Super Bowl Week: The Big Game

Its finally here. Only two more days of waiting and the Super Bowl will be played and won, by one team or another. It should be a great game and hopefully you’ll have a chance to watch it. I know I’ll be cracking open the soda, chips and salsa and looking forward to a great contest!

If you’re looking to blow off some time at work today, join the ESPN Super Bowl chat today at 11:00am PST and give them your input on the big game.

This game will be one of match-ups. Roethlisberger vs. Warner, Fitzgerald vs. the Steeler Defense, Steeler Offensive Line vs. Cardinals Defensive line. Here’s a breakdown of how the EverdayQB thinks they’ll play out, followed by a Super Bowl Score prediction.

Roethlisberger vs. Warner:

I’m going to give a slight edge to Kurt Warner on this one. His experience and big play capability makes him a threat the whole game. Roethlisberger will be consistent and does a great job of giving his teammates a chance to win, but Warner can change the game at the drop of a hat with a nifty scramble or perflectly thrown long ball.

Fitzgerald vs. Steeler Defense:

The Steeler defense gets the nod on this one. As amazing as Fitzgerald has been in the playoffs he hasn’t faced a secondary as fast as he’ll see on Sunday. The Steelers will do an exceptional job of neutralizing Fitzgerald, so it will be up to the other Cardinal receivers and Edgerrin James to carry the load. Fitzgerald may get free once or twice, which, with Warner’s long play capability, could have an impact, but overall Fitzgerald will be stifled by the quality secondary of the Steelers.

Steeler O-Line vs. Cardinals D-Line:

Again the nod goes to the Steelers. There size and strength will wear down the Cardinal D-Line throughout the course of the football game. The Steelers play ‘hard-nosed football’ (i.e they run the ball a lot) which will wear down the Cardinals D-Line. Their hope is to create stunts and blitzs that will work into the Steelers offense, but their Steelers O-Line is experienced and talented enough to adjust.

Overall, I think it’ll be an exceptional Super Bowl game. The high-powered offense of the Cardinals will make for some exciting plays and the Steelers will impress savvy football fans with a controlled, precision offense and well-schemed defense. The game may be up and down, but the slow, steady, methodical work of the Steelers will prevail in the end. EverdayQB prediction: Steelers 24, Cardinals 17.