This year’s Super Bowl looks like a great matchup. These are two teams with great histories, great talent, great coaches and great traditions. I anticipate a close game that can be decided by a critical error.

Right now, the Packers are slight favorites to win this year’s contest. However, there are a number of factors that seem to favor Steel City’s black and yellow team.

The fact that the quarterback, coaches and several players have all been to the Super Bowl before helps the Steelers handle the big game experience and big game pressure effectively. Many of his players “have been there and done that” attitude.

These ideas dovetail with research results presented in one of my books, Who Will Win the Big Game and Why: 50 Characters of Championship Players, Teams, and Coaches.

I co-authored this book with Carlton Chin, an MIT-trained quant. Carlton looked at the mathematical factors that determine big game winners and I looked at the psychological determinants of those who win big games.

Our research indicates that training and previous experience in major competitions play a very important role in a team’s success in these types of competitions.

Also, Pittsburgh has a more consistent and reliable running game than the Packers.

And Pittsburgh has the advantage in turnover rate. Since many big games are won and lost by mistakes, this is an important stat.

Both teams have outstanding quarterbacks, but Big Ben has been there before and may have some added incentive to prove to the world that he’s still a champion, even though he had some off-the-field issues. He has something very personal to prove to the sports world. He seems to be the kind of tough and arrogant athlete that he will really enjoy showing the world that he is an excellent quarterback.

The AFC is arguably a tougher conference than the NFC. Pittsburgh was able to compile an excellent record against some very worthy opponents. And they were able to win without their starting quarterback, who was serving a four-game suspension at the start of the season. This shows how well balanced this team really is.

Both teams have great histories and both organizations have special connections to their communities. If you talk to someone from Green Bay or Pittsburgh, you realize that these teams are much more than football.

However, the Steelers have perhaps one of the best names in football. The name connotes mental toughness, physical toughness, durability, and a kind of solidity.

The Packers have a nice name. It connotes teamwork and a pack. However, in my opinion, it does not compare to The Steelers.

Also, “The Cheese Heads” are entertaining and comical, but they don’t match the steel helmets that Pittsburgh fans wear with great pride. Steel is a better fit for the grill than cheese.

The Steelers also have the advantage when it comes to their uniforms. make green and gold
for a good uniform. But black and yellow are powerful and menacing.

Both coaches are magnificent. However, Mike Tomlin is intense, focused, proven and has created what appears to be a well-disciplined family in Pittsburgh. Again, Green Bay is a great team, but Pittsburgh seems to have a little more intensity and ferocity in its approach to the game.

I frequently get calls from coaches who want me to help them improve their athletes’ performance. If I were advising Mike Tomlin, I’d encourage him to bring in some of the players from The Steelers’ rich tradition. Have Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier and others share their experiences, insights and motivational thoughts with your excellent group of athletes.

Take advantage of that excellent black and yellow tradition that was intertwined with The
Steel City.