Steelers and Cardinals set for showdown in Tampa Bay

Cardinals

The general consensus I've gotten from talking to my friends this week, some who know about sports and some who don't, is that Pittsburgh is a lock to win the Super Bowl. They keep telling me that the Steelers' defense will swallow the Cardinals' offense whole and Big Ben Roethlisberger will make enough plays on third down against the "weak" (I think underrated) Arizona defense to win the game. I'm still not convinced.

I keep looking at the stats comparison and match-ups and it just continues to look more and more like the Cardinals have the edge. People are overlooking the Cardinals just because they are the Cardinals. And although their late-season slump (they only won three out of their last seven regular season games) didn't necessarily show the kind of focus and closing ability you normally see in a Super Bowl champion, they have been the best team in the playoffs so far.

Arizona is the only team to score 30 or more points in each game they've played in the postseason. Say what you want about the defenses they have gone up against, but dropping 30 on three playoff teams in a row is something you have to take into account. But I think what everyone wants to find out is if they can score enough points against the top ranked defense in the league. I think they can.

As much as Pittsburgh's defense has dominated teams this season, they haven't necessarily fared well against teams with sophisticated passing attacks. They lost to the Eagles and pass-happy Andy Reid in week three and were also clipped by the Colts in week 10. Pittsburgh's secondary can be, and has been, exposed this season.

The Steelers' pass defense is contingent on their ability to pressure the quarterback into making mistakes. Kurt Warner faced every blitz package the Eagles, who I believe are the best blitzing team in the league, had in the NFC championship game, and he kept getting the ball out on time and on target.

Pittsburgh also has match-up problems on defense. What are they going to do against a healthy Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and company? I expect Pittsburgh to come out in their 3-4 defense and get passed on all over the field. They just don't have the secondary depth to keep up. Troy Polamalu can only give help to one side of the field, and you can guarantee the experienced Warner will know exactly where that is. Meanwhile, Warner's ability to read the blitz and get the ball out quickly to the hot route will neutralize and frustrate Pittsburgh's Defensive Player of the Year and pass rushing outside linebacker, James Harrison.

And don't forget, the game is being played in sunny south Florida, so the standard image of Pittsburgh's defense knocking people around while it's freezing and snowy in Heinze Field doesn't apply here. They will be playing a pass-happy team in warm weather for the first time since September. I'm expecting them to be a little rusty.

Prediction: 31-17, Cardinals

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.

Steelers

Addison Harvey

The East Carolinian

Super Bowl XLIII matches the high-powered NFC offense of the Arizona Cardinals versus the tenacious AFC defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The saying, "defense wins championships," couldn't be truer in recent years. In recent Super Bowls, defense has proven to be pivotal in reaching the pinnacle of the NFL. Just ask the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Giants.

The Steelers have a history of tremendous defense. They were the modern day New England Patriots of the 1970s, winning Super Bowls in 1975, 1976, 1979 and 1980. These teams were successful because of their up-tempo style of play and stellar defense, led by players such as "Mean" Joe Greene, Mel Blount and Jack Lambert.

The 2008 Steelers are no different than those Super Bowl teams of the 1970s. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau leads this year's defense under the tutelage of the young and fiery Head Coach Mike Tomlin. Talented linebackers such as James Harrison, Lamar Woodley, James Farrior and Larry Foote highlight the Steelers' defense. Their 3-4 defensive alignment allows them to have more speed on the field and allows them to match up better with the Cardinals' passing game.

The key to winning Super Bowl XLIII for the Steelers will be shutting down the Cardinals' running attack of Tim Hightower and Edgerrin James. Along those same lines, the Steelers will need to pressure Cardinals' quarterback Kurt Warner. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will have to disguise different blitzes and pressure Warner so he doesn't have time to distribute the ball to talented wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Safety Polamalu will need to play a big game, not only in pass coverage, but also in pressuring Warner and stopping the run.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Steelers have been mediocre for the majority of the season. Though they did not put up great offensive numbers in the regular season, they seem to have gained momentum in the postseason.

The answer has been establishing the run with Clinton, N.C. native Willie Parker. Parker was injured most of the season, but he is completely healthy now and I expect him to have another big game on Sunday, as he did in Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks.

Ben Roethlisberger's ability to keep plays alive by eluding the pass rush has been big for the Steelers. This was proven when he scrambled and found an open Santonio Holmes down the field for a crucial touchdown in the AFC Championship Game.

The Steelers are one of the premiere organizations in professional sports and are looking to add to their outstanding history. They are a family-run team that doesn't deal with contract disputes and disgruntled players like so many other teams do.

The Steelers have appeared in six Super Bowls and won five of them. A win on Sunday versus the Cardinals will give them their sixth victory, which would set an NFL record -breaking a tie with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.

With a Super Bowl XLIII win on Sunday, the Steelers will cement their place atop the NFL.