The red-hot Arizona Cardinals are headed to the Super Bowl to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. No, that is not a misprint. This game, like many Super Bowls, is full of great storylines: Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm, head coach and assistant head coach of Arizona, go up against their former team. Whisenhunt and Mike Tomlin, two of the hottest young coaches in football, face off in their first SB appearances as head coach. Kurt Warner leading a second franchise to the big game. And the list goes on.
For me, the most intriguing matchup to watch will be Warner's offense versus The Steel Curtain. The seemingly ageless quarterback had a passer rating of 96.9 this season, good for third-best in the NFL. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's defense held opposing quarterbacks to an average rating of 63.4, good for second-best in the league. Something's got to give.
Being the Philly fan that I am, I know all too well that Arizona can score in bunches. Their seventeen-point second quarter versus the Eagles' pressuring defense gave them a nice cushion to work with, and their game-winning drive in the game's final minutes proved that they can score at will. With the league's best receiving corps and an offensive line that is playing great right now, this unit is very hard to slow down.
If the Cards can find a way to meet their regular season scoring average (26.7 ppg) versus the Steelers defense, they deserve that shiny Lombardi Trophy after all. However, that's been a daunting task for each of Pittsburgh's opponents this season. In fact, only one team (Tennessee) has managed to score at least twenty-seven points against them all season. They've been very consistent this year in all aspects of their defense, ranking first in most statistical categories. This may be the best defensive unit since the 2000 Ravens.
But while the numbers surely suggest a blowout win for the Steelers, the Cardinals have a lot of confidence right now. Defensively, the Eagles -- much like the Steelers -- also ranked atop their conference in most statistical categories this season. In the NFC Title Game, however, none of it seemed to matter. Jim Johnson's overloading blitzes and confusing stunts were nullified by some great playcalling. The Cards managed to keep the Eagles off-balance with many short passes, a surprisingly productive running game, and even a few trick plays. And, you know, the fact that they had Fitz didn't hurt either.
Some say that Ken Whisenhunt's intimacy with Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh offense may be the difference in the game. I'm sure that his knowledge of Steeler football can, in some way, give his young defense a slight edge. But at the same time, I'm sure that Pittsburgh probably knows a thing or two about Whisenhunt and his tendencies as well. I would rule the whole "inside information" thing as a push. I doubt that either team will benefit much from this knowledge. If you're looking for a key to the game, look to the defense of Pittsburgh.
While both defenses were very good this season, the major difference between Philly and Pittsburgh has to do with the overall scheme. Philadelphia's Jim Johnson likes to run the traditional 4-3 defense (four down linemen, three linebackers), while Pittsburgh's Dick LeBeau runs a 3-4 (three linemen, four 'backers). There are many advantages to running a 3-4. First of all, the majority of the league does not run it. When the player's lack familiarity, it makes it more difficult to prepare for - especially for a non-conference opponent such as Arizona. And more importantly, two key elements of a 3-4 defense are larger lineman -- which each demand extra attention from offensive blockers -- and four versatile linebackers that can get pressure and confuse the quarterback. Luckily for the Steelers', they have the best front seven in football. I expect to see lots of pressure from this unit.
The 3-4 may not be more popular than the 4-3 yet, but the former has become more and more common over the last decade. I would assume that this has a lot to do with the recent success that teams like Pittsburgh and New England have had with it in recent Super Bowls. Of the last eight Super Bowl champions, five have ran 3-4 defenses - not including last year's New York Giants, who used both schemes for most of the season. The Steelers' version of the 3-4 could be just what the doctor ordered when it comes to stopping the hot hand of Kurt Warner.
I guess you know which way I'm leaning on this one. As much as I'd like to throw the numbers out the window and give Arizona a shot, I can't bring myself to it. Pittsburgh is just too good. They don't have many weaknesses, and they find a way to exploit those of other teams. Crazier things have happened before - such as last year's shocking upset of the Patriots. It's not I doubt Arizona's ability - I just can't see them beating the Steelers to win the Super Bowl.
I don't usually watch the big game because the Eagles often leave me feeling jaded. Yet between this blog, my need to always watch historic events live, and the fact that my boss gave me off, I'll be watching this year. I wish all players from both teams the best of luck. Especially you, Kurt. It could be a long day.
No comments:
Post a Comment