5 Reasons why Seattle can win: 1. Matt Hasselbeck has been highly effective all year in the West Coast Offense they run. Typically, the fifth year that a quarterback is in the system is the year where he is finally completely comfortable. Hasselbeck has proved that this year, and his ability to lead the Seahawks to victory when their MVP Shaun Alexander went down merely puts an emphatic exclaimation point on that. 2. Shaun Alexander. Aside from only being named the NFL MVP, he was second in rushing last year by one yard, and led the league this year. He doesn't seem to be all that fast on film, but people miss him all of the time. He's strong and shifty, with excellent vision and good cut-back ability. Most people would consider him to be the key to Seattle's offense. 3. Seattle's offensive line. Led by uber-tackle Walter Jones, this bunch is as good as it gets. They blow open holes for Alexander, and more importantly, stay on their blocks the entire time. This allows Alexander the ability to cut back against the grain more easily. Plus, they are an experienced bunch, and the complexities of facing the 3-4 defense ought not to daunt them. 4. Seattle's stud linebackers. Fast, aggressive, athletic and all seem to have great football instincts. 5. Coaching. Mike Holmgren's won a SB already. He knows how to prepare his teams, and his offensive play-calling skills have never been doubted. 5 Reasons why Pittsburgh can win: 1. Ben Roethlisberger is on the brink of super-stardom in the NFL. He's been incredibly accurate and poised during the Steelers improbable playoff run, and has posted 120+ QB ratings in every game he's played. What a difference a year makes; in the 2004 playoffs, he was dismal, confused and his play reflected it. All you have to watch is his TD to Heath Miller in the AFCCG. Watch him look off and freeze the safety, and then zip the ball to Miller for the touch. 2. Jerome Bettis. Not so much for what he'll produce on the field, but because the Steelers have rallied around their popular star. If anything, these guys actually want to win the title more for Bettis than themselves. I think they want to send him off into the sunset on top of the world. 3. Confidence. The Steelers mowed down Cincy, Indy & Denver, on the road, in successive weeks. They dismantled Chicago during their late-regular season run. They stopped another 6-game winning streak in Minnesota. They fought gamely against Cincy in their last loss, and it was that game that seemed to turn the tide for this team. 4. Troy Polamalu. You have to account for him for every single play if you're an offense, and even then that's no guarantee he won't blow the play up completely. His on-field instincts are off the charts, and this is a guy who can be 8 yards deep in the secondary, and still run up and stop a play for no gain or a loss when he sniffs it out. His would-be interception of Peyton Manning just showed how instinctive he is. 5. The Pittsburgh coaching staff is on an amazing roll right now. They are game-planning to perfection, their adjustments have been stellar, and the team has responded. I've watched Seattle's offense and I can't help but to wonder what they'll do when the Steelers start shutting Alexander down. I just wonder. Keys for a Seattle victory 1. Stop Pittsburgh's passing game. I know, I know - this sounds absolutely nuts. But it's also true. The Steelers have wisely gone into their passing game to set up the run. So far, no defense has really shut them down, and they've been able to go into their brutal running attack in the second halves of games, when they are sitting on that insurmountable lead. If you can't stop their passing game, they'll keep throwing it on you. And you'll quickly end up on the wrong side of the score. 2. Establish Shaun Alexander. Seattle must get Alexander a lot of touches, and a lot of running room. Running the ball opens up their entire offense, but more importantly, it chews up time of possession. This ought to be a possession-type game, and the Seahawks must get their star back running effectively if they want to win. 3. Pressure Ben Roethlisberger. He is, after all, a second year player. But no one has rattled him this post-season. Seattle has to get heavy pressure on him and see if they can force this still-young quarterback into making a critical mistake or two. Keys for a Pittsburgh victory. 1. Stop Shaun Alexander. They may not be fully able to shut him down, but they need to put emphasis on stopping the run. 2. Pass effectively and with precision. The Steelers play-action passing game has been stellar of late. That has to continue, especially if they want to negate Seattle's fast and attacking defensive style. 3. Adjust quickly to the wrinkles. Seattle will do things not seen on tape. How quickly the Steelers adjust will determine if they have a chance to win in the end. All things being equal, which in my mind they are, this should be a closely contested game. I wouldn't be surprised if this game ends on a last-second field goal for the win; it has that type of feel. Neither team was "supposed" to be here, and because of that you have to rely on the team as a whole, and their recent performance. Pittsburgh has played hotter, and arguably far better, far more balanced teams, in their playoff wins than has Seattle. For that reason, I think Pittsburgh already knows exactly what it takes to beat a very strong team. On the other hand, Seattle played two teams with huge offensive limitations. Their defense could ignore the running game in both of their wins because their two opponents didn't have much of a running game. Carolina's passing game consisted of throwing it to Steve Smith and hope for the best; when Seattle's defensive game plan took that away from Carolina, they fell completely apart. Here's the real key. Pittsburgh is a very balanced team. They are adept at winning through the air or on the ground. Their offensive game plan is highly fluid and they use their entire arsenal in a game like this. You'll see the short, precision passes. You'll see screens. You'll see them thrown down field. Their tight end has been a devastating weapon over the middle. And, you just know that whatever trick play they've been keeping under their hat is going to be a real doozy. When all of that is clicking, then they start handing off to Bettis and Parker, and then things get really interesting. How do you stop them? That's Seattle's challenge. They have not faced an offense like this one in the playoffs, and it is going to test their young defense. If they have tendencies, I'm sure the Steelers game plan is looking to expose them. Conversely, the Steelers haven't faced a team with Seattle's skills, either. They were able to fluster Peyton Manning considerably; I doubt that Seattle will let that happen. But, in Seattle's only other game this year where they played a 3-4 defense, they fared very badly until the last 2 minutes of the game. If they cannot solve the 3-4 schemes that Dick LeBeau puts in front of them, it will make for a long and painful day. Above all else, Seattle must get that running game going. If the Steelers force them into 3rd-and-long situations, then the overload, exotic blitzes that LeBeau employs are going to ramp up. But sometimes its the threat of that blitz that makes people change things, and then the Steelers drop 7 and cover everyone. They're a tough nut to crack, and I think the only way to loosen them up is to run at them no matter what the score, situation or down-and-distance reads. I think that Pittsburgh wins this game in the end. I'm guessing the final score will be 30-21 or so. I don't think Seattle will slow down Pittsburgh's offense, and I think that Pittsburgh's defense will do enough to slow down Seattle. Will I be right? We'll just have to wait and see.