What Happens in Vegas

As soon as a Super Bowl match-up is set, the betting begins. 

Actually, I suppose the betting begins long before that, inasmuch as people take odds before the season even starts on each team’s chances of making and winning it.

In any case, the early action favored the Packers, as SI.com reported that Vegas installed the Packers as early favorites for Super Bowl XLV. At this moment, we’re favored by 2.5 points.

Frankly, I’m a little surprised.  The Steelers are the #2 seed in the AFC, while the Packers come in as the #6 seed from the NFC.  Furthermore, Pittsburgh is the one team with arguably a better defense than Green Bay.  Plus, they have a ton of playoff and Super Bowl experience on their roster, while the Packers are pretty thin in that department.  And, on top of all that, we played head-to-head last season, and the Steelers won.

The “experience factor” is what prompts Don Banks, himself a Wisconsin resident these days, to pick the Steelers.  He has been bullish on the Packers this season, and so his pick concerns me.

I respect Banks, to be sure.  On the other hand, the odds-makers were right about the Packers going into Chicago, and so I’m hopeful that they’re right about us going into Dallas.

And speaking of going into Dallas… I think the venue actually works in our favor.  It’s hard to imagine beating Pittsburgh in Heinz Field.  And I even wonder about our beating them in Lambeau in January.  But Rodgers clearly prefers the kind of fast track and perfect climate that Jerry Jones’ shrine will provide.  And I believe that our offense and defense are built for speed, too. 

In a sense, the Super Bowl promises to be the most favorable all-around environment that the Packers have played in for many weeks.  Chicago was obviously a mess, as well as being an away game.  We performed great in Atlanta’s dome, but it was before a hostile crowd.  Philly was not much better than Chicago.  And the last three games of the season were played in Green Bay and Foxboro in December.

Dallas is not a home game, of course, but we’ll have a lot more Packer fans there than we had in Atlanta, Philly, or Chicago, and the playing surface and environment will be well-suited to our explosiveness on both sides of the ball. 

I’m hopeful, therefore, that what’s happening in Vegas after the Conference Championships will happen in Dallas in the Super Bowl!

Technorati Tags: Green Bay Packers,Pittsburgh Steelers,Super Bowl predictions,Aaron Rodgers,Don Banks