Super Bowl XLIII

In a welcome surprise the Super Bowl actually lived up to the hype this year! Now I don’t want to overstate the games greatness as the entire game was perhaps not the best ever but there was a flow and had some of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history sprinkled in every now and again. Some will say that the Cardinals got a raw deal in terms of some of the calls that went against them. Perhaps one can make a case for that. The Roethlisberger run on the first drive that was challenged and then overturned was a tough play to call and on the field but they did in the end get it right...but it did cost the Cards a challenge. The fumble call at the end that wasn’t reviewed was clearly a blown call, even though I thought it was correct and it was an open hand going forward they could have taken a few minutes to actually see for sure. What I found perhaps the most questionable call/no-call was on a play I never saw until after the game on a highlight package and that was Santonio Holmes using the ball as a prop in a LeBron James style gesture where he used the ball and pretended it was Talc and then proceeded to throw it into the air. That should have resulted in a 15yrd penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, thus giving the Cardinals even better field position and more time to work on less field on the final drive. It was interesting how that was overlooked.

The beauty of this game was the amount of "best of all time" plays. Granted it is always the easiest thing to call the most recent event as the best but in this case I think there may be room for discussion. Joey Hairston’s 100yrd interception return for a TD...with no time left on the clock...at halftime...if he goes down it’s over no points no other chance to score...and he goes down on Larry Fitzgerald and rolled into the end zone.

~ The 2 faces of Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was shut out for the first 3 quarters, then came the fourth where he went off for 7catches 127yrds 2TDs.
~ How clutch Santonio Holmes was with his 9 catches 131yrds 1TD and what may be considered as one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history, up there with last years David Tyree or Dwight Clark in the end zone.
~ One of the best passing games in Super Bowl history by Kurt Warner 31/43 377yrds 3TDs
~Ben Roethlisberger and his ability to scramble, stay on his feet, not take a sack and buy time to make play after play and extend drives. Ben should have been the MVP, maybe it sounds cliche that the QB for MVP but if he doesn’t stay on his feet Holmes doesn’t have a chance to make those throws.

Possibly as the most interesting and compelling part of the game itself was that not only did the Cardinals cover the spread but they actually had the best comback in Super Bowl history AND won the game on Larry Fitgerald’s TD run ...The only problem was that there was too much time left on the clock and Pittsburgh came back and won the game back from them and nothing proved that more then the picture of Fitzgerald on the sidelines mouthing ‘No, No, No, No, No’

Prediction time...for whatever that's worth

It is 1 day away and both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals are ready to hit the field to compete for the Lombardi Trophy.This is a very difficult game to break down because it is difficult to know what teams are coming to play. The Cardinals have been underdogs all post season and twice at home and that is almost unheard of but with the terrible history of this franchise it is difficult to become a believer. Larry Fitzgerald has emerged as the best receiver in the NFL and will command a lot of attention. Will he be able to overcome the inevitable double teams or will that extra attention open things up for the running game or Anquan Boldin?

Regardless of the Cardinals offense one can’t overlook the defense from the Steelers. They have made there mark by playing a solid defensive game, and as they say defense wins championships but now they are up agents a veteran QB with a lot of weapons. The benefit that Pittsburgh has is that Kurt Warner has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long and can be prone to sacks and fumbles and with Troy Polamalu lurking around interceptions may not be out of the realm of possibilities.

Ben Rothlesburger has banged up ribs and Hines Ward is also banged up and thais is where the game selection becomes merkey. The defense of the Steelers should be able to contain the Cards, but can big Ben and Ward be healthy enough and be able to do enough to be successful? That is why this game is either going to be a barn burner or a 30-13 blowout for the Steelers.

My logical sense is that the Steelers will be the team to raise the trophy, I think that Ben will be able to just enough to win.That being said would I rather the Cards win? Yes I hope that they do. Will I be surprised if the Cards pulled off another unlikely upset? No...could I be more on the fence? Probably not.

I think that this will wind up being close and am guessing on a 30-24 Final in favour of Pittsburgh.
Get you chips, dip, fingerfoods, Beer and Soda ready sit back and enjoy the game