Steelers vs. Cardinals...This oughta be GOOD!

Never in life did I imagine that the Arizona Cardinals would knock off the likes of the Carolina Panthers and the Philadelphia Eagles to get to the Super Bowl. During the regular season, Arizona played both the Panthers and the Eagles, and lost both games. Although, I kinda gave them the benefit of the doubt in the Wild Card round against Atlanta...but still, the Falcons looked better on paper. At least to me, anyway.

The road the Pittsburgh Steelers took to get here was a little more predictable, in my opinion. They faced off against San Diego (who knocked off Manning and Co. to eliminate the Indianapolis Colts) and Baltimore, and were heavily favored in both games. And, of course, the Steelers prevailed.

Which brings us to the present: Super Bowl XLIII (or 43, for those not keen on Roman numerals). The mighty Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Arizona Cardinals, our decade's version of the Kardiac Kids. And I can't POSSIBLY be any more excited about a football game than I am about this one. The instant favorite versus the obvious underdog? You know there's gonna be some smashmouth, high-energy football played in this one.

Let's take a look at the Steelers. On one side you've got hard-hitting, no-nonsense defense from the likes of Troy Polamalu, James Farrior, and James Harrison. On the other side of the ball, you've got playmakers like Hines Ward, Willie Parker, and Santonio Holmes. Now Holmes, he's a dual-threat. He can beat a corner deep downfield for a big-gainer, or he can punish you on special teams. He's a beast. Despite all of his critics, we can't downplay how important Ben Roethlisberger is to this team, either. Yes, we remember his 22.6 rating in Super Bowl XL, but you know what they say..."past performance does not guarantee future results".

Now, onto the Cards. Kurt Warner, at 37 years young, is playing probably the best football of his career, in my opinion. Sure, he did it ten years or so ago, but he was much younger then. I never thought I'd see him playing for a shot at another ring ten years later. Warner has demonstrated his poise and awareness, even while staring a blitz right in his face. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, both of whom will be playing in Honolulu, are guys that can turn a 5-yard catch into a 25 or 30-yard gain with very little effort. We can't count out Arizona's defense either. One player in particular grabs my attention: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. He is a great corner, and he plays with the intensity and discipline that we see 6 or 8-year veterans exhibit. Oh yeah, he's a rookie, by the way. To say nothing of guys like S Adrian Wilson, DE Bertrand Berry, and LB Karlos Dansby, who are productive at their respective positions.

With that in mind, the outcome of this game suddenly doesn't become so apparent. I know many people are picking the Steelers early on...which might be a mistake. Consider the obstacles Arizona had standing in their way prior to this, and the fact that they beat a Panthers team IN Charlotte, where they lost during Week 8. And also, the late-game heroics during the NFC Championship game against Philly. With all that behind them, Arizona is focused on one goal: hoisting that Vince Lombardi Trophy high and proud in the Tampa sky.

But that does not mean the Steelers will make it easy. Anyone living between Steubenville and Altoona will tell you that this Pittsburgh defense is arguably the best this league has ever seen. Not just because they're part of Steeler Nation, but because it's the TRUTH. As mentioned earlier, Kurt Warner is very good at reading and avoiding a blitz, and he's definitely going to be put to the test in this one. In addition, I believe Arizona's D is overmatched when it comes to the Steelers' offensive unit.

My take? This game could go either way, and I'm not picking a winner. One thing I WILL say: Fasten your seat belts...this is going to be a HELL of a ride!