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