NFL Power Rankings: Week 9 (It’s Not Unusual to Have the Saints at #1…)

Another great week of NFL action: the Colts won (but looked human), the Saints continue to roll, and the Giants continue to spiral out of control.

It seems like every week brings more drama to the stage during what has been a very exciting season thus far that we are now halfway through.

One thing is for sure….THE REDSKINS DIDN’T LOSE THIS WEEK! (But the Browns did!)

[Editor's Note: There you go dick Myles. Keep rubbing salt in the wound jackass buddy. Keep kicking Browns fans when they're down you no talent ass clown my friend.

I can't wait until Peyton Manning retires and your one-man franchise returns to sucking and all of its fair-weather fans go away.  Go ahead, shake your head. But you know it's true.]

Now, onto this week’s Power Rankings.

… Continue Reading

NFL Power Rankings: Week 8

With a another very interesting week of NFL Football in the books, the Power Rankings have decided to be like Elvis for Halloween this week….they’re “All Shook Up”.

O.K., that was terrible, but on a more serious note, it was a very interesting week with a lot of changes in the rankings. Take a look and comment; tell me what YOU think!

[Editor's note: I'll tell you what I think right now. How in the hell can you drop the Saints below the Colts after NO showed the heart of a champion on the road this past Sunday? Oh wait, that's right...I forgot that you live in Indianapolis. Never mind. Makes perfect sense. "All shook up" indeed...]

… Continue Reading

NFL Week 1 Afternoon Game Previews: 49ers-Cardinals, Rams-Seahawks, Giants-Redskins

[Editor's note: Matt Noonan of NoonTime Sports, who recently offered up his 2009 predictions for each division, has checked in with previews of the three afternoon games scheduled for the first Sunday of the 2009 NFL season.

Read his previews and predictions below, and get all of the information you need to schedule for your football watching Sunday with our NFL Week 1 TV Schedule and Point Spreads post.]

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Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on all NFL tickets for the 2009 season.

And if you’re planning on making any bets, head on over to BetOnline to place your Week 1 wagers.

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Washington Redskins at New York Giants Preview and Prediction

• Redskins-Giants Date: Sunday, September 13th
• Redskins-Giants TV & Kickoff Time: 4:15 ET on FOX
• Redskins-Giants Location: Giants Stadium in New York
• Redskins-Giants Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Redskins-Giants Point Spread: NYG -6.5
• Redskins-Giants Over-Under: 37

Look for a true physical contest as both of these teams hope to start the season on the right foot.

For the New York Giants, a team that many experts believe should be the top dog in this particular division, they need to get out to an early lead and protect Eli Manning from the grueling Redskins defense. Brandon Jacobs should get a majority of the carries, probably between 20-25. But who will be Manning’s go-to target now that Plaxico Burress will not be sporting the blue and white on Sunday’s? Possibly Domenik Hixon or Steve Smith? Any suggestions?

On the other side of the ball, Jason Campbell carries not only this game, but also the entire season on his shoulders. Don’t expect anything too exciting from aging veteran running back Clinton Portis in this contest, but clearly make sure to watch for newly acquired defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, as well as linebackers Brian Orakpo and London Fletcher.

Washington has and will always be a team that looks like they belong in the Pro Bowl, but in order to win this contest they need to pressure Manning and establish an equal running and air attack.

Prediction: Giants 24 – Redskins 16

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals Preview and Prediction

• 49ers-Cardinals Date: Sunday, September 13th
• 49ers-Cardinals TV & Kickoff Time: 4:15 ET on FOX
• 49ers-Cardinals Location: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale
• 49ers-Cardinals Announcers: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
• 49ers-Cardinals Point Spread: ARI -6.5
• 49ers-Cardinals Over-Under: 46.5

Who would have imagined Arizona was going to be the representative of the NFC in Super Bowl XLIII? Yet, after a crushing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cardinals are energized and ready to defend their NFC crown. However, in the past, these meetings against the 49ers haven’t always been a cakewalk for the birds in the desert.

Take a look at the past few divisional meetings in Arizona between these teams:

2008: Arizona 29 – San Francisco 24

2007: Arizona 31 – San Francisco 37

2006: Arizona 34 – San Francisco 27

2005: Arizona 31 – San Francisco 14

2004: Arizona 28 – San Francisco 31

2003: Arizona 16 – San Francisco 13

2002: Arizona 14 – San Francisco 17

In the end I expect Kurt Warner to have a field day against Mike Singletary’s defense. Expect a great game for the Cardinals’ wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston.

As for the 49ers, just expect a solid running attack with Frank Gore.

Overall, this game surely belongs to the Cardinals, but who really knows what will happen once the final whistle blows.

Prediction: Cardinals 31 – 49ers 26

St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks Preview and Prediction

• Rams-Seahawks Date: Sunday, September 13th
• Rams-Seahawks TV & Kickoff Time: 4:15 ET on FOX
• Rams-Seahawks Location: Qwest Field in Seattle
• Rams-Seahawks Announcers: Ron Pitts and John Lynch
• Rams-Seahawks Point Spread: SEA -8
• Rams-Seahawks Over-Under: 41

The return of Jim Mora Jr. and Steve Spagnuolo’s debut has a head coach… hmm… may have to side with Mora in this contest.

The Seahawks are coming off an awful 2008 season, as are the Rams. The last time the Seahawks ended the season with 4 wins was in 1982, but this year look for a rejuvenated and healthy Matt Hasselbeck to lead an exciting offensive unit that features newly acquired running back Edgerrin James and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

As for the Rams, this season and game are all about playing for pride, but also starting to improve their offense and defense for the future. Spagnuolo should turn this team around, slowly, but this game will just be a beginning in the journey of turning the Rams from a basement squad to the Greatest Team on Turf-Part II.

Prediction: Seahawks 24 – Rams 10

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NFL Preseason Betting: Patriots-Redskins, Packers-Cardinals Odds and Predictions

Whether you’re an NFL odds aficionado or just a die-hard football fan, you’ve probably heard the old saying that the preseason “means nothing” or that you “shouldn’t bet on preseason NFL football because it’s so unpredictable.”  The truth, however, is that you can properly forecast preseason games if you know what to watch for. Let’s put this theory into effect and make picks for Friday night’s NFL games.

New England Patriots @ Washington Redskins

Friday, August 28, 8:00 p.m. ET

Favorite: Patriots -3

One of the tricks to betting on preseason football is asking yourself: “What, if anything, do these teams have to play for?” The Patriots are solidly established already this preseason. Tom Brady looks healthy, having posted big yardage in his first preseason game and having shrugged off some big hits last week. Now that the Pats know Brady is ready to go, they have nothing more to learn or prove. They know they’ll have a running-back-by-committee approach and that Randy Moss and Wes Welker will be the focal points of the passing game.

The Redskins haven’t played as well as the Pats in the preseason but I like them to pull off the upset this week, because they’ll have more motivation to win. Quarterback Jason Campbell is struggling, perhaps distracted by trade rumors surrounding him over the summer; he was just 1/7 against Pittsburgh last week. His No. 2 receiver still isn’t determined, as Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly are reportedly neck-and-neck for the job. Don’t you think, then, that the Redskins’ passing offense will (a) play a few more series than Brady’s unit and (b) work extra hard? Toss in a stingy defense and Washington looks good Friday night.

NFL pick: Redskins +3

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals

Friday, August 28, 10:00 p.m. ET

Favorite: Cardinals -3.5

Here’s a game that would’ve been tough to predict a couple of weeks ago but now gives us plenty of hints based on the first two preseason games. The Packers look razor-sharp on both sides of the ball. Aaron Rodgers is firing lasers, Ryan Grant is running with purpose and the new 3-4 defensive scheme may be ahead of schedule, as it showed when the Pack shut out Cleveland in their opener and were ball hawks in their win over the Bills, sacking them four times and picking them off twice.

The normally potent Cardinals offense seems out of whack. Whether it’s because they can’t establish a running game with Chris Wells on the mend or because Kurt Warner is battling hip pain, they’re not themselves. It’s smarter betting management to go with another upset here and pick the Pack.

NFL pick: Packers +3.5

LOTD: Video – James Harrison Breaks Super Bowl Record For Longest Play

I figured I’d whip up a quick Super Bowl 43 edition of the Link of the Day in the aftermath of one of the most entertaining Super Bowls in my lifetime.

This one easily ranks right up there with all of the Patriots’ recent Super Bowl appearances and the Rams-Titans game. Just a great game between two teams that gave everything, and it came down to the last minute of play.

Unbelievable.

Super Bowl 43 also featured the longest play in the history of the Super Bowl, and ultimately proved to be one of the most pivotal plays of the game. On the last play of the first half, James Harrison picked off a Kurt Warner pass intended for Anquan Boldin and rumbled 100 yards for a touchdown. At a minimum, it was a 10-point play — if you assume a field goal for the Cardinals. It was a 14-point play if it kept the Cardinals from a TD. In the end, Harrison covering those last few inches to paydirt proved to be the difference in a closely contested 4-point game.

LOTD: Courtesy of Robert Littal over at Black Sports Online, here is the video:

James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown broke the previous record-long play in a Super Bowl, which was held by Jake Delhomme and Muhsin Muhammad who connected on an 85-yard TD. The previous record long for an INT return for a touchdown was held by Kelly Herndon of Seattle, who returned an INT 76 yards for a touchdown in Super Bowl 40 against the Steelers.

And now, some other early links in the aftermath of Super Bowl 43:

I GOT A FEELIN!!! The Pittsburgh Steelers win their 6th Super Bowl!!!! — (Steel Tradition)

Super Bowl 43 Images — (NFL Fanhouse)

Brenda Warner got hot — (Sharapova’s Thigh)

Yep, Santonio Holmes’ feet were both definitely down — (The Big Lead)

The Buzzsaw loses, and Will Leitch is sad — (Deadspin)

Commercial Critic: Super Bowl Special — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)

Lots of records set in Super Bowl 43 — (Pro Football Talk)

Will a Cardinals Victory in Super Bowl 43 Make Kurt Warner a Hall of Famer?

As we approach Super Bowl 43, and the third appearance in the Big Game for Arizona QB Kurt Warner, the Hall of Fame credentials of Warner have become a hot topic of debate.

Warner’s career as a starter began in 1999, when he quarterbacked “The Greatest Show on Turf” in St. Louis to the Super Bowl crown. Along the way that season he racked up 4,353 yards, 41 TDs, and both an NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP trophy. In many ways, considering the complete obscurity from which Warner came, it is one of the great single-season performances by an individual in not just NFL history, but in sports history.

In 2001, Warner brought the Rams to another Super Bowl (which they lost to New England) and won his second regular season MVP Award. He was not as dominant, throwing “only” 36 TDs against 22 INTs, but he set a personal record with 4,830 passing yards and still finished with a passer rating over 100 (101.4).

The next five years, however, were lost years for Warner. He battled injuries and ineffectiveness as he bounced from St. Louis to an infamously bad one year in New York and then to Arizona in 2005. While he was never truly terrible (Warner has never had a passer rating below 85.8 in any season in which he has started 10 or more games), Warner fell sharply off the radar screen from his days as the MVP in St. Louis.

This season, however, Kurt Warner has rocketed back to prominence. His regular season numbers were outstanding: 4,583 yards, a completion percentage of 67.1%, 30 TDs, and a passer rating of 96.9. And don’t give me the whole “well he has Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin” argument. Joe Montana had Jerry Rice, Roger Craig, and John Taylor, plus Bill Walsh crafting the offense; and I don’t hear that argument when people extol the greatness of Montana.

Warner’s true greatness, however, can best be viewed through his performance in the 10 biggest games in which he has played: the playoffs. Heading into Super Bowl 43, Warner has a career playoff passer rating of 97.3. This is good for second all-time as the immortal Bart Starr has a rating of 104.8. Joe Montana is third with a rating of 95.6. Additionally, Warner has a 9-1 record as a QB in the playoffs, with his only loss thus far coming to the Patriots in Super Bowl 36. Of all quarterbacks with 10 or more playoff starts, Warner’s winning percentage is the highest.

Sunday night, Kurt Warner can further bolster his Hall of Fame resume. Not only does Warner have a chance to join Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, and Tom Brady as the only two-time Super Bowl MVPs – Montana actually won it three times – but there is a significant Super Bowl record within Warner’s reach:

Kurt Warner needs 364 passing yards to break Joe Montana’s record of 1,142 career passing yards in the Super Bowl, which Montana accumulated in four games. Incidentally, 364 yards would be Kurt Warner’s lowest total in a Super Bowl as he threw for 414 and 365 yards in his previous Super Bowl appearances (good for 1st and 2nd on the single-game Super Bowl record list).

So let’s be hypothetical for a moment, and let’s say the Cardinals and Kurt Warner overcome the odds (literally, as Pittsburgh is a 7-point favorite) to win the Super Bowl and Warner is named MVP. This would be Kurt Warner’s Hall of Fame resume:

• 10-1 record in the postseason (best playoff winning percentage ever)
• 2-time NFL MVP
• 2-time Super Bowl MVP
• Only QB to be named Super Bowl MVP for two different teams
• Second-highest career completion percentage
• Highest career average passing yards per game
• Second-highest career playoff passer rating
• Most career yards in Super Bowl (you have to assume he’ll be throwing for a lot of yards if the Cardinals are to win)
• Intangible: the greatest rags-to-riches story in NFL history

Do the cumulative numbers stack up against the greatest QBs in NFL history? No, and they never will. Kurt Warner is already 37 years old and has maybe a couple more seasons left in him. He can move up the charts for wins, passing yards, TDs, etc., but his career numbers will never stack up against the greats.

What Warner will possess, if the Cardinals win and he plays great, is one of the greatest playoff and Super Bowl resumes of any player in NFL history. With as much emphasis as is placed on getting a Super Bowl ring and coming up big in clutch spots, Warner’s playoff resume will give him a tremendous boost when his name is called for HOF voting. Additionally, Warner will have done what no one thought possible: deliver a Super Bowl championship to the long-suffering Cardinals franchise.

If the Cardinals lose, even if Warner plays amazing, his candidacy will take a huge hit. Despite the two NFL MVP awards, Warner simply does not have a substantial enough regular season career to merit Hall consideration. He needs the incredible quality of his playoff resume to compensate for the fact that he has really only had 3 spectacular regular seasons. A 1-2 Super Bowl record and only one Super Bowl MVP award is a significant step back from a 2-1 Super Bowl record and two Super Bowl MVP awards. The rarified air that another Super Bowl win would place him in immediately vaults him into serious Hall of Fame consideration.

Kurt Warner would go into the Hall of Fame as one of the best playoff QBs of all-time – a player who was at his best on the grandest stage when his team needed him the most. His Hall of Fame candidacy will be built upon this clutch dominance. To merit legitimate Hall of Fame consideration, Kurt Warner needs to lead the Arizona Cardinals to a Super Bowl title on Sunday.

If he does, at least in my book, Kurt Warner will make himself a Hall of Famer.

What do you think?

Is Kurt Warner a Hall of Famer?

• No
• Yes -- but the Cardinals must win Super Bowl 43
• Yes -- even if the Cardinals lose Super Bowl 43
• Yes -- but the Cardinals must win Super Bowl 43 and Warner must be the MVP

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And, for the record, Jason Whitlock has a post today covering the same subject. He thinks even the question is “ridiculous”. If Namath is in the HOF, says Whitlock, then Warner has to be. And with a win Sunday, Whitlock places Warner among the top 10 QBs of all-time.

Super Bowl 43: Steelers-Cardinals Prediction – Get Ready For Sadness and Nausea Browns Fans

We are still 4 days and 21 hours away (thanks NFL.com) from the kickoff of Super Bowl 43 as I write this Steelers-Cardinals prediction post. Yet, I feel pretty confident that no one is going to get injured or get in trouble between now and Sunday that could materially affect the outcome of the game.

Earlier today, I updated you on the current injury status of Pittsburgh WR and Super Bowl 40 MVP Hines Ward. His sprained knee is hurting, and he won’t be 100%, but he will play. And seriously, it’s Hines Ward. Would you expect any different? JJ Arrington is a different story for Arizona, but he is obviously far less critical to his team’s success than Hines Ward.

If you want need a refresher of any of the particulars for this Sunday’s game (time, date, location, halftime entertainment, etc) click on over to the Super Bowl 43 Quick Preview that we did last week. It should be able to answer all of your questions.

As far as the point spreads go, here are the latest lines, courtesy of our friends at DocSports:

• Sportsbook.com Point Spread: Steelers -6.5
• Bodog Point Spread: Steelers -7
• BookMaker Point Spread: Steelers -6.5
• SuperBook Point Spread: Steelers -7

And the Over-Under odds for the Steelers-Cardinals game:

• Sportsbook.com Steelers-Cardinals Over-Under: 46.5
• Bodog Steelers-Cardinals Over-Under: 47
• BookMaker Steelers-Cardinals Over-Under: 46.5
• SuperBook Steelers-Cardinals Over-Under: 46.5

So, as they have been all week, the Steelers sit at right around a one touchdown favorite with an over-under average just under 47 points. I don’t know whether or not the Steelers will cover — I will leave that up to spread experts like Fraschetti to decide, as he did in his Cardinals-Steelers prediction post — but I do think that the Steelers will win Super Bowl 43, and that the two teams will go above the over.

This, of course, means that all Browns fans will have to once again live in a world in which the Steelers are the Super Bowl champs for an entire year. I know…the thought of it makes me nauseous too.

But as Rasheed Wallace once said, “it is what it is, and it do what it do.” (Side note: who knew that Rasheed Wallace could be so existentially brilliant?)

Steelers-Cardinals Super Bowl 43 Prediction

Before I get into the three reasons why I think the Pittsburgh Steelers will in Super Bowl 43, let’s discuss three reasons why the Cardinals could win the game.

1 – As Fraschetti pointed out in his first Super Bowl 43 preview article, the achilles heel of the Steelers’ defense throughout the years has been vulnerability through the air. The Steelers are monsters up front, and make it difficult for any team to run the ball, but they have been susceptible to big pass plays. This year, the Steelers ranked #1 across the board in defense, so I’m not sure this reason really holds much water (hence why I think the Steelers will win), but if the Cardinals are going to outscore the Steelers, they will have to do it by throwing the ball.

2 – Piggy-backing off of #1, the Cardinals have an absolutely outstanding passing game. If the Cardinals were a run-first team, I would say they have no chance. But with Kurt Warner and his deadly trio of Larry Fitzgerald, a healthier and probably extremely motivated Anquan Boldin, and the underrated Steve Breaston, the Cardinals will be able to move the ball through the air. In fact, I think the Cardinals will make this a higher scoring game than people think and get the final score above the Over-Under. And Kurt Warner proved in the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship Game that he still has some of the magic that made him a Super Bowl MVP once before.

3 – The Cardinals defense has been playing better. I don’t buy into some of the over-hyping of the Cardinals defense that I’ve read this week by some purported “experts”, but this is a defense that has proven itself to be opportunistic. Super Bowls can often turn on defensive serendipity — being in the right place at the right time for turnovers. Just ask the Steelers, who suffered their only Super Bowl loss because Larry Brown just happened to be standing right in the path of two Neil O’Donnell misfires. If the Cardinals are going to win, the defense will have to come up with a couple of key turnovers.

However, I don’t see this happening enough to get the Cardinals over the hump, which leads me to the three main reasons why I think the Steelers will be victorious in Super Bowl 43.

1 – Ben Roethlisberger will have a big game and be named Super Bowl 43 MVP. Big Ben was just an inexperienced youngster in Super Bowl 40. He was managing games for a strong running team with a great defense and he played a pretty poor game individually against the Seahawks. He is older, better, and now the unquestioned offensive leader and lynchpin of this year’s Steelers. He has Santonio Holmes on one side and Old Reliable Hines Ward on the other, plus a healthy Willie Parker behind him. Roethlisberger will have two or three plays that he will try to force — he always does — and the Cardinals have to turn these plays into turnovers to have a chance.

I don’t see it happening. I think Ben Roethlisberger is extra, extra motivated to have a big game Sunday to erase the memories of his poor performance in Super Bowl 40 (no matter what he might say about not thinking about that game or it being in the past). He’s an athlete and he’s human. He’s thinking about it, and very much wants to compensate for it with a signature Super Bowl win. His legacy and the beginnings of his potential Hall of Fame candidacy — yeah, I said it — are on the line Sunday. He has burned the Browns too often for me to not have confidence that he’ll have a big game.

(For the record, I can’t believe I’ve somehow turned into a huge Ben Roethlisberger cheerleader, especially after writing this horrific post before the season started, but such is life when your team starts Ken Dorsey for half a season.)

2 – Troy Polamalu and James Harrison are two of the 5 best defensive players the Cardinals have faced all season. And this is an unscientific statement; I didn’t go down the Cardinals’ schedule this year. Polamalu and Harrison may very well be the two best defenders they have faced, bar none. Kurt Warner has proven that he is susceptible to fumbles when hit in the pocket — enter James Harrison and the zone-blitzing Steelers. Warner has also proven that he will force throws, especially to Larry Fitzgerald, when the pocket collapses — enter the eye-reader Troy Polamalu.

I have a feeling that both of these guys will be involved in crucial, game-changing turnovers that will prevent the Cardinals from scoring enough points to win.

3 – Mike Tomlin. He’s a Steeler, but I love this guy. In fact, I have absolutely no idea how Eric frickin’ Mangini is every going to beat Tomlin. He is tough, he is old school, and he is absolutely the heartbeat and emotional leader of this Steelers team. I like Ken Whisenhunt and I think he is a very solid coach (better than Eric frickin’ Mangini), but Mike Tomlin just seems to have that extra gear of will and enthusiasm that trickles down to his players and gets the Steelers over the hump.

Mike Tomlin inspires a physical style of play in the Steelers that the Cardinals have not seen this year. I think the Cardinals are too skilled offensively to not score some points, but when push comes to shove — and it will — the Steelers will out-tough the Cardinals to the victory.

So sorry Browns fans, the nightmare continues. I will be rooting for the Cardinals, and hoping to be dead wrong with this prediction — I just don’t think I will be.

My official Steelers-Cardinals prediction:

• Pittsburgh Steelers 27 | Arizona Cardinals 24 (Over-Under covered)
• Super Bowl MVP: Ben Roethlisberger

What is your prediction?

Who do you think will win Super Bowl 43?

• Pittsburgh Steelers
• Arizona Cardinals

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Super Bowl 43 Prediction: Can the Cardinals Cover the Spread?

I am ready to make my prediction for Super Bowl 43.

As stated in my previous article, I had to wait until the smoke cleared to see if there would be any player related issues before announcing my prediction. Much to my dismay, there was not even dust in the air.

These two teams must have tasers attached to every one of their players, and if they even think of producing a distraction to their team, or giving the opposition any “billboard” material, they will get juiced, tased or any other way you wish to put it. Both organizations have done a tremendous job in keeping their players as low-key as possible.

(Editor’s Note: Not coincidentally, Vinny Tresselini is not happy about this.)

If you seen an interview of any player, you know exactly what I am talking about. Every player interview is being conducted as if the player just left the public relations/press conference classroom. The interviewer attempts to “bait” the player into some form of smak-talk against the other team. And the player, well coached from the P.R. classes, refuses to engage into the specifically asked question, and redirects the conversation into a “safe” area of discussion. What I am saying is that media week is going to be boring as hell because there is no Shannon Sharpe or Joey Porter personalities who will let it fly regardless of the repercussions. So I will be safe in making my prediction.

If everything stays on it’s current course of “boring as hell”, I expect Arizona to cover the current spread of six and a half points. While everyone is not giving Arizona a lottery odds chance of winning, I think that they have a great chance to not only cover, but win as well.

I am not as confident as I was about going moneyline on Tom Brady’s first Super Bowl appearance against the St. Louis Rams, but I am confident about the Cardinals covering the spread.

Here’s why:

I, as well as everyone else in this world, wrote the Arizona Cardinals off after they threw in the towel against the New England Patriots in week 16, in the 47 to 7 Anderson “Spider” Silva beatdown of which they were on the receiving end. This game, however, turned out to be the much needed “reality check” that this team needed.

Since getting pimp smacked by New England, the Cardinals could not have responded better, and could not have peaked at a better time. This meltdown finally screamed the fact that Arizona needed a run game, and they looked to the more-than-well-rested Edggerin James for answers. Not only did they establish a running game, but their defense finally found the field as well.

This parlays into my next point: Arizona definitely had the more difficult road to the Super Bowl.

The Cardinals had to win against a very tough Atlanta Falcons team with a great running game. They then went into Carolina and absolutely dismantled a team which many thought was the total package with their running game and defense, and were mentioned on several occasions as being the team which would represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Arizona then held off a determined, veteran Philadelphia Eagles team which was playing at a very high level and has had a lot of success in the playoffs under the Andy Reid-Donavan McNabb tenure. More impressive than the win, was the fact that they lost the lead in the second half and were able to regain the lead against one of the best Defensive Coordinators in the NFL.

And finally…. Ken Whisenhunt. Who better to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers than their previous offensive coordinator. He is of the same school and mindset as Mike Tomlin, and knows what Tomlin’s defense does and is capable of. As long as Whisenhunt and the Cardinals offensive line can keep Kurt Warner standing on two feet, the spread will be the least of Pittsburgh’s concerns.

I think that the Cardinals have a great chance to not only cover, but win as well. I am confident about the Cardinals covering the spread.

What do you think?

Who do you think will win against the spread in Super Bowl 43?

• Arizona Cardinals +6 1/2
• Pittsburgh Steelers -6 1/2

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Contact me at fraschetti@midwestsportsfans.com or post your thoughts to this site.

Hines Ward Injury Update – Expects to Play Sunday With Sprained Knee

Update 1/29 8:30 am: Here is the latest regarding Hines Ward’s injury stats for Super Bowl 43 on Sunday:

As expected (see below), Hines Ward did not practice Wednesday and is listed as questionable. He is expected to test out the knee today. Our friends over at Cleveland Frowns have a great take on the situation:

His secret? Simple. He’s doing “extra rehab” to make sure that his knee is OK. “Ward has put himself on a round-the-clock rehabilitation scheduling, twice as much as doctors ordered. He wakes multiple times during the night to do more exercises, take more electrical stimulation, apply more ice.”

Double rehab! Well, shoot, why doesn’t everybody do this?

Maybe because THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS DOUBLE REHAB. The Steelers employ highly-trained and highly-paid medical professionals to keep their players healthy. If they thought there was a better plan to optimize Ward’s health on Sunday, they’d surely have recommended it to him.

So Hines is either lying to us, or messing himself up even further.

Also, JJ Arrington returned to practice on a limited basis for the Cardinals on Wednesday. Feel free to continue to the original post below for more information regarding Hines Ward, and a pretty funny video from the guys at Flash Sports Tonight.

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So far so good. The teams have been in Tampa for one night and no one has, as of yet, gotten into trouble. But more on that in a bit.
First, a quick Hines Ward injury update, which was one of the biggest stories during the off-week before the Super Bowl. The injury status of Steelers WR and Super Bowl 40 MVP Hines Ward is currently listed as questionable, but everyone seems to expect Ward to play on his sprained knee, and play well.

Ward has been, historically, one of the most clutch big-game players during the current era of Steelers football; and I think we all know that if he can walk, he will make an impact on the game Sunday.

Here is a what a few of the most recent reports around the web are saying:

From Damon Hack at SI.com:

“That’s the guy,” Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said of Ward, “[who] makes a lot of things happen in big ball games.”

Besides Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu, Ward is the player the Steelers can least afford to be without, and the story of Super Bowl XLIII may be how effective Ward can be despite spraining the medial collateral ligament in his right knee in Pittsburgh’s AFC Championship victory.

Last week, while his teammates prepared for afternoon practice, Ward was sitting on a training table watching television with his leg propped up. Even through the glass, you could see he was smiling.

Along with undergoing rehab at the team’s practice facility, Ward has woken up several times in the middle of the night to treat the knee with ice and electrical stimulation. An injury of his kind normally takes about a month to heal. Ward will be playing on it after only two weeks.

He said there was no way he was skipping the Super Bowl. If he had to do extra rehab to make it to Raymond James Stadium, it would be done.

From James Walker at ESPN.com:

Hines Ward isn’t cutting or turning yet on an injury that sometimes takes weeks and weeks to heal. He’s not running pass patterns or sprinting with much speed.

Not playing in the Super Bowl? Ward can’t imagine it, and neither can any of his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates.

The one question hanging over the AFC champion Steelers as their practice week begins is whether the wide receiver who owns most of the franchise’s career pass-catching records will play with a sprained knee. To Ward, there’s no question at all.

From Ed Bouchette at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette:

Hines Ward said his injured right knee feels better and he would like to practice when the Steelers go back to work at the University of South Florida facilities.

“It feels better,” Ward said several hours after the Steelers charter landed here around noon yesterday. “I don’t have a brace on, I walk around fine. It’s not going to be 100 percent, I’m not going to trick anybody, but I think I’m going to be good, to be able to go out and perform like I want to.”

The Steelers receiver took a break yesterday from a stepped-up pace of rehabilitation on his injured knee yesterday.

“I’ve been rehabbing all weekend long. Off today — I did a little rehab this morning before we came down here.”

He will resume this morning, then attend the Steelers media interviews at Raymond James Stadium and “see where we’re at.”

“I really can’t say because I haven’t run or cut or done anything,” said Ward, who did not practice last week after the right MCL was sprained in the first quarter of the Jan. 18 AFC championship game. “I was just constantly getting treatment, 24 hours around the clock.”

So expect Hines Ward to play. How effective he will be remains to be seen, but there is no question that just having him on the field — even at 70-75% — is a huge boon to the Steelers’ chances of capturing a sixth Super Bowl crown.

The only other major injury of note heading into Sunday is the status of Arizona RB/KR J.J. Arrington. He did not practice last week and the Cardinals are unsure whether he will be able to go in Super Bowl 43; but they are hopeful.

Now, getting back to the whole nobody-has-been-arrested-thing yet. While both teams appear relatively healthy, and should have their full complement of players ready to go on Sunday, there is always the threat of a Super Bowl week arrest (think Eugene Robinson of Atlanta earlier this decade) that could throw a wrench in the plans.

And as Vinny Tresslini of Flash Sports Tonight reminds us at the end of the newest FST Flash Report, players need to stay out of the Tampa-area houses of ill-repute…or be prepared to pay some hush money.

Watch:

That’s it for now. We’ll keep updating the injury reports if any relevant news comes out.

List of Super Bowl MVP Winners by Year and a Super Bowl 43 MVP Prediction

As part of our week-long project to educate you on Super Bowl history and get you ready for Super Bowl 43 this weekend, yesterday we offered up the Super Bowl winners and losers by year, as well as the list of teams who have won and lost the most Super Bowls.

Today, we are breaking down the history of the Super Bowl MVP award, as well as offering up a prediction as to who will be the MVP of Super Bowl 43.

Before we get into any predictions, let’s get a historical perspective by looking at the Super Bowl MVP winners by year, as presented to you in the table below:

* – Chuck Howley, the 1971 winner, is the only Super Bowl MVP from a losing team. The Cowboys were defeated by the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V.

* – The Cowboys are also the only team to have Co-MVPS, when Harvey Martin and Randy White split the award in 1978.

* – The Super Bowl MVP breakdown by team goes as follows:

• Dallas Cowboys – 7
• Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers – 5
• Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Oakland/LA Raiders, Washington Redskins – 3
• Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins – 2
• Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1

* – The Super Bowl MVP breakdown by position goes as follows:

• Quarterback – 22
• Running Back – 7
• Wide Receiver – 5
• Defensive End, Linebackers, Safety – 2
• Cornerback, Defensive Tackle, KR/PR – 1

Based on history, there are a few things that we can reasonably anticipate about who will be the MVP in Super Bowl 43:

• There is better than a 50% chance that the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be the QB from the winning team.
• There is a better than 95% chance that the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be a player from the winning team.
• There is better than a 75% chance that the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be a “skill position” player from the winning team.
• If the MVP does come from the defensive side of the ball, he is usually one of the stars of a historically great defense.

With that being said, if I was forced to bet on whO the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be, my money would be on Ben Roethlisberger. I think that the Steelers are going to win the game, and after Big Ben’s putrid performance in Super Bowl 40, I think he will play well Sunday. Plus, while Arizona’s defense has been solid, they are not great by any stretch of the imagination. Roethlisberger should have a chance to put up pretty good numbers.

However, I would not be surprised to see either James Harrison or Troy Polamalu come away with the trophy. Kurt Warner, while he has been spectacular for most of his career and for most of this season, can be prone to turnovers. Additionally, the Steelers do have a historically great defense. Defensive players from the ‘85 Bears and ‘01 Ravens won the MVP trophy, and I could see one of the Steelers players getting the award too. Polamalu and Harrison would actually be my #2 and #3 choices for Super Bowl 43 MVP.

Assuming that the Steelers win, and assuming the percentages play out, an offensive player will be the MVP. I know that Hines Ward won the trophy in Super Bowl 40, but Big Ben was just a young pup then. He is absolutely the catalyst of the Steelers offense this year. If he does not play well, Arizona has a chance to win. If he does play well, he will get the requisite numbers to win the award. I don’t see another Steelers offensive player trumping him, unless something fluky happens.

Should the Cardinals somehow with the game, either Kurt Warner or Larry Fitzgerald will come away with the award. I think Fitzgerald would have to just be phenomenal to overcome the whole “storybook” aspect of Warner taking home another MVP trophy. Fitzgerald is certainly capable, but any numbers he gets would also go to Warner. My prediction, if Arizona wins, is that Kurt Warner takes home the trophy.

So, if I was handicapping the race, my Top 5 Players Most Likely to win the Super Bowl 43 MVP list would go something like this:

1. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
2. Kurt Warner, Cardinals
3. Troy Polamalu, Steelers
4. James Harrison, Steelers
5. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals

What do you think?

Who do you think will be the Super Bowl 43 MVP?

• James Harrison
• Someone not listed
• Kurt Warner
• Ben Roethlisberger
• Troy Polamalu
• Larry Fitzgerald

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Super Bowl 43 Early Analysis: Two Key Questions That Will Decide the Winner

The questions are running through every football junkie’s mind as we speak. Who will win, will they cover, blah, blah, blah! I already have my answer as to who is going to cover the spread, but the outcome will be decided by two questions.

1. Which Arizona team will show up?

Will it be the Arizona Cardinals team who not only knows how to torch the field offensively, but has a formidable defense as well? I call this the “Playoff Cardinals.”

Or will we see the Arizona team who knew how to score, but gave up points with the same ease? These are the “Regular Season Cardinals.”

Not that it is possible to match the weather, with the game in sunny Tampa, but could we see the “Cold Weather Cardinals?” You know exactly what I am talking about, I can feel your brains thinking back to week 16. That’s right, the 47-7 beat down the “Cold Weather Cardinals” were fed by the New England Patriots. This team would not stand a chance in Super Bowl 43.

2. Will the Pittsburgh Steelers Secondary be exposed or exonerated?

For as long as I can remember, the Steelers’ front 7 have always been monsters, and had a dominating run defense. Their secondary on the other hand, had been exactly opposite. When career backup Kelly Holcomb can saute their secondary for 400 plus yards in a playoff game, that tells you all you needed to know about the Steelers secondary. The Steelers have always carried a question mark in regards to their secondary and ability to defend the pass, until this year. Although the Steelers’ secondary unit has looked fantastic all year long, they have not seen or had to defend an offense of this caliber.

I hear the Steelers fans yelling already, what about the Colts? Well, you lost, and they were nowhere near the Colts offense that we are accustomed to seeing. What about the Cowboys? What about ‘em? Tony Romo played like garbage and the Cowboys offense was never the same after the Brad Johnson era began and ended due to Romo’s injury.

There is no other argument you can make for a pass heavy offense that the Steelers had to face. So this will be an enormous test. Can they defend Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston all while stopping a highly motivated Edgerrin James (which is another story in itself)?

These two questions will decide the outcome of Super Bowl 43. I have my prediction set already, but the sub-factors have not washed out yet. I will not make a prediction this far away from the game itself due to the intangibles that are associated with the NFL.

What intangibles you ask?

The off the field intangibles that can greatly affect a teams focus. Who is going to shoot themselves this week, or, who is going to get picked off by the cops for a DUI? Will Santonio Holmes roll around with more blunts in his car? Those intangibles.

As soon as the dust clears, look for my prediction article.

Kurt Fraschetti

fraschetti[at]midwestsportsfans.com

Quick Preview of Super Bowl 43: Pittsburgh Steelers v Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals are going to Super Bowl 43.

The Arizona Cardinals are going to Super Bowl 43.

The Arizona FREAKING Cardinals are going to Super Bowl 43.

No matter how many times I type that out, it still is not registering as the truth. The Cardinals appearance in Super Bowl 43 will not be anywhere as shocking as, say, a Cubs’ appearance in the World Series would be — but it’s pretty damn close. For as long as I have been alive the Cardinals have been one of the most hapless organizations in all of sports. But they have caught lightning in a bottle this season, have a quarterback with experience who is playing at the top of his game, and have one of the five best players in the entire league in the sublime Larry Fitzgerald.

And now for a quick reality check: the Cardinals, as good as Warner and Fitzgerald are and have been, now have to go up against a defense that is playing awesome. I am not writing out the official preview or giving a prediction yet, but my early gut feeling says Pittsburgh wins this by a touchdown.

Here is your quick preview for the game as you prepare to make all of your Super Bowl 43 plans:

Super Bowl 43

Pittsburgh Steelers v Arizona Cardinals

• Date: Sunday, February 1, 2009
• Time: 6:25 PM ET
• TV: NBC
• Announcers: Al Michaels and John Madden (no Joe Buck! Yes!)
• Location: Tampa Bay
• Point Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers -7 (updated 1/27)
• Over-Under: 47
• Official Site: Super Bowl 43
• Haltime Show: Bruce Springsteen
• Super Bowl 43 Media Day: Tuesday, January 27, 2009
• Steelers-Cardinals Prediction: Get Ready for Sadness and Nausea Browns Fans
• Super Bowl 43: Can the Cardinals Cover the Spread?

The point spread and over-under (provided above by BetUs.com) are obviously subject to change as there are still two weeks before the game. But that at least gives you an idea that the experts in Vegas agree that the Steelers seem like about a touchdown favorite for Super Bowl 43.

We will obviously be providing a lot more coverage of the game as the next two weeks go along. I know that this is not the game anyone expected, and neither my Browns nor the Dolphins came anywhere close to making it, but I’m pretty excited about this game. It will be an intriguing contrast of styles and should be a hell of a matchup.

Someone else who is obviously excited for the game, and for all of the festivities and nightlife going on in Tampa this week, is Vinny Tresselini of Flash Sports Tonight, who checked in which his always entertaining report in the latest Flash Report from our friends at FST:

What’s your prediction?

Who do you think will win Super Bowl 43?

• Pittsburgh Steelers
• Arizona Cardinals

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Preview and Prediction of the Unlikely Eagles-Cardinals NFC Championship Game, After a Year of Unlikely Occurences

So did you hear the news? The crazy, wild, unbelievable news?

The Arizona Cardinals (yes, the same franchise that has never won two playoff games in the same season) are playing the Philadelphia Eagles (yes, the same franchise that tied Cincinnati earlier this season and was left for dead when they were 5-5-1) in the NFC Championship game. I suppose Philadelphia isn’t that big of a surprise when you consider their four previous NFC Championship game appearances this decade. But the Cardinals? The pathetic, moribund Cardinals? Can it really be so?

Oh, it be so — and I for one think it is going to be a great game on Sunday.

Quickly, as has become our custom in these playoff preview posts, here are the particulars to get you ready for the game:

NFC Championship Game

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals

• Sunday, January 18, 2009
• TV: 3:00 ET on FOX
• Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
• Season Series: Philadelphia Eagles 1 | Arizona Cardinals 0
• Point Spread: Philadelphia Eagles -3 1/2
• Over-Under: 47 (point spread courtesy of BetUs.com)

Now, let’s have a little fun. 2008 was a most unlikely year, with plenty of occurences that no one ever would have thought possible a 365 days before the NFC Championship game on January 18, 2008. For instance, who would have thought…

• The United States would elect a black President? It happened.
• The Miami Dolphins would go from 1-15 to AFC East champions? It happened.
• The Atlanta Falcons, behind a rookie QB and a rookie head coach, would make the playoffs? It happened.
• The Baltimore Ravens, behind a rookie QB and a rookie head coach, would make not only the playoffs, but the AFC Championship game? It happened.
• The city of Philadelphia would win a championship? It happened.
• Fans of Indiana University would seriously contemplate their team going 0-16 in the Big Ten after ethics violations in their basketball program? It is, sadly, happening right now.
• Brett Favre would be playing for someone other than the Packers? It happened.
• That I would have moved from Indiana to Dallas and started a blog about Midwest sports and then stayed up late to write a preview of a game that does not involve any teams from the Midwest? It happened.

And I could go on and on.

When you take into account all of the crazy, unlikely occurences that we have already seen during this calendar year, maybe we should not be all that surprised that the Eagles and Cardinals are playing this weekend for the right to go to the Super Bowl.

It seems to be just one of those years.

But enough of all this. The Eagles and Cardinals are playing this weekend and you, my faithful readers, are counting on me to provide you with a prediction that will most likely be proven horribly false. 99% of my other predictions have gone that way this season. (At least one thing happened that wasn’t a surprise!)

Before I get into a prediction, let’s run down the current injury status of the key players in this game:

Philadelphia Eagles Injury Updates

• Brian Westbrook is listed as probable and will play.

What, do you need to know any more about the Eagles’ injury report?

Arizona Cardinals Injury Updates

• Anquan Boldin is questionable, and says that he wants to practice a few times this week leading up to Sunday’s game. He will definitely be on the field and give it a go — we’ll have to wait and see how much he has in him.
• TE Stephen Spach is out for the season with a torn right ACL.
• The Cardinals are hopeful that Ben Patrick can serve as the #2 TE.

I’ll update this as the week goes on.

Now, let’s get down to business. Three reasons why the Eagles can win, three reasons why the Cardinals can win, and then a prediction.

Three Reasons Why the Philadelphia Eagles Can Win:

1 — Their defense is playing outstanding. The Eagles are known for their “exotic” blitz schemes and they have been harassing quarterbacks as of late. Just ask Tony Romo and Eli Manning, among others. We all know that Kurt Warner is subject to fumblitis when he gets pressure in the pocket. The Eagles are the kind of team that can do it consistently.

2 — Brian Westbrook is healthy. No, Westbrook did not have a great statistical game against the Giants, but his mere presence means everything for the Eagles’ offense. And while Arizona’s defense did a great job last weekend against Carolina, they are not a dominant unit. On the ground and through the air, Brian Westbrook will get a lot of touches. If the Cardinals cannot contain him — and remember, the Cardinals did not exactly shut down the Panthers running game, Jake Delhomme did — Westbrook could have a huge night.

3 — Asante Samuel and Donovan McNabb are capable of making game-changing plays on every snap. Samuel always seems to come up with interceptions at opportune times, and it will be strength-v-strength with him matched up on the Cardinals’ excellent receivers, a tougher match than Carolina’s DBs. And Donovan McNabb is playing some of the best football he has played in years. He is not always accurate, but he seems much more comfortable with DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis. With a healthy Westbrook, McNabb will have his opportunities to make plays down the field.

Three Reasons Why the Arizona Cardinals Can Win:

1 — They have the best player on the field: Larry Fitzgerald. Even with Anquan Boldin out, Fitzgerald was a man among boys last weekend. He dominated, and is capable of making big plays in double and even triple coverage. With Philadelphia sure to pressure Kurt Warner, and the old gray-beard QB being forced to get rid of the ball quickly, he will most likely look to Larry Fitzgerald early and often regardless of the coverage. Fitzgerald is capable of making it work.

2 — Ken Whisenhunt is on a roll pushing the right buttons. He chastised his team after a horrible performance against New England and they responded. He called Edgerrin James’ number early and often in the first round of the playoffs, and the Cardinals actually had a competent running game for once. Having a head coach who is perfectly in sync with his team is crucial at this point in the season, and Whisenhunt is proving to be one of the special young head coaches in the NFL.

3 — The Cardinals defense is playing its best football of the season. They contained the Falcons’ vaunted rushing attack in the the wild-card round. Then last week, they forced 412 turnovers against Jake Delhomme and — whoop! Delhomme just threw another pick as I am typing this. Donovan McNabb can be inaccurate with his throws, and the Cardinals can obviously take advantage. If they can force a few turnovers, it may help neutralize the occasional devastation their blitzing D will surely cause for the Cardinals offense.

So who wins?

I honestly have a strange, nagging gut feeling that this game is going to go into overtime. And no, it has nothing to do with the big story from earlier this year in which Donovan McNabb said he did not know games could end in a tie. It just feels like that close of a game, and it probably should considering that these two teams have nearly identical records. I think Philadelphia is a little bit better and more experienced overall, but the Cardinals are playing home.

In the end though, I can’t pick against the Philadelphia. This season just seems to be shaping up to be one of those storybook season for Donovan McNabb. He’s had plenty of adversity and is now 8 quarters away from cementing his legacy as one of the 15 or so best QBs in NFL history. After the benching fiasco, the overtime hubbub, and the poor overall play of the Eagles, to have led his team to the doorstep of a Super Bowl — well, it just seems like one of those perfect scripts that we see unfold all to often in the NFL.

I think the script continues, and that McNabb and Westbrook do enough to complement a great performance from the Philly D. Look for a Kurt Warner fumble to change the momentum of the game at some point in the second half. A big-play TD in overtime wins it for the Eagles.

Eagles-Cardinals Prediction

Philadelphia Eagles 27 | Arizona Cardinals 21

What do you think?

Who do you think will win this weekend's NFC Championship game?

• Eagles
• Cardinals

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