Superbowl XLIII: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals

[Chazz 0]

How about Ben's two minute drill from the 12 yard line (after that holding penalty on the first play)? Does that go up there with Montana and Elway's famous drives?

 

It should. That was a thing of beauty.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

he punched the guy in the shoulder pads and then blocked his ass to the ground again when he decided to try to get back up. it's football. he was the man harrison was assigned to block, and harrison blocked him.

 

What are you talking about? He shoved him down after the play was over.

 

Funny how NBC didn't show it again after that. I guess they didn't want to taint his amazing 100 yard run.

 

Pretty good game over all. Not much more you can ask for from a Super Bowl.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

oh really. after the play was over, eh?

 

considering the camera angle, how could you tell? did you see the ref blow the whistle? did you see everyone else stop?

 

no?

 

he was blocking the guy. bfd. it's football, not chess.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Tyler, did you know 9/11 was an inside job?

[Precious Roy 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIF_ucHzbIk

 

Haha, he didn't "punch" him and no way should he have been ejected from the game. But still that was a dirty play. Holding a guy down so he can't get up, then letting up so you can shove him back down is not how you block someone. He got flagged for it so I don't see the need for controversy.

[2GOLD 0]

 

Shia LaBeouf is Larry Fitzgerald in "Kurt Warner: A Cardinal tale", coming soon to a theater near you.

[jimmy no nose 0]

I counted at least 4 times where Kurt Warner removed his helmet while still in the field of play. That's 60 yards of field position those damn refs stole from the Steelers.

[jwpeer 0]

So I'm a Steeler fan, thus making my perspective maybe a bit biased. However I'm not a rabid partying in the streets type of fan (I watch sports for tactical interest/analysis and tend to be a fan of certain players more than teams other than the UPitt Basketball squad!)

 

My thoughts on the game: First Half was excellent in my opinion, and the game felt over after that game changing return. The third quarter was just awful. I winced every time a penalty was called against Arizona because I knew that there was some badblood against the Steelers from the officiating in SB XL. I tried to be objective on every play.

 

I really like that on all the holding calls against Gandy they showed the replay of him mugging harrison by the neck. With the given camera angle I could see a lot of times they WEREN'T calling Gandy for the minor ticky-tack holds and were doing a good job letting them play from that respect by only calling them when a blatant mugging forced them to.

 

The defensive holding call they called against ward was ticky tack and really only called because it was RIGHT on the side judges eyeview. He basically ran a 10 yard post route and cut right on the side judge so that it was blatantly obvious the DB grabbed his jersey past 5 yards. Weak call, didn't change the game fortunately.

 

The roughing the passer penalty was silly, but I've seen that called SO MANY times this year. I hate it every time it's called, they called it against Pittsburgh multiple times in the regular season for that half second after the balls is released expecting the pass rusher to stop their momentum with super powers. Bad call, but a bad call that happens all the time unfortunately.

 

Running into the holder: I don't think they can NOT call that penalty. Really this was a bonehead mistake by Adrian Wilson. I agree that it seems like such a silly penalty, but I also don't think I've EVER SEEN A PLAYER DO THAT BEFORE. Fortunately this didn't change the game in any way (Unless you include the wear of 3 more defensive plays which is a reasonable analysis, but the penalty was legit if a bit unusual). Now if we're debating whether it SHOULD be a penalty, I might be inclined to agree that it's silly (But if it's not who the hell would want to be the holder...you'd need a 700 pound brick wall lineman to hold the ball because he's going to get destroyed on every kick)

 

The safety holding was 100% legitimate also, clear the center was getting pushed back and tried to be crafty and do the grab and fall technique. Interestingly enough between that and starting their final drive with a 1st and 20, the Steelers were probably impacted by their penalties far more significantly than Arizona. That's what I think people need to keep in mind; time and circumstance of penalty is more meaningful than anything else.

 

Should have had an extended review of the end fumble. My initial impression was incomplete pass; looking at the replay I would have ruled it an incomplete pass but can see why it's a fumble as well. Upsets me that the game ended on this play at all (Just a sack alone woulda been far happier for all!)

 

James Harrison's punch and push was retarded but worse things happen in NFL games under piles outside the purview of the cameras. I don't think he did anything cheap (It was mano a mano blocking his man straight up) but was far rougher than most people want to see. Ejecting him would be ridiculous, he didn't do anything that would endanger another player. (Defensive and offensive linemen club each other in the heads/bodies far harder on every play than his weak rib punch)

 

 

My biggest issue is with people who complain about the Steelers getting all the calls as if penalties were some sort of thing that should never happen. Just go look at all the holding calls against Mike Gandy; that guy could NOT BLOCK Harrison and held him on virtually every play.

 

Larry Fitzgerald was amazing. It's crazy that he played like that even when he was here at Pitt, he's on a level above anyone else. Kinda wanted Arizona to win so he would get the SB MVP (Which might have gone to Warner anyway :()

[Maztinho 0]

I counted at least 4 times where Kurt Warner removed his helmet while still in the field of play. That's 60 yards of field position those damn refs stole from the Steelers.

 

This is true.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Do they have to keep their helmets on even when leaving the field?

[MFer 0]

If nothing else, this game served as another example of the prevent defense preventing a team from winning. I realize that Big Ben made several escapes when being pressured earlier, but giving him all day to throw isn't the answer. You don't have to go all Jim Johnston, but mix it up some, don't give Holmes time to find an open spot in the zone.

 

And, hey there were no "gadget plays" (a phrase that's a definite candidate for the sports cliches thread btw) run by either team.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

also, at risk of looking like a douche for posting twice in a row, those of you who think harrison should've been ejected need to get ahold of yourselves. this isn't fucking chess. on punt coverage, if you stand your ass up, you have to expect to get leveled by a blocker, as well he did. oh em gee, harrison "punched" him? on what, his fucking shoulder pads? give me a break. if you think that's worthy of an ejection, go back to watching tennis. gtfo.

 

This is a very factual interpretation of what happened.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

The Harrison punch stuff or Tyler looking like a douche?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Someone's arguing that Harrison didn't punch the guy? That's absurd. I was watching the game with a large group and everyone, including Steelers fans, was in agreement that Harrison should be thrown out of the game. That was one of the most unsportsmanlike things I've seen and it was in the biggest game of the year. You can't allow that type of buffoonery to be tolerated.

 

The sad thing is Harrison's actions totally negated that game-changing play he had earlier in the game. It probably cost him the MVP.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

hyperbole

 

he hit the guy to keep him down. then, he baited the guy into standing up and plastered him.

 

again, it's friggin football.

 

you do realize that offensive linemen don't just like, caress the defensive lineman en route to grabbing their jerseys, right? they punch inside their numbers. harrison was doing pretty much the same thing, only he did it to the guy's back. and he got flagged for it.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Someone's arguing that Harrison didn't punch the guy? That's absurd. I was watching the game with a large group and everyone, including Steelers fans, was in agreement that Harrison should be thrown out of the game. That was one of the most unsportsmanlike things I've seen and it was in the biggest game of the year. You can't allow that type of buffoonery to be tolerated.

 

The sad thing is Harrison's actions totally negated that game-changing play he had earlier in the game. It probably cost him the MVP.

 

 

No football player should get ejected from the superbowl for whackin' someone. Also, the Santonio Holmes explosion on the last drive did more to cost Harrison the MVP than any rough play.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

yeah, holmes and his gigantic hog earned the mvp. it didn't have anything to do with the harrison play. if the game ends 20-7, harrison's the mvp.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

What would have been different this season if on draft day 2006, the Steelers didn't trade up with the Giants to get Santonio Holmes? With their two picks, the Giants took Sinorice Moss and Mathias Kiwanuka.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

oh really. after the play was over, eh?

 

considering the camera angle, how could you tell? did you see the ref blow the whistle? did you see everyone else stop?

 

no?

 

he was blocking the guy. bfd. it's football, not chess.

 

I could be wrong. I could have sworn the announcers said he shoved him over after the play was over.

 

Yes, I think most of us do realize we weren't watching chess. Usually the rule with this kind of stuff is "If you do it, fine, but don't get caught." He got caught.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

fair enough. but he was flagged, and that's enough, imo.

[Brett Favre 0]

Just remember. we're talking about football not chess. This is football.

[the max 0]

You mean chess right?

[Brett Favre 0]

Damnit it's football.

[MFer 0]

Don't know if anyone else saw this, but on that Harrison TD, Antrell Rolle was practically on the field instead of being back behind the sideline. Rolle got into Fitzgerald's way, and that probably cost Fitz a chance to tackle Harrison earlier. Also, there was a Woodley clip on that runback that should've been called.

[migoli 0]

Well agree to disagree I guess.

 

No, his foot was down. Even the coach on the other team had no problem admitting his foot was down.

 

I don't think playing a Ravens team classifies as an easy matchup, but it is cabbageboy.

 

They also had the NFL's #1 ranked schedule.

 

 

Watch at about 9:28. I don't see how you can say that is CLEARLY down.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnI9tvUqjDA..._winning_catch/

 

But it is so close I totally understand it not being overturned.

 

 

[The Niggardly King 0]

 

thanx

[A.BUTCHER'S HOUSE OF RIBS 0]

It's not like not ejecting Harrison changed the outcome of the game. The Cards still scored with ease when they got the ball back after the safety. Now if they would thrown out Woodley that would've been another matter. Speaking of Woodley he had a hell of a postseason, 6 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

in case anyone didn't see the vicious, thug like shoulder pad punch:

 

 

, obv

[The Niggardly King 0]

There was about 5 seconds before that where he was punching him in the face region, but I don't care. That's oldschool blue-collar, lunch pail football, Ditkah and Ryan would be proud.

[MFer 0]

Besides, you can see a lot worse on any given punt during a game. I've seen many times where two defenders are practically mugging one of the gunners and no penalty flag is thrown.