10. Did these teams once merge? Answer: Yes. In 1944. The "Card-Pitts" went 0-10 and were called the "worst team in NFL history" by Steelers founder Art Rooney. Fans nicknamed them the "Car-Pits." The NFL was short on players because of World War II. In 1943, the Steelers and Eagles merged to form the "Steagles." They went 5-4-1. A year later, Rooney, who founded the Steelers in 1933, agreed to merge with the Chicago Cardinals, one of the NFL's original franchises. The ragtag outfit included medically discharged veterans, men who were declared unfit for service and even some high school players.
9. How important is running the ball? Answer: Not as much as coaches would have us believe. The Giants led the NFL in rushing this season (157.4 yards per game). Big deal. The Cardinals finished last (73.6). Yes, the Cardinals are running for more yards in the postseason. But their average per carry in the postseason (3.3) is worse than it was during the regular season (3.5). Even the Steelers, who are typically a dominant running team, ranked 23rd in rushing this season (105.6). Willie Parker had only 47 yards rushing in last week's 23-14 victory over Baltimore in the AFC Championship game.
8. Will Whisenhunt turn to trick plays? Answer: Yes. Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt and assistant head coach Russ Grimm were Steelers assistants who were passed over when Mike Tomlin was hired before the 2007 season. Whisenhunt has said all the right things about the Steelers, but there's no doubt he wants to prove the best guy didn't get the job. If you remember the Steelers' victory over Seattle in Super Bowl XL, you know one of the biggest plays of the game was a trick play on which receiver Antwaan Randle El threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to receiver Hines Ward. It was a play designed and called by Whisenhunt, who was Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator at the time. The Steelers love to blitz. Whisenhunt specializes in trick plays designed to beat the blitz.
7. Has anyone ever won six Super Bowls? Answer: Not yet. The 49ers (5-0), Steelers (5-1) and Cowboys (5-3) each have won a record five Super Bowls. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are making their first Super Bowl appearance and have not played for a championship since 1948. The Cardinals have been in the Bidwill family since Charles bought them in 1932. Current owner Bill Bidwill, Charles' son, was a 16-year-old ballboy in 1947, when the Cardinals won the NFL title. Steelers owner Dan Rooney, 76, also is a second-generation owner. And although the Rooney family is considered NFL royalty today, it wasn't always that way. Art Rooney once was the league's most lovable loser. His franchise existed 41 years before winning its first Super Bowl during the 1974 season.
6. Will LeBeau blitz Warner? Answer: Yes. Whether it works or not is another matter. Dick LeBeau, the Steelers' 71-year-old defensive coordinator, isn't about to change. Not after spending half a century in the NFL as a player and coach. But Cardinals QB Kurt Warner is the best quarterback in the league against the blitz. According to STATS Inc., Warner has completed 64 percent of his passes (134 of 208) for 1,645 yards, 14 touchdowns and a 103.1 passer rating when facing a blitz.
5. What is the No. 1 matchup? Answer: The Steelers' secondary vs. Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. Cornerbacks Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden and Deshea Townsend and safeties Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark and Tyrone Carter all could have a hand in trying to disrupt one of the best postseasons by a receiver in NFL history. Fitzgerald, the former Holy Angels star, has 23 catches for an NFL postseason record 419 yards and five touchdowns. He also tied the NFL mark with three consecutive postseason games with at least 100 yards receiving. The Steelers have the No. 1-ranked pass defense. But the Cardinals have the No. 2 passing offense and three 1,000-yard receivers. Shutting down Fitzgerald is just No. 1 on Pittsburgh's to-do list.
4. Which injury could have the biggest impact? Answer: Ward's sprained right knee. The Steelers receiver will be asked 909,087 times about his knee this week. He will say 909,087 times that it's fine and will not keep him from playing. He probably will play. After all, he's one of the toughest players in the league. But how effective will Pittsburgh's best offensive weapon be?
3. Is Tomlin too young? Answer: Heck no. The Steelers have had three head coaches since 1969. Chuck Noll reached the Super Bowl in his sixth season (1974). Bill Cowher reached it in his fourth season (1995). Tomlin is here in his second season. At 36, the former Vikings defensive coordinator is the youngest coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl. Former Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden was the youngest to win one at 39. Tomlin would join former mentor Tony Dungy as the second black coach to win a Super Bowl. He also would be the first black coach to do so since the NFL instituted a rule that at least one minority be interviewed for every head coaching opening. That would only seem fitting, as it's known as the "Rooney Rule" because it was Dan's idea. 2. Is the ball round?
2. Is the ball round? Answer: No, which is precisely why it's insane to gamble on the NFL. Games usually are decided by turnovers. The main reason Arizona has joined the 1979 Rams as the only 9-7 teams to reach the Super Bowl is simple: a league-best plus-9 turnover differential in the postseason. The Steelers are an AFC-best plus-5.
1. Winning QB: Warner or Big Ben? Answer: Big Ben. The 37-year-old Warner will be a media darling this week. The former grocery store stock boy is a nice guy and has one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories in professional sports history. An undrafted free agent who had to climb his way up from the Arena Football League, Warner went on to win two regular-season MVPs and a Super Bowl MVP with the Rams. Then he lost starting jobs to Eli Manning in New York and Matt Leinart in Arizona. Given a chance to compete with Leinart last summer, Warner has done the unthinkable in leading the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl and his third. Somewhat lost in Warner's shadow is Roethlisberger. He's only 26, but he's already 7-2 in the postseason, including 1-0 in Super Bowls. Warner is 8-2 in the postseason, including 1-1 in Super Bowls. Warner has the better offensive weapons, but Roethlisberger is surrounded by the better team.
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9. How important is running the ball? Answer: Not as much as coaches would have us believe. The Giants led the NFL in rushing this season (157.4 yards per game). Big deal. The Cardinals finished last (73.6). Yes, the Cardinals are running for more yards in the postseason. But their average per carry in the postseason (3.3) is worse than it was during the regular season (3.5). Even the Steelers, who are typically a dominant running team, ranked 23rd in rushing this season (105.6). Willie Parker had only 47 yards rushing in last week's 23-14 victory over Baltimore in the AFC Championship game.
8. Will Whisenhunt turn to trick plays? Answer: Yes. Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt and assistant head coach Russ Grimm were Steelers assistants who were passed over when Mike Tomlin was hired before the 2007 season. Whisenhunt has said all the right things about the Steelers, but there's no doubt he wants to prove the best guy didn't get the job. If you remember the Steelers' victory over Seattle in Super Bowl XL, you know one of the biggest plays of the game was a trick play on which receiver Antwaan Randle El threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to receiver Hines Ward. It was a play designed and called by Whisenhunt, who was Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator at the time. The Steelers love to blitz. Whisenhunt specializes in trick plays designed to beat the blitz.
7. Has anyone ever won six Super Bowls? Answer: Not yet. The 49ers (5-0), Steelers (5-1) and Cowboys (5-3) each have won a record five Super Bowls. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are making their first Super Bowl appearance and have not played for a championship since 1948. The Cardinals have been in the Bidwill family since Charles bought them in 1932. Current owner Bill Bidwill, Charles' son, was a 16-year-old ballboy in 1947, when the Cardinals won the NFL title. Steelers owner Dan Rooney, 76, also is a second-generation owner. And although the Rooney family is considered NFL royalty today, it wasn't always that way. Art Rooney once was the league's most lovable loser. His franchise existed 41 years before winning its first Super Bowl during the 1974 season.
6. Will LeBeau blitz Warner? Answer: Yes. Whether it works or not is another matter. Dick LeBeau, the Steelers' 71-year-old defensive coordinator, isn't about to change. Not after spending half a century in the NFL as a player and coach. But Cardinals QB Kurt Warner is the best quarterback in the league against the blitz. According to STATS Inc., Warner has completed 64 percent of his passes (134 of 208) for 1,645 yards, 14 touchdowns and a 103.1 passer rating when facing a blitz.
5. What is the No. 1 matchup? Answer: The Steelers' secondary vs. Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. Cornerbacks Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden and Deshea Townsend and safeties Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark and Tyrone Carter all could have a hand in trying to disrupt one of the best postseasons by a receiver in NFL history. Fitzgerald, the former Holy Angels star, has 23 catches for an NFL postseason record 419 yards and five touchdowns. He also tied the NFL mark with three consecutive postseason games with at least 100 yards receiving. The Steelers have the No. 1-ranked pass defense. But the Cardinals have the No. 2 passing offense and three 1,000-yard receivers. Shutting down Fitzgerald is just No. 1 on Pittsburgh's to-do list.
4. Which injury could have the biggest impact? Answer: Ward's sprained right knee. The Steelers receiver will be asked 909,087 times about his knee this week. He will say 909,087 times that it's fine and will not keep him from playing. He probably will play. After all, he's one of the toughest players in the league. But how effective will Pittsburgh's best offensive weapon be?
3. Is Tomlin too young? Answer: Heck no. The Steelers have had three head coaches since 1969. Chuck Noll reached the Super Bowl in his sixth season (1974). Bill Cowher reached it in his fourth season (1995). Tomlin is here in his second season. At 36, the former Vikings defensive coordinator is the youngest coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl. Former Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden was the youngest to win one at 39. Tomlin would join former mentor Tony Dungy as the second black coach to win a Super Bowl. He also would be the first black coach to do so since the NFL instituted a rule that at least one minority be interviewed for every head coaching opening. That would only seem fitting, as it's known as the "Rooney Rule" because it was Dan's idea. 2. Is the ball round?
2. Is the ball round? Answer: No, which is precisely why it's insane to gamble on the NFL. Games usually are decided by turnovers. The main reason Arizona has joined the 1979 Rams as the only 9-7 teams to reach the Super Bowl is simple: a league-best plus-9 turnover differential in the postseason. The Steelers are an AFC-best plus-5.
1. Winning QB: Warner or Big Ben? Answer: Big Ben. The 37-year-old Warner will be a media darling this week. The former grocery store stock boy is a nice guy and has one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories in professional sports history. An undrafted free agent who had to climb his way up from the Arena Football League, Warner went on to win two regular-season MVPs and a Super Bowl MVP with the Rams. Then he lost starting jobs to Eli Manning in New York and Matt Leinart in Arizona. Given a chance to compete with Leinart last summer, Warner has done the unthinkable in leading the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl and his third. Somewhat lost in Warner's shadow is Roethlisberger. He's only 26, but he's already 7-2 in the postseason, including 1-0 in Super Bowls. Warner is 8-2 in the postseason, including 1-1 in Super Bowls. Warner has the better offensive weapons, but Roethlisberger is surrounded by the better team.
StarTribune.com
