AMERICAN FOOTBALL/Super Bowl XL: Running backs Shaun Alexander of Seattle and Jerome Bettis of Pittsburgh have gained most of the plaudits in their teams' runs to Super Bowl XL but less heralded players may be the decisive factors tomorrow.
The 31-year-old Joe Jurevicius has offered the Seahawks a consummate professional at wide receiver and could be their game-winner. For Pittsburgh, wide-out Hines Ward may end up with the most important catch that gives the Steelers their first NFL title since 1980.
The veteran leadership Jurevicius has brought with him to the Pacific Northwest has been crucial for Seahawks making the Super Bowl for the first time in their 30-year history.
"We made a number of moves in the off-season and Joe Jurevicius was one of those guys, a blue-collar type guy who is a hard worker who comes in and does whatever he has to do and he has been a great player for us all year long," says quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.
It is hard to argue what Jurevicius, who is playing in his third Super Bowl, has meant to the Seahawks.
When veterans Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram were sidelined with injuries this season, Jurevicius stepped in and more than filled the void.
He played in all 16 regular season games and set career highs in catches (55) and touchdowns (10) as the Seahawks won 13 and lost just three. He finished with 694 receiving yards, 12 shy of matching a career best.
Jurevicius then helped Seattle win against both Washington and Carolina in the play-offs. His numbers had to be a major surprise since he missed 17 games over the last two seasons before being released by Tampa Bay on March 1st.
"Joe is what a professional is all about," says Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren. "His work ethic is just one of the aspects he has brought to our team."
Despite the injuries, Jurevicius always has seemed to find success. He was a member of the New York Giants' team that reached Super Bowl XXXV in the 2000 season, then was an integral part of the Tampa Bay squad that won Super Bowl XXXVII two seasons later.
In the Bucs' post-season run, Jurevicius led the team with 197 receiving yards, including a 71-yard catch in the NFC Championship game at Philadelphia.
He had four catches for 78 yards in the Super Bowl triumph over Oakland.
Ward, 29, has been just as important to the Steelers throughout his career. He made franchise history in November with a 15-yard catch late in the third quarter to break John Stallworth's club reception record (537).
He has 574 career catches in 127 games, an amazing number for a third-round pick who was a college quarterback.
Ward, who is in his eighth season, also ranks first, second and third on the team for single-season catches.
He has 7,030 career receiving yards to rank only behind Stallworth (8,723) on the club's all-time list.
