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Super Bowl XLIII: Pittsburgh vs. Arizona
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| Our Expert |
When Steelers have the ball |
When Cardinals have the ball |
Prediction |
Jeff Falconio
Studio Anchor,
Packers Gameday
Host, Wisconsin
Sports Weekend, 620WTMJ
More - The Junior Varsity Blog |
Pittsburgh: Use offensive balance
Arizona: Pressure Big Ben.
Against weaker defenses, the Steelers have been successful running the football, as evidenced by Willie Parker's numbers against San Diego in the divisional rounds. A balanced attack will keep the suddenly-opportunistic Arizona defense honest. Meanwhile, the Cardinals will need to pressure Ben Roethlisberger. Watch out for Arizona's secondary. Roethlisberger was picked off 15 times in '08, while in the playoffs, the Cardinals racked up 8 INT's.
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Arizona: Mix up Warner's targets
Pittsburgh: do your thing.
Larry Fitzgerald gets the headlines, and rightly so, but Kurt Warner must mix it up by including Arizona's other two main receivers. The Cardinals have also had success nibbling away by getting Tim Hightower, Edgerrin James and J.J. Arrington involved in the passing game. Pittsburgh has to do what it's done all year: hit hard, harass the quarterback and force the Cardinals into making mistakes.
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Pittsburgh 29,
Arizona 20.
Arizona's offense gets out to a fast start, but Pittsburgh's ruggedness and fourth-quarter magic will wear out the Cardinals in the second half.
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Jim Ganzer
Editor, Sportsbubbler |
Pittsburgh: Ground success
Arizona: Control the run.
The Steelers must run to set up the pass. They need to succeed on the ground to open up the passing game. The Cardinals must control the run and not allow Pittsburgh to run between the tackles and seal the outside creases.
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Arizona: Protect Warner
Pittsburgh: Pressure Warner.
The Steelers must apply a significant pass rush and force Warner to play out of the pocket. The Cardinals' offensive line needs to give Warner three to four seconds to throw the ball. No one can stop Fitzgerald or Boldin if they get the time.
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Arizona 31,
Pittsburgh 27.
It will be a high scoring game with little defense.
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Greg Matzek
Co-Host, Wisconsin
Sports Weekend, 620WTMJ
Contributor,
Sportsbubbler |
Pittsburgh: Play keep away
Arizona: Force takeaways.
The best way to beat the Cardinals is by keeping the ball away from their explosive offense. Run the ball, control the clock and win the game. The Cardinals aren't known for their dominant defense, but they do have a propensity for the big play. I expect the Steelers to drive the ball with efficiency, but I also expect the Cardinals to break up a nice drive with a key turnover.
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Arizona: Protect Warner
Pittsburgh: Pressure Warner.
Who the heck is gonna guard the best receiver in the world right now? The Steelers' best defense against Larry Fitzgerald might be their pass rush. Kurt Warner makes quick and accurate decisions with the ball, but he's also a statue in the pocket. Pittsburgh must disrupt his timing to keep Larry Fitz from dominating. For the Cardinals, don't let Pittsburgh get to Warner. It's as simple as that.
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Pittsburgh 31,
Arizona 23.
I think the Steelers win simply because they are more consistent in all phases. Arizona's quick strike offense will keep things close.
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Jay Sorgi
Postgame Anchor,
Packers Gameday
News and Sports Anchor/Reporter,
620WTMJ
Sportsbubbler:
"What the Blog's
Going On Out
Here?" |
Pittsburgh: Big Ben being big on 3rd down
Arizona: Keep Big Ben in the pocket and make him throw quickly.
Throughout the AFC Championship game, Roethlisberger kept Pittsburgh's offense alive in many drives with scramble-turned-super accurate throws. Arizona's defense, though suddenly formidable, is nowhere near what the Ravens could throw at the Steelers, so unless Arizona can stop Roethlisberger from getting time scrambling, it could be dangerous for the Cardinals.
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Arizona: Let your play schemes protect Warner
Pittsburgh: Turn Polamalu loose on both Warner and Fitzgerald.
If jelly-legged but cannon-armed Kurt Warner gets time, he and Fitzgerald/Boldin/Breaston can destroy any secondary. Pittsburgh offers perhaps the best pass rush in the NFL. The Cardinals can lessen that pass rush by using draws, screens, short passes with quick-timing that's faster than the rush. Troy Polamalu must step up big for the Steelers by either getting to Warner on the blitz or providing a double-team shutdown on Larry Fitzgerald, something the Panthers or Eagles couldn't do in the previous two games after they failed to stop long bombs for touchdowns to Fitz.
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Pittsburgh 23, Arizona 17.
Pittsburgh will effectively keep the ball out of Kurt Warner's hands, and a late Warner interception during their final comeback attempt late in the game will doom the Cardinals..
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Todd "The
Llama" Welter
Producer,
Sports Central
Reporter/Blogger,
620wtmj.com
Contributor,
Sportsbubbler
More - The Llama
Laments |
Pittsburgh: Roethlisberger must avoid sacks;
Arizona: Make Big Ben beat them.
The Steelers need to keep Roethlisberger upright. In Pittsburgh's losses this year, Big Ben has been beaten up, and the Cardinals have been getting to the quarterback lately. Arizona has to stop the Steelers' ground game and force Roethlisberger beat them.
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Arizona: Fitz must give Steelers fits;
Pittsburgh: Control Fitz
The Cardinals must get the ball into Larry Fitzgerald's hands. The guy has taken his play to legend status right now. The Cardinals need to find a way to make sure the ball is in his hands, and the Steelers have to make sure he does not touch.
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Pittsburgh 34,
Arizona 14
The Steelers have too much defense for Kurt Warner and Fitzgerald to overcome.
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