Re: Super Bowl 43: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Arizona Cardinals
Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 8:37 pm
I like Arizona. They remind me of the 06 Colts. Fizzled a bit at the end of the season and there were huge question marks about certain aspects of their game( run D etc) but they got hot at the right time and their team just clicked.
The Colts run D was horrible back then, the Jags rushed for 300+ yds in a game against them that year and teams opposing RBs owned them every game and they went into the playoffs facing the leagues leading rusher Larry Johnson. LJ only ran for like 35 yards and the Colts won. The Cards went into the playoffs with a similar problem, facing Michael Turner the 2nd leading rusher in the league, they stopped him and won the game.
Back in 06 the Colts' 2nd round opponent was the #2 seeded 13-3 Baltimore Ravens- a team with a crazy defense and a solid running game as is typical of any Ravens team. People were saying we got lucky with KC and Larry had a bad game but surely the Colts would lose in freezing ,windy Baltimore against that tough running game and one the top ranked Ds in the league. The Colts bottom ranked D outplayed the Ravens top ranked D and Indy won the game 15-6 on all FGs. Now this year the Cards' 2nd rd opponent was the 12-4 #2 seeded Carolina- just like the 06 Ravens a team built around defense and a running attack. People were saying Arizona was lucky in facing a rookie QB at home and that the experienced vet Kurt Warner just had too many weapons, but all that would end when he has Julius Peppers and Jon Beason etc to deal with and that Carolina's two headed running game would crush them. Well exactly the opposite happened. Warner was fantastic and Arizona's D heavily outplayed Carolina's.
In the Conference Championship,the Colts faced the Pats and more people were starting to become believers in the Colts after the KC and Ravens games, but generally people were on the Belichek/Brady side. The Colts won in a thriller. This year the Cards faced the Eagles and again, some people were starting to believe in the Cardinals but most were on the Philly side. Philly loses a close one 32-25
Now the Super Bowl- back in 06 the Colts were facing the leagues TOP D - the Chicago Bears and now in 2009, the Cardinals go up against the league's TOP D- the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think Pittsburgh D is very good. But I think the Cardinals are as well equipped as any to deal with them. Certainly better equipped than the Ravens for instance. The Ravens passing game was beyond brutal last night, Flacco was making blind throws, ovethrows, underthrows, INTs, you name it...to be fair he doesn't have much to work with but still. Pittsburgh's o-line is still trash..don't listen to Phil Simms, the PIT o-line sucks, they are really winning in spite of them I mean sure, Ben completed more than half his passes and threw no picks but he was still knocked down on almost every play, the Ravens had a bad day all around but they still got to big ben enough times and he was on his ass alot.
I just like the Cardinal's momentum right now...so many parralels to the 06 Colts..
Also I really hope Edgerrin James has a good game and the Cards win...the Edge is one of my all time favorite player, I loved him as a Colt and silently wept for him when we won the Super Bowl w/o him.. He has his chance now with Arizona I hope he gets it. And how sweet it would be for Ken Whisenhunt to beat his former team.
Man I cant wait this should be an awesome game.
The Colts run D was horrible back then, the Jags rushed for 300+ yds in a game against them that year and teams opposing RBs owned them every game and they went into the playoffs facing the leagues leading rusher Larry Johnson. LJ only ran for like 35 yards and the Colts won. The Cards went into the playoffs with a similar problem, facing Michael Turner the 2nd leading rusher in the league, they stopped him and won the game.
Back in 06 the Colts' 2nd round opponent was the #2 seeded 13-3 Baltimore Ravens- a team with a crazy defense and a solid running game as is typical of any Ravens team. People were saying we got lucky with KC and Larry had a bad game but surely the Colts would lose in freezing ,windy Baltimore against that tough running game and one the top ranked Ds in the league. The Colts bottom ranked D outplayed the Ravens top ranked D and Indy won the game 15-6 on all FGs. Now this year the Cards' 2nd rd opponent was the 12-4 #2 seeded Carolina- just like the 06 Ravens a team built around defense and a running attack. People were saying Arizona was lucky in facing a rookie QB at home and that the experienced vet Kurt Warner just had too many weapons, but all that would end when he has Julius Peppers and Jon Beason etc to deal with and that Carolina's two headed running game would crush them. Well exactly the opposite happened. Warner was fantastic and Arizona's D heavily outplayed Carolina's.
In the Conference Championship,the Colts faced the Pats and more people were starting to become believers in the Colts after the KC and Ravens games, but generally people were on the Belichek/Brady side. The Colts won in a thriller. This year the Cards faced the Eagles and again, some people were starting to believe in the Cardinals but most were on the Philly side. Philly loses a close one 32-25
Now the Super Bowl- back in 06 the Colts were facing the leagues TOP D - the Chicago Bears and now in 2009, the Cardinals go up against the league's TOP D- the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think Pittsburgh D is very good. But I think the Cardinals are as well equipped as any to deal with them. Certainly better equipped than the Ravens for instance. The Ravens passing game was beyond brutal last night, Flacco was making blind throws, ovethrows, underthrows, INTs, you name it...to be fair he doesn't have much to work with but still. Pittsburgh's o-line is still trash..don't listen to Phil Simms, the PIT o-line sucks, they are really winning in spite of them I mean sure, Ben completed more than half his passes and threw no picks but he was still knocked down on almost every play, the Ravens had a bad day all around but they still got to big ben enough times and he was on his ass alot.
I just like the Cardinal's momentum right now...so many parralels to the 06 Colts..
Also I really hope Edgerrin James has a good game and the Cards win...the Edge is one of my all time favorite player, I loved him as a Colt and silently wept for him when we won the Super Bowl w/o him.. He has his chance now with Arizona I hope he gets it. And how sweet it would be for Ken Whisenhunt to beat his former team.
Man I cant wait this should be an awesome game.