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The NFL Playoffs are just one game from being over, and the Super Bowl is set to be played. The game will feature the resurgent Arizona Cardinals, NFC West champions, against the defensive Pittsburgh Steelers, champions of the AFC North. Predictions?

I predict that Arizona's offense will come up sputtering in the first half, with Pittsburgh's defense eager to make a showing. Pittsburgh goes up 14-0, both on passing TDs, and Arizona ends the first half with a field goal to cut it to 14-3. In the second half, Arizona comes out swinging, with consecutive TD passes to Larry Fitzgerald (after a Big Ben interception) to take the lead 17-14. But Willie Parker takes this opportunity to go nuts, rushing for touchdowns on two consecutive long drives, tiring Arizona's defense. Warner will throw a TD pass to Anquan Boldin to cut the lead to 28-25 (after a 2-pt conversion), but Pittsburgh gets enough first downs, and Arizona never gets the ball back. Steelers win, 28-25, in a great game.

This is just my prediction - I would prefer to see the Cardinals win the game.

This post has been edited by Neal on 20th January 2009 21:09

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I neither know nor care enough about the NFL to really make a prediction, especially not one as detailed as Neal's - however, as someone who will probably watch just because, and as someone who grew up 90 miles from St. Louis, I would really like to see what used to be my local team finally win something, even if it's 20 years since they left the midwest.

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Steelers 24-21.

Hopefully I'll get another avatar and rank for a team I don't care about

I've been a devout NFL fan for over 10 years. In those 10 years, you learn there are a certain number of unquestioned truths: The Patriots are reviled, refs make terrible calls (though thankfully instant replay came through for some), the NFC/AFC Championship games are usually more exciting than the Super Bowl, and the Arizona Cardinals will not win more than 8 games in a year.

So after fully accepting that last bit, allow me to express my speechlessness at their presence in the Super Bowl. It was hard to even stomach seeing them in the playoffs. Not one single "expert" picked the Cards at any given point in the playoffs, and my god did they make them look stupid.

I like the Steelers. I've always considered them my "when everyone else is gone" team. So to see them in the Super Bowl is a good thing, and it correlates with my preseason pick. So for the first time I've been predicting sports outcomes, I may have picked the eventual champion, which makes me excited.

Defense wins championships, which is why everyone is going to pick Pittsburgh most likely. But while they don't have a very potent pass rush, Arizona has a more than decent secondary. Rodgers-Cromartie would have to be considered the defensive playoff MVP for the team. I do like the matchup of Polamalu and Taylor on Arizona's biggest weapon, Larry Fitzgerald. However, how good is that going to be? Every team the Cards faced this playoff has said the same thing: We need to shut down Fitz. I don't think 419 yards given up in 3 games is my idea of shutting him down. I think he's held under 100 here, but I still look for him to make some big catches.

My head says Steelers, but my intuition says Cardinals.

Always go with intuition: 28-21, Cardinals

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"When I turn the page
The corner bends into the perfect dog ear
As if the words knew I'd need them again
But at the time, I didn't see it."

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My Super Bowl pick at the onset of the postseason was actually Pittsburgh vs. Carolina. Nice how that worked out, eh? I'm guessing that the Steelers will decide to be the only six-bowl team in NFL history.

Steelers 24, Cardinals 14

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END SPOILER

I'm just waiting for Larry Fitzgerald to supposedly become a non-factor. Another reason I'm rooting for Arizona is because their defensive player Okeafor played for my highschool team. Kinda amazing since we are "the smartest school in Indiana" So my prediction is... 24-17 Pittsburg

Quote (Neal @ 20th January 2009 16:08)

I predict that Arizona's offense will come up sputtering in the first half, with Pittsburgh's defense eager to make a showing. Pittsburgh goes up 14-0, both on passing TDs, and Arizona ends the first half with a field goal to cut it to 14-3. In the second half, Arizona comes out swinging, with consecutive TD passes to Larry Fitzgerald (after a Big Ben interception) to take the lead 17-14. But Willie Parker takes this opportunity to go nuts, rushing for touchdowns on two consecutive long drives, tiring Arizona's defense. Warner will throw a TD pass to Anquan Boldin to cut the lead to 28-25 (after a 2-pt conversion), but Pittsburgh gets enough first downs, and Arizona never gets the ball back. Steelers win, 28-25, in a great game.

But how many false start penalties will be called on Mike Gandy?

I'm going with Steelers 24- Larry Fitzgerald (and all the other, lesser Arizona Cardinals) 14

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How about Bruce Springsteen performing at the half-time show? The Superbowl's always an interesting game to watch, as last year's game was great and Tom Petty's half-time performance was great as well.

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Quote (FabulousFreebird @ 23rd January 2009 11:01)

How about Bruce Springsteen performing at the half-time show?

Come on wardrobe malfunction!

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Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me

Judging on this forum the Cards are gonna be pretty big underdogs. While I agree, because Big Ben is a Super Bowl QB, meaning that he makes clutch plays exactly when he needs to. But I'm still going to root for the Cardinals for two reasons. One, they are the underdogs and I tend to root for the underdogs. And two, I'm a Titans fan, and since we pretty much beat ourselves with penalties and fumbles, I think we should've beat the Ravens and could've beat the Steelers. So I want them to fall on there faces!!!!!!!! (i'm not bitter at all)!

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Praise Be To Helix!

Go Cardinals for sure. Pitt's defense is probably going to shut them down hardcore. But I'm rooting for Kurt big time.

The Cardinals are the worst team in the history of the NFL. They are the Cubs of the NFL, but in general no one really knows that. They haven't won or done anything since 1947.

The problem is, the Cards are just mediocre every year. Never 1 and 15, they're just 4 and 12 or 5 and 11 every year. For the past 60 years.


Go Cardinals though!

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Face to face, eye to eye, staring at the last star
I should've known, walked all the way home
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-Atmosphere "Always Coming Back Home to You"

I think I won again.....

Although that touchdown at the end of the 1st half really shouldn't have counted.

Edit

OH wait, neal's closes isnt he.

This post has been edited by yomama on 2nd February 2009 03:18

Moderator Edit

You got a deal. -R51

This post has been edited by Rangers51 on 2nd February 2009 12:50

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END SPOILER

Ouch!! Shoot I wanted the Cards to win... I knew that last touchdown was way too soon

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Judging from the last three or four Super Bowls, everyone can completely skip the first three quarters and just watch the fourth quarter and basically watch the entire game.

For three quarters, it was a very boring game, save for the last play of the first half (I think James Harrison still needs oxygen after lugging his 300 pound frame 100 yards). I mean, no Fitzgerald catches, mediocre Big Ben, mediocre Kurt Warner, el zilcho running game on both sides. It had the makings for a pretty terrible game.

Note to Cardinals: It's a 60 minute game, not 58 minutes. Their defense completely let them down in the last two minutes. It was remarkably similar to the Patriots' inability to focus in the last two minutes of last year's Super Bowl.

At least the Cards made it interesting and made it a fight to the finish. They could've done their usual 60 year tradition of rolling over and dying. But defense finally got a little pressure on Big Ben, and Kurt Warner was undeniably great on that first drive of the fourth quarter.

The defining moment, and the image you will see forever ensconced on Super Bowl 43, is the tip-toe lean-and-grab touchdown by Santonio Holmes. Sensational talent and focus to keep all the necessary body parts in bounds and hold onto the ball.

Thank god he won MVP as well. If they even tried to make a case for Roethlisberger, I would've been angry as hell.

Anyone else notice a large number of flags come into the mix? For the most part, they got all the right calls. But sometimes you just have to let them play.

But the "holding" safety was mega-rofls.


Like I said, I was bored for 45 minutes of gametime. The fourth quarter definitely was worth sticking around for.

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"When I turn the page
The corner bends into the perfect dog ear
As if the words knew I'd need them again
But at the time, I didn't see it."

~"This Ain't a Surfin' Movie" - Minus the Bear

i only watched the last part of the game, when Fitzgerald caught that touchdown . i didnt want to get excited, but then i thought they were going to win. then they sucked it up, and now im angry.

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Praise Be To Helix!

I can't believe that they didn't review that play towards the end of the game! Warner tried to throw but his arm got hit and the ball just kinda fell out. But it did go forward before hitting the ground. It was initially called a fumble, but everyone that I was watching with (including, of course, myself) disagreed. The Cards would've had another change if that play hadn't been ruled a turnover. I doubt they could have done much with it, but still.

I have a teacher who is an obnoxious, in-your-face Steelers fan. I don't really care about either team, but I was really hoping that his beloved Steelers would be beaten in epic fashion. It's been an interesting week so far...

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Quote (Death Penalty @ 5th February 2009 23:51)

I can't believe that they didn't review that play towards the end of the game! Warner tried to throw but his arm got hit and the ball just kinda fell out. But it did go forward before hitting the ground. It was initially called a fumble, but everyone that I was watching with (including, of course, myself) disagreed. The Cards would've had another change if that play hadn't been ruled a turnover. I doubt they could have done much with it, but still.

I have a teacher who is an obnoxious, in-your-face Steelers fan. I don't really care about either team, but I was really hoping that his beloved Steelers would be beaten in epic fashion. It's been an interesting week so far...

yeah, i guess its too late for that now.

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Praise Be To Helix!