Super Bowl Predictions 2011: Green Bay Packers Early Favorites: The Green Bay Packers opened as 2.5-point favorites over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.

That’s right: the team that squeaked into a wild card spot is favored over the team that won one of the best divisions in football.

The Packers raced through the playoffs and are riding a their momentum to be favored in the big game. It’s tough to argue with it. It’s also tough to agree with it.

Neither of the teams screams favorite. They are preposterously evenly matched across the board. Finding advantages for either is like finding the cure for cancer: We’ve got some ideas but nobody really knows.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers has the Packers offense revved up. But the Pittsburgh defense is the best in football with safety Troy Polamalu back from injury. Green Bay is using an undrafted running back, James Starts, who is making his fourth career start. But Pittsburgh’s offense will likely be without its All-Pro center, Maurkice Pouncey.

There’s no sure money in this game.

Read Super Bowl 2011: Can the Steelers Secondary Slow Down the Pack’s Passing Attack? to find out how Rodgers will do against the Steelers defense.