Four to watch in Super Bowl XLV

More than ever, the NFL is quarterback driven, and the winner of Sunday's Super Bowl XLV might very well be the one with the MVP passer.

“There is no doubt that this is a quarterback league,” Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “We are fortunate enough to have somebody who is an elite one, so it makes it much easier.”

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had the fifth best passer rating (97.0) in the NFL during the regular season. The problem for Pittsburgh is that the Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers was third best at 101.2.

“A great deal of why these two teams are here is because of the men who play that position,” Tomlin said. “It's big because of how the game is officiated and ruled differently than it was 10 years ago.”

Of the 12 quarterbacks in the playoffs this season, 10 of them finished in the top 16 of the league in passer rating.

Clearly, the starting quarterbacks in this Super Bowl will be two of the players to watch Sunday evening.

On the other side of the ball, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is this year's defensive player of the year, an award that went to Packers cornerback Charles Woodson last season.

Those two defensive difference-makers might also be worth keeping an eye on.

Ben Roethlisberger

In his first seven seasons in the league, Big Ben started in four AFC championship games. He's already 10-2 in the postseason and has the second-highest winning percentage (83.3) in NFL postseason history, behind only Bart Starr's 90.0 winning percentage (9-1) for the Packers.

A third Super Bowl victory would put Roethlisberger in the same class as former Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw, who won four, and the Patriots' Tom Brady, who's won three.

“That's unbelievable company,” Roethlisberger said. “(But) I don't put myself there. I think they're too good. I hate answering those questions because it's assuming we win, you know? Maybe that's a good question if we win and I'm sitting at the podium.”

Roethlisberger gets criticized for holding the ball so long that he takes unnecessary sacks. But more often than not the 6-foot-5, 241-pound hulk is able to fend off or avoid tacklers, which buys extra time for his receivers to come open and make big plays.

“He's a unique athlete,” Packers sack leader Clay Matthews said. “It's almost like taking down an offensive lineman. He shrugs off defenders. It's very important that we get him down when we get to him, because he is still able to get the ball away — even when you have him wrapped up.”

Aaron Rodgers

The effectiveness of the Steelers' zone blitz is legendary, but over the last two seasons, Rodgers has a passer rating of 108.7 when blitzed, the best mark in the NFL. He's also No. 1 in the NFL on third downs in the last two seasons with a 116.0 passer rating. And Rodgers' career passer rating of 98.4 is the best in NFL history.

“He is the start and the finish of what we do,” said Greg Jennings, the Packers' No. 1 wide receiver. “If you can get to Aaron you kind of disrupt what we're doing. (But) he's proven that he can escape pressure situations and extend the play. We thrive off of his performances. When he's rolling, we're rolling.”

Rodgers rolled for a career-high 356 rushing yards this season, third best in the league among quarterbacks, and he averaged 5.6 yards per attempt. But more often than not he avoids the rush to make plays with his arm.

“He's great if you blitz him,” Packers wide receiver James Jones said. “He's the key to our whole offense, and he gets the ball into the skill-position players' hands fast and gives us an opportunity to make plays after the catch.

“He's a humble guy and an awesome teammate,” Jones said. “He cracks jokes and isn't like your typical star quarterback. He's the first one to get there and the last one to leave every day. He knows what a defense is going to do before they even do it.”

Charles Woodson

He was the defensive MVP last season and was voted to a seventh Pro Bowl this year, his third straight. At 34 and in his 13th season, Woodson is still in his prime.

Woodson can be a shut-down corner and a tackling machine against the run. He moves to nickel back in passing situations to cover the slot receiver, and he can provide pass-rush pressure on blitzes.

“He can play corner, safety, nickel, linebacker, strong safety, he can pick the ball off, make you fumble, and he's a great tackler,” Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. “I just can't stop saying enough about him.”

In just five seasons with the Packers — he played his first eight with the Oakland Raiders — Woodson holds the Green Bay record with 8 touchdowns on interception returns, and he forced 5 fumbles this season.

“Phenomenal player,” said Ward, also a 13-year veteran. “The best all-around defensive back out there. The guy's an exceptional pass-catcher. If you make a mistake, run a wrong route, he'll intercept it and take it back. He's an excellent blitzer and tackler. It's a big honor to play against him. We both came out together and here we are playing in the Super Bowl.”

Troy Polamalu

He led the Steelers with 7 interceptions this season, tying his career high and tying for second in the NFL. Polamalu has 27 career interceptions, and the Steelers are 22-3 when he has a pick.

No less an authority than Woodson was asked if he and Polamalu are the most versatile defensive backs in football.

“Probably so,” Woodson said. “If you look at both of us and the way we're allowed to move around and the different things we do out there on the field, I think that we are.”

A lot of what Woodson does for the Packers, Polamalu does for the Steelers.

“You just have to know where he's at,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “He's a great blitzer. He's a good cover guy, and he's got good ball skills, so it's important to figure out where he's at.”

Polamalu can be especially dangerous when he freelances because he has the ability to make plays all over the field.

“Troy is a beast,” teammate Hines Ward said. “Even if he's supposed to be in coverage, he'll get out of coverage and make a play. He just has a sixth sense about where the ball's going to go.”

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