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Guest Agent of Oblivion

Superbowl XLIII: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals

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Yeah, I get the whole "Arena Football player and Hy-Vee shelf stocker leads the greatest offense ever assembled" aspect of it, but if we analyze VX's quote here:

 

Unlike baseball, where we've had Cinderella stories smothered out in the championship games (see: Detroit 2006 and 2008 Rays) the underdog can shock the world with some regularity in football (99 Rams, 2001 Patriots, 2007 Giants etc.).

 

It kind of looks like he's speaking specifically of championship underdogs, which the 99 Rams most certainly were not, even if the Titans were an underrated team because they possibly-forward-lateral'd and playoff-game-against-Peyton-Manning'd their way to the big dance. He elaborated earlier in the thread and said he meant the whole "last season sucked and Trent Green's knee is ruined" aspect of it, but it seems like apples and oranges with his other two examples. The Pats and the Giants struggled and shocked the world and so forth, while it was pretty clear pretty early that the Rams were the team to beat in the NFC, if not the league, depending on how much stock you put in that 14-2 Jaguars team. Less of an "underdog," per se, and more of a "Go figure, the Rams are good this year" as we saw with the Dolphins and the Falcons this year. I guess it depends on your definition of underdog.

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Guest Vitamin X

The combined record of all of St. Louis' opponents that year was 82-142. The combined record of the teams the Rams lost to in the regular season was 26-22. There was good enough reason to believe that the Rams racked up a bunch of wins against inferior opponents that when they went into the playoffs, they weren't really proven, which of course they defied and ultimately won the championship. Despite the point spread, I tend to think the Titans were still the better team and had a more difficult road to get to the Super Bowl, aside from Dungy's Bucs who probably should've beaten the Rams. But yeah that's obviously different.

 

Anyways, underdog brainfart aside, my point was this seems to happen a lot more in football than in baseball, which is still a valid point, at least recently. Probably in basketball too. Makes football more fun to watch in my opinion, even when it bit me in the ass for Super Bowl XXXII.

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Guest Agent of Oblivion

Let's get down to brass tacks, gentlemen.

 

Specific Predictions

 

1. Final Score

2. MVP

3. Statistical leaders

 

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Let's get down to brass tacks, gentlemen.

 

Specific Predictions

 

1. Final Score

2. MVP

3. Statistical leaders

 

1. Haven't decided on a winner yet

2. The winning QB

3. Warner will have more yards passing than BenRo

 

More importantly....

 

4. Best avatar - AoO

5. Creepiest avatar - AoO

6. Funniest avatar - AoO

 

Congrats, man. What are you going to do next?

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Let's get down to brass tacks, gentlemen.

 

Specific Predictions

 

1. Final Score

2. MVP

3. Statistical leaders

 

 

Did someone see Sleuth recently?? :P

 

 

1. 24-21 Pittsburgh (Heavily leaning to 27-21, but either way they won't cover. Fitzgerald with all three Arizona TDs)

 

2. Larry Fitzgerald in the loss (Making up for when he lost the heisman to Jason f'ing White. Biggest proof that award is truly a piece of crap. I'm actually probably a bigger fan of Fitz than the Steelers :P)

 

3. Warner fumbles three times from the pressure. Fitzgerald with 3 TDS, 12 receptions, 145 yards. Harrison with two forced fumbles. Boldin with 10 minutes straight pouting about not being as good as Fitz/Breaston in their max protect schemes. Heath Miller makes multiple big catches for first downs.

 

 

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Final Score - Arizona 27-24

 

MVP - Kurt Warner

 

Passing Leader - Kurt Warner

 

Rushing Leader - Willie Parker

 

Receiving Leader - Larry Fitzgerald

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-Final Score; Pittsburgh 23 Arizona 20

 

-MVP; Willie Parker

 

-Passing Leader; Kurt Warner

 

-Receiving Leader; Larry Fitzgerald

 

-Rushing Leader; Willie Parker

 

 

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Pittsburgh: 31 Arizona: 20

 

MVP: Roethlisberger, although many will argue that any number of guys on the defense deserved it more.

 

Warner will have over 300 yards through the air, but will also have several costly turnovers. Let's say two picks (one a pick-six) and one fumble lost. Fitzgerald will have another monster game, and will account for Arizona's two TDs. Willie Parker will be a non-factor, but Roethlisberger will pick Arizona's secondary apart.

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Score

Pittsburgh: 21

Arizona: 17

 

MVP

Roethlisberger -I don't think he'll have a big numbers game though.

 

 

Passing leader: Warner -I see the Steelers taking the lead early, and Warner being forced to throw and getting a fair number of yards against a tough Pittsburgh defense.

 

Receiving leader: Fitzgerald

 

Rushing leader: Parker

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Pittsburgh: 30

Arizona: 13

 

MVP: Heinz Ward will break Adrian Wilson's jaw and have a 125+ yard game with a touchdown or two. Big Ben does too little to stand out otherwise he'd win it.

 

Passing Leader: Kurt Warner WILL have a 300yd+ game. Just ignore the "3 INT" part of the stat line, one of which will be a pick-six.

 

Receiving Leader: Larry Fitzgerald will try to carry the team again, but fail despite more than 10 catches and 150 yards.

 

Rushing Leader: Willie Parker, but this will be a game won in the air. He'll get it into the endzone a couple of times but fail to crack 100 yards.

 

I really want to see the underdog win, but I get a 1998 Falcons vibe from this team despite losing five more times than that one-and-done. This is a team that's carried by a receiver/quarterback combo rather than a dirty-birdin' running back, however they're still doomed to a loss. I hope I'm wrong. The way I see it there are three possible outcomes, a Pittsburgh blowout or close win and an Arizona close win. There is NO WAY the Cardinals hang more than twenty points on Pittsburgh unless Anquan Boldin hits Troy Polamalu with a steel chair at halftime.

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Guest Agent of Oblivion
MVP: bwuh.jpg

 

Wins the thread. Oh man.

 

1. 24-21 Arizona

2. MVP: Adrian Wilson

3. Passing: Roethlisberger

Rushing: Parker

Receiving: Heath Miller

 

I think Arizona is going to fall ass-backwards into a win in a game in which they're completely dominated statistically. Tipped balls, ill-advised throws, and receiver gaffes turn into interception after interception for the Cards D. By pure serendipity, Adrian Wilson will be in the right place at the right time twice or more. He'll score a monster fourth quarter sack and make a big stop or two on key 3rd downs. Neither team will move the ball well, and the game really won't be very good.

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I know they keep replaying the Larry Fitzgerald interview with Cris Carter and it's annoying and all, but it is refreshing to hear a WR with his feet firmly on the ground for once. Especially with Boldin heading toward TO'ville.

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- Final: Cardinals 28 Steelers 20

- MVP will be Larry Fitzgerald with 2 TDs (also the receiving leader)

- Parker will be the leading rusher, but it will be a "quiet" 80-100 yards with no scores as Arizona's rush defense continues to be stout.

- Both Warner and Ben throw for 250+ and two TDs, though both will throw 1 or 2 INTs

 

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I found this interesting and didn't realize just how many "name" starters on both sides actually went undrafted out of college. I also noticed that Pittsburgh has a serious knack for drafting their defense in the 3rd-5th rounds.

 

- RB Willie Parker (Pittsburgh Steelers) out of North Carolina

- RB Gary Russell (Pittsburgh Steelers) out of Minnesota

- WR Nate Washington (Pittsburgh Steelers) out of Tiffin

- TE Jerheme Urban (Arizona Cardinals) out of Trinity

- K Jeff Reed (Pittsburgh Steelers) out of North Carolina

- DT/DE Travis Kirschke (Pittsburgh Steelers) out of UCLA

- LB James Harrison (Pittsburgh Steelers) out of Kent State

- DB Ryan Clark (Pittsburgh Steelers) out of LSU

- DB Roderick Hood (Arizona Cardinals) out of Auburn

- DB Aaron Francisco (Arizona Cardinals) out of BYU

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I'm cheering for the Cards but realistically:

 

SCORE: Steelers 27, CARDINALS 24

MVP: Troy Polamalu

STATS:

QB - Warner (315yds, 3TD, 3INT, 1FBL)/Big Ben (231yds, 1TD, 2INT)

RB - James (53yds)/Parker (75yds, 1TD, 1FBL)

WR - Fitzgerald (12 catches, 164yds, 2TD)/Holmes (3 catches, 112yds, 1TD)

 

Polamalu gets pick-6 with Arizona down 20-17, late in the 4th, making it 27-17. Cards get a last second TD but can't recover the onside.

 

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I'll go with Arizona over Pittsburgh, 24-20.

 

MVP: Warner

Leading passer: Warner

Leading rusher: Parker

Leading receiver: Boldin (which would be somewhat ironic)

 

I think the Cardinals D will play a big role in this one. They have 8 INT's this postseason (yes, 5 came against Carolina, but they still managed 3 in the other two games), and I think Big Ben's due to make a mistake or two. Plus, it's not like Pittsburgh's offense is the greatest in the world, especially with Ward banged up now. Arizona just needs to keep Warner relatively clean and get Pittsburgh off the field on 3rd down. I would think that the Steelers would try everything in their power to cover Fitzgerald, which could open the door for Boldin and Breaston. I am a little worried about everyone jumping on the Cardinals' bandwagon though. The Steelers might find a way to twist that as a sign of disrespect against them.

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And now, my favorite part of the Super Bowl: the prop bets! I found a listing of 30 of the more ridiculous ones that you can actually bet on at Bodog. I'd put a sawbuck on Over 5 Big Ben References by John and Al and another on Jennifer Hudson dragging the anthem past 2:01.

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Guest Vitamin X
Is it me or does this game have far less hype than Superbowls usually do?

 

It's not just you. Not a whole lot of people understand the magnitude of the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl, they just see a team they don't know or care much about and them playing the Steelers, so they automatically assume they'll win.

 

And of course Obama would pick the Steelers. Which one of those two states voted for him?

 

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