Packers vs. Steelers - Interview With Jerome Bettis

Guinness and Buffalo Wild Wings gave me the opportunity to interview former Steelers great RB Jerome Bettis. And eat some free wings and drink some free Guinness. I did the interview before I drank the Guinness, so if you think the interview sounds bad, I can't blame it on the beer.

As I asked him some questions, Dan Gigler of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette asked his own questions. I've put a partial transcript below of the most pertinent ones, and included a link to the entire audio. As always, he's a great speaker and his knowledge of the game really comes through in his answers. It's easy to see why he was the face of the Steelers for so many years.

Dan Gigler: Talk about Rashard Mendenhall's maturation. How will he do on Sunday?

Jerome Bettis: He's done a great job this season. Coming into the season Ben Roethlisberger had a four game suspension. They really relied on Mendenhall to be the offense. And he really didn't disappoint them. He's set himself up to have a really good Super Bowl. Or at least affect the Green Bay Packers to the point where they have to account for him.

APC: In the last couple years the Steelers have relied more on the passing game. But do you think that teams are still really concerned about the Steelers run offense?

JB: They are concerned, but there not overly concerned where they want to sell out to stop the run. And I think in years past that was the mindset that you had to sell out to stop the run because if you didn't the Steelers were going to beat you. And so, now it's a little different where the passing has taken more prominence but they still shown that they can run the football when they need to.

DG: If Ben Rothlisberger plays well do the Steelers win? Is he the key to the game?

JB: Both quarterbacks are the keys to the game. Both quarterbacks are the keys to the game. He's the catalyst for the offense. Conversely Aaron Rodgers makes that offense go. The fate of both teams hinge on the quarterback play.

DG: What other matchups do you like?

JB: I'm looking at the edge rusher. Who can disrupt those quarterbacks from getting and making those accurate throws.

A link to the complete interview with Jerome Bettis is here.