Super Bowl XLIII Preview

Well, we are finally here; Super Bowl XLIII. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals will duel it out on the field to see who will bring home the Vince Lombardi trophy.

It will be a great game to watch. The Steelers have an elite defense and a decent offense; conversely, the Cardinals have an elite offense but a decent defense.

Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald have hooked up on key occasions in the playoffs, one reason why the Cards have been playing so well. Fitzgerald will keep the Pittsburgh defense on their toes with his speed and agility. Fitzgerald's hands are superb and his jumping ability may be overwhelming to the Steelers.

Another key to the game is Kurt Warner's ability to handle the pressure the Steel Curtain will throw at him. Warner has faced some tough defenses that like to blitz, but none like that of the Steelers. If the offensive line can fend off the Steeler defense, that will give Warner more time to make accurate throws. If the offensive line cannot hold the Steelers, than Warner will be hurried to throw the ball and may make errant passes.

If the Cardinals want to win this game, they need to utilize trick plays like they have been doing all postseason. The flea-flicker in the wild card round caught the Falcons off guard and resulted in a touchdown. The play in the NFC championship game also left the Eagles baffled as to what happened.

The Arizona defense also needs to shine in order to win. They forced twelve turnovers in the postseason and that trend needs to continue. Antrel Rolle and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are two defensive backs who need to stay with the wide receivers they cover (most likely Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes).

As for the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger needs to make accurate throws. The Arizona secondary flourished in the playoffs and if Roethlisberger makes poor decisions, the secondary will take advantage.

Big Ben also has to avoid aggravating his rib and back injuries. Those have affected his passing game and if aggravated, then his skill may be diminished.

Hines Ward will be one of the X-Factors in the Super Bowl. Ward has not been 100% healthy in months and recently suffered a leg injury. He needs to run his routes and catch passes thrown to him. One strategy Pittsburgh could use is just having him on the field as a threat, not as a "receiver" on most plays.

Ward's fellow receiver, Santonio Holmes, will be another key player. Not only does Holmes have the ability to catch the deep ball as a wide receiver, but his speed and agility make him a threat to return kicks and punts for touchdowns.

Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, and Ryan Clark are three of the Steelers' defenders who will hit the Cardinals hard and will have an enormous impact on the game. The Cardinals have not faced a defense like Pittsburgh; they have not faced a team that hits as hard as they do.

With all that said, the Steelers will be the new champions of the NFL. Defense wins championships and their defense is too strong. I believe the Cardinals will keep it close throughout, but in the end the Steelers will be crowned champions.

Prediction:
Steelers over Cardinals, 23-17
*Ben Roethlisberger named Super Bowl MVP*