Packers: What are the Chances...?

The Packers are the favorite in today’s Super Bowl, and with good reason. Green Bay has a huge advantage in terms of its front seven versus Pittsburgh’s injury depleted offensive line (which will include just one opening day starter). Meanwhile, the fact that the game is indoors also favors the Packers and their precision passing game. The Steelers will need to put an exceptional amount of pressure on Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers—otherwise Pittsburgh’s secondary figures to get carved up ten and fifteen yards at a time. Still, it’s difficult to bet against Ben Roethlisberger, who seems to have a knack for finding a way to win games—especially post-season games. My pick is the same as my pick from two years ago—Steelers have a 52 percent chance of winning.

Packers sign Anthony Smith

As far as I know, the Pittsburgh newspapers haven't reported this yet, but the Green Bay Packers have signed free-agent safety Anthony Smith to a multi-year contract. Smith will be coached by former Steelers' safety Darren Perry, who I believe coached Smith when he was a rookie in Pittsburgh. In an earlier post, I wrote that Smith was one of the most underachieving Steelers' players in memory.

Steelers finish 16-1 in Click for Cans contest

Congrats, Steelers fans. The Pittsburgh Steelers posted a 16-1 record in this year's Click for Cans regular season. Only the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers did better, both finishing 17-0. All three teams will be included in the Click for Cans playoffs, which begin on Jan. 2, 2009. Click here to view the final regular season standings.

Click for Cans (reprise)

Campbell's is again sponsoring its annual "Click for Cans" contest, in which the NFL team with the most clicks recorded on its behalf (by midnight on 12.15.07) earns a donation of Chunky Soup to the team's food bank of choice. As of this moment, the Steelers are fourth among the 32 NFL teams, just a hair behind the third-place Oakland Raiders. Click here to record your vote for the Steelers ... and to play the strangely compelling "Kick for Clicks" interactive field-goal kicking game. By the way, the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts are in first and second place, respectively.

Here We Go Steely, Here We Go!

Steelers fans have been awfully hard on the team's new mascot, Steely McBeam, since the big guy was introduced earlier this week. At least one blogger has started a petition asking the organization to make Steely disappear. And message boards routinely express the sentiment that the Steelers don't need any sort of mascot whatsoever.

But like it or not, McBeam is here to stay. After all, the Rooneys aren't going to jettison Steely just because of a little public pressure. And to be fair, it's difficult to develop a lovable mascot when your inspiration is a steelworker.

So maybe we ought to demonstrate a little patience and throw our support behind McBeam, who will presumably make his in-game debut tomorrow night at Heinz Field when the Steelers host the Green Bay Packers. As it is, being a mascot is a dangerous and somewhat thankless job, and Steely probably went thru hell to get the gig, as we previously chronicled here.

So tomorrow night, maybe the fans can take up a chant in Steely's honor: Here We Go Steely, Here We Go!