So what does everyone think about the Super Bowl matchup?

I think it will be a good matchup. I can see it being a close one. Im rootin for Arizona just cause of the underdog factor but to see the Steelers win wouldnt bother me since 90% of my friends are all Steeler fans.
Kurt Warner may be the most underated QB of all time.

It should be interesting, The Steelers#1 defense, against the Cards. The Cardinals have the worst defense to ever play in a Super Bowl. When I think of the Cards losing to the Jets 35-56, the Giants, 29-37, Philadelphia, 1st game 20-48, Minnesota, 14-35, and New England, 7-47, it is hard for me to say that they were the best team in the NFC. One thing that is in their favor, is the ability to pass. If Pittsburgh has a weak link, it would be pass defense. If James and Hightower's rushing can keep the Steelers from dropping an extra man back to cover Fitzgerald and Boldin, they could put some points on the board. The Steelers offense scored just enough to win most of the season, but they seem to be jelling at the right time, and will peak in the Super Bowl. I think we get a close game, but I can't see the Cardinals going home with the trophy.

This won't be a very high scoring game IMO. Pittsburgh will stop the Arizona offense easily and not generate much offense of their own. I would say this easily goes under 47 points and as of today, that is where my $$ will be riding. I see it as something like Pittsburgh 17 Arizona 10

I did not have the luxury of watching either game this weekend, so this is based upon ESPN and what I have heard. I think the O/U will be very close within 2 points either way. I think that Arizona will keep it within the point spread or win SU. If Pitt is to win they will have to shut down the air attack of Arizona. Arizona got a win and handled the blitz of Philly. I am sure that Pitt will blitz Arizona. Something will be expose and will have to give. Maybe the run game of Arizona gets just enough, maybe 60 or 70 yards, the rest thru the air. I am leaning on Arizona and the over. As of late other than Rivers with SD Pitt has not faced a real good QB able to air it out. Arizona has the receivers and the QB. I think that the Arizona stock is still rising and most poeple are not giving Arizona enough credit. I know by the stats Arizona defense sucks, but they are jelling on offense and defense, maybe just enough to win or keep it close. I have not made up my mind yet on who I think wins, just leaning. Arizona's coaching staff came from Pitt, I don't know how many or how long ago. It may be a few years, but they should still be able to break into the Pitt tendancies better than the coaching staff from other teams. GL

You brought up a major point, with Wisenhunt being familiar with coaching and player tendoncies for Pittsburgh. He knows what alot of the players can and can't do, and may put in just enough plays to keep them off balance, he better find a remedy for Palamalu, because that guy is worth 3 players. He is all over the place. He seems to be in the right place, all the time. But, Wisenhunt should know which players move to the left or the right side better and gain just enough of an edge to move the ball. It will still be up to Warner to recognize this, and take advantage. If Tomlin knows what Wisenhunt is doing, then I'm sure he will have Palamalu ready to fill the gap, and then maybe Warner can hit Boldin or Fitzgerald. I think the stategy used by both coaches will be as, if not more interesting than the game itself.

Hi vegas, you have a firm grasp of the english language. You have captured the essence of the game within the game and your expresive writting skills have very eloquently stated the chess match. I am of course laughing while I write this. I agree with you, nicely put. 😮 GL

I just hope it's an exciting game. I am having a big party at my crib and nothing ruins a Super Bowl Party more than a boring Super Bowl.

I think the key to this game is the Arizona defense. They really are bad with a capital B. I think as long as Big Ben stays vertical 30% of the time they have this game in the bag.

Only thing I could see turning the tides in Arizona's favor is Turnovers.

Pray for an exciting game

Thanks, 4frogster! I was really surprised that the Cardinals were able to force turnovers against Philadelphia, if they can force Roethlisberger to make some mistakes, or fumble off a sack, they could stay right in this game. I added some scheduling information and anther angle to look at under the Reid's days are numbered thread. If you look at scheduling, Pittsburgh is a no-brainer.

Hi vegasflyer56, I have a question or two for you. In a past thread "Conference Finals" You wrote the quarterly power ratings for the teams playing at that time. Could you please give your power ratings for the playoffs and for the quarters thru out the playoffs, for Arizona and PItt. I am curious to see how PITT and Arizona look. If you come across any ohter interesting informatoin, stats etc. please feel free to post. Thank you ahead of time. I am curious to see how both teams ranked in the regular season and then in the playoffs. I think their would be some significant changes for the better when it comes to Arizona. Also in the 3 catagories that comprise the HOG index: stopping the run, forcing negative pass plays (sacks, interceptions etc), third down defence, I think Arizona has improved in 2 of the 3. The one area that I think that I would be worried about is, third down defense, can the Arizona defense get some stops and make Pitt go 3 and out? I don't know. I think Arizona will be able to hold the running game in check pretty well and I think they will get to Ben enough times to bother him at thru out the game, but do they get the 3 and outs or does Pitt control the ball like the 3rd quarter of the SD game?

Here is what each team has gained during the playoffs
ARIZONA (21)
VS ATL+1 (22)
vs CAR+3 (25)
VS PHL+2 (27)

PITTSBURGH (34.5)
VS SAN 0 (34.5)
VS BAL 0 (34.5)

In order to increase your power rating, the team must best the line by 5 points or more to get 1 point. if a tewam wins and covers by 10 points up to 14.5 points, it is given 2 points to it's power rating. When a team blows out a team, the most points they can get are 3 points. That would be a victory of 15 points and the line. This keeps you from over rating, or under rating a team that might just be off that Sunday.
As you can see, Arizona has increased it's rating 6 points in the playoffs, while Pittsburgh has won all it's games within 4.5 points of the spread, so they did not increase from 34.5.
Pittsburgh-6.5 vs San Diego 35-24 won by 11-6.5=4.5 (0)
Pittsburgh-6 vs Baltimore 23-14 won by 9-6=3 (0)

Arizona+2 vs Atlanta 30-24 won by 6+2=8 (+1)
Arizona+10 at Carolina 33-13 won by 20+10=30 (+3)
Arizona+3.5 vs Philadelphia 32-25 won by 7+3.5=10.5 (+2)

As you can see, the Steelers are still 7.5 points stronger going into the Super Bowl. The deceptive reality of this number is the fact that Arizona looked like they hung it up early after clinching the division. They lost 4 points on ther power rating in December, which is a modest number considering that they were blown out by 21 and 40 points. If they would have played close to the spread, winning or losing, they could have started out 4 points stronger, making the number Pittsburgh-3.5 instead of -7.5 This really makes it a guessing game with the line at -7 I'm leaning to the Steelers here, because of another intangible (schedule strength) Arizona has been the hottest team in the playoffs, there is no denying that. The playoffs couldn't have been designed any better for them to host two home playoff games. They had some revenge to pay at Carolina, and revenge in the title game with Philly. Mentally, the Cardinals were up for the last two. This revenge motive is gone here, and you could possibly see a flat Arizona team, as the emotions over the last two weeks may have taken their toll. This is something that Wisenhunt better be concerned about. I've seen it happen many times. It's the Super Bowl! As much as Arizona wants to win, it just might not be as collective to each player on their team to keep the intensity up for a whole month. They will be up on the outside, but can they as a team regain that intensity?

Hi vegasflyer56, good points. I am also eyeing the strenght of schedule and it does concern me. I am leaning towards taking the Cards and points. Also, I think that the Cards benefited on seeing Phily and Carolina in the regualar season, so when the playoffs came they knew what to expect. You can only change your offense and defensive schemes so much, you have to work with your own strenght and talent. So my point is that Carolina and Phily could only change so much. It has been a few years since Wisenhunt was with Pitt, so I don't know how effective his knowledge will be, their is some benefit thier, I hope thiers alot. I also think that we have 2 different worlds here, the regualr season and the playoffs. In the regular season the stats for the Cards was not to good, it is very good for Pitt. In the playoff I think that the stats improved greatly for the Cards and remain fairly constant for Pitt. We also have the strenght of each division, NFC east being the strongest, NFC west being the weekest, AFC North is somewhere in between. With all the information that is out their and from what I have seen and read I am leaning on the Cards plus the points and it going over. I could change my mind, I am looking to see who wins and bet accordingly. I would not be surprised if Pitt won and did not cover the spread, if in the end I feel that Pitt is the play then that is what I will bet. GL

The game is a little over a week away, I have already released my pick on Pittsburgh-7 on my website, I also like the over. Good Luck on which way you go, nothing is ever a sure thing, but alot of technical and situational trends are leaning to the Steelers. Throw that #1 defense in, and it looks like the door could be shut on the Cards. I am thinking about 10 or 11 points for the margin with an estimated score of 35-24. I'm betting the game tomorrow, I don't really have a feel if the line will move up or down, so I'm betting half now and if I get any movement in my favor, I will press it.

I definitely think Pitt is the play but Arizona is gonna still generate a ton of action just based off their offense. When a team can put up that many points week after week its easy to overlook their defense which is piss poor.

I agree with you Cash, I'm looking for -6 to -6.5 sometime this week. I don't want to buy the half, but I will, if thats the best I can get. I'm in at Pit-7 and over 47 already. I'm going to swing by the Hilton and see if all their prop bets are out. The Steelers have been a moneymaker for me. I had a special prop bet with them against Seattle that paid +200 for taking them at -10.5. You know who will seal the deal next Sunday. Palamalu! He is worth 7 by himself. You can go back this year, and look at the exclaimation points, that this kid had in the 4th quarter, and the best thing about it, he doesn't care if they are ahead or not, he goes for the kill.