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Home , Andre Dyson, Andre Frazier, Antwaan Randle El, Barrett Brooks, Ben Roethlisberger, Bryce Fisher

E8 ∑ THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2006 ∑ E9

Telecast: 6 p.m. | Kickoff: 6:25 p.m. Ford Field, CELEBRITY PREDICTIONS STEELERS GAME DAY TV: WSYX (Channel 6) ∑ Web site: www.steelers.com ABC | Announcers: (play-by-play), (analysis), ∑ Capacity: 67,500 Jamie Foxx | ACTOR/SINGER Regular season Michelle Tafoya (sideline), (sideline) . If you look at Pittsburgh’s history, the way they ∑ Surface: FieldTurf play football. . . . Defense wins championships. ∑ 11-5 (second in AFC North Division; home 5-3, road 6-2) Radio: WBNS-AM (1460) ∑ Opened: 2004 ∑ Wild-card playoff berth CBS/Westwood One | Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play), Boomer Sen. John Kerry | D-MASS. Road to XL Esiason (analysis), John Dockery (sideline), (sideline) Pittsburgh. It’s going to be a high-scoring game. 31-28. ∑ Wild-card round: def. Cincinnati 31-17 (road) Pregame TV Favorite Why? Five words: Pittsburgh’s own Teresa Heinz Kerry. ∑ Divisional round: def. Indianapolis 21-18 (road) ESPN: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | ABC: 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Ch. 6) ∑ AFC championship: def. Denver 34-17 (road) Condoleezza Rice | SECRETARY OF STATE NFL Network: noon to 5:30 p.m. I picked Pittsburgh to beat Cincinnati. I have picked Playoff record: 28-18 (.609) | Super Bowl record: 4-1 (.800) against them every game since. I’m not picking against Entertainment them again. Roster 4Ä National anthem: Aaron Neville, Aretha Franklin, Dr. John Web sites Coach: (14th season: 141-82-1, .632; playoffs, 11-9) (14-5) VS. (15-3) Over/under: 47 LeBron James | CLEVELAND CAVALIERS ALL-STAR : | : Dick LeBeau Halftime: Rolling Stones www.superbowl.com | www.nfl.com Pittsburgh by 17, because they are the best road team in NOPLAYER POS HT WT DOB YR COLLEGE the NFL right now. 3 Jeff Reed K 5-11 232 4-9-79 4 North Carolina 7 QB 6-5 241 3-2-82 2 , Ohio Dennis Farina | ACTOR, LAW AND ORDER 8 QB 6-4 219 9-2-71 9 UCLA Pittsburgh, 31-17. Their defense is a little better than 16 QB 6-2 216 12-5-74 6 Eastern Michigan 17 P 6-1 192 2-7-70 15 Clemson everybody else’s. 20 Bryant McFadden CB 5-11 190 11-21-81 R State 21 CB 5-11 186 4-18-82 2 Tusculum Bob Weir | GRATEFUL DEAD GUITARIST 22 RB 5-11 242 2-27-75 9 South Carolina MATCHUPS TO WATCH VS I’m reluctantly picking Pittsburgh because brutal, blue-collar 23 FS 5-8 190 3-31-76 6 Minnesota football almost always trumps high-end, sophisticated 24 CB 6-1 191 5-5-80 3 La.-Lafayette 26 CB 5-10 190 9-8-75 8 Alabama football. The 49ers were the great exception. 24-21. 27 Willie Williams CB 5-9 194 12-26-70 13 Western Carolina 28 Chris Hope FS 5-11 206 9-29-80 4 Florida State ON THE EDGE S Arnold Palmer | GOLFING LEGEND 29 Chidi Iwuoma CB 5-8 184 2-19-78 5 Seahawks RB vs. Steelers run defense Pittsburgh, 35-20. The Steelers have more depth, a great 31 Mike Logan FS 6-1 211 9-15-74 8 West Virginia When Steelers run As Alexander goes, so go the Seahawks: they’re 29-5 in games in which he rushes for and the Bus. 34 RB 5-9 222 2-17-79 4 100 yards or more, and he went for 132 and two TDs against a tough Carolina defense 35 FB 5-11 255 3-11-77 6 New Hampshire The Seahawks have yet to face the Steelers’ 36 RB 5-11 255 2-16-72 13 Notre Dame EDGE 1 in the NFC championship game. If the Steelers can hold Alexander in check, Troy Polamalu, Haley Joel Osment | ACTOR type of smash-mouth offense. Pittsburgh also and Co. will be free to wreak havoc with blitzes. 39 RB 5-10 209 11-11-80 2 North Carolina has an inspired Jerome Bettis, who likely will (Osment has picked the past six Super Bowl winners) 43 Troy Polamalu SS 5-10 212 4-19-81 3 Southern California Pittsburgh, 31-21. 50 ILB 6-0 239 6-12-80 4 Michigan play his final game today in his hometown. Seahawks OL vs. Steelers blitz 51 ILB 6-2 243 1-6-75 9 Virginia Bettis and Willie Parker will be trouble. 53 OLB 6-4 243 1-10-77 6 State Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s scheme effectively neutralized Colts QB Peyton Phyllis Diller | COMEDIENNE 54 ILB 6-2 243 5-24-82 R Temple When Steelers pass Manning in a divisional playoff, then harassed the Broncos’ into four turnovers Pittsburgh is going to win by 8. I’m sure of myself. They’re 55 Joey Porter OLB 6-3 250 3-22-77 7 Colorado State 2 in the AFC championship game. C and his offensive line mates must keep the hot and I got a hunch. 56 Chukky Okobi C 6-1 318 11-18-78 4 Purdue EDGE Ben Roethlisberger has proved he can win heat off QB and open running lanes for Alexander if the Seahawks are to 57 ILB 6-1 248 3-17-76 7 Wis.-Stevens Point playoff games with his arm. Pass-first so far in move the ball. C Robbie Tobeck 60 Greg Warren LS 6-3 252 10-18-81 R North Carolina postseason, the Steelers might go back to the Mamie van Doren | LEGENDARY SEX SYMBOL 64 C 6-3 299 9-7-72 10 Penn State run for this game. Seattle has an opportunistic My fearless forecast is Pittsburgh 42-17, because they are 66 G 6-5 307 12-7-76 8 Louisiana State Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger vs. Super Bowl pressure defense, but Roethlisberger has the hot hand. blue-collar bad ---es. 67 DE 6-4 299 1-30-71 12 Boise State After hitting the wall in the playoffs as a rookie last season, he has proved a capable leader in 68 G 6-3 344 1-4-83 R Utah this postseason. He has completed 75 percent of his passes with seven TDs and one 72 T 6-4 325 5-5-72 10 Kansas State When Seahawks run Barry Williams | GREG BRADY OF THE BRADY BUNCH 3 in winning three road games. On football’s grandest stage, though, the pressure is ramped up Steelers, 42-38. They are used to the cold. 73 G 6-3 319 3-11-79 3 Auburn 76 NT 6-3 296 4-6-76 2 Brigham Young EDGE If there is any team that can run against even more and even the smallest mistakes are amplified. Roethlisberger must capably move the Pittsburgh, it’s the Seahawks. They have 77 T 6-5 310 8-6-78 6 Arizona State team, keep turnovers to a minimum then turn to his defense to bring it home. Regis Philbin | TALK SHOW HOST 78 T 6-7 337 1-10-82 2 Florida a talented offensive line and NFL MVP Shaun Seattle surprised me against Carolina. Their defense is 79 T 6-4 324 12-5-82 R Northwestern Alexander. Seattle needs 100 yards from Steelers running game vs. Seahawks defense better than I thought and so is Hasselbeck, but I think 80 Cedrick Wilson WR 5-10 183 12-17-78 5 Tennessee Alexander to win, but it won’t come easy. 81 Sean Morey WR 5-11 200 2-26-76 3 Brown One way for the Steelers to keep the pressure off Roethlisberger is to run the ball effectively, Pittsburgh is destined to win the Super Bowl. 82 WR 5-10 192 8-17-79 4 Indiana both to pick up yardage and control the tempo. Speed back Willie Parker, who had 1,202 yards RB Willie Parker 83 TE 6-5 256 10-22-82 R Virginia When Seahawks pass 4 in the regular season, is averaging just 2.8 yards per carry in the postseason, but Jerome Bettis | HALL OF FAMER Bob Cousy 84 TE 6-4 253 3-24-76 7 Michigan has responded with 137 yards and three TDs. The Steelers could find the going tough, however 85 WR 6-1 185 8-28-83 R Tiffin EDGE Pittsburgh’s Achilles’ heel is the deep pass, Pittsburgh has raised it to the next level. Seattle isn’t 86 WR 6-0 215 3-8-76 8 Georgia but Seattle’s keeps things — Seattle quietly put together the NFL’s No. 5 defense against the run. tournament-tested, as they say. 17-10. 89 WR 6-2 192 9-18-78 4 Texas-El Paso short. Matt Hasselbeck can move the chains, 90 DE 6-3 288 9-6-74 8 UCLA but if he doesn’t beat the Steelers deep, their Seahawks execution vs. Steelers emotion Picabo Street | OLYMPIC GOLD-MEDAL SKIIER 91 Aaron Smith DE 6-5 298 4-9-76 7 Northern Colorado vaunted pass rush and blitz will eat him up. 92 James Harrison OLB 6-0 242 5-4-78 2 Kent State In the hype leading up to the game, the Steelers grabbed most of the headlines. Bettis became Pittsburgh, 20-13. My mom would kill me if I didn’t pick 94 OLB 6-5 234 6-29-82 R Cincinnati the sentimental story line and LB Joey Porter’s diatribes against Seahawks TE the Steelers. 96 DE 6-5 280 5-22-81 R Brigham Young Special teams 5 — reported and replayed endlessly — seemed to give the Steelers mental focus and the chip 98 NT 6-1 325 9-3-77 5 Texas EDGE Both are solid; the teams’ kickers, punters on their shoulder that they love to have. All of that emotion will blow over, though, if the Mark Cuban | MAVERICKS OWNER 99 DE 6-5 285 9-19-78 3 Brigham Young and coverage teams are nearly identical in Seahawks establish the momentum early with solid blocking, Alexander breaking a run or two Pittsburgh, 28-17. When you have running, passing and INJURIES: LB James Harrison (ankle), DE Travis Kirschke (groin), RB Dan Kreider and the defense holding Pittsburgh out of the end zone. their production. Former Bengal LB the best in the history of the NFL, you are (knee), S Troy Polamalu (ankle) probable. could be a wild card on returns. He’d going to be tough to beat. love to break one against his former rivals. Dick Vitale | COLLEGE BASKETBALL ANNOUNCER Coaching Pittsburgh, 27-21. I’m a big fan of Notre Dame and I’ve SEAHAWKS GAME DAY EDGE Pittsburgh’s Bill Cowher (11-9) and Seattle’s always loved Jerome Bettis. Jerome gets to go home to ∑ Web site: www.seahawks.com (11-8) have similar postseason Detroit. Bettis to lead the Steelers in the Super Bowl. records; Holmgren has a ring. Give a slight Regular season edge to the Steelers because of coordinators Ryan Newman | NASCAR NEXTEL CUP DRIVER ∑ 13-3 (first in NFC West Division; home 8-0, road 5-3) Dick LeBeau and Ken Whisenhunt. Seattle, 28-14. Seattle simply has the better team. There’s Road to Super Bowl XL a reason why Pittsburgh was the sixth seed. Intangibles ∑ Wild-card round: Bye LB Joey Porter The Steelers run gadget plays better than Matt Kenseth | NASCAR NEXTEL CUP DRIVER ∑ Divisional round: def. Washington 20-10 (home) EDGE Pittsburgh always gets a lot of hype for running the ∑ NFC championship: def. Carolina 34-14 (home) any other team, and they have the inspiration of Bettis, and perhaps destiny, on their side. football, but if you’ve watched these two teams play lately, Playoff record: 5-7 (.417) | Super Bowl record: First appearance Add in an infuriated in Joey Porter Seattle runs the ball a lot more effectively. Seattle, 20-17. and Pittsburgh has all the right ingredients. Roster Natalie Coughlin | OLYMPIC GOLD-MEDAL SWIMMER Coach: Mike Holmgren (seventh season: 63-49, .563; playoffs, 2-3) Prediction Matt Hasselbeck Steelers, 24-21. No team has ever made it to the Super Offensive coordinator: Gil Haskell | Defensive coordinator: has been overshadowed Bowl from last seed with every playoff game on the road. Steelers 27 by other media-giant Very impressive! I’m cheering for the Steelers because I NOPLAYER POS HT WT DOB YR COLLEGE want Jerome Bettis, who apparently is a great teammate Seahawks 17 James Walker Shaun Alexander QBs (, 3 Josh Brown K 6-0 202 4-29-79 3 Nebraska — and hard worker, to end his career on a high note. 8 Matt Hasselbeck QB 6-4 223 9-25-75 7 Boston College [email protected] won the rushing title and , Michael 11 David Greene QB 6-3 225 6-22-82 R Georgia set an NFL record with Vick) _ but he turned 15 QB 5-11 197 8-6-80 1 Iowa State 28 this season. in a career year this Nate Holland | 2006 OLYMPIAN, SNOWBOARDCROSS 16 Tom Rouen P 6-3 225 6-9-68 13 Colorado Ben Roethlisberger is in his second season season. Seattle, all the way baby! I was born and raised in the 18 D.J. Hackett WR 6-2 199 7-3-81 1 Colorado Now all that remains is Jerome Bettis is the sentimental but already plays like a veteran. Today’s game, to carry his team to a Northwest. I hope they crush Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl 20 RB 5-11 202 12-1-79 4 Oregon favorite, playing for his first dreams. 24-20. 21 Andre Dyson CB 5-10 183 5-25-79 5 Utah though, will provide the ultimate test of his championship. championship, in his hometown, 22 Jimmy Williams CB 5-11 189 3-10-79 5 Vanderbilt leadership and savvy under pressure. in perhaps the final game of 23 CB 5-11 199 12-25-80 3 Washington State Justin Berfield | ACTOR, MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE 25 Michael Harden CB 5-11 190 10-21-81 1 Missouri a terrific 13-year career. Seattle, 35-21. I am always the guy who goes for the 27 Jordan Babineaux CB 6-0 200 8-31-82 2 Southern Arkansas underdog and they are really long overdue. 28 SS 6-2 223 9-17-81 2 Florida State 31 CB 5-10 180 11-3-76 4 Toledo 33 FS 6-0 208 7-11-79 4 Florida Vince Neil | MOTLEY CRUE LEAD SINGER 35 Etric Pruitt DB 6-0 196 8-16-81 2 Southern Mississippi Pittsburgh, 21-7. Toughest team, better defense. 37 Shaun Alexander RB 5-11 225 8-30-77 6 Alabama 38 FB 6-0 245 9-11-71 12 Georgia | BOSTON GUITARIST 39 RB 6-0 218 12-11-79 3 Kansas State Tom Scholz 43 FB 6-0 251 9-23-82 R Carson-Newman BEST SUPER BOWLS WORST SUPER BOWLS STARTING LINEUPS If the Patriots aren’t playing, can they really call it a Super 50 LB 6-1 236 1-25-82 R Alabama Bowl? Anyway, I’d guess 24-7 Steelers. Seattle must be 51 Lofa Tatupu MLB 6-0 238 11-15-82 R Southern California thoroughly depressed after two months of nonstop rain. 52 J.P. Darche LS 6-0 246 2-28-75 6 McGill XXXIV | Jan. 30, 2000 IX | Jan. 12, 1975 When the Seahawks have the ball When the Steelers have the ball 53 MLB 6-2 244 3-25-81 2 Purdue RAMS 23, TITANS 16 STEELERS 16, VIKINGS 6 Vanilla Ice | RAPPER 54 D.D. Lewis OLB 6-1 241 1-8-79 3 Texas The Titans had one big rally, from a 16-0 deficit, but The third of Minnesota’s four Super busts was a stinker of 56 OLB 6-1 230 9-14-82 R Clemson 3 PK: Josh Brown 3 PK: Jeff Reed I am picking Seattle, even though Pittsburgh will be tough. 57 Kevin Bentley OLB 6-1 240 12-29-79 4 Northwestern 1 Mike Jones stopped at the 1-yard line 1 the highest order. The halftime score was 2-0 and the RB: Shaun Alexander 37 TB: Willie Parker 39 I think this one will be a exciting game going all the way to 58 OLB 6-1 250 1-19-74 6 Harvard to prevent Tennessee from tying it a second time. Vikes finished with a meager 119 yards. FB: Mack Strong 16 P: Tom Rouen FB: Dan Kreider 17 P: Chris Gardocki the end — maybe overtime — not some lame blowout. 61 Robbie Tobeck C 6-4 298 3-6-70 12 Washington State 38 35 62 Chris Gray G 6-3 308 6-19-70 13 Auburn XXIII | Jan. 22, 1989 XXIV | Jan. 28, 1990 WR: QB: Matt Hasselbeck WR: QB: Ben Roethlisberger | ENTERTAINER 65 Chris Spencer C 6-3 309 3-28-82 R Mississippi 49ERS 20, BENGALS 16 49ERS 55, BRONCOS 10 Darrell Antwaan Susan Anton C: Robbie Tobeck C: Jeff Hartings Randle El I love ‘‘The Bus’’ and would love to see him get his Super 69 Joe Tafoya DE 6-4 265 9-6-78 4 Arizona led the winning 92-yard drive, capped by The Broncos were such pretenders they could have worn Jackson 71 Walter Jones T 6-5 315 1-19-74 9 Florida State Bowl ring before he retires . . . but in the end I have a beauty of a pass to John Taylor. But what might have fake mustaches. Joe Montana and MVP carved WR: Bobby RT: Sean RG: Chris LG: Steve LT: Walter TE: Jerramy WR: Hines RT: Max RG: Kendall LG: Alan LT: Marvel TE: Heath 73 T 6-5 303 7-2-81 1 Hawaii 2 2 Engram Locklear Gray 8 Hutchinson Jones Stevens Ward Starks Simmons 7 Faneca Smith Miller a feeling that the Seahawks are going to be triumphant in been if Lewis Billups hadn’t dropped an earlier pick? them up from the start. 74 T 6-6 327 8-13-82 R Florida State their first ever Bowl appearance. Seattle, 31-28. 75 T 6-3 301 5-29-81 2 North Carolina State 76 Steve Hutchinson G 6-5 311 11-1-77 5 Michigan XXV | Jan. 27, 1991 XXXV | Jan. 28, 2001 84 75 62 61 76 71 86 82 86 78 73 64 66 77 83 82 77 Floyd Womack T 6-4 330 11-15-78 5 Mississippi State GIANTS 20, BILLS 19 RAVENS 34, GIANTS 7 Dr. Jerry Falwell | MORAL MAJORITY COALITION 78 Robert Pollard DE 6-2 272 6-28-81 1 Texas Christian DE: Kimo Von DE: Grant Seattle. You can put your money on it. 81 Peter Warrick WR 5-11 195 6-19-77 6 Florida State The high-powered Bills met their match in the Of all the unsavory moments before, during and after — DE: Aaron Smith 91 98 67 DE: Bryce Fisher 94 91 90 96 grinding, -led Giants, but it wasn’t , Brian Billick, 11 Giants punts — none burns Oelhoffen Wistrom 82 WR 5-11 201 12-6-78 6 Florida 3 3 DT: Casey Hampton DT: Chuck DT: Marcus | CHEF, FOOD NETWORK 83 TE 6-2 248 2-24-80 4 Northern Iowa settled until Scott Norwood’s kick drifted wide right. more than the image of Art Modell holding the trophy. Darby Tubbs Bobby Flay 84 WR 5-10 188 1-7-73 10 Penn State Pittsburgh, 20-17. The Steelers are more playoff seasoned. 86 Jerramy Stevens TE 6-7 265 11-13-79 4 Washington XIII | Jan. 21, 1979 XXVII | Jan. 30, 1993 OLB: Clark 53 55 OLB: Joey OLB: D.D. 54 56 OLB: Leroy Haggans 51 50 Porter Lewis 87 Joe Jurevicius WR 6-5 230 12-23-74 8 Penn State STEELERS 35, COWBOYS 31 COWBOYS 52, BILLS 17 51 Hill Carrot Top | COMEDIAN 88 TE 6-4 258 4-20-73 8 Brigham Young The first shootout in Super history might have The third of Buffalo’s four straight Super losses became ILB: James ILB: Larry Pittsburgh, 31-24. If they win they could put their logo on 90 DT 6-3 320 5-16-81 2 Texas 24 Farrior Foote 2226 21 23 91 Chartric Darby DT 6-0 298 10-22-75 5 South Carolina State 4 produced even more points had Cowboys tight 4 a rout by the second quarter as the Cowboys took ILB: Lofa the other side of their helmet. Tatupu 93 Craig Terrill DT 6-3 287 6-27-80 2 Purdue end not flubbed a sure TD catch. advantage of nine turnovers by the bumbling Bills. CB: Ike CB: Deshea CB: Andre CB: Marcus 94 Bryce Fisher DE 6-3 272 5-12-77 5 Air Force XXXVIII | Feb. 1, 2004 VI | Jan. 16, 1972 Taylor Townsend Dyson Trufant Ted Giannoulas | THE CHICKEN 95 DE 6-3 292 10-7-79 4 Ohio State 28 43 33 28 Sorry, Seattle, a chicken cannot favor a hawk of any stripe. 98 DE 6-4 272 7-3-76 8 Nebraska PATRIOTS 32, PANTHERS 29 COWBOYS 24, DOLPHINS 3 99 DT 6-3 293 4-19-79 4 Texas A&M FS: Chris Hope SS: Troy FS: Marquand SS: Michael Besides, has anyone noted the Steelers have lost only All three recent Patriots victories were tight and well- Before Doomsday, Big D stood for Dull. That was really Polamalu Manuel Boulware three road games in the past two years? Even a bird-brain INJURIES: CB Andre Dyson (quadriceps), WR D.J. Hackett (hamstring) probable. 5 played; this wins based on the pinball finish, in which 5 true in this snoozer, as collected can do the math on this — Pittsburgh wins, 29-20. the teams combined for 37 fourth-quarter points. MVP honors by passing for all of 119 yards. STEVE SPENCER | DISPATCH — Scripps Howard News Service

1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI XXII XXIII XXIV XXV XXVI XXVII XXVIII XXIX XXX XXXI XXXII XXXIII XXXIV XXXV XXXVI XXXVII XXXVIII XXXIX PACKERS 35 PACKERS 33 JETS 16 CHIEFS 23 COLTS 16 COWBOYS 24 DOLPHINS 14 DOLPHINS 24 STEELERS 16 STEELERS 21 RAIDERS 32 COWBOYS 27 STEELERS 35 STEELERS 31 RAIDERS 27 49ERS 26 REDSKINS 27 RAIDERS 38 49ERS 38 BEARS 46 GIANTS 39 REDSKINS 42 49ERS 20 49ERS 55 GIANTS 20 REDSKINS 37 COWBOYS 52 COWBOYS 30 49ERS 49 COWBOYS 27 PACKERS 35 BRONCOS 31 BRONCOS 34 RAMS 23 RAVENS 34 PATRIOTS 20 BUCCANEERS 48 PATRIOTS 32 PATRIOTS 24 CHIEFS 10 RAIDERS 14 COLTS 7 VIKINGS 7 COWBOYS 13 DOLPHINS 3 REDSKINS 7 VIKINGS 7 VIKINGS 6 COWBOYS 17 VIKINGS 14 BRONCOS 10 COWBOYS 31 RAMS 19 EAGLES 10 BENGALS 21 DOLPHINS 17 REDSKINS 9 DOLPHINS 16 PATRIOTS 10 BRONCOS 20 BRONCOS 10 BENGALS 16 BRONCOS 10 BILLS 19 BILLS 24 BILLS 17 BILLS 13 CHARGERS 26 STEELERS 17 PATRIOTS 21 PACKERS 24 FALCONS 19 TITANS 16 GIANTS 7 RAMS 17 RAIDERS 21 PANTHERS 29 EAGLES 21