Super Bowl XLV Preview - Franchise Comparisons - Green Bay Packers vs Pittsburgh Steelers

Two storied franchises are set to battle it out in Dallas on Sunday to determine which one will become even more storied. We’ve compared the offenses. We’ve compared the defenses. Now let’s compare the organizations as a whole and see how they stack up to each other.

Founded -

            Green Bay Packers: 1919

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 1933

            Comment of Misfortune: Green Bay is older by 14 years and was part of the original National Football League.

            Team Advantage: Green Bay

            Score: Green Bay, 1-0

Stadium Capacity -

            Green Bay Packers: 73,128

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 64,450

            Comment of Misfortune: Since 73,128 is a few more drunken fans more than 64,450, I gotta rule in favor of Green Bay.

            Team Advantage: Green Bay

            Score: Green Bay, 2-0

Uniform Colors -

            Green Bay Packers: Green and Gold

            Pittsburgh Steelers: Black and Gold

            Comment of Misfortune: Both teams apparently like gold, so that's a draw. However, football teams are more menacing dressed in black. I mean, would Darth vader have been nearly as scary if he wore green like a wee little leprechaun? I think not.

            Team Advantage: Pittsburgh

            Score: Green Bay, 2-1

Nickname -

            Green Bay Packers: Packers, Titletown USA, Cheeseheads

            Pittsburgh Steelers: Steelers, Steel Curtain

            Comment of Misfortune: I don’t really know what Steelers are and Packers kind of scare me - what are they packing anyway? But since Steel Curtains can keep Cheeseheads locked up and out of harm's way, gotta give the nod to Pittsburgh.

            Team Advantage: Pittsburgh

            Score: Tied, 2-2

2010 Record -

            Green Bay Packers: 10-6 (3-0)

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 12-4 (2-0)

            Comment of Misfortune: Green Bay's 3-0 run on the road in the playoffs is quite impressive, but overall Pittsburgh's 14-4 record sounds better than 13-6.

            Team Advantage: Pittsburgh

            Score: Pittsburgh, 3-2

All-Time Regular Season Record -

            Green Bay Packers: 664-524-36 (.559 win %, since 1921)

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 541-499-20 (.520 win %, since 1933)

            Comment of Misfortune: Not only has Green Bay played more games then Pittsburgh, they've won a higher percentage of them, too.

            Team Advantage: Green Bay

            Score: Tied, 3-3

All-Time Playoff Record -

            Green Bay Packers: 28-16 (.636 win %)

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 33-19 (.635 win %)

            Comment of Misfortune: Come playoff time, however, Pittsburgh has played in more games, and won more games, than the Packers.

            Team Advantage: Pittsburgh

            Score: Pittsburgh, 4-3

2010 Touchdowns Scored -

            Green Bay Packers: 58 (regular season, 46; playoffs, 12)

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 48 (regular season, 41; playoffs 7)

            Comment of Misfortune: The Packers offense has been quite prolific through most of the season and they have punched the ball into the end zone 10 times more than the Steelers.

            Team Advantage: Green Bay

            Score: Tied, 4-4

2010 Field Goals Scored -

            Green Bay Packers: 24 (regular season, 22; playoffs,2)

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 31 (regular season, 29; playoffs, 2)

            Comment of Misfortune: In close, defensive battles, field goals can be of utmost importance. The Steelers have a significant edge here.

            Team Advantage: Pittsburgh

            Score: Pittsburgh, 5-4

Super Bowl Titles -

            Green Bay Packers: 3 ~ Super Bowls I, II and XXXI

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 6 ~ Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL, XLIII

            Comment of Misfortune: My grade-school math tells me 6 is twice as big as 3, so this category definitely falls Pittsburgh's way.

            Team Advantage: Pittsburgh

            Score: Pittsburgh, 6-4

Other Championships -

            Green Bay Packers: 9 ~ NFL Championships in 1929, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1939, 1944, 1961, 1962 and 1965

            Pittsburgh Steelers: None

            Comment of Misfortune: Yet if any grade-school kid can tell you 6 is twice as big as 3, it would take a mathematical genius to comprehend how many times 9 is bigger than 0. The answer may be undefined, but the result is clearly in Green Bay's favor.

            Team Advantage: Green Bay

            Score: Pittsburgh, 6-5

All-Time Record vs Each Other -

            Green Bay Packers: 18-14

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 14-18

            Comment of Misfortune: The Packers own the all-time series by four games…

            Team Advantage: Green Bay

            Score: Tied, 6-6

Record in Last 10 Games vs Each Other (since December 1970) -

            Green Bay Packers: 3-7

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-3

            Comment of Misfortune: …but have been far from stellar against the Steelers when they have faced off during the last 40 years.

            Team Advantage: Pittsburgh

            Score: Pittsburgh, 7-6

Biggest All-Time Victory vs Each Other -

            Green Bay Packers: 47 points (GB 54, PIT 7; November 23, 1941)

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 31 points (PIT 38, GB 7; November 7, 1948)

            Comment of Misfortune: Both blowouts took place in a black-and-white world, but Green Bay's 54 points in 1941 is far more impressive than the mere 38 points Pittsburgh managed in their 1948 victory.

            Team Advantage: Green Bay

            Score: Tied, 7-7

Total Franchise All-Pro Players -

            Green Bay Packers: 56 Players (named a total of 126 times)

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 38 Players (named a total of 80 times)

            Comment of Misfortune: When it comes to Pro's Pros, Green Bay has had almost 50% more All-Pro players on their rosters than the Steelers.

            Team Advantage: Green Bay

            Score: Green Bay, 8-7

Total Franchise Pro Bowl Players -

            Green Bay Packers: 118 Players (named a total of 257 times)

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 114 Players (named a total of 290 times)

            Comment of Misfortune: When it comes to fan balloting, both teams have had roughly the same number of players voted to the Pro Bowl, but Pittsburgh has sent their players nearly 50 more times to the glorified flag football game than Green Bay.

            Team Advantage: Pittsburgh

            Score: Tied, 8-8

Pac-10 Players on Roster -

            Green Bay Packers: 7 - Nick Barnett (Oregon State), Desmond Bishop (California), Brandon Chillar (UCLA), Spencer Havner (UCLA), Clay Matthews (USC), Dmitri Nance (Arizona State) and Aaron Rodgers (California)

            Pittsburgh Steelers: 3 - Dennis Dixon (Oregon), Keenan Lewis (Oregon State) and Troy Polamalu (USC)

            Comment of Misfortune: What's with all the non-Pac-10 players, Pittsburgh? Talk about East Coast bias. Left Coast Advantage - Green Bay.

            Team Advantage: Green Bay

            Score: Green Bay, 9-8

Team Fans -

            Green Bay Packers: "Team Owners" wearing cheese-related headgear

            Pittsburgh Steelers: Blue-collar workers waving yellow-hankies in the air and screaming about how terrible they are; Scottie V.

            Comment of Misfortune: An alcohol-soaked cheesehead weaving towards you in a darkened alley would be far less menacing than a Steeler with a terrible towel coming at you.

            Team Advantage: Pittsburgh

            Score: Tied, 9-9

Final Judgment:

            Both franchises are among the true elites of the National Football League and remain deadlocked after 18 comparison categories. It should be one heck of a Super Bowl!

Check back tomorrow for the predictions of Creative Misfortune for Super Bowl XLV…Will either team be a unanimous pick by all prediction systems?