Film study reveals overlooked strengths, weaknesses

The so-called "dead week" before the Super Bowl is my favorite week of the year. Before leaving for Detroit and Super Bowl XL, my task at ESPN is to sit in a film room and break down the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks in almost every area.

We assemble three- and four-play themes that we then edit and air on all the various ESPN shows during Super Bowl week. It is pure football viewing at its best. Here are some of the observations we've made after spending hours in the film room.

Learning to block: When TE Heath Miller was drafted, he was thought of primarily as a pass-catching tight end with marginal blocking skills. However, he has developed into an excellent position blocker, especially in the run game. The Steelers use him at times in almost a fullback position as a lead blocker, but they also can motion him from that position to block on the edges. He is especially effective in their trap game, using angles in the hole to wall off defenders. He is not overly physical, but he is very effective.

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