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It's funny how history sort of repeats itself. There's only two 9-7 teams that have made it to the Super Bowl. Of course, this year's Arizona Cardinals and then, the '79 L.A. Rams. Not too interesting until you ask who the Rams played in the super bowl that season. Yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers. So, in the future, if a 9-7 team wins the NFC Championship Game, you should expect the Steelers to win the AFC Championship Game.

THE ARIZONA CARDINALS 

I don't really blame people for thinking the Steelers are going to win the Super Bowl, because in a way, they should but I feel the need to mention a few different things:

ONE: the Steelers defense is really good, BUT a couple different teams(Colts, Chargers) and maybe another, have proven that if you have good pass blocking to contain the blitzes and have a group of good WRs, you can find holes in the Pittsburgh secondary. What are the Cardinals' greatest strengths? Pass blocking, passing, receiving....I'm just saying, don't be surprised if Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden get ran off the ballfield on sunday.

TWO: almost everytime the Steelers lose, it's because Ben turns the ball over and teams get pressure on Ben. With two talented pass rushers(Bertrand Berry, Karlos Dansby) and two guys in the secondary who are known for making plays on the ball(Antrel Rolle, Dominigue Rodgers-Cromartie), Arizona has a great chance to make Big Ben look like Rich Gannon in Super Bowl XXXVII. Or maybe even make him look like himself in Super Bowl XL.

THREE: and maybe most intriguing, the 2007 matchup between the Cards and Steelers. The Cardinals beat the Steelers 21-14 in week 4 after the Steelers started the 2007 season 3-0. You may be thinkin, "Oh, well, that was last season". Fine, but consider this. Almost everything is the same. Pitt has an identical starting 11 on defense. On offense, the Steelers are almost identical to the 2007 game, except, they actually have a worse offensive line. The Cardinals lineup is also almost exactly the same as in that game in 07, except they've added talent in the secondary and the offensive line. What exactly happened in that 2007 meeting? Ben threw two interceptions, got sacked 4 times, and Larry Fitzgerald caught 10 balls for over 100 yards.

Take from these three points what you will, but from the sounds of things, Pittsburgh should be really worried about this game.

Another interesting thought about the Super Bowl. Pittsburgh has been to 6 Super Bowls. They've only lost one super bowl. The lone Super Bowl loss for the Steelers came in the old home of, yes, the Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers lost a relatively close one to the Cowboys at Sun Devil Stadium in Arizona.

One thing that has been kind of bothering me for a while now. All the talk of how the Cardinals are the worst Super Bowl team ever and how they didn't even deserve to make the playoffs. How soon we forget...my, my. In midseason, the media was calling the Cards a legit contender with an MVP QB. What happened to change that? The Cards proceeded to lose to the Giants(barely) and then got destroyed by the Eagles, Vikings, and Patriots. I'll give you the Eagles game. They bombed. But I THIIIIINK they may have made up for that in the NFC Championship Game....maybe! Dominated the Eagles in the first half. The other two blowouts? After the Eagles game, the Cardinals found out the had clinched a playoff berth and won their division. Because of this, they would be no worse than a 4 seed in the playoffs and get at least one home playoff game. They also had injury concerns. I believe Ken Whisenhunt, smartly, decided to turn the volume down a bit. Not to throw games, but just take it easy the last few weeks of the season. If they won, cool, if they lost, oh well. There's two advantages in doing that. Guys are well rested for the playoffs and other teams begin to believe the Cards aren't a good team and will overlook them in their preparations. I have no doubt this is what the cardinals did, because I watched the vikings and the patriots games. They didn't look right. They didnt have any excitment, the play calling was completely out of wack, and nobody seemed to care when the team had a bad play. Either no one was gettin sleep or those games meant very little to the team.

Another thing to consider if you think the Cards are the worst Super Bowl team and don't derserve what they've earned...Yes, AZ finished the season 9-7, but of those 7 losses, NONE were to teams with a lossing reacord. All their losses were to good teams. 4 playoffs teams, a Patriots team that finished 11-5, and two teams that were in the playoff hunt till the late part of the season(Redskins, Saints). You can't say they aren't good because they lost to those teams, especially since 5 of those 7 came on the road and all but two were close games.

THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS

With a win on February 1, 2009 against the Arizona Cardinals, the Steelers will hold the record for most Super Bowl Wins with 6, but unfortunately will still trail the Packers by 7 for most NFL Championships. It's okay though Steelers fans, hardly anyone cares about what happened before the AFL-NFL merger.

Since it's hard for me, as a fan who doesn't like the Steelers, to find something good to say about their chances on Sunday, I'll just reel off some interesting facts.

If Hines Wards fights through his injury to win another Super Bowl MVP award, he'll become the only NFL player born outside of the United States to win more than one Super Bowl MVP. Not only that, but he'll become the first WR in NFL history to win more than one Super Bowl MVP. AND IM NOT FINISHED...haha...If he wins another Super Bowl MVP, he will become the FIRST NON-QUARTERBACK to win more than one Super Bowl MVP. Needless to say, if the steelers happen to pull it off, I'll be rooting for Hines to win the MVP and if he does, he will no doubt be in the Hall of Fame. As of now, he's on the fringe for enshrinement.

Ben Roethlisberger also has an opportunity to break a record. If Pitt wins, Ben will be the youngest QB to win two Super Bowls. He's already the youngest QB to win one Super Bowl. Basically, the guy has accomplished a lot in a short time. I'm sure he will make Wally Szczerbiak very happy. Why do famous sport figures from Miami U have to have difficult last names?

Another If: Should the Steelers win sunday, It'll be their 3rd Super Bowl victory in the state of Florida. The first two being in Miami, Florida. I'm sure Dolphins fans aren't going to be to happy about that situation, since they've never won a Super Bowl in Florida despite playing in five Super Bowls and winning two.

Maybe a little more well-known fact, Mike Tomlin would become the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl should the Steelers do what is expected of them on Sunday. More interesting is that he would pass Jon Gruden for that title. Jon Gruden became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl with Tampa in 2003. This year Super Bowl is in... Tampa.

Pittsburgh finished 30th in the league in rushing yards per carry. Arizona finished 32nd(last) in the NFL in rushing yards per carry. That would be the worst rushing matchup in Super Bowl history, but don't be surprised if the running game turns out to be very prominant and the most important thing in this Sunday's Super Bowl.

FINAL FACT

For my final useless bit of Super Bowl facts, Super Bowl XLIII will mark the first meeting between QBs who have already won a Super Bowl since 1984. The name of the Super Bowl that year? XVIII. XVIII and XLIII. good stuff. In SB XVIII, The older QB won. Jim Plunkett's Raiders beat Joe Theismann's Redskins 38-9 for Plunkett's second Super Bowl victory and the Raiders' third and last Super Bowl victory. Let's all hope XLIII isn't a blowout like XVIII was and I at least will hope that once again, the older QB wins.

MY PICKS

Kurt Warner gets held under 300 yards, but passes for 3 TDs. Edge doesn't find many lane in the running game but is a big factor in the passing game. Arizona will force at least 2 tunrovers. Big Ben will have at least 2 turnovers. Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore will get a heavy workload, rushing and receiving. Heath Miller will be the Steelers leading receiver.

Pittsburgh 26   Arizona 24

Super Bowl MVP: Santonio Holmes - Punt Return TD, 4 rec 85 yards TD

I know what your thinking: I criticize the media for picking the Steelers and tell you reasons why AZ will win, then I pick Pittsburgh?? I've picked against AZ every week of the playoffs and it's working out GREAT for the Cards!! why stop now?