Is Arizona even better than just good

[aggiebones]

I know the Super Bowl build up is always about showcasing and making it sound like a good game, but is Arizona even good?

They tiptoed through a mediocre season where they got 6 free games from the worst division by far in the last decade. So they won 3 other games, many times looking VERY bad.

Now they get to the playoffs and I think beat Atl and a rookie QB/ rookie team. Not surprising. Then they beat Carolina which was a shocker. Why cause Carolina kept throwing the ball and not going with their RB tandem that has destroyed teams all season. They put the ball in Delhomme's hands for some reason. Bad game plan.
They had a great gameplan against Eagles blitz and it worked. Eagles showed us one thing at least. Don't over commit too much to the blitz.

I think we blitz 4 all day, the 4th coming from a different spot alot. Occassionally a 5th from somewhere. But mostly keep 6-7 back all day and make Warner read defenses all day. He's shown the ability to make mistakes.

Fitzgerald is a great WR, but we'll keep him in front of us.
I think this game will look alot like the SD game. Willie gets about 120-140 yards and a few midrange TDs when Arizona overcommits in the box and he pops out. Ben will throw 25-30 times, mostly on 3rd-3 to 3rd-8. He'll catch them all in the box on a few 2nd and 6s where we sneak someone down the field.
I don't think I'm overconfident. Show me how as a team Arizona was dominant this year? I think they are mediocre and had a nice run partly due to bad opponent's gameplans. I'd have thought about firing Fox after that Caro game. That was ghastly.

[SidSmythe]

ARIZONA is playing their best football of the year at the right time.

I think it's partly b/c they won their division early and coasted thru the rest of the season. In a more competitive division they would have pushed themselves to at least a 10 win season (which would have been more respectable).

I think that downtime allowed them to search themselves, rest and be ready for a playoff run. So this team is probably the freshest team that came thru the playoffs.

They have a GOOD defense that has been playing GREAT defense during the playoffs. Especially w/ the secondary stepping up and making big plays.

Edgerrin James is also running the ball for them. Night and day from using Tim Hightower. James is powerful and can break tackles. The Steelers just need to get him before he gets his momentum going.

BUT!!!!!!

The Steelers are the best defense they will face all year ... The Steelers can provide pressure on the QB while shutting down the run at the same time.

PLUS ... this CARDINALS defense better bring it's A game this week, b/c if they can't pressure Ben, we can put up 31 points on them.

[aggiebones]

Yes, I pondered the coasting factor. But fact is the beat 3 inept teams twice for 6 wins. They earned another 3 that's it.
I like James and if you forget about him, he will hurt you, but that's not going to happen. We play tough running games. He's at this point in his career, mediocre or solid, nothing more.
Have they gotten hot or just played some bum gameplans that didn't account for a wily veteran QB? Philly is notorious for over blitzing. It works eventually and did allow for the Eagles to comeback in that game, but it gives up too many big plays. We won't do that. Warner will have to earn it. There will be pressure and guys will be covered. We'll see, but I can't fathom this team beating us unless we are caught celebrating pregame. :tt2

[NW Steeler]

For some reason, I also get the feeling that this will be much like the SD game. Arizona may have an early lead, and it will be close at the half, but we blow them out in the second half.

Then again, I hope that it is essentially over at halftime, but I don't see that happening. We never seem to start off strong, but we defintely finish strong!!

[BURGH86STEEL]

Yes, I pondered the coasting factor. But fact is the beat 3 inept teams twice for 6 wins. They earned another 3 that's it.
I like James and if you forget about him, he will hurt you, but that's not going to happen. We play tough running games. He's at this point in his career, mediocre or solid, nothing more.
Have they gotten hot or just played some bum gameplans that didn't account for a wily veteran QB? Philly is notorious for over blitzing. It works eventually and did allow for the Eagles to comeback in that game, but it gives up too many big plays. We won't do that. Warner will have to earn it. There will be pressure and guys will be covered. We'll see, but I can't fathom this team beating us unless we are caught celebrating pregame. :tt2

I am sure the Falcons, Panthers, & Eagles thought the same thing about the Cards. They have the talent on offense and defense to win. This team can beat the Steelers. There is a reason why they are there. I look forward to watching a good game.

[aggiebones]

I disagree that they got here by shear talent and coaching on their part. The winds of the playoff lend to teams coming in over-confident. This happened to Philly. Not sure what Caro was doing, never running the ball. Don't tell me they just found their defense. Teams got lazy against them. We won't. This is the Super Bowl. We have nothing to look past and this team is equally focused to any team before. We are better and this could be a boring ugly game to watch...unless you are a Steeler's fan.
I'm frightingly overconfident I know and I NEVER am. I resigned to the Ravens game being a coin flip though thought Flacco would meltdown to a degree.
I was most concerned about the SD game. Clear sailing now in my mind. However small it is.
Still, I'll be locked down in the living room, barely stomaching 1 beer due to nerves and have forced all my family into lockdown mode. Super Bowl Sunday is not a party day. Its a day or focus and preparation even for the lowliest of fan from Pittsburgh.

[fezziwig]

The Cards are good. Their divison sucked and they pretty much had it wrapped up through mid season if my mem serves me correctly.

They had nothing to play for in my opinion when they went into the slump.

They have picked up their game and they are pumped up for this Super Bowl.

Last year Wiz had his team ready for the Steelers and you could tell the Cards wanted to make a point by beating the Steelers.

Look for no differencethis Sunday.

It will be a great game and it is not a free win for the Steelers by any stretch.

[Northern_Blitz]

They won their PO games because of Turn Overs.

I think it we can be -1 or better, we'll win the game.

[Djfan]

this game is ours to lose. But, we had better show up ready to play or we do lose.

[feltdizz]

you can't sleep on the Cards.. that is how they win. I was really surprised they beat Carolina but then again I said Delhomme was "iffy" and didn't see Carolina as consistent.

Then they beat Philly at home... and Philly was 9-6-1 and got hot for a minute...
funny how Philly fans are complaining about their team when they over achieved in the playoffs.

All that being said AZ has what any team needs to win in a game they are underdogs..
an amazing WR
a proven QB with a quick releaase
and a coach who has won a SB before

All you need is a nucleus of vets and coaches who have been there before to become a winner.

AZ is much better at home then on the road though... and the Carolina game was a TO fest. I do think they are a little better then good but not much. Shut down Fitzgerald and we will see if they have what it takes to win.

I think our D is much better then what they have faced. Philly blitzed but they blitzed hard with 6 to 7 guys.. we rush 4 to 5 but it looks like 7 are coming. This is why the good QB's tend to look pedestrian.

We have to protect the flat though.. Whiz will try to do what Philly did IMO.

[frankthetank1]

you defintely have to have a lot of respect for the cards. were the steelers a great team in 2005? they had a mediocre season and got hot in the playoffs. same with the giants last season. if the steelers play like crap and lose then a 6 seed will have won the sb 3 out of the last 4 seasons. that is really strange

[NW Steeler]

The Cards are good. Their divison sucked and they pretty much had it wrapped up through mid season if my mem serves me correctly.

They had nothing to play for in my opinion when they went into the slump.

They have picked up their game and they are pumped up for this Super Bowl.

Last year Wiz had his team ready for the Steelers and you could tell the Cards wanted to make a point by beating the Steelers.

Look for no difference this Sunday.

It will be a great game and it is not a free win for the Steelers by any stretch.

By that same token, don't you think that opposite is true too? That the Steelers will be ready for the Cards, and the players will want to win this for THEIR coach, the man that they chose OVER Whiz? I don't think that it will be "easy" either. But the Steelers are a better team with better overall talent, played a much tougher schedule and they are healthy. We SHOULD win this game, pulling away at the finish.

[Oviedo]

If the Steelers can establish the running game and get an early lead it will put a lot of pressure on the Cards. This will be the most critical aspect of the game because it will force the Cards to go one dimensional. For as hot as fItzgerald has been he was controlled by most of the Cards opponents throughout the season. We have to control him not shut him out.

If we can't run the ball and get into a shoot out with the Cards I'm not sure I like our chances.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

How about the fact that the only reg. season road wins this year were: SF, Seattle, and St. Louis?

[RuthlessBurgher]

How about the fact that the only reg. season road wins this year were: SF, Seattle, and St. Louis?

This will be another road game for them. Steeler fans will outnumber Cardinal fans by more than a 10 to 1 margin (I would think it would be closer to 20 to 1, actually). We will make it loud enough when the Steeler D is on the field that Warner will have to go to a silent count on a supposedly neutral field. The only thing missing will be that "Renegade" will not be played in the second half (unless Bruce decides to do a cover of it at halftime), and I'm not expecting any February Pittsburgh snow (plus the whole pirate ship instead of the ketchup bottles thing...other than that, the atmosphere should be like Heinz Field).

[Djfan]

That would be cool if the fans sang Renegade for the third quarter!

[skyhawk]

They won their PO games because of Turn Overs.

I think it we can be -1 or better, we'll win the game.

Agreed. And let's not forget that the "great" Cards defense gave up 454 yards to the Eagles :shock:

:tt1

[fezziwig]

The Cards are good. Their divison sucked and they pretty much had it wrapped up through mid season if my mem serves me correctly.

They had nothing to play for in my opinion when they went into the slump.

They have picked up their game and they are pumped up for this Super Bowl.

Last year Wiz had his team ready for the Steelers and you could tell the Cards wanted to make a point by beating the Steelers.

Look for no difference this Sunday.

It will be a great game and it is not a free win for the Steelers by any stretch.

By that same token, don't you think that opposite is true too? That the Steelers will be ready for the Cards, and the players will want to win this for THEIR coach, the man that they chose OVER Whiz? I don't think that it will be "easy" either. But the Steelers are a better team with better overall talent, played a much tougher schedule and they are healthy. We SHOULD win this game, pulling away at the finish.



I have no doubt that the Steelers are the better team. I also thought the Eagles and Panthers were the better team too. As someone said, it is our game to lose.
I actually thought we out played the Cowboys in 95 and it just didn't go our way.
Look at our last Super Bowl win, I feel those calls could have went either way. Without the refs calling a strict game, I doubt we would have beaten the Seahawks.

We sure are the better team and we played the toughest schedule and with that schedule, it should have made our team even better.

I just hope our Steelers are not over confident. I do think this is where Tomlin is at his most value by keeping these guys in tune with the moment.

[ikestops85]

you defintely have to have a lot of respect for the cards. were the steelers a great team in 2005? they had a mediocre season and got hot in the playoffs. same with the giants last season. if the steelers play like crap and lose then a 6 seed will have won the sb 3 out of the last 4 seasons. that is really strange

If, and it's a big if, the steelers lay an egg and lose to the cardinals the steelers would still be the only 6 seed to win the SB in the last 4 years. Remember, the cardinals won their division and are the 4 seed.

2005 - Steelers 6 seed
2006 - Indy 3 seed
2007 - giants 5 seed