Super Bowl XLIII Running Thread

Early on, I was thinking the Cardinals would win this outright.

As we get nearer the game, I'm thinking Pittsburgh gets an early turnover or two and jumps out to a sizable lead and runs away with it.

The key is will Warner have time. If he does, it can be a good game. If he's spending all of time a) with Stillers in his face and b) on the ground, he'll have multiple INTs before Bruce plays a note.

 

Now I dislike her even more.

Ellen, not your wife.

 

Warner is difficult to pressure. The Pats beat him in Super Bowl XXXVI by manhandling the receivers to break up patterns and throw off timing.

 

I'm sure that will be a big part of the Steelers' game plan. Taylor and McFadden can both be physical.

 

Fitzgerald and Boldin are bigger, stronger guys than the Rams' wideouts were. Not saying the Steelers shouldn't do that, just a note it might be more difficult than it was for the Pats.

 

That's too bad, because she's a big fan of yours.

Ellen, not my wife.

 

Oh, it's going to be much tougher. But the Steelers also have a better pass rush than those Patriots did and the Cardinals don't have Marshall Faulk, so I have no idea how this is going to go. I'm just saying they are going to at least attempt to be physical with the Cardinals' receivers, especially Fitzgerald.

 

Forget about Arizona running the ball. Right. Now. The Cardinals had the fewest rushing attempt in the league; Steelers had the No. 2 rushing defense. It'll be a great day running the ball for Arizona if it gets 70 yards on the ground.

There are two ways and two ways only that Arizona wins this game:
1) Pittsburgh gets little defensive pressure and Warner has all day to throw.
2) Pittsburgh contributes with a ton of turnovers and other stupid mistakes.

Otherwise, I think this game is decided by 8 o'clock.

Of course, I been wrong before.

 

Hey, gotta have fans somewhere

 

The "book" play is absolutely the Steelers, especially with the number coming off 7 in
a way favorable to those who like this favorite. Nagging fear is that the book players
who insist on stepping up to the counter in each and every Super Bowl have been
net losers guessing at the right side over the past few years. My fear is that unlike most recent Super Bowls, this is going to be an absolute flagfest, given the identity of the referee, and could make the controversies about Super Bowl XL look like an
Eric Cartman tea party.

 

After much mulling, I have concluded that this is not a game to overthink. Every metric screams "Steelers." If not for the weird history of the dynastic Pats, who were in four Super Bowls were the underdog was the right bet each time, this would be a double-digit spread.

I can't help remembering the following games. November 30, 2008: @ New England, Steelers 33-Patriots 10. December 21, 2008 @ New England. Cardinals 7-Patriots 47.

On overall performance, starting on Opening Day, the Cardinals are the weakest team to EVER make the Super Bowl. I cannot pick them.

 

They beat the Rams because of one Mike Vrabel blitz (and Martz's ignoring Faulk for most of the game).

Yes, they hit the receivers hard, but that wasn't it.