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Super Bowl shapes up as a battle of contrasts
By Morris Phillips January 27, 2009 |
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Established champions versus perennial losers. Tough as nails defense versus wide open offense. Clear favorites versus established underdogs. Third generation Terrible Towel wavers versus bandwagon fans. Super Bowl XLIII presents so many contrasts; one preview story can't contain them all. For example, the opposing quarterbacks, coaches and main playmakers. Kurt Warner had to establish himself with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena League before making it as a free agent in the NFL. The process took years. Ben Roethlisberger got drafted in the first round of the NFL draft and took the Steelers to the AFC championship game in his rookie year. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin assumed his position at age 34, after just one year as a NFL defensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings. Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt toiled 10 years as an NFL assistant, including the final two years as Pittsburgh offensive coordinator, only to be passed over by the Steelers for Tomlin (or so the popular version of the story goes). Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinal's post-season, record-breaking receiver, personifies grace with his effortless catches. Hines Ward, the Steelers' emotional leader from the receiver position, beats people up--whether he catches a pass or not. With that backdrop, the Steelers enter Sunday's contest as a clear favorite. The Cardinals come in as a clear underdog. By winning three playoff games as emotional underdogs, including their opener at home against the Falcons, Arizona is the surprise entrant. From their narrow escape act against the 49ers on Monday night, to blowout losses to the Eagles and the Patriots leading up to the post-season, the Cardinals never looked like they were going anywhere. If nothing else, they succeeded in justifying the NFL's insistence that each division produce one playoff team, by energizing their franchise by hosting a playoff game for the first time since the 1947 championship game, when the franchise made Chicago its home. The Steelers enter the Super Bowl just three years removed from their fifth Super Bowl title in January 2006, a close decision over the Seattle Seahawks in Detroit. Pittsburgh doesn't have long time coach Bill Cowher any longer, but they still have a hard hitting defense, ranked first in the NFL, led by linebacker James Harrison and safety Troy Polamalu. Their AFC Championship victory over the Ravens had the feel of a Super Bowl with all the high speed collisions and competing injuries on both teams. And within the Steelers defense lies the pivotal question sure to decide the contest: Can Pittsburgh, with its incessant and varied pressure packages, get to Warner, and by doing so, prevent him from getting the ball to Fitzgerald? The big receiver with the soft hands and tremendous body control is merely having the greatest post season of any NFL receiver ever. Arizona has parlayed big plays involving Fitzgerald and significant first half leads into three playoff wins. The Arizona defense has been adequate thus far, but how would it fair without a cushion on the scoreboard? If Arizona struggles to put points on the board, we need not go any further. You know what is going to happen. But if they do find a way to score, look out. The downtrodden franchise from the desert could have its day in the Florida sunshine. |
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