The San Francisco 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers are two of the most storied franchises in football, and they meet on Monday night in a battle for playoff position, and a potential Super Bowl preview.
To be fair, the 49ers will have to get past the defending champs in Green Bay, as well as the surging Saints, but these are two teams that are on the short list with a reasonable shot at the Super Bowl. Both franchises also have the right pedigree – they have 11 Super Bowl victories between them and have appeared in 13 games (the Steelers are 6-2 in Super Bowls, and the 49ers are 5-0), meaning that over a quarter of the Super Bowls have featured one of these teams, although ironically they have never met in the big game.
This year, they feature two of the best defenses in the game. San Francisco and Pittsburgh are ranked first and second in points allowed – the 49ers give up a stingy 14 points per game, and the Steelers 15.2. Pittsburgh is number one in the league against the pass, giving up only 179 passing yards per game, and the 49ers are number one in the league against the run, giving up only 70 yards per game. In fact, the 49ers have yet to surrender a rushing touchdown this season.
Both defenses are led by Pro Bowl talent, including safety Troy Polamalu for the Steelers and linebacker Patrick Willis for the 49ers. The Steelers will be without the skills of James Harrison, as he serves a one game suspension for his knockout hit on Colt McCoy last Thursday. Harrison has recorded 8 sacks this season, trailing only team leader LaMarr Woodley’s 9.
The 49ers defense is led by one of the best young linebacker groups in the league. Perennial All Pro Patrick Willis has recorded 93 tackles, 2 sacks, 12 passes defensed, 1 interception and 4 forced fumbles this season. Second year linebacker NaVorro Bowman leads the team with 113 tackles and rookie linebacker Aldon Smith leads the team with 10.5 sacks, second only to Von Miller among all rookies.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Steelers have been far more explosive this year, with Ben Roethlisberger airing it out to a team loaded with young talent at WR, led by Mike Wallace, who has 1,034 yards already this season, along with 8 TDs. San Francisco has led with Frank Gore and their ground game, and they have the 7th best rushing attack in the league. Gore has 1,054 yards and is fourth in the league in rushing. Both teams have been about equally as effective at putting up points – the 49ers are averaging 23.6 points per game and the Steelers are averaging 21.7.
Roethlisberger is hobbling this week on a high ankle sprain, and he is officially listed as questionable, although he is one of the toughest quarterbacks in the league, and is expected to play.
Ultimately, this looks to be a close battle dominated by defense, but with the absence of James Harrison on the Steelers defense, and with Roethlisberger’s mobility severely limited, he will have a harder time avoiding Aldon Smith and the 49ers pass rush. We’ll take San Francisco in a close, defensive battle.
