Re: I am calling it damnit! Cards beat eagles/WIN Super bowl!
I'm a huge Cardinals fan. Watching MY TEAM get to the SUPER BOWL is blowing my mind.
The Steelers will be the toughest challenge so far and naturally, the Cardinals will be the underdog again. I think the key will actually be the defenses of BOTH teams. The Cardinals D, particulary the secondary, is significantly underrated. The number 1 corner back, rookie Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, has exceeded expectations but seems to be staying under the media radar. He made key interceptions against the Falcons and the Panthers and just completely shut Steve Smith down. The inability of receivers to get open against the Cardinals is a critical but relatively unnoticed reason for their success in the play-offs. Notice that McNabb's favorite target last Sunday was a tight end. Garnering more attention is the Cardinal's ability to shut down heretofore potent ground attacks.
The Steelers offense should not present anything more challenging than what the Cardinals have already consistently trounced. The Steelers defense is the best, but the Steelers defense doesn't play the Cardinals defense. The Steelers defense plays the Cardinals offense. That will be a much closer battle than the Steelers offense against the Cardinals D. Fitzgerald is almost unstoppable. Plus with his injury (now recovered) and overblown sideline tiff drawing all the attention, people forget that Anquan Boldin is pretty much as unstoppable as Fitzgerald. Before his injuries this season, he was on pace for a record number of touchdowns and about as many yards as Fitzgerald. I predict a relatively tame performance for Fitzgerald and domination by Boldin in the Superbowl.
It's true that defense wins championships. This championship will be won by the Cardinals D outplaying the Steelers O.
EDIT: One potentially game-changing area in which the Cardinals are lamentably weak is special teams, particularly punt and kick-off return coverage. If the Cardinals lose, it will be because they allow the Steelers good field position and/or a kick-off or punt return for a touchdown.
