THE STATE OF THE STEELERS:

I've been pretty worried as of late because of Rod Woodson's analysis. Woodon says that the Cardinals have the offense that can actually unlock the mystery to the Steeler's number-1 defense. He says that the best way to beat a 3-4 is with the spread offense and a quarterback who can beat the blitz. He says that the Cards have two number one receives, so doubling one only leaves opportunity elsewhere.

I think he's right. I think this game will be dangerous. I think the Cards have the ammunition to burn the Steelers a few times.

But I don't think it will happen. Instead, what I think will happen is that: (a) the Cards won't be able to run the ball; (b) Warner will throw at least two intercepts and will be hit enough to become gimpy when stepping into his throws; (c) the pressure will come up front rather than on the sides [if the Steelers are smart]; (d) Big Ben will have a big day and so will the Steelers running game.

By the 4th quarter, Steelers will be closing out the deal on the ground with a 12 point victory.

Further the affiant sayeth not.

This reminds me a lot of last year. The Cards are playing the role of 2007-2008 Giants as the Cinderella from the NFC. Unlike last year's Giants and barring hindsight, I can see why the Cards made it. I have been predicting their rise for a couple of years now and it seems my thoughts have finally come to fruition. The only thing that stopped the Cards before, in my opinion, is a terrible offensive line. They have had the weapons at the skill positions and defense for a couple of years now. It was kind of like having a Ferrari without tires. Now it seems they have outfitted their Ferrari with tires that are just good enough to carry the car and win some races. It was hard to get a bead on an NFC West team that rose to the top of their division because the division was so horrible this year - Rams, 49ers, Seahawks - oh look, the Cards made it. You could have drawn their name out of a hat, it really didn't seem to matter.
So here they are in the Super Bowl. Who could have predicted that? They haven't done ANYTHING since the merger and the last time they did do something, they were known as the Chicago Cardinals.

My prediction -
While it would make a great story to say that the kids from the crappy side of the league (NFC West) will try on the Cinderella slipper and it actually fit, I have to say that this fairy tale has already been performed by the Giants last year. Can lightning strike twice? I don't think so. The Steelers D has subdued far better teams this year. While the Steelers have faultered a couple of weeks this year, let's remember this is the Super Bowl. If you are going to faulter (something which the Cardinals have made an artform of), it better not be in the Super Bowl. The core of the Steelers team has been here before and won. The only marquee player on the Arizona team that has been here and won is an old quarterback whose sun is setting and it was so long ago, his old team is a mere husk of their former selves.

--Steelers by 13.

I will go steelers by 3

First of all, I agree with most of what you say, Sean, but let me add this: Ken Whisenhut's strategies and philosphy are known very well by the Steelers, obviously, since he was their offensive co-ordinator until recently. You may also turn the tables on that, if you like, and say that Whisenhut knows the Steelers defensive tendencies, but so does the rest of the NFL. I'm sure Dick LeBeau will be ready for anything and everything the Cardinals can throw at them.

If anyone remembers the Backyard Brawl of 2003, which I believe was Fitzegerald's last game in a Pitt uniform (or darn close), I can see this game going a lot like that, meaning, he can have a stellar performance that won't matter much...and that's the way I think this is going to go. He will probably have a good game, mainly because the Cards will be in a position which will necessitate them going to him repeatedly when nothing else works. But, this is the same team that gave up huge amounts of points to the Jets, Pats, and Eagles in the regular season.

I have seen every quarter of every Steeler game this season. The past couple of weeks have made it easy to forget the horrific play of the offensive line through most of the year. If they, as a unit, revert back to what they looked like in the middle of the season, this game will be a classic. If they perform like they have as of late, the Steelers will romp. Either way, I believe the Steelers will win. Why? Because just getting there has been the ride for Whisenhut & Co., but when you put on the black and gold, if you don't win that Lombardi Trophy, your name don't mean $h!t.

If Superbowl history has taught us anything, it's that there are basically (with few exceptions), three kinds of players. The ones that get there once and never make it back (as most of the Cardinals probably will be), the habitual losers (Vikings, Bills, Broncos), and those who just seem to do it again and again (Steelers, 49ers, Cowboys). True, Kurt Warner has been there and won before, but that was with a different group and AGAINST THE TENESSEE TITANS, NOT THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS OR PITTSBURGH STEELERS. My biggest prediction is not the final score, but this: The Steelers will be back and the Cardinals won't. The Steelers will win the game and cover the points, and if the O-line comes through, they'll romp.

After that post, I got to wondering and did some research and came up with the "stat of the day", which is in my opinion overwhelming, but one you will not hear about on the broadcast:
In 42 Superbowls, 22 previous Superbowl Champions made it back within 5 years. Their record: 17-5. However, three of the teams that lost, Dallas (X & XIII) and Washington (XVIII) were playing previous champions, so a past champion losing was inevitable in three of those five games. The only two times, then, that a recent Superbowl Champion has lost, other than to another previous Champion, was Green Bay vs. Denver in XXXII, and, get this...St. Louis vs. New England in XXXVI...quarterbacked by Kurt Warner. Use that trivia to astound your friends at your Superbowl party!