GO CARDS!!!
Gameday II
"Let's Fly" - Coach Bombay
The Super Bowl is rarely logical. There was no logic behind David Tyree's catch, behind Dyson getting tackled one yard short or behind Brady's comeback.
But matching up the players on paper can help us determine where the differences between two teams lie. So without further ado, the breakdown of Super Bowl XLIII
QUARTERBACK
Kurt Warner has made another resurgence just when everyone was beginning to forget about him, and rightfully the Hall of Fame talk has begun. Ben Roethlisberger has already won a Super Bowl and has shown poise under pressure. But somehow it just seems that Warner has one big game left in his illustrious career.
EDGE : CARDINALS
RUNNING BACKS
Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower are no Smash and Dash but they have been an efficient duo. They cannot, however, compete with Willie Parker's pure speed and skill.
EDGE : STEELERS
WIDE RECEIVERS
Hines Ward is good. Santonio Holmes is good. Larry Fitzgerald is great. He is simply on another level right now. And don't fool yourself into thinking that Anquan Boldin won't show up...he will.
EDGE : CARDINALS
TIGHT END
Heath Miller is a solid receiver, and Arizona's defensive backfield are not great at covering TEs. The Cards' starting tight end is....umm....I don't actually know...bad news
EDGE : STEELERS
O-LINE
Both teams have good ones but there are times where Kurt Warner feels pressure and that's where his biggest weakness lies. So perhaps the Cards' O-Line isn't better but a good performance from them could be more important in this game than a superb one from the Steelers'.
EDGE : STEELERS
D-LINE
The Cards' line can lug some hole with big Darnell Dockett in the middle and Bertrand Berry on the outside. But they've got nothing on the monsters lining up on the Steelers side of the ball. Casey Hampton is experienced and talented and when LaMarr Woodley puts his hand in the ground Warner's going to have watch out...
EDGE : STEELERS
LINEBACKERS
James Harrison is frighteningly good. LaMarr Woodley has dangerous speed, and James Farrior and friends can stop the run. Karlos Dansby could be Superman and the edge would still go to Pittsburgh.
EDGE : STEELERS
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Adrian Wilson is a great blitzer and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is going to be a star. That said, Pittsburgh's covering corners are darn good, and Troy Polamalu will be the best safety in the league once Ed Reed decides to act his age. If Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend can cover Boldin and Fitgerald it will be very tough for the Cards to win.
EDGE : STEELERS
KICKER
Um...Neil Rackers kicks far right? Yeah, okay, we'll go with him...
EDGE : CARDINALS
PUNTER
I can't name either so I guess we're forced to call it even.
EDGE : EVEN
So it's 6-3. Last year, it was 7-3 Patriots. But though they were expected to win, for one night they were outmatched. Many expect the Steelers to take care of business Sunday night. The Steelers are favored by a full touchdown. The oddsmakers don't even expect this to be close.
But the best moments come out of the unexpected. There are times when a person or a team does something so incredible and amazing there was no way anyone could see it coming. There will be a play or two in this Super Bowl that no one expected. Whoever makes that play will win this year. I think it'll be the Arizona Cardinals. There's something about this team that makes you believe they can rise up and win. They can fly, or more specifically, Larry Fitzgerald can.
One Play.
That's all it takes.
The Cardinals can do it.
THE PICK - ARIZONA (+6.5) over Pittsburgh
MVP: MATT LEINART
"Let's Fly" - Coach Bombay
The Super Bowl is rarely logical. There was no logic behind David Tyree's catch, behind Dyson getting tackled one yard short or behind Brady's comeback.
But matching up the players on paper can help us determine where the differences between two teams lie. So without further ado, the breakdown of Super Bowl XLIII
QUARTERBACK
Kurt Warner has made another resurgence just when everyone was beginning to forget about him, and rightfully the Hall of Fame talk has begun. Ben Roethlisberger has already won a Super Bowl and has shown poise under pressure. But somehow it just seems that Warner has one big game left in his illustrious career.
EDGE : CARDINALS
RUNNING BACKS
Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower are no Smash and Dash but they have been an efficient duo. They cannot, however, compete with Willie Parker's pure speed and skill.
EDGE : STEELERS
WIDE RECEIVERS
Hines Ward is good. Santonio Holmes is good. Larry Fitzgerald is great. He is simply on another level right now. And don't fool yourself into thinking that Anquan Boldin won't show up...he will.
EDGE : CARDINALS
TIGHT END
Heath Miller is a solid receiver, and Arizona's defensive backfield are not great at covering TEs. The Cards' starting tight end is....umm....I don't actually know...bad news
EDGE : STEELERS
O-LINE
Both teams have good ones but there are times where Kurt Warner feels pressure and that's where his biggest weakness lies. So perhaps the Cards' O-Line isn't better but a good performance from them could be more important in this game than a superb one from the Steelers'.
EDGE : STEELERS
D-LINE
The Cards' line can lug some hole with big Darnell Dockett in the middle and Bertrand Berry on the outside. But they've got nothing on the monsters lining up on the Steelers side of the ball. Casey Hampton is experienced and talented and when LaMarr Woodley puts his hand in the ground Warner's going to have watch out...
EDGE : STEELERS
LINEBACKERS
James Harrison is frighteningly good. LaMarr Woodley has dangerous speed, and James Farrior and friends can stop the run. Karlos Dansby could be Superman and the edge would still go to Pittsburgh.
EDGE : STEELERS
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Adrian Wilson is a great blitzer and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is going to be a star. That said, Pittsburgh's covering corners are darn good, and Troy Polamalu will be the best safety in the league once Ed Reed decides to act his age. If Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend can cover Boldin and Fitgerald it will be very tough for the Cards to win.
EDGE : STEELERS
KICKER
Um...Neil Rackers kicks far right? Yeah, okay, we'll go with him...
EDGE : CARDINALS
PUNTER
I can't name either so I guess we're forced to call it even.
EDGE : EVEN
So it's 6-3. Last year, it was 7-3 Patriots. But though they were expected to win, for one night they were outmatched. Many expect the Steelers to take care of business Sunday night. The Steelers are favored by a full touchdown. The oddsmakers don't even expect this to be close.
But the best moments come out of the unexpected. There are times when a person or a team does something so incredible and amazing there was no way anyone could see it coming. There will be a play or two in this Super Bowl that no one expected. Whoever makes that play will win this year. I think it'll be the Arizona Cardinals. There's something about this team that makes you believe they can rise up and win. They can fly, or more specifically, Larry Fitzgerald can.
One Play.
That's all it takes.
The Cardinals can do it.
THE PICK - ARIZONA (+6.5) over Pittsburgh
MVP: MATT LEINART
