games.

Steelers roll the Packers by at least 2 touchdowns.

^ This belongs in the smack forum IMO.

How many playoff teams did the Steelers actually play this year? The Jets kept them from scoring in the second half and their defense can't even lace the boots of ours.

Packers will win by 10. 24-14

at least know how the season played out before you put your foot in your mouth.

hey genius, the packers played the jets this season and it was a shutout.

You're a funny man. Seriously, your defense isn't that great. The Ravens would rip the Packers in half. The defenses in the NFC are a bit of a joke. You guys will be exposed as such come this game. Ben has faced many defenses far superior to the Packers and won a lot of them. The Packers in my opinion are good on defense, but not great. Until the packers can be in the top 5 at stopping the run, then start running your mouth. They were 15th this year.

Jets are a much much better defense than the Packers.

Steelers are a step away from a dynasty. The Packers are just another bump in the long road.

Rodgers,

5. One of them 3 times (the Ravens) and one of them twice (the Jets). Both are very physical teams.

LTF,
Okay. You're the mod.
/Cowboys suck

Of course you ignore 3 of the last 5 games the Packers played. All of which were "Win or go home" situations for the Pack.
And you are in such denial of the Pack that you of course ignored the win in Atlanta which was an indoor situation.
Which is why I am feeling and expecting a blowout for the Pack against the Steelers.
Do not underestimate the Packers.
But hey. Feel free to do so, so that you will be surprised at just how awesome they are when they blow away the Steelers.

Did that trophy give consent?

Why is that? Because he didn't start and end his opinion with a heartfelt apology to Packer fans?
They have excellent Moderators and Admins here. That's their job, not yours.
Not sure who died and left you with the over-exaggerated opinion you represent the Steeler Nation.

Sorry mods, just couldn't resist. And sorry to the rest of Steeler nation, but he was setting himself up for it with that sig.

Other captions:
Ben then forced himself onto the trophy and had his way with it.

Ben thought it was an unwilling co-ed he was kissing.

(Sorry. Couldn't resist.)