Its Super Bowl Sunday!!!

I've been waiting and waiting to write this post. My personal breakdown of Super Bowl XLIII.

Pitt O v. Cardinals D

Pittsburgh's offense has been extremely mediocre this year (22nd in YPG). They are sitting in the middle to the back of the pack in run O (23rd) and Pass O (17th). The Cardinals D has also been fairly mediocre (19th in YPG). They are 16th against the run and 22nd against the pass. While it looks like a particularly mediocre matchup, I am giving the advantage to the Cardinals D, because even though they are not that good. They have played better than their stats say this postseason. I also think that the Cards will be able to force turnovers from a little gunslining acton that Big Ben will no-doubtedly put on display.

Cards O vs. Pitt D

Now this is the matchupeveryone wants to see. The Best Defense in the NFL against the 4th best Offense in the NFL. The Steelers will have to pressure Kurt Warner all game to throw him off. The Cardinals will have to sontinue the success they have had this postseason in more traditional sets (less than 3 WR) while still not getting away from their pass-happy tendencies. This is going to be the biggest battle all game. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers can fly around and smack a couple of WRs in the mouth, like they are known to do, and set the tone early in the game.

My Prediction (with Justification)
The matchups are one part but the biggest factor in the game, in my mind, will be field position (BIG SURPRISE RIGHT?). Because both return games are pretty good and with turnovers that are bound to happen, the field position is going to flip on the turn of a dime. I think it will be close until the Steelers force the Cards to be one-dimensional in the 4th quarter and then they can drop back a force turnovers.

Steelers 31, Cards 17