Well, this is the Super Bowl thread. As a longtime, diehard Arizona Cardinals fan, I can’t even explain how it feels to start this.
This does seem to be a good matchup. The Cardinals are fun to watch with perhaps the best receivers in the NFL. Pittsburgh has a great defense. You want to cheer for an underdog? Well, the Cardinals making the Super Bowl is an even more unlikely scenario than the Tampa Bay Rays making the World Series. You want to cheer for one of the all time great teams in the NFL? The Pittsburgh Steelers have won 5 Super Bowls and are one of the best teams ever in the NFL.
Last year featured an undefeated New England team against an underdog NY Giants team, right here in the same stadium that the Cardinals beat the Eagles to go to the Super Bowl. This year’s game seems just as compelling.
I see the Steelers winning. Defense wins superbowls. A lot of games have the offenses playing tight, being afraid to make a mistake. Defense just hits somebody hard. They have less of a tendency to choke or take stupid risks.
This is the same logic that everyone used in the NFC Playoffs. We see how that worked out. Also, you are under the misconception that the Cards are a offensive team, their D is really good and this is a very balanced Cards team.
The weather forecast looks to be fine. Right now, it shows a high of 65 and no chance of rain. Trust me, I didn’t want to see the Cardinals play another bad weather game.
True, but then again the Cardinals did not face anything close to the #1 defense in the league during the NFC Playoffs either.
Anything can happen, of course, but the Steelers had the number 1 pass defense for a reason, and held pretty much every premiere receiver they faced in check.
I also think, despite his tendency for spotty performances, that Willie Parker will run well against the Cardinals.
I predict that the Steelers will be the first team to hoist six Lombardi awards high (not all at once, of course, but I look forward to seeing the displays in the Coca Cola Great Hall at Heinz Field).
I still have a sour taste in my mouth from Superbowl whatever it was – Rams v Patriots.
Granted, my Pats won – and in a similar situation to what the Cards find themselves in now (underdog v recent SB Winner) – but I just can’t seem to stem my contempt for Kurt Warner.
He’s a great quarterback who seems to have his head on his shoulders, he seems intelligent and self-depreciating in interviews while still coming across as confident, he gives all credit to his teammates before himself, but for some reason …
… I just can’t stand that guy.
I’ll watch with interest. I’ll root for the Steelers, but I’m not that big a fan of them either. On the other hand, I did have a hand-painted (St Louis) Cardinals football helmet when I was a kid, so I won’t bitch and moan if they win as well.
I’m cheering for both sides - the Steelers for their history, the Cards because they’re underdogs and a great Cinderella story this year - but I’m hoping the Cards win it all. But either team would make a great champion.
Although if the Steelers win it all, it’s just another continuation of former Vikings players or office making good. Maybe one of these days we’ll learn from that up here in the frozen north.
Actually the playoffs seem to feature offense and risk. They are trying to get to the big game. They seem to take more chances and let it fly. Superbowls are played by very tight players. Thats why kickoffs are fumbled and errors are made early.
The best games of the year are usually the playoff games. The Superbowl is often disappointing.
Here in Arizona, the atmosphere is unbelievable. I’ve never seen people wearing Arizona Cardinals clothes to church before, but I did today. The priest is from Pennsylvania and his daughter showed up in a Steelers jersey!
I mentioned in another thread that my friend is a coach on the Cardinals, and of course I was hoping for a ticket. My brother got the one ticket available (bastage!) Anyway, he just called me and said everyone in the coach’s ticket area has Cardinal Red. He said he just couldn’t do it. You can’t wipe out a lifetime of Black & Gold! So, he’s risking it all to sit with a Steeler Jersey with all of the Cardinal coaches & players family & friends.
I’m kind of glad he’s having that dilemma, while I sit at home. Sure, he’s better friends with the coach than I am, but still. It’s not like I haven’t been on the right side of tickets before. Just one more? Damn.
PS, we grew up in Pittsburgh, so black and gold runs through our veins. Even our friend the coach came from the 'burgh (and went to Arizona with the Wiz/Grimm move).
I’m also a Pitt alum, so it’s hard for me to root against Fitzgerald. He’s a stud and a class act. But if Troy earholes him and knocks him goofy for 3 quarters, I won’t exactly be upset.
I think the Steelers will win, though fairly closely. Maybe not even past the current 6.5 point odds.
I want the Cardinals to win, the greater the margin, the better.
I don’t exactly have a dog in the fight, and even during the regular season, am not much for throwing my lot behind any team. I generally just enjoy watching any game I can get.
However, I live in the Baltimore metro area. The Ravens’ last loss to the Steelers two weeks ago was truly a beatdown, even if the score doesn’t quite reflect it as such, and the loss on booth review back in December was a travesty; even a lifetime Steelers fan in my office had to admit the next day that, given a “no touchdown” call on the field, there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn it, and the Yinzers lucked out.
One of the things surprising me with all the pre-game prognostication is that the experts are so convinced the Pittsburgh D will fall apart if the Cards go 4-wide. Do they really think no one has tried that against them this year? The Steeler’s 4-th CB, William Gay, had the best yd/pass defensed ratio in the league; Dick Lebeau will not be fazed by those spread formations. I don’t even think you’ll see them leave the base package on early downs against spread formations. One other element which has gone relatively under the radar is the Steelers have played a LOT of the league’s top defenses this year, including Baltimore three times. The offensive numbers, especially the rushing numbers.
No matter who wins I really hope this game isn’t decided by controversial calls. The Steelers have been the the winning and losing side of some of those calls this year and I hate it. For instance I thought Santonio Holmes’ catch was a touchdown but I don’t see how they could’ve overturned it on the replay. Also, James Harrison could have had twice as many sacks this year if he hadn’t been held every fucking play. The only team I saw play him straight up all season was the Ravens.
The defense that gave up 47 to the pats in week 16? The defense that gave up 21 to the woeful Seahawks in week 17? 35 to the Vikings in week 15?
Unless they get turnovers like they did against the Falcons and Panthers, I don’t see them even getting close, let alone winning.
Don’t get me wrong, I want the Cards to win. I like the team, the fans, and Larry Fitzgerald is a friggin monster. They’re a great story.
But they’re not a great team. Unless the Steelers hand them a win, I think the Cardinals lose and lose big. Warner and Fitzgerald could feasibly win the game for them, but I just don’t see the Steelers D collapsing like the Panthers and Eagles did. I think the pass rush hits Warner a ton leading to a couple turnovers and the jump ball doesn’t work as well.
Of course, my poor prognostication skills are well known. But I think the Steelers win big.
